2003 EAPS Lecture Series: Water: Its Geological and Chemical Significance, and Its Interaction with Society
Julian Sachs
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
A series of noontime lectures on various topics designed to highlight the crucial roles that water plays in our world and our personal lives. Individual sessions will examine water in the solid earth, the atmosphere, and, of course, the ocean. The history of water on Mars will stretch our vision to the planets. Also of interest will be those sessions that combine policy and science in an examination of some of our coastal areas. Please see the EAPS Homepage (URL below) for the most recent information.
Web: http://www-eaps.mit.edu
Contact: Vicki McKenna, 54-910, x3-3380, vsm@mit.edu
Sponsor: Earth, Atmos & Planetary Sci
Hot Water in the Cold Ocean: Black Smokers on Seafloor Ridges
Karen Von Damn, Professor, University of New Hampshire
The jets of hot water exiting from the ridge systems on the ocean floor provide indications of processes occurring within the upper oceanic crust, the energy to support biological communities, and are a controlling factor for the composition of seawater through time.
Mon Jan 6, 04-05:00pm, 54-915, Note special time.
Fisheries Management in Coastal New England
Anthony Chatwin, Staff Scientist, Conservation Law Foundation
Fri Jan 10, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
Hurricanes and Climate Change
Kerry Emanuel
Mon Jan 13, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
The Fate of Aqueous Organic Compounds at Elevated Temperatures: Constraints from Laboratory Experiments and Field Observations
Jeff Seewald, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Wed Jan 15, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
The Ocean and Its Possible Role in Abrupt Climate Change
John Marshall
Fri Jan 17, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
The Black Sea: The Most Polluted Water in the World
Paola Rizzoli
Wed Jan 22, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
Water, Electricity, and Fish: A Hot Topic in Narragansett Bay
John Mustard, Professor, Brown University
A number of studies were spawned to assess the environmental condition of Narragansett Bay and the impact that power plant operations have on the bay. I will discuss the our efforts to characterize sea surface temperature of the bay, the plant's impact, and the relationship that this science had on environmental policy.
Fri Jan 24, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
Ice Shelf Disintegration and Changing Ice Stream Discharge Patterns - West Antarctica Responds to Warming
Mark Fahnestock, Professor, University of New Hampshire
Ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula continued to disintegrate in 2002, displaying what we believe is a clear consequence of the recent warming trend in this area. This recent development will be contrasted with ongoing changes in ice stream discharge patterns into the Ross Ice Shelf.
Mon Jan 27, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
The Flooding of Venice: Problem and Solution
Rafael Bras and Paola Rizzoli
Wed Jan 29, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
The History of Water on Mars: Recent Findings and Outstanding Questions
James Head III, Professor, Brown University
Fri Jan 31, 12-01:00pm, 54-915
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A New Approach to Entanglement in Large Quantum Systems
Yuri M. Suhov, University of Cambridge, England, T. D. Voice
Tue Jan 28, Wed Jan 29, 03:30-05:00pm, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Introductory Quantum Mechanics, Second Year Calculus
We propose a new approach to the entanglement in large quantum systems. Basically, the emphasis is shifted from attempts to find `best entangled' vectors for moderately many qubits to attempts to find complete orthogonal families of `moderately entangled' vectors for many (eventually for infinitely many) qubits. A review of the existing literature will be given and comparisons will be made of different measures of entanglement and their applicability.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cambridge-MIT Institute
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Applications of Geometric Algebra to Quantum Physics
Dr. Chris Doran, Astrophysics Group, Physics Dept., Cambridge Univ.
Mon Jan 27, 02-05:00pm, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
This is an overview of the quantum physics part of a course given at Cambridge University, called "Physical Applications of Geometric Algebra". After a brief introduction to geometric algebra, we will study its role in the representations of single-particle spinors, before constructing multiparticle states and density operators. Applications to quantum information will be highlighted. Some mention will also be made of extending the main concepts to the relativistic setting, which raises interesting theoretical questions.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cambridge-MIT Institute
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G. R. Harrison Spectroscopy Laboratory: Spectroscopy at the Nanoscale
Michael S. Feld
Mon Jan 27, 02-04:00pm, Compton Rm (26-110)
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
Prereq: None
The IAP Lectures series is a series of seminars devoted to a specific topic presented at a semi-popular level for a general audience interested in developments in science and technology. The topic for the IAP Lecture Series is "Spectroscopy at the Nanoscale." Speakers include:
Joseph Jacobson, Media Laboratory, MIT
"Electronic Inks"
Moungi Bawendi, Department of Chemistry, MIT
"Nanocrystal Quantum Dots: From the Lab to the Real World"
Vadim Backman, Northwestern University
"How to Cheat the Diffration Limit: Far-Field Measurement of Subnanometer Structures"
Refreshments will be served.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/spectroscopy/events/iap.html
Contact: Michael S. Feld, 6-014, x3-9974, msfeld@mit.edu
Sponsor: Spectroscopy Lab
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How Big Are Things? -- Getting and Giving a Clue
Mitchell Charity
Tue Jan 28, 12:30-01:30pm, 4-370
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
How big is a virus? The Prudential Building? A mountain? Jupiter? We will look at a simple framework (www.vendian.org/howbig/) for remembering and dealing with size. Then discuss using it, order of magnitude estimation, and Fermi Questions.
