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Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Mississippi

Events

  • Sun
    05
    Jan
    2020
    5:30 pmKennon Observatory

    We are offering astronomy open houses and viewings with our telescopes:

    • January 5, 2020 on Sunday 5:30 - 7:30 PM

    We plan to observe the Moon, double stars, and Saturn though our telescopes.  All these events are weather permitting. Admission is free.
    Children are welcome!

    See this page for the full schedule.

  • Tue
    21
    Jan
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    James Bonifacio
    Department of Physics
    Case Western Reserve University

    Giving the Graviton a Mass

    In general relativity, the gravitational force is mediated by a massless spin-2 particle…the graviton. In fact, the structure of general relativity and its interactions with other particles are largely fixed by this requirement. However, there are still many open questions about the behavior of gravity, both at short and long distances, which motivates the exploration of theories that deform general relativity. One such question is whether the graviton in our universe can have a small but nonzero mass. In this talk I will review some of the challenges and successes in constructing theories of massive gravitons and discuss some recent experimental and theoretical results that constrain such theories.

  • Tue
    28
    Jan
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Shanti Bhushan
    Mechanical Engineering
    Mississippi State University

    Computational Fluid Dynamics: Turbulence Modeling and Applications

    Turbulence/transition modeling is a primary source of uncertainty in computational fluid dynamics, and this problem remains unsolved despite over one hundred years of scientific research. The talk will focus on an overview of author's ongoing research in transition/turbulence modeling and applications. The key modeling topics that will be discussed are: identification of transition onset marker for bypass transition; modeling subgrid scale energy transfer using algebraic models; and potential of machine learning for turbulence modeling. The key application topic will focus on role of turbulence on: growth of vortical structures for ship flows; heat transfer; structural deformation for shock boundary layer interaction; growth of rotor wake; and propagation of acoustic waves. Some open question in transition/turbulence will also be emphasized.

  • Thu
    30
    Jan
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Dustin Madison
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    West Virginia University

    Advancing the Capabilities of Nanohertz Gravitational Wave Astronomy

    After fifteen years of ongoing effort to precisely monitor the most stable millisecond pulsars known, the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) is poised, within the next five years, to detect gravitational waves (GWs) in an entirely unexplored range of frequencies. The initial detection will be just the beginning of a sustained campaign to characterize the nanohertz GW sky. I will discuss important fundamental features of the astrophysics underpinning and motivating NANOGrav's efforts and certain unavoidable shortcomings of pulsar timing array investigations. I have a plan to ameliorate these shortcomings by synthesizing pulsar timing data and precise astrometric surveys from instruments such as the Gaia space telescope, a program that could powerfully augment both the imminent and long-term scientific returns of nanohertz GW astronomy. Finally, I will discuss a new and interesting way that astrometric measurements could enable the detection of GW memory, a theoretically important signal sought after by GW astronomers across the frequency spectrum.

  • Sun
    02
    Feb
    2020
    6:00 pmKennon Observatory

    We are offering astronomy open houses and viewings with our telescopes:

    • February 2, 2020 on Sunday 6:00 - 8:00 PM

    We plan to observe Venus, the Moon, double stars, and other interesting objects though our telescopes.  All these events are weather permitting. Admission is free.
    Children are welcome!

    See this page for the full schedule.

  • Tue
    04
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Gregory Vieira
    Department of Physics
    Rhodes College

    Patterned Nanoscale Magnetic Traps and Applications for Single- and Few-Molecule Experiments

    Directed and controllable manipulation of fluid-borne entities is important for a wide range of applications such as cellular diagnostics and nano-scale assembly. We present a multiplexed mechanism for manipulating microscopic magnetic particles in fluid on arrays of patterned magnetic disks or wires. This mechanism allows for probing and manipulation of micro- and nano-scale objects and biological entities in near-native environments, offers the flexibility to apply forces to large numbers of objects simultaneously, and is remotely tunable by application of weak magnetic fields. We illustrate several applications of this technique in the regime of single or few molecules: toward single biomolecule detection, single cell nanoinjections, and remote control of microtubules gliding on kinesin assays.

  • Thu
    06
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Yuan Li
    Department of Astronomy
    University of California — Berkeley

    Supermassive Black Hole Feedback in the Centers of Massive Galaxies and Galaxy Clusters

    The centers of massive galaxies and galaxy clusters contain hot plasma that loses its energy rapidly through radiation of X-ray photons. The energy loss is thought to be compensated for by the energy input from the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in the centers of these systems, via a process often termed as "AGN feedback". In this talk, I will review the state of the field, and discuss what we have learned from numerical simulations in the past few years, including how AGN jets deposit their energy to the surrounding medium, and how they affect cooling and star formation. I will also talk about my recent analysis of optical and ALMA observations of multiphase filaments in cluster centers, which not only improves our understanding of AGN feedback, but also puts unprecedented constraints on microscopic transport processes in the weakly-collisional, magnetized intracluster plasma.

