February 3 -

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

February 10 -

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

February 17 - Sam Zeller, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (POSTPONED)

"Title: Opening a New Chapter in Neutrino Physics"

Abstract: Neutrinos are among the most abundant particles in the universe and they influence an enormous range of physics. Neutrinos allow us to search for new forces of nature, they measure the composition of the earth's crust, they tell us how the sun works, and they allow us to peer into the inner workings of a supernova explosion. Despite all that we have learned from these special particles, there remains a surprising amount of information we still do not know about neutrinos themselves. The discovery of neutrino masses and mixing over a decade ago has raised a large number of challenging questions about neutrinos. After briefly reviewing what we have learned about neutrinos so far, we will examine the open questions, explain why these questions are interesting, and discuss plans for answering them in future experiments. The coming years promise to be very exciting as we move in new directions to better understand these unique subatomic particles and their connections to the world we live in.

February 24 - TBA

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

March 3 - Sam Zeller, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory

"Title: Opening a New Chapter in Neutrino Physics"

Abstract: Neutrinos are among the most abundant particles in the universe and they influence an enormous range of physics. Neutrinos allow us to search for new forces of nature, they measure the composition of the earth's crust, they tell us how the sun works, and they allow us to peer into the inner workings of a supernova explosion. Despite all that we have learned from these special particles, there remains a surprising amount of information we still do not know about neutrinos themselves. The discovery of neutrino masses and mixing over a decade ago has raised a large number of challenging questions about neutrinos. After briefly reviewing what we have learned about neutrinos so far, we will examine the open questions, explain why these questions are interesting, and discuss plans for answering them in future experiments. The coming years promise to be very exciting as we move in new directions to better understand these unique subatomic particles and their connections to the world we live in.

March 10 - Spring Break

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

March 17 -

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

March 24 - Chang-Beom Eom, University of Wisconsin (Cancelled)

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

March 31 -

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

April 7 -

"Title: TBA"

Abstract:

April 14 - Dr. Greg Kalicy, The Annual Sigma Pi Sigma Induction Ceremony

"Title: Developing DIRC Technology, a Personal Journey Around the World "

Abstract:

April 21 - Andrei Derevianko, University of Nevada-Reno

"Title: Hunting for dark matter with GPS and atomic clocks"

Abstract: Atomic clocks are arguably the most accurate scientific instruments ever build. Modern clocks are astonishing timepieces guaranteed to keep time within a second over the age of the Universe. Attaining this accuracy requires that the quantum oscillator be well protected from environmental noise and perturbations well controlled and characterized. This opens intriguing prospects of using clocks to study subtle effects, and it is natural to ask if such accuracy can be harnessed for dark matter searches.

The cosmological applications of atomic clocks so far have been limited to searches of the uniform-in-time drift of fundamental constants. We point out that a transient in time change of fundamental constants (translating into clocks being sped up or slowed down) can be induced by dark matter objects that have large spatial extent, and are built from light non-Standard Model fields. The stability of this type of dark matter can be dictated by the topological reasons. We argue that correlated networks of atomic clocks, such as atomic clocks onboard satellites of the GPS
constellation, can be used as a powerful tool to search for the topological defect dark matter. In other words, one could envision using GPS as a 50,000 km-aperture dark-matter detector.

Details: A. Derevianko and M. Pospelov, Nature Phys. 10, 933 (2014)

April 28 - Senior Thesis Presentations

Old Dominion University
Department of Physics

Physics Undergraduate Seniors' Day

Tuesday April 28, 2015

Senior Thesis Presentations
2:15 - 2:45 pm.
Refreshments in OCNPS First floor Atrium

2:45 - 2:55 pm.
Welcome and Introduction in Scale-Up (OCNPS 142 - 144)

3:00 - 5:00 pm.
Senior Thesis Presentations
Scale-Up Room OCNPS 142-144 and ECSB 1202 Auditorium (CAVE)

Senior Thesis Presenters
(Two Parallel Sessions)