The US Patent Office is seeking new recruits. They are desperately short of employees especially with the increase in patent filing. They also need good candidates after the debacle a few years ago of patent officers actively involved in the "free energy" embarassement.
Besides, you will be following in Einstein's footsteps, sort of.
:)
Zz.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Forum on Physics and Society
The January issue of the Forum on Physics and Society newsletter is now online. This is an exceptionally informative issue, especially the articles written by 3 different current and former Presidential Science Advisers, including the embattled current Adviser, John Marburger.
Don't miss it.
Zz.
Don't miss it.
Zz.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
A Gyroball in Baseball?
I don't know why this is stirring up such a fuss, but it does. It appears that there are claims being made that the Japanese Boston Red Sox baseball pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka can throw what is known as the "gyroball". Instead of a baseball with a horizontal spin, causing it to sink faster or float longer, the gyroball has a vertical spin (what most people think a gyroscope should be like). A ball having that kind of a spin moving through air will curve either to the left or to the right, depending on the direction of the spin.
The physics here isn't the big deal, or surprise. What people are doubtful is whether the human arm, in the conventional mechanics of throwing a baseball pitch, can impart that kind of a spin. I wouldn't know since I don't play baseball. I suppose if one can change the throwing mechanics, such a ball might be possible. After all, I've seen tennis player from a far wide position on the court hitting a ball around the net post to curl the ball back into the court. One really does not need a pure vertical spin to do this, just a component of it.
Zz.
The physics here isn't the big deal, or surprise. What people are doubtful is whether the human arm, in the conventional mechanics of throwing a baseball pitch, can impart that kind of a spin. I wouldn't know since I don't play baseball. I suppose if one can change the throwing mechanics, such a ball might be possible. After all, I've seen tennis player from a far wide position on the court hitting a ball around the net post to curl the ball back into the court. One really does not need a pure vertical spin to do this, just a component of it.
Zz.
UK to Screen Foreign Students in Nuclear Physics and Biochemistry
The United Kingdom may force graduate students in nuclear physics and biochemistry to undergo background security checks amid fears that these students might use their knowledge to make weapons. This is in line with what the US is already doing in visa applications for students in certain "sensitive" subject area.
Wait till these people realize that people working in accelerator physics, studying waveguides in physics/electrical engineering, even nanotechnology, etc... etc. can also make "weapons". Oy vey...
Zz.
Wait till these people realize that people working in accelerator physics, studying waveguides in physics/electrical engineering, even nanotechnology, etc... etc. can also make "weapons". Oy vey...
Zz.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Anthony Leggett to Join the Faculty of University of Waterloo
There seems to be a trend in the migration towards Canada of top physicists. It has been announced that Nobel Laureate Anthony Leggett will be Mike and Ophelia Lazaridis Distinguished Research Chair at the University of Waterloo. He follows the footsteps of another Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman, who earlier bolted Colorado University for University of British Columbia. However, unlike Wieman, Leggett still retains his position at the University of Illinois. It appears that he's having a joint appointment with Waterloo, spending 2 months a year there.
Hey, I guess if you're a Nobel Laureate, you can probably write your own ticket. Still, it certainly appears that universities in Canada are in a very aggressive period of recruiting well-known physicists for their institutions.
Zz.
Hey, I guess if you're a Nobel Laureate, you can probably write your own ticket. Still, it certainly appears that universities in Canada are in a very aggressive period of recruiting well-known physicists for their institutions.
Zz.
Friday, January 26, 2007
Single-Electron Tunneling Refrigerator
This has always been something that fascinates me, and I suppose, until now, there hasn't been anything that would allow this to be of practical use.
This report presents the latest advancement in tunneling refrigerator, which might actually be practical for cooling large particles. I like how they use the coulomb blockade junction to ensure that the electrons tunnel through one at a time, and so the "hottest" electrons would have the highest probability to tunnel first.
Another cool report [pun intended]!
Zz.
This report presents the latest advancement in tunneling refrigerator, which might actually be practical for cooling large particles. I like how they use the coulomb blockade junction to ensure that the electrons tunnel through one at a time, and so the "hottest" electrons would have the highest probability to tunnel first.
Another cool report [pun intended]!
Zz.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Harbury Brown-Twiss on Bosons and Fermions
The bunching and antibunching effects due to bosons and fermions, respectively, have been observed in the same Harbury Brown-Twiss apparatus for the first time. This was done using ultra-cold helium gasses, He4 (bosons) and He3 (fermions). This is the clearest comparision of quantum correlation between these two types of "particles".
Zz.
Zz.