  • Tue
    11
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Philip Cowperthwaite
    Carnegie Observatory
    Carnegie Institution for Science

    Electromagnetic Follow-Up of Gravitational Wave Events in the Next Decade

    The Advanced LIGO and Virgo (ALV) gravitational wave interferometers began their third observing run (O3) in April of 2019. Since then they have so far reported the detection of over 30 gravitational wave candidates. While the majority of detected events are likely to be the merger of two stellar mass black holes, several events have a better than 50% chance of containing at least one neutron star making them enticing targets for electromagnetic follow-up. In this talk, I will review the state of follow-up efforts and discuss the observational campaigns for two of these events: S190425z and S190814bv. To date, no credible electromagnetic counterparts have been identified for any of these events. Nevertheless, studying these follow-up efforts can provide valuable insight into the difficulties of obtaining joint detections of gravitational waves and electromagnetic signals. I will discuss how we can tackle these challenges with the next-generation of observational facilities set to come online in the 2020s.

  • Thu
    13
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Daniel D'Orazio
    Institute for Theory and Computation
    Harvard University

    Multi-Messenger and Multi-Band Interrogation of Compact-Object Binaries

    Binary systems consisting of two compact objects span at least ten orders of magnitude in mass, from the neutron stars and stellar-mass black holes paired via binary stellar evolution or dynamical encounters, to the supermassive black holes that meet at the centers of galactic nuclei. Accordingly, these systems arise from an enormously diverse range of astrophysical environments. What they share is their potential role in generating luminous, high-energy electromagnetic radiation and their ability to generate detectable gravitational radiation upon merger. I will discuss work aimed at electromagnetically identifying a yet undetected population of sub-parsec separation supermassive black hole binaries, which are targets of ongoing monitoring by the pulsar timing arrays as well as the future LISA gravitational-wave observatory. I will also discuss work that leverages detection of gravitational waves in multiple frequency bands to elucidate the astrophysical origin of the LIGO gravitational-wave events. In the coming years, present and upcoming time domain surveys (e.g., the Vera C. Rubin Observatory) and gravitational-wave observatories (e.g., LISA, LIGO and its evolutions) will drive forward investigations of compact-object binaries across the mass scale, and drastically expand our knowledge of compact-object binary populations and the environments that shape them.

  • Tue
    18
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Hsin-Yu Chen
    Black Hole Initiative
    Harvard University

    Gravitational-wave Observations from Quarks to the Universe

    Advanced LIGO-Virgo have detected tens of stellar mass compact binary mergers, including binary black holes, binary neutron stars, and potentially neutron star-black hole mergers. These binary-merger detections carried plenty of information about the binaries and the Universe. In this talk I will focus on a few topics we learned from the gravitational-wave detections: the electromagnetic counterparts of binary mergers, the neutron star equation-of-state, and the expansion rate of the Universe. I will first summarize current status of the field and the future projections. I will then discuss future plans to expand and improve the study.

  • Tue
    18
    Feb
    2020
    6:00 pmUptown Coffee, 265 North Lamar Blvd, Oxford, Mississippi

    Dr. Peter Zee
    Department of Biology,
    University of Mississippi

    Evolution in Real Time

    Evolutionary change in populations requires time. For organisms to change, the forces of evolution must occur over generations and generations. While there has been recent attention to how evolution can occur very rapidly, it is still difficult for biologists to observe these changes as they occur. The speaker will discuss how we can use microbial species in the laboratory to study evolutionary processes in real time, measuring changes over years, weeks, and even days. Find out how biologists are exploring the forces of evolution with this powerful experimental evolution approach with classic examples and contemporary research.

     

    See this page for details.

  • Tue
    25
    Feb
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Zheguang Zou
    National Center for Physical Acoustics and Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Mississippi

    Three-Dimensional Seismic Oceanography in the Gulf of Mexico

    Seismic oceanography is a new interdisciplinary science that uses legacy marine seismic data from the oil industry to image the ocean water column like eddies or oceanic internal waves. The imaging is achieved by acoustic signals emitted by air guns, reflected from the ocean, and collected by a hydrophone array towed by a ship. For a ship traveling in the ocean, the temperature-salinity structure of the water column can be imaged from the collected signals with a resolution much higher than traditional oceanography measurements.
    Previous seismic oceanography studies are largely based on two-dimensional seismic images. However, the ocean by nature requires three-dimensional (3D) imaging with high resolution. This talk will report our recent results on the imaging of the temporal and spatial variation of water column fluctuations in the Gulf of Mexico enabled by 3D seismic oceanography.

  • Sun
    01
    Mar
    2020
    6:15 pmKennon Observatory

    We are offering astronomy open houses and viewings with our telescopes:

    • March 1, 2020 on Sunday 6:15 - 8:00 PM

    We plan to observe Venus, the Moon, double stars, and other interesting objects though our telescopes.  All these events are weather permitting. Admission is free.
    Children are welcome!

