Radiations

Department of Physics and Astronomy

Carleton College

SEPTEMBER 18 - 24, 2005

September 21 (Wednesday) Student Research Presentation

3:10-3:40 p.m. Olin O2

Please join Alex Petroff as he gives the inaugural student talk this year. The talk will last half an hour and refreshments will be served.

The Metabolic Scaling Relation of a Prostrate, Vascular Herb

Abstract:

In the recent years much progress has been made in determining the origins of the scaling laws of biology. It has been convincingly shown that many of these relations can be determined by examining simple, biophysical constraints in fractal-like organisms. This method has been applied in botany with great success. In the case of vascular plants, the physical constraints that determine the scaling of metabolism are (1) the necessity to move water to great highs and (2) to use only use branches with sufficient length and girth to resist buckling under gravity. Although these constraints can be applied to the majority of vascular plants, there are many plants which derive their support from their environment. In this paper, we present the results of an experiment for the determination of the scaling relation of metabolism to mass in prostrate plants. In addition we present theoretical motivation for these results.

September 22 (Thursday) Physics Table, 12:00-1:00 p.m., LDC 113

Plan to have lunch with physics students and staff at the LDC at noon. We can meet on 3rd Olin at 11:55 for the short walk to the dining hall or you can meet us there. All are welcome.

September 22 Nanoscience Lecture in LaCrosse

Horst Stormer, Nobel laureate and professor of physics at Columbia, will be giving a public lecture on nanoscience at the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse. If you are interested in going to this talk, let Melissa know as soon as possible so that we can make appropriate travel arrangements. We would probably leave campus between 2 and 2:30 pm, have dinner in LaCrosse after the talk, and return late in the evening (between 9:30 and 10).

September 23 Seniors Meeting 3:30-4:30p.m Olin 02

This is an important meeting for senior majors to discuss your senior year and preparing for life after Carleton. (That means mainly comps, and applying for jobs or grad school.) Any juniors thinking about doing comps this year should also attend.

FYI:

September 27&28 The annual Nobel Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College

The annual Nobel Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College is on Cosmology (it is actually called "The Legacy of Einstein") this year. We have purchased 40 tickets and have chartered a bus to take us there on Tuesday, September 27. The bus will be leaving from Sayles Hill at 8:00am and returning at approximately 5:30. On Wednesday, September 28 vans will be taken so meet on third Olin at 7:55am. It promises to be an outstanding set of lectures. Among other luminaries, cosmologists George Ellis and Kip Thorne will speak. Arjendu, Cindy, Joel, and Rich will be going, along with Cindy's Cosmology Seminar students. If you want a ticket and a ride for either or both days, contact Mary. Tickets will be available on a first-come, first served basis. For more information on the conference, see <http://www.gustavus.edu/events/nobel/2005/>.

September 28 The Peace Corps will be in Sayles-Hill 10 am – 2 pm with an Information Session/Slide Show 4 – 5 pm. Get information on secondary education science teaching in the Peace Corp.

September 30 Sophomores Meeting, 3:30-4:30p.m Olin 02 This is a meeting for Sophomores to help answer questions about the major and the department, and to welcome you to Olin.

Physics Picnic: Set aside Friday afternoon, October 7 (3:30-8:00) for the annual Phun Physics Picnic on the Hill of Three Oaks. Mara Morgenstern has volunteered to plan the festivities. One more Senior is needed. Please see Mary in Olin 331 or Mara if you can help.

Student Science Poster Session is scheduled for Friday, October 7 in Hulings. All students who have participated in summer research are strongly encouraged to make a poster and share your work with the science community.

Help civilians learn about Einstein and get a $25 River City Books Gift Certificate! The Northfield Public Library is sponsoring several activities related to the hundredth anniversary of Einstein's greatest year, in conjunction with a Nova TV program on Einstein. The librarians are looking for physics students like you, willing to demonstrate examples of Einstein's theories for a hands-on "Einstein Exploratorium" Saturday October 8 from 10 AM to 2 PM. (Arjendu and Joel will also be giving public lectures on Einstein there on October 6 and 13, and the Nova program itself is October 11.) Please contact Northfield Public Library librarians Kathy Ness or Leesa Wisdorf at 645-1804 or kathyn@selco.info and leesa@selco.info if you are interested. They or Joel can also give you further information.

The deadline for materials to be included in Radiations is noon Thursday prior to the week you would like the information to appear. Contact mdrew@carleton.edu if you want to be added or removed from this mailing list.