Web: http://www.vendian.org/howbig/
Contact: Mitchell Charity, iap03howbig@vendian.org
Sponsor: Electrical Eng & Computer Science
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Inside Quantum Devices
Dr. Crispin H. W. Barnes, Solid-state Physics Group, Cambridge Univ., England
Tue Jan 28, 09am-12:00pm, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: 2nd-year Calculus; Quantum Mechanics; Solid-State Physics
This course will cover the following aspects of quantum devices:
(1) Band engineering / electrostatic confinement to reduce dimensionality 3->2->1->0; Landauer formalism for conductance; transport properties of 1D systems and quantum dots; Aharonov-Bohm effect; non-invasive measurement.
(2) Quantum Hall effect; edge states; quasi-particles; fractional quantum Hall effect / edge states; quantum anti-dots.
(3) The prospects for a quantum information processor based on these phenomena.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cambridge-MIT Institute
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One-Dimensional Materials: Properties and Applications of Nanotubes and Nanowires
Dr. Mildred S. Dresselhaus, Ion Bita
Mon Jan 6 thru Fri Jan 10, 01-02:30pm, Location TBA
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 29-Dec-2002
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None
Materials Science research is now entering a new phase where the structure and properties of materials can be investigated, characterized and controlled at the nanoscale. New physical phenomena appear at this scale, giving rise to unexpected materials properties, thus bringing new excitement to this research field. This IAP activity will consist of five 1.5hr sessions devoted to introducing the field of one-dimensional materials, carbon-nanotubes and metal or seminconductor nanowires because they, in particular, exhibit unusual physical properties, due to their reduced dimensionality and their enhanced surface / volume ratio. These unusual properties have attracted interest in their potential for applications in novel electronic, optical, magnetic and thermoelectric devices. Prof. M. Dresselhaus will teach the first three lectures, followed by 6 talks scheduled for the last two days. These talks will be given by MIT researchers actively involved in the investigation of these extraordinary materials. For syllabus and talk abstracts please see web.mit.edu/ibita/www/MRS/ Event Sponsored by the Materials Research Society chapter at MIT, and DMSE.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/ibita/www/MRS/
Contact: Ion Bita, 13-5122, x3-2063, ibita@mit.edu
Sponsor: Materials Science and Engineering
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Photonic Crystals: Periodic Surprises in Electromagnetism
Dr. Steven G. Johnson, Ion Bita
Mon Jan 27 thru Fri Jan 31, 01-02:30pm, TBA
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 10-Jan-2003
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: None
Has there been anything new in classical electromagnetism since Maxwell laid down the law in 1864? If so, can one learn it without wading through a vectorial mire of partial differential equations? Come and learn what solid-state physics has brought to 8.02 in the last 15 years: photonic crystals and the surprising new phenomena that arise when light propagates through a periodic medium. This crash course will introduce Bloch's theorem for electromagnetism, photonic band gaps, the confinement of light in novel waveguides and cavities by synthetic optical "insulators," startling sub-micron fabrication advances, exotic optical fibers, and will upend what you thought you knew about total internal reflection. We will focus less on gory differential equations than on high-level approaches such as linear algebra, variational theorems, conservation laws, and coupled-mode theory; the course should be accessible to anyone with a grasp of basic electromagnetism and who does not quake in fear at the word "eigenvalue." Event Sponsored by the Materials Research Society chapter at MIT, and DMSE.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/ibita/www/MRS/
Contact: Ion Bita, 13-5122, x3-2063, ibita@mit.edu
Sponsor: Materials Science and Engineering
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Physics Lectures for the General MIT Community
Professor Edward Farhi
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
A series of physics lectures, scheduled dates and times appear below. Titles to be announced; please continue to refer to this page for lecture updates.
Web: http://websis.mit.edu/iap/ns8.html
Contact: Professor Edward Farhi, 6-309, 253-4871, farhi@MIT.EDU
Sponsor: Physics
What You Could Do With a Quantum Computer If You Had One
Edward Farhi
If a big enough quantum computer is ever built it could do things that no ordinary computer could ever do. I will explain the power of quantum computers to solve problems faster than ordinary computers.