UK Universities Unite for Joint Graduate Program
To bolster the quality of their graduate program, 3 UK universities are joining together to form a joint graduate physics school. In light of the decline in physics enrollment, resulting in the recent closure of the Reading University physics department, Birmingham, Nottingham and Warwick universities have combined their forces (no pun intended) to form a program which they hope will attract top-notch students from across the world.
It appears that this is becoming a trend in the UK, in light of a similar but larger aliance already formed in Scotland. It is commendable that they are at least trying to do something to tackled this problem.
Zz.
It appears that this is becoming a trend in the UK, in light of a similar but larger aliance already formed in Scotland. It is commendable that they are at least trying to do something to tackled this problem.
Zz.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Students Dressed Up As Icons
Students at a middle school dressed up as famous figures that have made an impact. As expected, someone dressed up at Einstein. But what caught my attention was this description:
There are, of course, 2 things wrong with this:
1. Einstein was not an experimentalist, and there's hardly any chance of him ever having any need to wear a lab coat;
2. Most physicists do not wear a lab coat, even experimentalists. I don't even have one, and I know for a fact that in all my years working as an experimentalist, I have never see a physicist wearing one.
I think kids like these do not have access or interactions with scientists, and physicists in particular. So of course, the popular misconception on what a scientist should look like based on what they've read, or seen in the popular media would be the one they have. I suppose in the scheme of things, this is the least problematic of all the misconceptions students have about science and scientists. Still, I wonder if this is a symptom of the distance between "fiction" and "reality" that the students have about science.
Zz.
There weren't any awards for best costume, but Craig Dudd's version of Albert Einstein was hard to miss. Craig, 14, spray-painted his hair white, sported a white mustache and borrowed a white laboratory coat from a local orthodontist.
There are, of course, 2 things wrong with this:
1. Einstein was not an experimentalist, and there's hardly any chance of him ever having any need to wear a lab coat;
2. Most physicists do not wear a lab coat, even experimentalists. I don't even have one, and I know for a fact that in all my years working as an experimentalist, I have never see a physicist wearing one.
I think kids like these do not have access or interactions with scientists, and physicists in particular. So of course, the popular misconception on what a scientist should look like based on what they've read, or seen in the popular media would be the one they have. I suppose in the scheme of things, this is the least problematic of all the misconceptions students have about science and scientists. Still, I wonder if this is a symptom of the distance between "fiction" and "reality" that the students have about science.
Zz.
Irrational Fears of Radiation
A while back, I wrote an essay about the need of scientists to be "Shallow, Perky, and Superficial", in dealing with non-scientists about science issues. This is because, in my experience, the public is not impressed, and usually cannot digest or comprehend, straight, boring facts. Often, bells and whistles, and how one delivers the messages are more important than the validity of the message itself.
Today comes another piece of news about a very common scenario - the irrational fears of radiation. We have seen this happened many times, starting back in the 70's the the Three Mile Island incident that since then has crippled the advancement in the use of nuclear power in the US. It is also the source of the shut down of a very productive research reactor, the High Flux Beam Reactor, at Brookhaven. In the latest incident, a retired health physicist tries to set things straight about the amount of radiation that is expected from a proposed detonation of a chemical explosive at the Nevada Test Site called "Divine Strake". There are several important points being made in that article with regards to comparing the level of radiation that people get in everyday activities. People do not realize this, yet, they fear something when a number is given to them. Why? Because they do not have any reference point on what that value means. If you tell them you're getting 1 mrem, it means nothing to them. However, if you tell them that, in a year, the average background radiation that one would expect to get is 360 mrem, then that number now can be put in perspective.
This is something every scientist should understand when communicating with the general public. It is not sufficient to simply lay out the facts. Telling the public that they will be getting so-and-so amount of radiation is not enough, because the public has no way to digest that number and to put it in context with other amounts that they are getting. Whenever something like this is report, one must include other typical numbers so that the public has a reference point to compare to.
During the last Argonne Open House this past Oct, 2006, we had a large cloud chamber as a demonstration item. People who took a look at it were impressed, but many weren't sure what they were. We had a poster next to the chamber explaining them what they're seeing, i.e. in identifying the different type of tracks they see with the possible particles. Many were surprised when they read that these are "radiation" particles (alpha, beta, and muons), and asked where they're coming from. Many thought that the lab grounds were radioactive! When they were told that these really are background radiation that they would find even in their own home, many were shocked! They looked at the large number of tracks in the cloud chamber and suddenly realized that all of these particles are bombarding them right that very second! All I could say to them during this time was "This is the environment that we have evolved in!"