    See this page for the full schedule.

  • Tue
    03
    Mar
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 101

    Jake Bennett
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Mississippi

    High Energy Physics at Ole Miss

    The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ole Miss contributes to major theoretical and experimental efforts in high energy particle physics, including several international experiments. This colloquium will include an introduction to the field and a review of some of the HEP research ongoing at Ole Miss.

  • Tue
    10
    Mar
    2020
    4:00 pmLewis Hall 109

    Alejandro Cárdenas-Avendaño
    Department of Physics
    University of Illinois — Urbana-Champaign

    Experimental Gravity with Electromagnetic and Gravitational Waves

    Observations of black holes through the electromagnetic and gravitational spectrum have been used to understand their nature and the fundamental properties of the material in their vicinity. Our ability to learn about the underlying physics depends heavily on our understanding of the gravity theory that describes the geometry around these compact objects, and for the electromagnetic observations, also on the complex astrophysics that produces the observed radiation. In this talk, I will comment on our current ability to constrain and detect deviations from general relativity using (i) the electromagnetic radiation emitted by an accretion disk around a black hole, and (ii) the gravitational waves produced when comparable-mass black holes collide, and when a small compact object falls into a supermassive one in an extreme mass-ratio inspiral. I will also discuss the implications of assuming that General Relativity is correct a priori on the estimation of parameters of the astrophysical model when the data is not described by the Einstein’s theory, which can lead to a fundamental systematic bias.

  • Sun
    29
    Mar
    2020
    7:30 pmKennon Observatory

    Sorry at least this Open house is canceled due to health considerations.

     

  • Tue
    31
    Mar
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting See Below.

    Yun Jing
    Graduate Program in Acoustics
    Pennsylvania State University

    Numerical Modeling of Medical Ultrasound

    In the last two decades, we have witnessed enormous development in high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for treating a broad spectrum of diseases and medical conditions. As a non-invasive surgical modality that can reach deep tissue, HIFU has the potential to revolutionize therapy. To truly understand, design and improve HIFU-based technologies and eventually adopt them clinically, it is vital to have a versatile and fast, yet accurate ultrasound numerical model. Although there are many ultrasound numerical models available, none can currently achieve both efficient and sufficiently accurate simulations for acoustic wave propagation in large-scale, heterogeneous biological media. Existing numerical models face two enduring dilemmas: they are either very efficient but not accurate due to invalid approximations, or they are very accurate but computationally time-consuming and therefore impractical in many cases. In this talk, I will discuss our effort throughout the past 10 years in developing new numerical models for HIFU, that aims to establish a balance between accuracy and computational efficiency, therefore filling the gap between these two critical requirements. I will focus on both the theoretical development and the practical applications of the numerical algorithm. I will also introduce our ongoing NIH-funded project that aims to develop an open-source toolbox for modeling medical ultrasound.

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950?pwd=bERlVm96OXJOalNSdE5FenhGZEh1Zz09

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    07
    Apr
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting See Below.

    Chen Shen
    Electrical and Computer Engineering
    Duke University;

    Architected Materials: Next Generation Functional Acoustic Materials

    The recent development of functional materials has reshaped almost every aspect of our lives. In modern society, we are able to synthesize structures with properties beyond their constituent materials — referred to as architected materials. My research focuses on the study of architected materials, including their design, fabrication, and application in acoustics. In this talk, I will sample some of my contributions to this field. For instance, (1) I will show how reconfigurable architected materials lead to multifunctional acoustic devices. (2) I will demonstrate the design of highly efficient architected materials for acoustic wave control. (3) I will discuss the potential of architected materials through marriage with advanced manufacturing. At the end of the talk, I will showcase some of my ongoing work on architected materials for medical and ultrasound applications.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950?pwd=bERlVm96OXJOalNSdE5FenhGZEh1Zz09

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Wed
    08
    Apr
    2020
    2:45 pmGoogle Hangout Meet link: meet.google.com/dag-jukf-rkc

    You are invited to attend Kevin Yi-Wei Lin's Ph.D. dissertation defense at 2:45 PM on Wednesday, April 8 via Google Hangout Meet link: meet.google.com/dag-jukf-rkc.
    The dissertation title is: “Nondestructive Evaluation of Solid Cargo inside Cylindrical Containers by Using Linear and Nonlinear Acoustic Resonance Spectroscopy."

  • Thu
    09
    Apr
    2020
    2:00 pmZoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/534519272

    You are invited to attend Saeed Kamali's Ph.D. dissertation defense at 2:00 PM on Thursday, April 9 via Zoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/534519272.
    The dissertation title is: “Non-Standard Interactions and b-Hadron Decays."

