Astrophysics Seminars

Oct
06
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar

Massive Neutrinos and the Non-linear Matter Power Spectrum
Simeon Bird
11:00am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: Measurements of the matter power spectrum provide an unparalleled opportunity for constraining the mass of the neutrino, due to the damping effect of the neutrino thermal velocity on the growth of cosmic structure. I will discuss recent...
Sep
29
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar

Tests of Gravity in the Local Universe
Bhuvnesh Jain
11:00am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: Gravity theories and large-scale cosmological tests have been actively pursued in recent years. This talk will focus on a new arena for astrophysical tests of gravity: dwarf galaxies and stars in the nearby universe. Theoretical...
Sep
27
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Astrophysics Seminar

New Probes of Strong Gravity Near Black Holes
11:00am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
The lecture will present new techniques that will be employed over the coming decade to probe strong field gravity in the vicinity of black holes. Advances in technology (in the form of long baseline interferometry at a wavelength of ~1 millimeter)...
Sep
22
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar

Planetary Systems Around White Dwarfs
You-Hua Chu
11:00am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: As a low- or intermediate-mass star evolve to the final white dwarf stage, it often loses more than 50% of its original mass. Consequently, its planetary system expands, and the collision rates among the subplanetary bodies, such as...
Sep
20
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Astrophysics Seminar

Galaxy Clusters and Cosmic Structure
Leonidas Moustakas
11:00am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: Through their census, internal structure, and substructure, galaxy clusters encode signatures of the expansion history of the universe, and basic properties of the dark matter particle. I will present early work on systematic multi...
Jun
16
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar

Dynamical and Nonthermal Processes in Galaxy Clusters
11:30am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: Recent observations of galaxy clusters reveal new insights into the dynamical and nonthermal processes in the intracluster medium (ICM). Tangential discontinuities (known as cold fronts) are directly seen in high resolution X-ray maps of...
Jun
09
2011

Institute for Advanced Study Informal Astrophysics Seminar

Searching for Binary Supermassive Black Holes: from Tens of kpc to kpc Scales
11:30am|Bloomberg Hall Astrophysics Library
ABSTRACT: Binary SMBHs are generic outcomes of hierarchical galaxy mergers. They are of great value in understanding the role of galaxy mergers in AGN fueling and the interplay between SMBHs and their hosts, as well as predictions for future...