Of course, that statement in itself could open up another can of worms, but I think everyone who got to see the cloud chamber got the point.
Zz.
Today comes another piece of news about a very common scenario - the irrational fears of radiation. We have seen this happened many times, starting back in the 70's the the Three Mile Island incident that since then has crippled the advancement in the use of nuclear power in the US. It is also the source of the shut down of a very productive research reactor, the High Flux Beam Reactor, at Brookhaven. In the latest incident, a retired health physicist tries to set things straight about the amount of radiation that is expected from a proposed detonation of a chemical explosive at the Nevada Test Site called "Divine Strake". There are several important points being made in that article with regards to comparing the level of radiation that people get in everyday activities. People do not realize this, yet, they fear something when a number is given to them. Why? Because they do not have any reference point on what that value means. If you tell them you're getting 1 mrem, it means nothing to them. However, if you tell them that, in a year, the average background radiation that one would expect to get is 360 mrem, then that number now can be put in perspective.
This is something every scientist should understand when communicating with the general public. It is not sufficient to simply lay out the facts. Telling the public that they will be getting so-and-so amount of radiation is not enough, because the public has no way to digest that number and to put it in context with other amounts that they are getting. Whenever something like this is report, one must include other typical numbers so that the public has a reference point to compare to.
During the last Argonne Open House this past Oct, 2006, we had a large cloud chamber as a demonstration item. People who took a look at it were impressed, but many weren't sure what they were. We had a poster next to the chamber explaining them what they're seeing, i.e. in identifying the different type of tracks they see with the possible particles. Many were surprised when they read that these are "radiation" particles (alpha, beta, and muons), and asked where they're coming from. Many thought that the lab grounds were radioactive! When they were told that these really are background radiation that they would find even in their own home, many were shocked! They looked at the large number of tracks in the cloud chamber and suddenly realized that all of these particles are bombarding them right that very second! All I could say to them during this time was "This is the environment that we have evolved in!"
Of course, that statement in itself could open up another can of worms, but I think everyone who got to see the cloud chamber got the point.
Zz.
IU Physics Majors Increases by 30%
It was reported earlier that the number of US high school students enrolled in physics reached record level. As a result, there is a surge in the number of physics majors in colleges. Indiana University is the first to report a significant increase in the number of students majoring in physics.
They are also quite progressive in recognizing that many students may not want to continue in the traditional physics program by going on to getting a Ph.D. More and more schools are offering non-traditional paths for students to be more employable by the time they receive their undergraduate degree.
Zz.
They are also quite progressive in recognizing that many students may not want to continue in the traditional physics program by going on to getting a Ph.D. More and more schools are offering non-traditional paths for students to be more employable by the time they receive their undergraduate degree.
Zz.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Man Traveling 69 MPH When He Hit Awning
OK, whatever happened, this is NOT a good way to illustrate the laws of physics under any circumstances. Whatever made them ask a physicist to calculate the speed that this guy had when he hit the awning is beyond me, considering that any high school physics student could have done that!
[ZapperZ slaps himself silly]
Zz.
[ZapperZ slaps himself silly]
Zz.
Monday, January 22, 2007
A Neutral, Molecular Synchrotron
Another cool invention. Physicists in Germany has managed for the first time to produce a neutral particle synchrotron[1]!
A synchrotron is usually a circular storage ring where charged particles, usually electrons, moves around in circles close to the speed of light. They are accelerated by a combination of electric (RF) fields and using magnetic fields to steer and focus. In this new invention, polar molecules such ammonia, have been accelerated in a rather small ring, 81 cm in circumference.
Again, a very interesting work that promises to open up a whole world of possibilities. The abstract for this work can be found here.
Zz.
[1] C.E. Heiner, et al., Nature Physics Published online: 21 January 2007 | doi:10.1038/nphys513
A synchrotron is usually a circular storage ring where charged particles, usually electrons, moves around in circles close to the speed of light. They are accelerated by a combination of electric (RF) fields and using magnetic fields to steer and focus. In this new invention, polar molecules such ammonia, have been accelerated in a rather small ring, 81 cm in circumference.
Again, a very interesting work that promises to open up a whole world of possibilities. The abstract for this work can be found here.
Zz.
[1] C.E. Heiner, et al., Nature Physics Published online: 21 January 2007 | doi:10.1038/nphys513
Communications of Legitimate Physics Ideas - Pt. 2
Previously, I mentioned the most important means of communications of physics ideas - via publication in a peer-reviewed journal. In this posting, I will mention the other significant means of communications in physics, via presentations at various conferences, seminars, workshops, etc.