  • Mon
    13
    Apr
    2020
    3:00 pmZoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/666943216

    You are invited to attend Ashoka Karunarathne's Ph.D. dissertation defense at 3:00 PM on Monday, April 13 via Zoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/666943216 .
    The dissertation title is: “Study of Poroelasticity in Porous Ceramics and Elasticity of Thermoelectric SnSe."

  • Tue
    14
    Apr
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting See Below.

    Philip L. Marston
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    Washington State University

    Decades of Acoustical, Optical, & Fluid Wave Physics with Students & Associates

    Following introductory comments concerning a Washington State College Physics MS degree recipient from 1928, selected research from four recent decades will be summarized. Some examples to be considered include the close relationship between optical and acoustical scattering research and the value of understanding short and long wavelength scattering processes. Novel forms of rainbow and glory scattering were discovered. In some cases waves can be simultaneously used to probe and control the shape and position of drops and bubbles and to stabilize liquid columns; investigations outside the laboratory included reduced-gravity aircraft and the Space Shuttle. Related developments concern radiation torque, vortex beams, and tractor beams. In other developments, lessons from short-wavelength scattering experiments were applied to acoustical situations having reduced symmetry, facilitating improved interpretation of acoustical images and signatures of objects in water. Participation of students and program alumni in acoustical field experiments for the remediation of unexploded ordnance (UXO) will be noted.

    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950?pwd=bERlVm96OXJOalNSdE5FenhGZEh1Zz09

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

    This is a Pre-recorded Video

  • Tue
    21
    Apr
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting See Below.

    Maarten Buijsman
    School of Ocean Science and Engineering
    University of Southern Mississippi

    Giant Underwater Waves Mixing the Ocean's Waters

    The ocean’s interior is filled with giant waves that can only exist because the ocean is vertically stratified in temperature and salinity. Some of these waves are more than 300 feet tall and 100 miles long. Like waves at the ocean surface, internal waves are restored by gravity. These internal gravity waves are generated by wind, tides, and the slow ocean circulation. As internal waves propagate through the ocean, they interact with topography, the ocean circulation, and other internal waves, facilitating an energy cascade to smaller scales, and eventually turbulence. Like breaking waves on the beach, the turbulence of breaking internal waves mixes the water below the ocean’s surface. This is relevant for the dispersion of sediments and nutrients, the general ocean circulation, and ultimately the earth’s climate.

    Join Zoom Meeting

    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    28
    Apr
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting See Below.

    Seth Pree
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of California — Los Angeles

    Acoustic Plasma Trapping and Plasma Thermoacoustics

    An oven's worth of microwaves can be used to both make a few thousand Kelvin plasma and cause that plasma to generate sound. Such a system can be used as a tweeter, but the luminous plasma subjected to its own sound field raises more interesting opportunities in both nonlinear acoustics and thermoacoustics. For example, how can the sound field established by modulating the microwave power lighting up a ping-pong ball sized bulb containing 30 mg of sulfur trap the resulting 3000+ K plasma in the center of a spherical cavity? Continuous wave (CW) microwaves may also be used to generate sound via the Sondhauss effect in a Helmholtz resonator. I will end by presenting an unconventional, 3D thermoacoustic gain mechanism based on the variation in the plasma’s conductivity due to the sound’s adiabatic compression. If realized, 3D plasma thermoacoustics may help addressing questions about Cepheid variable stars.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting

     

  • Tue
    23
    Jun
    2020
    1:00 pmZoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/91595060611

    You are invited to attend Khagendra Adhikari's Ph.D. dissertation defense at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, June 23 via Zoom Meeting: https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/91595060611 .
    The dissertation title is: “Numerical Studies of a Quantum Spin Chain with Three-Body Interactions.”

  • Tue
    25
    Aug
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Stewart Prager
    Program of Science & Global Security
    Princeton University

    The Increasing Peril from Nuclear Arms: And How Physicists Can Help Reduce the Threat

    With geopolitical and technological changes mostly driven by the nuclear weapons states, we are slipping towards a new arms race and deterioration of the multi-decade arms control regime. This talk will describe the current situation, feasible steps to reduce the nuclear threat, and a new project sponsored by the American Physical Society to engage physical scientists in advocacy for nuclear threat reduction.

    A short meeting will be held immediately after the colloquium for those interested in learning about, or joining, the APS Coalition.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    01
    Sep
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Nobuchika Okada
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Alabama

    Solving Big Mysteries in Particle Physics with a New Force

    For the last decades, the Standard Model of particle physics has been the best theory for describing elementary particle phenomena observed in nature. However, there still are big mysteries that the Standard Model fails to explain: (1) Why are neutrino masses so tiny? (2) What is the nature of the dark matter in our universe? (3) What drives the Cosmological Inflation before Big Bang? (4) Where does ordinary matter come from, and what happened to antimatter? (5) Why is the CP-violation so small in the strong interaction? In this colloquium, I will first review the Standard Model, its success and fails, and then discuss our recent proposal of a simple extension of the Standard Model with a new force that offers a solution to the above 5 mysteries.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    08
    Sep
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Guancong Ma
    Department of Physics
    Hong Kong Baptist University

