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Events During the Week of February 9th through February 16th, 2020

Sunday, February 9th, 2020

Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Speaker: Clint Sprott, UW–Madison Physics
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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Monday, February 10th, 2020

Plasma Physics (Physics/ECE/NE 922) Seminar
Accelerating our understanding of the multi-scale dynamics of high-energy plasmas
Time: 12:05 pm - 12:55 pm
Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Paulo Alves, Stanford, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Abstract: At the core of many long-standing challenges in plasma physics, from controlling nuclear fusion to understanding the acceleration of the most energetic particles in the Universe, is the problem of capturing the multi-scale interplay between kinetic processes and global plasma dynamics. State-of-the-art kinetic simulations are beginning to capture a sufficiently large dynamical range to probe fundamental aspects of this interplay. Advances in experimental capabilities are further allowing us to closely validate theoretical/computational models, and even probe beyond the range of scales accessible to our largest simulations. Moreover, the increasing quantity and quality of plasma data being produced is creating new opportunities for innovation in the way we tackle these long-standing challenges.

In this talk, I will discuss how state-of-the-art kinetic simulations are beginning to unveil the physics interplay between kinetic plasma processes and global plasma dynamics in the context of magnetic field generation and particle acceleration in relativistic astrophysical outflows. I will also discuss how techniques from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can help us take full advantage of the data from high-fidelity numerical simulations and experiments to accelerate the discovery of reduced descriptions of kinetic plasma processes, and improve the physics fidelity of multi-scale plasma models.
Host: Jan Egedal
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2020

Chaos & Complex Systems Seminar
Learning with scarce data: The role of side information, simulators, and GANs
Time: 12:05 pm - 1:00 pm
Place: 4274 Chamberlin (refreshments will be served)
Speaker: Kangwook Lee, UW Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract: In this talk, I will present the role of side information, simulators, and GANs for learning with scarce data. In the first part, I will talk about the role of similarity graphs in recommendation systems. In the second part, the role of simulators and GANs will be discussed.
Host: Clint Sprott
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"Physics Today" Undergrad Colloquium (Physics 301)
From nanoparticles to reefs
Time: 1:20 pm - 2:10 pm
Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Pupa Gilbert, UW Madison Department of Physics
Host: Sridhara Dasu
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Atomic Physics Seminar
QC Cluster Seminar
Optical photon generation from a superconducting qubit
Time: 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Alp Sipahigil, California Institute of Technology
Abstract: The ability to store, transfer, and process quantum information promises to transform how we calculate, communicate, and measure. The realization of large-scale quantum systems that can achieve these tasks is an outstanding challenge and an exciting frontier in modern physics. In the past two decades, superconducting circuits based on Josephson junctions emerged as a promising platform for processing quantum information. However, these systems operate at low temperatures and microwave frequencies, and require a coherent interface with optical photons to transfer quantum information across long distances. In this talk, I will present our recent experiments demonstrating quantum transduction of a superconducting qubit excitation to an optical photon. I will describe how we use mesoscopic mechanical oscillators in their quantum ground states to convert single photons from microwave frequencies to the optical domain. I will conclude by discussing the prospects of this approach for realizing future quantum networks based on superconducting quantum processors and mechanical quantum memories.
Host: Mark Saffman
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Council Meeting
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Place: 2314 Chamberlin Hall
Host: Sridhara Dasu
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Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

Department Meeting
Department Meeting - CANCELLED
Time: 12:15 pm - 1:15 pm
Place: B343 Sterling Hall
Speaker: Sridhara Dasu, Department Chair
CANCELLED due to lack of business.
Host: Sridhara Dasu
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Theory Seminar (High Energy/Cosmology)
Cosmology in the next Decade: Fundamental Physics, Systematics and Synergies between cosmological probes
Time: 4:00 pm
Place: 5280 Chamberlin
Speaker: Sukhdeep Singh, UC Berkeley
Abstract: Multi wavelength observations of the sky from a number of planned and upcoming cosmological surveys will provide unprecedented opportunities to understand the nature of dark energy, dark matter, neutrinos and inflation. With the increased precision, the effects of systematic biases are becoming increasingly important, requiring significant improvements in our understanding of several observational and astrophysical processes. The complementarity of different surveys and the overlapping observations provide new opportunities to exploit the synergies between different probes, to study the fundamental physics and to control the impact of several systematic biases. In my talk, I will show examples of synergies between different probes from our work combining galaxy clustering and weak gravitational lensing measurements to constrain parameters of cosmological models and to perform tests on gravity. I will then discuss the challenges we face in combining information from increasingly larger volume surveys and some of the solutions we are working on. I will also highlight the new opportunities we will have to study and mitigate the effects of systematics with the examples of photometric redshifts of galaxies and the intrinsic alignments of galaxy shapes.
Host: Dan Chung
Presentation: wisconsin_2020_with_hidden2.pdf
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Thursday, February 13th, 2020