The reason why there are numerous conferences and workshops throughout the world within a year is because this is actually one of the most effective and quickest means to communicate. One can actually meet and hear the person who actually did the work. You can easily ask questions to a person, something that can't be done very well when reading a published paper. A talk or presentation also tends to be more elaborate, containing detail information that may not have been included in a paper. Not only that, due to the sometime lengthy process of publishing a paper, by the time a paper appears in print, it may already be old news. On the other hand, information gathered at a conference could be some data that was only obtained just the previous week. So one can get a good sense of the state of knowledge that everyone has, or is working on, at that instant. Relying simply on what is in publication could mean one is several months behind on what is important. This is especially true in fast-moving fields such as high-Tc superconductivity.
Personally, I find that it is vital that one attends such conferences in one's field regularly. Not only is it useful to hear various speakers present their work, but more often than not, some of the most important information is obtained in the hallways or over coffee during a conversation. The latest PRL publication that I had was an idea that was born during a coffee break conversation in between sessions at a workshop! One cannot overemphasize the importance of such face-to-face discussion. Physics is seldom done in isolation, since most of us are not Einstein or Planck.
While it isn't a formal part of the curriculum for most graduate students in physics, I know for a fact that attending and presenting one's work while still in a graduate program is a vital part of the training of becoming a physicist. One should not be satisfied that a doctorate degree in physics if one has not stood in front of experts in the field and present one's work. One's ability to communicate one's work effectively is almost as important as the knowledge itself.
There are several major conferences throughout the year. However, the largest yearly physics conference in the world is the APS March Meeting. This regularly attracts between 5000 to 7000 attendees. It is the largest because the division of Condensed Matter/Material science is one of the division that meets during this meeting. In fact, during the APS Centenial Celebration in 1999 at the Atlanta Convention Center, there was a record of 13,000 attendees, which was hailed as the largest ever gathering of scientists in the history of human civilization. The APS March Meeting is the conference that most graduate students, especially those in condensed matter/material science, cut their teeth and made their first ever presentation of their work in front of experts in their fields. Yours truly was one of those.
You may visit the APS webpage to learn more about this meeting, and all other conferences that they organize. There are also a lot of events that are also open to the general public. So if any of these meetings are in your city (they move around each year), it is a good idea to see if you can attend some of them.
Zz.
The reason why there are numerous conferences and workshops throughout the world within a year is because this is actually one of the most effective and quickest means to communicate. One can actually meet and hear the person who actually did the work. You can easily ask questions to a person, something that can't be done very well when reading a published paper. A talk or presentation also tends to be more elaborate, containing detail information that may not have been included in a paper. Not only that, due to the sometime lengthy process of publishing a paper, by the time a paper appears in print, it may already be old news. On the other hand, information gathered at a conference could be some data that was only obtained just the previous week. So one can get a good sense of the state of knowledge that everyone has, or is working on, at that instant. Relying simply on what is in publication could mean one is several months behind on what is important. This is especially true in fast-moving fields such as high-Tc superconductivity.
Personally, I find that it is vital that one attends such conferences in one's field regularly. Not only is it useful to hear various speakers present their work, but more often than not, some of the most important information is obtained in the hallways or over coffee during a conversation. The latest PRL publication that I had was an idea that was born during a coffee break conversation in between sessions at a workshop! One cannot overemphasize the importance of such face-to-face discussion. Physics is seldom done in isolation, since most of us are not Einstein or Planck.
While it isn't a formal part of the curriculum for most graduate students in physics, I know for a fact that attending and presenting one's work while still in a graduate program is a vital part of the training of becoming a physicist. One should not be satisfied that a doctorate degree in physics if one has not stood in front of experts in the field and present one's work. One's ability to communicate one's work effectively is almost as important as the knowledge itself.
There are several major conferences throughout the year. However, the largest yearly physics conference in the world is the APS March Meeting. This regularly attracts between 5000 to 7000 attendees. It is the largest because the division of Condensed Matter/Material science is one of the division that meets during this meeting. In fact, during the APS Centenial Celebration in 1999 at the Atlanta Convention Center, there was a record of 13,000 attendees, which was hailed as the largest ever gathering of scientists in the history of human civilization. The APS March Meeting is the conference that most graduate students, especially those in condensed matter/material science, cut their teeth and made their first ever presentation of their work in front of experts in their fields. Yours truly was one of those.
You may visit the APS webpage to learn more about this meeting, and all other conferences that they organize. There are also a lot of events that are also open to the general public. So if any of these meetings are in your city (they move around each year), it is a good idea to see if you can attend some of them.
Zz.
