Past Colloquia
The growth of supermassive black holes is dominated by galaxy merger-free processes
Cody Hall, 50 St. George Street
Rebecca Smethurst, Oxford University
October 23, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: The strong correlations that are found between supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and velocity dispersion, stellar mass and bulge mass have long been interpreted as co-evolution of galaxies and their SMBHs through galaxy mergers. However, a flurry of new results, both observational and theoretical, have suggested…
It Takes Two to Tango: Modeling Binary Stellar Populations in the Gravitational Wave Era
Cody Hall, 50 St. George Street
Prof. Jeff Andrews, University of Florida
October 16, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: Between the discovery of gravitational waves from over a hundred merging compact objects and the advent of micro-arcsecond astrometry realized by the Gaia space telescope, the study of the complexities of binary stellar evolution – including mass transfer, tides, and r-process nucleosynthesis – has…
“Stellar Tides: A Travelogue”
Cody Hall, 50 St. George Street
Prof. Richard Townsend, University of Wisconsin-Madison
October 09, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: The majority of my scientific career has focused on the study of stellar oscillations — standing and traveling waves that cause periodic perturbations to the internal structure and surface properties of stars. In the past few years, however, I’ve become fascinated by the phenomenon…
Multi-wavelength Observations of Variable Plasmas at the Event Horizon
Cody Hall, 50 St. George Street
Daryl Haggard, McGill University
October 02, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: Observational studies of black holes have progressed by leaps and bounds over the last two decades, advanced by a wealth of new instruments and analysis techniques. I will discuss the unique variability of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole, alongside…
Nucleosynthetic Probes of the First Stars and Galaxies
Cody Hall, 50 St. George Street
Prof. Alexander Ji, University of Chicago
September 18, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: In the first billion years of the universe, the first stars and galaxies formed in the smallest dark matter halos, produced high-energy photons that reionized the intergalactic medium, and polluted the universe with the first heavy elements. This early era can be accessed observationally using…
2024 Martin Lecture with Maria Zuber
Venue: Innis College Town Hall, 2 Sussex Avenue
Prof. Maria Zuber
May 06, 2024
6:30 PM
Public Lecture: “A Human Expedition to Mars” How close are we to sending humans to Mars? Human exploration of the red planet has been seriously discussed since the 1940s, but no mission concept has gone beyond the planning stage. Why not? This talk will consider the…
Conversation with Maria Zuber
Venue: McLennan Physical Laboratories (MP102)
Prof. Maria Zuber
May 06, 2024
11:00am
“Science at the Top: President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology” A live, in-person only discussion with Maria Zuber. About Maria T. Zuber Maria Zuber is the E. A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics and Vice President for Research at MIT. Her research bridges planetary…
Massive-Star Feedback at Low Metallicity
Prof. Sally Oey, University of Michigan
April 10, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: Massive-star feedback at low metallicity may vary dramatically from the classical, thermal energy-driven model at solar metallicity. I show that weak stellar winds and fewer supernovae promote conditions for classical feedback to be dominated by radiation, rather than mechanical power. This could play an important role in…
Constraining Galaxy Formation (and Baryonic Effects on LSS) with Observations of the Thermal and Kinetic SZ Effects.
Cody Hall
Nicholas Battaglia
April 03, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: A new window into the growth and evolution of large-scale structure has opened up with the recent observations of the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (SZ) effects. I will present ongoing work to extract SZ signals in data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and how…
A New Era of Planetary Astrophysics with JWST and High-Resolution Spectrographs
Cody Hall
Björn Benneke, Université de Montréal
March 27, 2024
2:00pm - 3:00pm
Abstract: We are at the dawn of a new era of planetary astronomy. With our first big JWST exoplanet results coming out and a new generation of high-resolution spectrographs going into service, our initial results leave little doubt that the upcoming decade presents a unique opportunity…