R. G. Herb Condensed Matter Seminar
The fall and rise of the mass on a spring
Time: 10:00 am
Place: 5310 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Prof. Benjamin Aleman , University of Oregon
Abstract: Since antiquity, the mass on a spring and other simple mechanical systems have been used in everyday applications, like time-keeping clocks. But at one time, they were also employed in smarter information technologies such as calculators and computers, technologies now ruled by silicon-based microelectronics. In recent years, thanks largely to the nanometer-scale miniaturization of mechanical systems and the discovery of atomic-scale materials like graphene, the mass on a spring has been rising in scientific and technological prominence, and is once again knocking on the door of more sophisticated uses. The next step in this mechanical evolution—as occurred with electronic microchips—is to form large programmable networks of interacting nanomechanical resonators, but such networks demand unprecedented, scalable control over the resonance frequencies and coupling of the constituent resonators. Here, I will detail recent projects in my lab that advance the quest to realize these networks, projects enabled by optically addressable graphene nanoelectromechanical resonators. By harnessing several unique properties of graphene, we develop an optoelectronic non-volatile mechanical strain memory and a means for fast, photothermally mediated strain modulation, which together enable local static and dynamic frequency and coupling control of resonators in large arrays. I will discuss several applications already enabled by our work, such as a new light detector that "hears" light, as well as some wilder, yet promising aspirations.
Host: Brar
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Cosmology Journal Club
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Place: 5242 Chamberlin Hall
Abstract: We discuss papers from arxiv.org related to cosmology each week. All are welcome and feel free to bring your lunch. If there is a paper you would like to present, or have questions or comments, please email Ross Cawthon (cawthon@wisc.edu) and Santanu Das (sdas33@wisc.edu).
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Astronomy Colloquium
Diffusion and dispersion in anisotropic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence
Time: 3:30 pm - 5:00 am
Place: 4421 Sterling Hall, Coffee and cookies 3:30 PM, Talk begins 3:45 PM
Speaker: Professor Jane Pratt, Georgia State University, Physics and Astronomy Deparment
Abstract: Diffusion and transport processes in turbulent plasmas constitute fundamental astrophysical problems; a clear understanding of these processes is needed in order to produce improved theoretical models for the diffusion and transport of energetic particles, including cosmic rays.
Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence structured by a large-scale magnetic field is an essential aspect of interstellar or interplanetary plasmas. Here we investigate how turbulent diffusion and dispersion differ in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. We adopt the Lagrangian viewpoint, the natural point of view to study diffusion, and construct statistics based on the trajectories of Lagrangian tracer particles. From the motions of these tracer particles, we evaluate Lagrangian statistics for single-particle diffusion, two-particle dispersion, and velocity autocorrelations. We also demonstrate new Lagrangian statistics developed to understand anisotropic turbulent dispersion. Results will be presented from simulations with grid sizes up to 2048^3.

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Host: Professor Ellen Zweibel
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Friday, February 14th, 2020

Thesis Defense
Emily Lichko Thesis Defense
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am
Place: 5280 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Emily Lichko, Physics PhD Graduate Student
Abstract: Magnetic pumping as a source of particle heating
Host: Jan Egedal, Faculty Advisor
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PhD Prospective Student Visit Day
Time: 1:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Speaker: na, na
Abstract: For admitted students only
Host: Michelle Holland, Graduate Program Coordinator
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Physics Department Colloquium
Neutrinos on the Rocks
Time: 3:30 pm
Place: 2241 Chamberlin Hall
Speaker: Markus Ahlers, Niels Bohr Institute
Abstract: Neutrinos are unique cosmic messengers that allow to explore the most extreme environments of our Universe. In the past decade, neutrino astronomy has reached a milestone with the discovery of high-energy (TeV-PeV) cosmic neutrinos by the IceCube observatory at the South Pole. The origin of these neutrinos is unknown and subject to much speculation in astroparticle physics. Only recently, IceCube was able to find first compelling evidence of a high-energy neutrino source: the gamma-ray blazar TXS 0506+056. The sum of these observations has implications on the strength and abundance of neutrino sources and their visibility in terms of other messengers: cosmic rays, photons and gravitational waves. Multi-messenger astronomy will play a strong role for future discoveries. In my talk, I will summarize the status of neutrino astronomy and highlight the open questions that can be addressed with next-generation neutrino observatories and detector upgrades. I will emphasize the unique potential of neutrino astronomy as a probe of astrophysics and fundamental physics.
Host: Albrecht Karle
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Saturday, February 15th, 2020

Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020

Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
Add this event to your calendar
Wonders of Physics
Wonders of Physics Show
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Place: 2103 Chamberlin
Abstract: Scheduled presentations of The Wonders of Physics and a Physics Fair are given on the UW-Madison campus for the general public in mid-February each year. Free tickets are recommended and are available after January 1st using the On-Line Ticket Form (http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/tickleft.exe). Alternately, you may call (608) 262-2927 or e-mail wonders@physics.wisc.edu.
Host: Clint Sprott / Wonders of Physics
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