Mon Jan 6, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
Cosmic Inflation and the Accelerating Universe
Alan Guth
Inflationary cosmology offers possible explanations for many
features of our universe, including its uniformity, its mass
density, and the faint ripples that are now being observed
in the cosmic background radiation. The recently discovered
acceleration of the universe has radically changed some
aspects of our theories, but has helped to confirm the basic
predictions of inflation.
Wed Jan 8, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
Teaching Feynman's Tools: The Dispersion of Feynman Diagrams in Postwar Physics
David Kaiser
Feynman diagrams have revolutionized nearly every aspect of theoretical physics since the middle of the 20th century. By following how young physicists learned about the new techniques from the late 1940s through the 1960s, broader changes in the infrastructure and intellectual development
of postwar physics come into focus. The diagrams' history thus helps us to make sense of what it was like to become a young theoretical physicist in the decades after World War II.
Fri Jan 10, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
Detection of Gravitational Waves With Interferometers
Nergis Mavalvala
Observatories worldwide are coming on the air to launch an era of astrophysics with gravitational waves. I will describe the principles of gravitational wave generation and detection.
Mon Jan 13, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
String Theory and Black Holes
Barton Zwiebach
Black holes have temperature and radiate.
These facts, hard to understand within the
context of Einstein's theory of General Relativity,
have a surprisingly natural explanation in
String Theory.
Wed Jan 15, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: A Tool for Atomic Scale Measurement and Manipulation
Eric Hudson
As technology drives electronics towards nanoelectronics, where wires are a few atoms wide and transistors are sensitive to single electrons, physicists must have a tool to investigate the new phenomena that arise in this regime. The Scanning Tunneling Microscope is one such tool, and in this talk I will highlight its ability to image and move atoms, and discuss some results of studies of individual atomic impurities in high temperature superconductors.
Wed Jan 22, 12:30-01:30pm, Topic TBA
How to Do an Experiment in Space
Ulrich Becker
Doing an experiment is not easy -- especially in space. But it is great fun to be challenged by ABC = Alligators, Bureaucracy, Cosmic conditions. An example is given.
Fri Jan 24, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
An Intriguing Transition in Quantum Dots
Ray Ashoori
About 30 years ago, experimenters learned how to place electrons on the surface of liquid helium. They found evidence that these electrons, spaced about a micron apart, are localized in a hexagonally ordered crystal. In
semiconductors, experimenters can also produce such two-dimensional electron gases. However, the spacing between electrons is much smaller (about 0.01 micron), and the electrons are instead delocalized in a "quantum fluid". In
laterally confined two-dimensional systems (quantum dots), we can produce two-dimensional systems of variable density, and we have observed striking signatures of such a localization to delocalization transition as we increase
the electron density.
Mon Jan 27, 12:30-01:30pm, 6-120
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Plasma Science and Fusion Center IAP Series
Richard Temkin, Peter Catto, Martin Greenwald
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
This Open House series is designed to introduce the MIT community to plasma physics research and areas of related interest at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center. Check the IAP web site for further details.
Web: http://www.psfc.mit.edu/
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, x3-8101, rivenberg@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Laser Fusion and the National Ignition Facility
Chikang Li
This talk will describe the basic concepts of laser fusion and will discuss the role of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in achieving this goal.
Tue Jan 14, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Trying to Grab a Tiger by the Tail: Turbulence in Magnetically Confined Plasmas
James Terry
A look at turbulence in the edges of C-Mod, DIII-D, and NSTX, the three major US magnetic confinement devices.
Tue Jan 14, 11am-12:00pm, NW17-218
Tours of PSFC Experiments
Tour guide to be announced
Compare two experimental fusion devices: Alcator C-Mod, a high-field tokamak involved in fusion research; and the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX), MIT's newest fusion experiment.
Tue Jan 14, 01-02:00pm, NW17-218
Improved Vehicle Fuel Economy and Reduced Pollution Using Plasmatrons
Daniel Cohn
The PSFC is experimenting with plasmatron reformer devices that can convert gasoline to hydrogen rich gas onboard a vehicle, for cleaner, more efficient operation.
Wed Jan 15, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Fusion Energy Research in the US: Near Term Strategy and Future Prospects
Raymond Orbach Director, Office of Science, US Dept. of Energy
Fri Jan 17, 10-11:00am, NW17-218
Science and Technology for Future Communications Networks
Cherry Murray Research Sr Vice President - Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies
Cherry Murray, the Physical Sciences Research Vice President of Bell Labs, will discuss what the present economic and technical drivers of commercial communication networks are, some technical challenges that need to be overcome, and some of the current Bell Labs physical science and systems research in next generation communications networks including all-optical networks, ultra-broadband wireless data networks, and science in support of networks even farther in the future.