Nobel Laureates Discuss Energy Use
This is a rather interesting event. Six of UC-Berkeley Nobel Laureates sat down and discuss the energy consumption and problem in the US. Even if this doesn't amount to anything, it is still fascinating to hear the opinions of people who are at the top of their field and, presumably, because of their stature, can influence the direction of research to some extent, at least at their institution.
Zz.
Zz.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Satellite Kill Creates Space Hazard
So, how does China's successful test of destroying one of its satellite could possibly be hazardous and could affect you? Read more about it here.
Zz.
Zz.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Duke University Returns Laser to Physicist Who Made It
This is a VERY strange story. A legal dispute occurred over the ownership of a research laser.
There are many thing unanswered from reading this story. Who paid for the laser in the first place? I can't believe this guy built it out of his own pocket while he was a graduate student. How did it go with him to Stanford? Who paid for it to be completed? This is not cheap! A university usually keep the facility especially if it also supported it via providing support for that faculty member. The fact that this thing was shipped from Stanford to Duke University has many issues unanswered.
A very unusual story indeed!
Zz.,
There are many thing unanswered from reading this story. Who paid for the laser in the first place? I can't believe this guy built it out of his own pocket while he was a graduate student. How did it go with him to Stanford? Who paid for it to be completed? This is not cheap! A university usually keep the facility especially if it also supported it via providing support for that faculty member. The fact that this thing was shipped from Stanford to Duke University has many issues unanswered.
A very unusual story indeed!
Zz.,
APS Sets New Membership Record
The American Physical Society (APS), which is the largest professional society for physicist, sets a new membership record this past Jan 8, 2007. It broke the 46,000 barrier, reaching a total of 46,293.
The increase is attributed to a significant increase in student membership.
Zz.
The increase is attributed to a significant increase in student membership.
Zz.
Real Time Relativity
I only did a quick look at this, but it seems to be pretty cool. This paper presents a program that allows students in intro classes on Special Relativity to view a game-like simulation of relativistic principles and effects. It has, in the reference section, a url for someone to find the program and install it.
If you decide to check it out, let me know how well it goes and how useful it is in illustrating SR.
Zz.
If you decide to check it out, let me know how well it goes and how useful it is in illustrating SR.
Zz.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Quantum Biology
This is probably another sub-field in biophysics, but it is still good to hear that quantum mechanics is clearly present in areas that many people do not know of. Here's to more examples of the usefulness of physics beyond just what most people are aware of.
Zz.
Zz.
Imaging Charge Carrier Motion
This is so cool!
Using a combination of a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and laser illumination, a group in Japan has managed to image the motion of charge carrier density across a pn semiconductor junction. They apply different biasses and you can literally see what you have so far seen only schematically in textbooks of the depletion layer and charge diffusion across this layer.
Zz.
Using a combination of a scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and laser illumination, a group in Japan has managed to image the motion of charge carrier density across a pn semiconductor junction. They apply different biasses and you can literally see what you have so far seen only schematically in textbooks of the depletion layer and charge diffusion across this layer.
Zz.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Einstein and His Tea Leaves
This came from the Jan 12th edition of Physics News Update (which, if you haven't subscribed to it already, you should smack yourself on your head). It appears that that Einstein fella also had his hand in something that could lead to new blood separation technique. This all came when Einstein explained the phenomenon of how tea leaves settle on the bottom of a cup. For heaven's sake!
This Einstein guy has his nose in almost everything. He's beginning to annoy me!
:)
Zz.
This Einstein guy has his nose in almost everything. He's beginning to annoy me!
:)
Zz.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Photonic Schrodinger Cat Breaks Record
I've written earlier on the Schrodinger Cat-type experiment. Now comes another report on a 6-photon entanglement that produces 2 types of 6-photon state.
Zz.
Zz.
Argonne's Rube Goldberg Competition
If you are a high school student in the Chicago area, you might want to consider doing this if you are not aware of it already. The 12th annual Argonne National Laboratory Rube Goldberg competition is upon us once again. The deadline for submission of entries is this coming Jan. 29th, so you don't that much time left.
The winners, besides going on to the regional and national competition, also gets to come and visit Argonne and show their working machine in Argonne Cafeteria for all the scientists, engineers, and Argonne employees to see.
Zz.
The winners, besides going on to the regional and national competition, also gets to come and visit Argonne and show their working machine in Argonne Cafeteria for all the scientists, engineers, and Argonne employees to see.
Zz.
