Radiations
Department
of Physics and Astronomy
Carleton College
March
5, Goodsell Observatory open house, 7-9 p.m.
Goodsell Observatory will hold an open house on
Friday, March 5. The open house will take place from 7 to 9 p.m., if the sky is
clear. View planets, the moon, stars, galaxies, and nebulas. If you wish to
attend, please dress very warmly, since all viewing areas must be maintained at
outdoor temperatures. The open house will be cancelled in the event of clouds.
The observatory holds an open house the first Friday of every month.
Comps Calendar:
March 1, David Steussy, ÒTwixt the green sea and azured vaultÓ,
ÒAtmospheric Physics and Numerical Weather ModelingÓ.
Monday, 3:10-4:20
p.m., Olin 04
Weather is a dominant factor in all of our
lives, especially in frigid Minnesota. This talk will examine the Penn
State/National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model, one of the
major numerical weather models in use today. It will be examined with an
emphasis on understanding the atmospheric physics that underlie its fundamental
equations and its assorted science modules.
March
3, Adam Libson, ÒLIGO and the Search for Gravitational WavesÓ
Wednesday, 3:10-4:20
p.m., Olin 04
Gravity waves are predicted by EinsteinÕs
theory of general relativity yet they have never been directly detected. This is the goal of the LIGO
experiment, which consists of several long-baseline Michelson interferometers. In my talk, I will describe some of the
physics of the LIGO detectors and also some of the problems that the experiment
faces. Gravity waves will likely
open up a vast new window on the workings of the Universe, and may allow
physicists to observe phenomenon that have never been seen before. As such the LIGO experiment is a very
exciting attempt to observe and understand the physics of gravitational
radiation.
March 5, Kelen
Tuttle, ÒA Singularity at the Center of Our GalaxyÓ
Friday, 3:10-4:20
p.m., Olin 04
It is only in the past decade that astronomers
have been able to accurately image the central portion of the Milky Way
galaxy. In the very core of our
galaxy lies a supermassive object of unidentified dark mass exerting
substantial gravitational force on nearby luminous matter. This talk will explore what is
currently known about this mysterious object, speculating on its nature and the
implications of galactic formation,
Introductory papers of upcoming talks are available in
binders in the second and third floor lounges. These will provide you with important background information
and a brief outline of the talks to be presented.
FYI:
ROBOTICS CLUB: If you are interested in building, programming, and learning about
robots, please e-mail either kachergg or camisaw.
2004 REU and
Internship Information
List of
REU and internship opportunities are also on the Carleton Physics Web at:
http://webapps.acs.carleton.edu/curricular/physics/for_students/summer_jobs_internships/
MIT-Harvard
TOPS Program
Physics majors who are considering a career in pre-college teaching will be
interested in the TOPS Program (Teaching Opportunities in Physical Science)
sponsored by the MIT-Harvard Center for Ultracold Atoms. This six-week summer
program at MIT offers the opportunity to work in a small group with an
experienced teacher to prepare and teach material in physical science in one-
week courses at the Boston Museum of Science and at MIT. The dates are June 28-
August 6. Participants receive a stipend of $3,000 plus housing. For further information and an
application form, visit http://www.rle.mit.edu/cua/tops.htm.
The deadline for materials to be
included in Radiations is noon Thursday prior to the week you would like the
information to appear.