    Geometric Phases in Acoustics

    Geometric phase is a universal concept associated with the adiabatic evolution of states. It manifests in a wide diversity of physical systems, ranging from solid-state electronics to classical mechanics. Its profound implication makes it the cornerstone of numerous cutting-edge research, in particular, topological phases. The universality of the geometric phase means that it can be investigated using acoustic wave systems. The advancement of phononic crystals and the advent of acoustic metamaterials, in particular, laid the foundation for such endeavors. In this talk, I will discuss some of our recent attempts to study geometric phases and related phenomena in acoustic systems. Topics include: geometric phase mediated transport of sound vortex in a spiral waveguide, the realization of quantized Zak phase in a one-dimensional phononic crystal, topological acoustic pumping, and hybrid winding around an exceptional point.

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    15
    Sep
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Charles F. Caskey
    Department of Radiology & Radiological Sciences
    Vanderbilt University Medical Center

    Transcranial MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Neuromodulation

    Ultrasound has the ability to focus energy to a small point beyond the skull and is being widely explored by researchers as a tool for non-invasive neuromodulation. When combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), focused ultrasound (FUS) can be precisely guided while the effects of FUS can be visualized at the network level using fMRI. In this talk, I will discuss our ongoing work in developing systems to apply image-guided FUS neuromodulation in the MRI environment while imaging functional activity. Specifically, I will cover the development of optical tracking as a method to guide FUS neuromodulation, the creation of transducer arrays for steerable FUS neuromodulation, and the development of MR acoustic radiation
    force imaging methods to visualize the acoustic focus. We have used these methods to modulate the somatosensory network in non-human primates, demonstrating that MRI-guided FUS is capable of exciting precise targets in somatosensory areas 3a/3b, causing downstream activations in off-target brain regions within the circuit which we can simultaneously detect with fMRI. Our observations are consistent with others' work in the field of FUS neuromodulation; however, questions remain about mechanisms underlying FUS neuromodulation and potential confounds. The talk will conclude by reporting on recent work at the cellular level where we are measuring calcium signaling in mouse brain slices with optical markers during FUS neuromodulation

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    15
    Sep
    2020
    6:00 pmZoom Meeting.

    Dr. Carolyn Freiwald and Dr. Lexi O'Donnell
    Department of Sociology and Anthropology,
    University of Mississippi

    Archaeological Science: Our Teeth Tell (Migration) Tales.

    Archaeologists reconstruct the past in multiple ways, using novel scientific techniques, historic records, oral traditions, and artifacts. Drs. O’Donnell and Freiwald talk about their research on ancient migration in northern New Mexico and today’s Mexico City 800 years ago using the biological and chemical differences in human teeth. Who were migrants in Tlalnepantla, Mexico? What happened to the Gallina people in northern New Mexico when their homes were abandoned? Dental morphology and isotopic analysis are key forensic techniques that answer questions posed by historical records and oral traditions.

     

    See this page for details.

  • Tue
    15
    Sep
    2020
    6:00 pmVia Zoom (connection details will follow!)

    Dr. Carolyn Freiwald, Associate Professor, and Dr. Lexi O'Donnell, Visiting Assistant Professor, from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Mississippi

    Archaeological science: Our teeth tell (migration) tales

    Archaeologists reconstruct the past in multiple ways, using novel scientific techniques, historic records, oral traditions, and artifacts. Drs. O'Donnell and Freiwald talk about their research on ancient migration in northern New Mexico and today's Mexico City 800 years ago using the biological and chemical differences in human teeth. Who were migrants in Tlalnepantla, Mexico? What happened to the Gallina people in northern New Mexico when their homes were abandoned? Dental morphology and isotopic analysis are key forensic techniques that answer questions posed by historical records and oral traditions.

    September 15, 2020, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
    Via Zoom (connection details will follow!)

  • Tue
    22
    Sep
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Kimberly Boddy
    Department of Physics
    University of Texas at Austin

    Searching for Dark Matter Interactions in Cosmology

    There is overwhelming evidence for the existence of dark matter. It plays a crucial role in the formation of structure in the Universe, yet little is known about its properties beyond gravitational effects. In this talk, I will discuss the current and future prospects of understanding the fundamental nature of dark matter using observations in cosmology and astrophysics. These observations offer glimpses into different cosmic eras that may shed light on the mystery of dark matter.