The Problem in High School Mathematics
Since I do not have any children, I obviously do not encounter such issues normally. However, after reading David Klein's (Dept. of Physics, Cal State University, Norridge) editorial in Am. J. Phys.[1] on the state of mathematics education funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the US Dept. of Education, I am completely aghast that something like this would not only have been funded, but actually get passed to be taught to our children. NO WONDER we're getting kids out of high school who are stuck in physics - their mathematics background is faulty!
What is scary is what Klein wrote here:
Many students have the perception that physics is "difficult", especially at the freshman intro level. What I find more often than not is that when they get stuck, they got stuck with the mathematics, not the physics. Yet, they don't realize that and since it was a physics problem and a physics class, it was physics that was difficult.
Why the NSF and the Dept. of Education do not look closely at how mathematics is being taught in the Europe and especially the Far East, I have no clue. It is undisputed that students in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and even China, have some of the highest mathematical knowledge and ability of any students at the same level. So what did they do? They went and reinvent the wheel!
Zz.
[1] D. Klein, Am. J. Phys. v.75, p. 101 (2007)
What is scary is what Klein wrote here:
During the previous decade, the goal for students to achieve fluency in algebra and arithmetic was often derided by educators as “mindless symbol manipulation” or “drill and kill.” This point of view guided the creation of math textbooks. The resulting radical deemphasis of algebra and arithmetic—the prerequisite to algebra—in NSF-funded and NSF-distributed math programs has stark consequences for science education, especially physics. When the isolation of a variable in a simple equation is laborious for students rather than automatic, the depth of instruction in high school physics courses is severely limited. At the university level, students struggling with elementary algebra find themselves adrift in their calculus classes, and success thereafter in physics courses is elusive.
Many students have the perception that physics is "difficult", especially at the freshman intro level. What I find more often than not is that when they get stuck, they got stuck with the mathematics, not the physics. Yet, they don't realize that and since it was a physics problem and a physics class, it was physics that was difficult.
Why the NSF and the Dept. of Education do not look closely at how mathematics is being taught in the Europe and especially the Far East, I have no clue. It is undisputed that students in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and even China, have some of the highest mathematical knowledge and ability of any students at the same level. So what did they do? They went and reinvent the wheel!
Zz.
[1] D. Klein, Am. J. Phys. v.75, p. 101 (2007)
Competition Brewing Underground
A few sites are in competition to win the NSF's Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory.
I'm surprised this is still moving along considering the budget hole that the NSF is having due to the continuing resolution.
Zz.
I'm surprised this is still moving along considering the budget hole that the NSF is having due to the continuing resolution.
Zz.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Negative Index of Refraction
A discussion elsewhere made me realize that, even though this area is taking off like mad and it has been known for quite a while, a number of people are still unfamiliar with it, especially the concept. So I thought I'd give what I think is the best "tutorial" on this area. It is a Physics Today article co-written by John Pendry, so I believe is one of the discoverer/inventor of the metamaterial that exhibit such property.
I'm a bit familiar with this area because one of our graduate student is working in it. He's trying to build a set of these metamaterial into a waveguide structure. We're hoping to have electron beam bunches going through these material and maybe generate a reverse Cerenkov radiation. If we can do that, it will be a major accomplishment, not just in terms of the physics, but also for electron beam diagnostic. This is because the Cerenkov radiation will not be in the forward direction as in ordinary medium, along with other forms of radiation that can add to the noise of the detected signal, but rather in the backward direction, which is less noisy.
However, the task in doing this is formidable. The structures on printed circuit boards, and have to be alligned very carefully. We also don't know how well it will do when it encounters our electron beam. Previous results have also shown that the beam will excite several different modes that might drown out what we want.
Oh well. We shall see....
Zz.
I'm a bit familiar with this area because one of our graduate student is working in it. He's trying to build a set of these metamaterial into a waveguide structure. We're hoping to have electron beam bunches going through these material and maybe generate a reverse Cerenkov radiation. If we can do that, it will be a major accomplishment, not just in terms of the physics, but also for electron beam diagnostic. This is because the Cerenkov radiation will not be in the forward direction as in ordinary medium, along with other forms of radiation that can add to the noise of the detected signal, but rather in the backward direction, which is less noisy.
However, the task in doing this is formidable. The structures on printed circuit boards, and have to be alligned very carefully. We also don't know how well it will do when it encounters our electron beam. Previous results have also shown that the beam will excite several different modes that might drown out what we want.
Oh well. We shall see....
Zz.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Egg Drop Project
We often get questions regarding the egg-drop project or competition. This is where you have to find a way to drop and egg from a height without breaking it (of course). Some time, like in this competition, the student is constrained to what he/she can use.
