CPT

Calendar of Physics Talks Vienna

Applied Newton-Cartan Geometry
Speaker:Eric Bergshoeff (Univ. of Groningen, NL)
Abstract:I will give an introduction into the non-relativistic version of Riemannian geometry, which is called Newton-Cartan geometry. The corresponding non-relativistic gravity theory, called Newton-Cartan gravity, has received a renewed attention due to unexpected applications as a new tool to examine the (non-perturbative) properties of non-relativistic quantum field theories. I will explain the basic construction of Newton-Cartan gravity plus some of its generalizations thereby putting an emphasis on how these different theories can be obtained by taking limits or reductions of General Relativity.
Date: Tue, 21.03.2017
Time: 14:15
Duration: 60 min
Location:Fakultät für Physik, Erwin-Schrödinger-Hörsaal, Boltzmanngasse 5, 5. Stock
Contact:S. Fredenhagen, H. Steinacker

Optical superresolution microscopy of molecular mechanisms of disease
Speaker:Clemens F. Kaminski (Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, UK)
Abstract:The self-assembly of proteins into ordered macromolecular units is fundamental to a variety of diseases. For example, in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and Parkinson’s Disease (PD), proteins that are usually harmless are found to adopt aberrant shapes; one says they ‘misfold’. In the misfolded state the proteins are prone to aggregate into highly ordered, toxic structures, called protein amyloids and these make up the insoluble deposits found in the brains of patients suffering from these devastating disorders. A key requirement to gain insights into molecular mechanisms of disease and to progress in the search for therapeutic intervention is a capability to image the protein assembly process in situ i.e. in cellular models of disease. In this talk I will give an overview of research to gain insight on the aggregation state neurotoxic proteins in vitro (1, 2), in cells (3, 4, 5) and in live
Date: Tue, 21.03.2017
Time: 16:00
Location:Technische Universität Wien, Institut für Angewandte Physik, E134 yellow tower „B“, 5th floor, Sem.R. DB gelb 05 B (room number DB05L03), 1040 Wien, Wiedner Hauptstraße 8-10
Contact:Univ.Prof. Dr. G. Schütz

Higher order perturbations of Anti-de Sitter space and time-periodic solutions of vacuum Einstein equations
Speaker:Andrzej Rostworowski (Cracow)
Abstract:Motivated by the problem of stability of Anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime, I will discuss nonlinear gravitational perturbations of maximally symmetric solutions of vacuum Einstein equations in general and the case of AdS in particular. I will present the evidence that, similarly to the self-gravitating scalar field at spherical symmetry, the negative cosmological constant allows for the existence of globally regular, asymptotically AdS, time-periodic solutions of vacuum Einstein equations that bifurcate from linear eigenfrequencies of AdS. Interestingly, preliminary results ndicate that the number of time-periodic solutions bifurcating from a given eigenfrequency equals the multiplicity of this eigenfrequency. The talk will be based on the recent preprint https://arxiv.org/abs/1701.07804
Date: Thu, 23.03.2017
Time: 14:00
Duration: 60 min
Location:Arbeitsgruppe Gravitation, Währinger Strasse 17, Raum 218, 2. Stock, 1090 Wien
Contact:P.T. Chrusciel

The 112 years of the photon
Speaker:Sándor Varró (Wigner Research Centre ; ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source Research Institute)
Abstract:We review the historical background and variants of the notion of light quanta since Einstein’s “heuristic viewpoint” on the photoelectric effect was published in 1905. The process of stimulated emission will also be discussed, primarily in the context of black-body radiation, as it appeared first in the works of Planck and Einstein. Historical aspects of negative absorption, laser action and cooperative phenomena will also be included. In general, the conceptual development will be analysed, on the basis of discussing the interaction of extremely low-intensity and extremely large-intensity light with matter, including multiphoton processes. At some points, we shall also attempt to interrelate the physical interpretations of the photon with some light-related technological developments.
Date: Fri, 24.03.2017
Time: 15:30
Location:Atominstitut, Hörsaal, Stadionallee 2, Wien 2
Contact:H. Rauch