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    29
    Sep
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Nathan E. Murray
    National Center for Physical Acoustics
    University of Mississippi

    Two Examples of Turbulence Interactions

    A brief introduction to turbulence, it’s characteristics and mechanisms, is presented. A conceptual model for turbulence is discussed. This is followed by two specific examples. First, the action of turbulence on the dispersion of solid particulate in a high-shear scenario in a gas-solid flow is explored. Second, the characteristics of turbulence in a transient, shock-driven acceleration are explored. In both examples, the “fingerprints” of turbulence are highlighted as they appear in statistical analyses of the data.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    06
    Oct
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Benjamin "B.B." Pilgrim
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Mississippi

    The Chain Action and a Variational Principle for Two Dimensional Causal Sets

    I will present the chain action for causal sets and evaluate its accuracy for causal sets embeddable in two dimensional manifolds. I will also propose a discrete variational principle, and the results of manifold-like causal sets will be compared to Kleitman-Rothschild causal sets.

     

    Anil Panta
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Mississippi

    Developing Tools for Analysis on the Open Science Grid

    The Belle II dataset searcher is a tool to get the location of files that are stored on the open science grid for analysis use. I will report on my efforts to expand the usefulness of this tool by implementing a NoSQL database, called Elasticsearch, rather than the usual SQL database. With this change, it will be possible to make full text searches on dataset metadata, enabling a more efficient way for analysts to find the samples of interest.

     

    Mukunda Acharya
    Stewart Acoustical Consultants
    Raleigh, North Carolina

    From a MS Degree to Industry Career in Acoustics

    The talk will be an overview of how I develop my career from a master degree in physics focusing on physical acoustics to my current job as an acoustical consultant in industry. Most of the talk would be focused on giving you a general idea of my career as an acoustical consultant. Acoustical consultants use a combination of scientific theory, analytical modeling tools, experimental data, experience, and judgment to analyze problems and provide advices for clients on acoustics related problems. Answers to some of the common problems can be immediate, but many problems require analysis, measurements, or both. I am going to share my experience about the knowledge and skills that are vital to becoming a professional acoustical consultant. I believe the talk will be helpful to graduate students who are planning to pursue their research in physical acoustics and continue in the future as a professional.

     

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    13
    Oct
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Louis E. Strigari
    Department of Physics and Astronomy;
    Texas A&M University

    Terrestrial and Astrophysical Applications of Coherent Neutrino Scattering

    Coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering (CEνNS) is a long-standing theoretical prediction of the Standard Model (SM), and the COHERENT experiment has recently achieved the first detection of it. CEνNS provides an important probe of physics beyond the SM. In addition, it can open up a new window into neutrino astrophysics, through studies of low energy neutrinos from the Sun, atmosphere, and supernovae. CEνNS is also vital for understanding and interpreting future particle dark matter searches. In this talk, I will discuss the prospects for learning about the nature of neutrinos and astrophysical sources from CEνNS detection, highlighting how astrophysical and terrestrial-based detections play important and complementary roles.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    20
    Oct
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Feng Guo
    Intelligent Systems Engineering
    Indiana University — Bloomington

    Development of Acoustofluidics for Cancer Research

    The acoustofluidics technology harnesses sound waves and microfluidics for the manipulation of cells and liquids. This technique has many unique advantages. Firstly, this technique handles cells and/or liquids using gentle mechanical vibrations. These vibrations create a pressure gradient in the medium to move suspended micro-objects yielding a contamination-free, contactless, and label-free manipulation. Secondly, acoustofluidics has minimal impact on cell integrity and function. Thirdly, this technology can operate in a single, inexpensive micro-device without complicated setups, which offer additional advantages in ease of use, versatility, and portability. Here, we report a series of acoustofluidic devices and systems for the manipulation of cells and liquids in the microfluidic environment to address the problems in the field of cancer biology and translational cancer medicine.

     

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    20
    Oct
    2020
    6:00 pmVia Zoom (connection details will follow!)

    Dr. Jennifer Meyer
    Department of Physics and Astronomy,
    University of Mississippi

    The Phosphine Discovery, in Context of Venus's More Temperate Past

    At this month's Science Cafe, we'll talk about the recent discovery of the chemical phosphine in an upper layer of Venus's atmosphere and why this is more exciting than it sounds! On Earth, phosphine is only created by biological and human-driven processes. Is the detection of phosphine in Venus's atmosphere a sure sign of life living in the clouds? We'll start with the history of Venus and its runaway greenhouse effect. Today, Venus seems very inhospitable to life, with surface temperatures above 800°F and sulfuric acid clouds. But it wasn't always like that, which is why we are even discussing the possibility of life on Venus.

    October 20, 2020, 6:00 - 7:00 PM
    Via Zoom (connection details will follow!)

     

    There will also be a live stream from our own Kennon Observatory showing us craters on the Moon, if the weather cooperates.