I can see how this would engage the student into being creative and to make him/her consider various laws of physics. But does it really? Creative? Sure. But how much physics consideration and calculations were part of the student's conscious effort? I'd love to hear from students who have done such a thing to know if they had a better understanding of physics, and from teachers who have either organized or helped with such projects. Was there something really tangible that was accomplished as far as physics is concerned?
Zz.
I can see how this would engage the student into being creative and to make him/her consider various laws of physics. But does it really? Creative? Sure. But how much physics consideration and calculations were part of the student's conscious effort? I'd love to hear from students who have done such a thing to know if they had a better understanding of physics, and from teachers who have either organized or helped with such projects. Was there something really tangible that was accomplished as far as physics is concerned?
Zz.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Roger Penrose To Discuss His Book
Hey, if you're anywhere near Minneapolis, MN, you might be interested in this. Roger Penrose will be discussing his latest book, "The Road to Reality" at the U. of Minnesota Bookstore on Feb. 2nd. He will also sign his book afterwards.
Zz.
Zz.
What is Energy?
We get this question A LOT on various public forums. People seem to want to know what it is, as if it is a "quantity" that should have just one basic and complete definition. It is one of those words in which we use very often and assume that we and everyone else know the meaning of.
However, what is used in the ordinary language is not necessarily the same thing as that used in physics. This is especially true when one considers that fact that everything in physics must have an underlying mathematical description. Add to that the complication that many things in physics get more complicated and more complex as one tries to define something in the most general form that covers ALL areas of physics from classical mechanics to elementary particles.
This article, written by a retired physics professor, tries valiantly to define what energy is to the public as used in physics. I'm impressed that a local newspaper would carry such a thing. It is a useful starting point for a lot of people to differentiate between how that word is used in ordinary pedestrian language versus how it is used in physics. Now I know I'm being a bit nitpicky here, but the article became a bit confusing, and incomplete, towards the end.
I like how he clearly indicates right away that there are 3 different forms of energy. The first being the energy of motion (kinetic), the second being energy a particle has in a field (which is just potential energy). However, I'm confused to what the 3rd form of energy is since, unless I missed it, he didn't state it explicitly. The way it went, I'm guessing he is saying that it is thermal energy. However, if this is true, then it isn't really a different form of energy because in the article itself, he stated that heat is nothing more than kinetic energy. This, as we all know, is correct from classical thermodynamics.
So based on this article, there should only be two forms of energy. This is quite accurate, especially when we only consider classical mechanics. In solving the dynamics of a classical system, when we write the Hamiltonian or Lagrangian, we consider the T and V of the system, which are the kinetic energy and the potential energy respectively, in terms of generalized coordinates and generalized momentum. That is all that we need. This shows that those are the only two forms of energy that is the "source" of other energies, and the only forms of energy necessary to completely describe the system.
We similarly have the same thing in quantum mechanics where the two terms the Schrodinger equation are the kinetic energy and potential energy.
However, we can also argue that there IS a 3rd form of energy, that is being the conversion between mass and energy via the infamous Einstein equation. Because of the conversion between mass and energy, the more general relevant conservation law would have to include the sum of both mass and energy when there is a conversion from one to the other. So in this article, the 3rd form of energy should be the energy equivalent represented by a mass. Notice that I hesitate to say that mass and energy are "the same thing". The connection isn't that easy and we are still studying such a thing, especially in the origin of "mass".
One could also argue that photons are another form of energy. However, if one does not want to be to picky, one can easily argue that photons have "kinetic energy" via their momentum, so one doesn't have to make a new category for them.
As I've said earlier, as one tries to cover all the bases and try to be as general and complete as possible, it get more complex and things aren't as easy as they seem. However, I do think that this should cover what most of the general public would need to know on what "energy" is. If they want more, they'll just have to study physics! :)
Zz.
However, what is used in the ordinary language is not necessarily the same thing as that used in physics. This is especially true when one considers that fact that everything in physics must have an underlying mathematical description. Add to that the complication that many things in physics get more complicated and more complex as one tries to define something in the most general form that covers ALL areas of physics from classical mechanics to elementary particles.
This article, written by a retired physics professor, tries valiantly to define what energy is to the public as used in physics. I'm impressed that a local newspaper would carry such a thing. It is a useful starting point for a lot of people to differentiate between how that word is used in ordinary pedestrian language versus how it is used in physics. Now I know I'm being a bit nitpicky here, but the article became a bit confusing, and incomplete, towards the end.
I like how he clearly indicates right away that there are 3 different forms of energy. The first being the energy of motion (kinetic), the second being energy a particle has in a field (which is just potential energy). However, I'm confused to what the 3rd form of energy is since, unless I missed it, he didn't state it explicitly. The way it went, I'm guessing he is saying that it is thermal energy. However, if this is true, then it isn't really a different form of energy because in the article itself, he stated that heat is nothing more than kinetic energy. This, as we all know, is correct from classical thermodynamics.