Fri Jan 17, 02-03:00pm, NW17-218
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Quantum Maps and Density Operators: An Introduction to Beyond the Unitary
Daniel Kuan Li Oi University of Cambridge, England
Mon Jan 27, Wed Jan 29, 09-10:30am, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Introductory Quantum Mechanics, Two Years of Calculus
In this preparatory course, the concepts of the density operator and mixed states will be introduced. Mixed states naturally arise from non-unitary evolution of initially pure states. These evolutions can be characterised by (completely) positive maps or channels acting on the state space of density operators. The physical significance of complete positivity will be discussed. Two ways of describing completely positive maps are the Kraus, and the Unitary / Ancilla representations. The positive maps on the qubit will be used as an illustrative example.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cambridge-MIT Institute
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Quantum Maps and Quantum Computers in Phase Space
Marcos Saraceno University of Buenos Aires, Argentina
Wed Jan 22, Fri Jan 24, Mon Jan 27, Wed Jan 29, 10:30am-12:00pm, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Graduate or Advanced Undergraduate Quantum Mechanics
Four 1 1/2 hour lectures on the use of phase space techniques to analyze quantum maps and quantum algorithms. Topics to be covered are tentatively:
1) Classical and Quantum Maps: (a) Classical maps, generating functions, examples; (b) Quantum mechanics on the torus; (c) Quantization of simple classical transformations
2) Quantum Maps as Algorithms: (a) The Fourier transform; (b) Kicked, Baker's and Smale maps, (c) Grover's algorithm; (d) Cat maps
3) Phase Space Representations: (a) The density matrix; (b) Discrete "phase point" operators, translations and reflections; (c) The Weyl representation, Wigner functions; (d) The Kirkwood and Husimi representations
4) Super-operators in Phase Space: (a) The unitary case, Perron-Frobenius operator; (b) Models of decoherence in Phase space, Coarse Graining; (c) Spectral properties and rates of decoherence.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
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The Feynman Films
Markos Hankin
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: None
This series of films by Richard Feynman is open to the MIT community. Please check IAP web site for film titles.
Web: http://websis.mit.edu/iap/ns8.html
Contact: Markos Hankin, 4-309, 253-4844, mhankin@mit.edu
Sponsor: Physics
The Law of Gravitation
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 6, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
The Best Mind Since Einstein
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 8, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
The Relation of Mathematics to Physics
Markos Hankin
Fri Jan 10, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
The Great Conservation Principles
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 13, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
Symmetry in Physical Law
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 15, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
The Last Journey of a Genius
Markos Hankin
Fri Jan 17, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
Take the World from Another Point of View
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 22, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
The Distinction of Past and Future
Markos Hankin
Fri Jan 24, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
Probability and Uncertainty
Markos Hankin
Mon Jan 27, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
Seeking New Laws
Markos Hankin
Wed Jan 29, 11:30am-12:30pm, 6-120
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Topics in Quantum Cryptography
Adrian Kent, University of Cambridge, England
Tue Jan 28, Wed Jan 29, 01-03:30pm, NW14-1112
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Introductory Quantum Mechanics, Second Year Calculus
These lectures look at the current state of the art in quantum cryptography applied to tasks which, unlike key distribution, are carried out between mistrustful parties. I focus in particular on known protocols, security proofs, and no-go theorems for bit commitment, coin tossing, and related tasks, and try to draw some general morals about the scope for research in quantum cryptography.
Contact: Timothy F. Havel, NW14-2218, 253-8309, tfhavel@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cambridge-MIT Institute
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Unifying Gravity and EM by Analogies with EM
Doug Sweetser, '84
Mon Jan 13, Wed Jan 15, Fri Jan 17, 03-05:00pm, 2-105
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: none
Investigate an old hypothesis, that gravity is similar to EM. Clone a Lagrange density for gravity from EM. Quantize the unified field. Impress friends by deriving Newton's law of gravity using perturbations of a normalized potential, dodging the distance dependence problem. Eliminate the need for dark matter and energy using the chain rule. Dine on Grand Marnier chocolate truffles while discussing the subtle underlying ideas.
Contact: Doug Sweetser, '84, doug@theworld.com
Sponsor: John A Fries, jafries@mit.edu
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Vacuum Technology Seminar
Johan E. de Rijke, Varian Vacuum Technologies
Mon Jan 13, 09:30am-03:00pm, NW17-218, Break from 12 - 1PM
No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 10-Jan-2003
Single session event
Intensive one-day noncommercial class on vacuum fundamentals for graduate students and other vacuum users. HV/UHV, system pressure, total gas load, material selection, systems pumping speed, gauges, system operation and troubleshooting. Taught by engineer with 35 years experience in vacuums, who holds patents in the area and has five years experience teaching vacuum seminars around the world. Free manual provided by Varian Vacuum Technologies.
Contact: Bob Childs, childs@psfc.mit.edu
Sponsor: Plasma Science and Fusion Center
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