  • Tue
    27
    Oct
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    David G. Grier
    Department of Physics and the Center for Soft Matter Research
    New York University

    Holography and the Pandemic: Using Holographic Video Microscopy to Detect Viruses and Antibodies

    The hologram of a microscopic object encodes information about that object's size, shape, composition and three-dimensional position. Often, that information is retrieved by computing a three-dimensional reconstruction of the complex medium and then analyzing the result. The three-dimensional reconstruction, however, contains no more information than the original two-dimensional hologram (and usually less). In special cases, the recorded hologram instead can be fit, pixel-by-pixel, to the exact Lorenz-Mie theory of light scattering. For a micrometer-scale colloidal sphere, this analysis yields the position to within a few nanometers over a range extending to hundreds of micrometers. More importantly, it yields the sphere's diameter to within a couple of nanometers. This is fine enough to monitor molecules and viruses binding to the surfaces of functionalized beads simply by watching the beads grow larger in real time. The same analysis yields the bead's refractive index with part-per-thousand resolution, which elegantly solves the barcoding problem for multiplexed binding assays. This talk will explain how to use holographic microscopy for precision particle characterization. It then will showcase a few practical and scientific applications that illustrate the power of the technique before diving into the emergency application for COVID-19

     

     

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Fri
    30
    Oct
    2020
    6:00 pmLewis Hall

    Frights and fun are the order of the evening when the University of Mississippi Department of Physics and Astronomy presents "Spooky Physics Demonstrations" from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, October 30th.

    While we cannot invite everyone into the Department of Physics and Astronomy, we will still be bringing you the Spooky Physics Night! Amazing, hilarious, and spooktacular demonstrations will be broadcast right into your home! Tune in for a family friendly show to learn about energy, electricity, magnetism, sound and waves, the physics of ultra-cold temperatures and more. But beware! Expect a hair-raising experience -- literally: we'll shoot enough electricity through our victims... I mean volunteers... to make their hair stand up -- and other ‘nefarious’ experiments involving a bed of nails, lasers, superconductors and electromagnets. All harmless activities, of course!

    October 30, 2020, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
    Via Zoom

     

  • Tue
    03
    Nov
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Darin Van Pelt
    School of Engineering
    University of Mississippi

    Rocket Physics and Experience with SpaceX

    A discussion of my nearly 20yrs in the aerospace industry is presented. Those included nearly a decade at SpaceX and time as co-founder of ABL Space Systems, a launch vehicle company currently developing a vehicle capable of 1000kg to orbit. One interesting experience is leading the propulsion team in creating the Falcon 9 booster you see launching and routinely landing while delivering payloads to orbit and starlink satellites for the future of the internet. Efficiently and accurately landing a 150ft tall pencil is a special challenge and some of the physics involved will be discussed.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    10
    Nov
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Joshua B. Bostwick
    Department of Mechanical Engineering
    Clemson University

    Elastocapillary Dynamics in Soft Gels

    Soft gels are utilized in emerging applications, e.g. bioprinting, and are distinguished in that the forces of capillarity (surface tension) and elasticity are comparable in magnitude leading to elastocapillary phenomena including the observation of new analogous hydrodynamic instabilities in soft materials. This talk will provide a survey of our recent work in this area including gel drop oscillations in ultrasonic levitation, soft fracture, splash suppression, and droplet durotaxis. In each example, we highlight the multiphysics through the elastocapillary number and viscoelastic relaxation time scale. Of particular note is that our results can be used as novel diagnostic techniques to measure the surface tension and fracture energy of soft gels.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    17
    Nov
    2020
    4:00 pmZoom Meeting. See Below.

    Anuradha Gupta (Host)
    Department of Physics and Astronomy
    University of Mississippi

    A Lecture Exploring Supermassive Black Holes

    In this colloquium, we will watch a lecture exploring supermassive black holes, for which Andrea Ghez shared the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics. The link to Andrea Ghez's talk can be found here.

     

    Join Zoom Meeting
    https://olemiss.zoom.us/j/213798950

    Meeting ID: 213 798 950

  • Tue
    17
    Nov
    2020
    6:00 pmVia Zoom (connection details will follow!)

    Dr. Joshua Sharp
    School of Pharmacy
    University of Mississippi

    COVID-19 and Heparan Sulfate: The Carbohydrate Handle that SARS-CoV-2 Uses to Grab Your Cells

    COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has killed over 200,000 Americans in 2020 and changed the way we live our lives. An incredible effort from the scientific community has allowed us to learn a lot about the virus in a very short time. While there are many questions remaining about the disease, we have enough evidence to start answering some important questions. Where do COVID-19 infections usually start in the body? How does SARS-CoV-2 find and enter the target cells? Here, we’ll discuss what we know (and think we know) about how COVID-19 infections get established. We’ll also discuss the discovery and initial development of intranasal heparin, a well-known anti-coagulant injectable that is now in early clinical trials as an intranasal drug to prevent COVID-19. We’ll discuss how heparin works to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells, why it should be safe to administer intranasally, and why it might NOT be useful as a treatment of advanced COVID-19.

    November 17, 2020, 6:00 - 7:00 PM
    Via Zoom (connection details will follow!)

  • Mon
    23
    Nov
    2020
    10:00 amZoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/91632488405

    You are invited to attend Vahid Naderyan's Ph.D. dissertation defense at 10:00 AM on Monday, November 23 via Zoom Meeting: https://zoom.us/j/91632488405 .
    The dissertation title is: “Thermoviscous Acoustic Effects in MEMS.”

