Events Archive

Feb
07
2013
A New Channel for Low-Luminosity GRBs: Tidal Disruptions of White Dwarfs by Intermediate Mass Black Holes
Low-luminosity GRBs or X-ray flashes (XRFs), which often accompany supernovae, are typically ascribed to either the supernova shock breakout or weak GRBs powered by the central engine of stellar mass. We propose the tidal disruption of a white dwarf (WD) by an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) as another channel for XRFs. Such disruptions last for 100-5000 seconds.  The release of gravitational energy over short time generates a powerful flare. The magnetic field is quickly amplified in the fallback material, and then the BH launches a slow uncollimated jet. The emission from jet photosphere dominates X-...
Feb
06
2013
Reynolds Pressure and Relaxation in Sheared Sands
PLEASE NOTE: This is a WEBINAR Loose sand particles can jam together to become a solid. Think of the dry sand on the beach: it supports your weight so you can walk on it – you don't need to swim in sand. Jammed sand indeed so much resists deformation that it even expands when you try to make it flow. This was already discovered by Osborne Reynolds in 1885. In fact, you can make sand particles jam by making them flow in a container that cannot expand. This effect is known as shear jamming and was discovered only recently. We have now studied the...
Feb
05
2013
Can Black Hole--Neutron Star Binary Mergers Produce Gamma-Ray Bursts?
Gravitational waves sap orbital angular momentum and energy from a black hole--neutron star (BH-NS) binary, driving it to inspiral and merge. In the violence of merger, the NS may tidally disrupt and form a hot accretion disk with the collimated magnetic fields necessary to launch jets, providing the central engine for one of the most energetic phenomena in the Universe: a gamma-ray burst (GRB). We assess the feasibility of this scenario with numerical relativity simulations of magnetized BH-NS binary mergers, seeding the NS with magnetic fields and exploring their effects on the remnant disk and the gravitational waves. We find that the gravitational waves are likely to be detectable by...
Feb
04
2013
Pattern Formation in Nature: Why is the Universe not Boring?
 
Feb
04
2013
Consider the Icicle
Icicles are harmless and picturesque winter phenomena, at least in cold climates.  The shape of an icicle emerges from a subtle feedback between ice formation, which is controlled by the release of latent heat, and the flow of water over the evolving shape.  The water flow, in turn, determines how the heat flows.  The air around the icicle is also flowing, and all forms of heat transfer are active in the air.  Ideal icicles are predicted to have a universal "platonic" shape, independent of growing conditions.  In addition, many natural icicles exhibit a...
Feb
02
2013
Squishy Physics 2013
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Feb
02
2013
Phase Transitions in Food
Manipulating the texture of foods is central to cooking.  One common manipulation is to induce a phase transition, for example, from a solid to a liquid state, which can occur both during cooking and eating.  In understanding the phase behavior of food materials, we will consider the protein, carbohydrate, and fat molecules that are components of foods that we eat.  Interestingly, these same molecules can also impart unique physical properties to plants and animals, which are critical...
Jan
31
2013
Detonating Superbursts on Neutron Starts: from a Shocking Start to a Long Tail
Superbursts are the most powerful repeating thermonuclear flashes observed from accreting neutron stars. Runaway thermonuclear burning of carbon ignites deep in the star's envelope. Close to the crust, superbursts are sensitive to the ill-understood nuclear physics processes in dense neutron-rich matter. We present the latest numerical simulations of carbon burning. Comparing the tail of the simulated lightcurve to observations constrains the depth of carbon ignition, whereas the start exhibits the signs of a shock caused by detonation. Recently increasing observational evidence points at interaction between X-ray bursts and the accretion disk. As the most powerful X-ray bursts,...
Jan
31
2013
Interchanging the Roles of Light and Matter
Atom interferometers that use pulses of light for coherent control of matter-wave interference can be used for wide ranging studies of light-matter interactions and for realizing precision measurements in atomic physics. We describe an echo type interferometer that utilizes a relatively simple setup to manipulate laser-cooled Rb atoms in a single ground state manifold. We review progress toward a precise determination of the atomic fine structure constant and gravitational acceleration. *Work supported by CFI, OIT, OCE, NSERC and York University
Jan
30
2013
Direct Determination of Time Varying Flow Structures
PLEASE NOTE: This is a WEBINAR Scientists for years have been trying to better understand the mechanisms that are responsible for transport and mixing in fluid flow.  Mixing is important as it is used in everything from food preparation to energy production to biomedical devices, and is seen in both single and multiphase environments.  While mixing applications are wide ranging, a complete and proper understanding of mixing and transport mechanisms is still lacking....

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