  • Mon
    14
    Dec
    2020
    Thu
    17
    Dec
    2020
    8:00 amOnline via Zoom

    The Society for Social and Conceptual Issues in Astrobiology (SSoCIA 2020)

    This conference was originally schedule for this past Spring (See SSoCIA2020) but has now been rescheduled as a virtual conference, which will run from Mon 12/14 to Thu 12/17 from 8 am until noon or so, CST.

    Neil Manson, Professor of Philosophy here at UM, is the main organizer of this year's conference.

    Program Draft 5.0

    SSoCIA 2020: To the Internet and Beyond!

     

    Note: all times listed are EST (London minus 5 hours)

     

    MONDAY 12/14

    • 9:00-9:20 Welcome (please be sure to attend)

     

    • SETI and METI I
      • 9:20-9:40 Julia DeMarines          The Morality of Interstellar Messaging
      • 9:40-10:00 Carlos Santana            We come in peace(?): On the ethics of interstellar diplomacy
    • 10:00-10:20 Chelsea Haramia         Seeking Shared Values while searching for ETI Imaginary

     

    • Planetary Protection I
      • 10:35-10:55 William Kramer          Environmental Assessment and Outer Space Actions
    • 10:55-11:15 Alan Johnson              Half-Earth, the 1/8 Principle, & Ethics of Collective Restraint
    • 11:15-11:35 Nick Nielsen               Conservation Ethics for Spacefaring Civilization
    • 11:35-11:55 Robert Lodder             Predicting the Effects of the Outer Space Treaty on Lunar Mining

     

    • 12:10-1:10 Poster Session           
      • Klara Capova, et. Al
      • Ryan Fortenberry
      • Erik Hom and Alex Penn
      • Caleb Hylkema

    TUESDAY 12/15

    • SETI and METI II
      • 9:00-9:20 William Alba              From Monologue to Dialogue
      • 9:20-9:40 Douglas Estes             The Assertive/Interrogative Divide in METI
      • 9:40-10:00 John Traphagan          SETI, Cultural Evolution, and the Star Trek
    • Astrobiology and Education
      • 10:15-10:35 David DeGraff            Using Aliens to Teach Evolution
      • 10:35-10:55 Erik Persson                Lessons learned from Socratic Dialogue in astrobiology education
    • 10:55-11:15 Astrid Modera             A relational definition of life for Astrobiology
    • Planetary Protection II
      • 11:30-11:50 Linda Billings             Planetary protection: an idea whose time is gone?
    • 11:50-12:10 Douglas Capper          Protecting Our Moon with Multipurpose Nature Reserves
    • 12:10-12:30 Pauli Laine                  Human Mars exploration vs planetary protection
    • 12:30-12:50 Doan vu Doc               The precautionary Principle and Space Exploration

    WEDNESDAY 12/16

    • Offworld Settlements
      • 9:00-9:20 Abhik Gupta               Life in space colonies: can ecocentrism help?
    • 9:20-9:40 Joseph Gottlieb           Psychological Impediments to Collective Space Colonization
    • 9:40-10:00 Sherri Wells-Jensen    Why Humans with Disabilities Will Colonize Space
    • 10:00-10:20 James Schwartz          Against Human Enhancement as a Default for Space Societies
    • Biology I
      • 10:35-10:55 Lucas Mix                   Can Astrobiology Transcend Biology?
      • 10:55-11:15 Andrew Kennedy        The Coincidence Number of a Universe & Implications for Life
    • 11:15-11:35 Tomislav Janovic        Directionality, Contingency, and Extraterrestrial Life
    • 11:45-1:20 Public showing of He Painted The Future
      a film about legendary space artist Chesley Bonestell

    THURSDAY 12/17

    • Space Art
      • 9:00-9:10 Kelly Smith                 Why a session on art?
      • 9:10-9:30 Sabina Heinz               Art meets science
      • 9:30-9:50 Daniella DePaulis       ‘COGITO in Space’
    • Biology II
      • 10:05-10:25 Nathalie Gontier         Mode & tempo of evolution of life on earth and possibly elsewhere
    • 10:25-10:45 Carlos Mariscal           Universality in/of Evolution
    • 10:45-11:05 John Malloy                Beyond Metabolism and Genetics
    • Moral and Social Theory
      • 11:20-11:40 Ted Peters                   An Astroethics of Responsibility and Care
      • 11:40-12:00 Jason Howard             Finitude as the Lingua Cosmica of the Universe
    • 12:00-12:20 Flora Dutra                 Agriculture, permaculture and terraforming
    • Miscellaneous
      • 12:35-12:55 Robert Kennedy          Projected Interstellar Mission Capacity
      • 12:55-1:15 Brig Klyce                  Some Things are Simply Given