So based on this article, there should only be two forms of energy. This is quite accurate, especially when we only consider classical mechanics. In solving the dynamics of a classical system, when we write the Hamiltonian or Lagrangian, we consider the T and V of the system, which are the kinetic energy and the potential energy respectively, in terms of generalized coordinates and generalized momentum. That is all that we need. This shows that those are the only two forms of energy that is the "source" of other energies, and the only forms of energy necessary to completely describe the system.
We similarly have the same thing in quantum mechanics where the two terms the Schrodinger equation are the kinetic energy and potential energy.
However, we can also argue that there IS a 3rd form of energy, that is being the conversion between mass and energy via the infamous Einstein equation. Because of the conversion between mass and energy, the more general relevant conservation law would have to include the sum of both mass and energy when there is a conversion from one to the other. So in this article, the 3rd form of energy should be the energy equivalent represented by a mass. Notice that I hesitate to say that mass and energy are "the same thing". The connection isn't that easy and we are still studying such a thing, especially in the origin of "mass".
One could also argue that photons are another form of energy. However, if one does not want to be to picky, one can easily argue that photons have "kinetic energy" via their momentum, so one doesn't have to make a new category for them.
As I've said earlier, as one tries to cover all the bases and try to be as general and complete as possible, it get more complex and things aren't as easy as they seem. However, I do think that this should cover what most of the general public would need to know on what "energy" is. If they want more, they'll just have to study physics! :)
Zz.
Sound Travels Faster Than Light?
I some time wish the media would be a bit more careful when reporting things like this.
A new paper in Applied Physics Letters has demonstrated a case where the group velocity of sound appears to travel faster than the phase velocity, using a rather clever and simple device. They split the sound in a pipe into two, and recombining them after each one has traveled though a different length. The final effect of the interference produces an anomalous dispersion, creating the appearance that the group velocity went faster than expected. However, if one reads the paper carefully, one would notice that no part of the wave actually traveled faster than c.
Similar effects have been seen for light in an anomalous medium (the NEC experiment from several years ago). Unfortunately, whenever we get headlines such as this, most people simply glanced over, or even ignored, the details of the experiment and the physics, and immediately declare that something can travel faster than light. We had to deal with such claims last time with light right after similar publicity of that NEC paper. I don't doubt it one bit that we'll get similar reaction from this.
Unfortunately, unless paper authors and media editors become more careful in choosing their words, the rest of us who have to deal with constant questions from non-physicists (and especially crackpots), will continue to have to correct many misconception due to such headlines.
Zz.
A new paper in Applied Physics Letters has demonstrated a case where the group velocity of sound appears to travel faster than the phase velocity, using a rather clever and simple device. They split the sound in a pipe into two, and recombining them after each one has traveled though a different length. The final effect of the interference produces an anomalous dispersion, creating the appearance that the group velocity went faster than expected. However, if one reads the paper carefully, one would notice that no part of the wave actually traveled faster than c.
Similar effects have been seen for light in an anomalous medium (the NEC experiment from several years ago). Unfortunately, whenever we get headlines such as this, most people simply glanced over, or even ignored, the details of the experiment and the physics, and immediately declare that something can travel faster than light. We had to deal with such claims last time with light right after similar publicity of that NEC paper. I don't doubt it one bit that we'll get similar reaction from this.
Unfortunately, unless paper authors and media editors become more careful in choosing their words, the rest of us who have to deal with constant questions from non-physicists (and especially crackpots), will continue to have to correct many misconception due to such headlines.
Zz.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Two Weeks into 2007
This is the end of the second week back at work after the holiday season, and already it has felt like it has been a long year.
By the end of last week, the first week back at work, I had 2 research proposals to review, and one manuscript for PRL to referee. I've yet to sit down and read through any of them. Of course, there are my work project that needed to be restarted, all made extra difficult because we just can't spend any money due to the budget contraints. While I used to be able to buy stuff that I need, now not only do I have to think twice, three, maybe even four times if I really need it now rather than later, but I also have to pass it through a few people who will have to approve of such a purchase. At this stage, people are actually getting quite serious into the idea that we really have almost no ability to do the work we were hired to do since there's just no money to do them!
.. and so it goes.
Zz.
By the end of last week, the first week back at work, I had 2 research proposals to review, and one manuscript for PRL to referee. I've yet to sit down and read through any of them. Of course, there are my work project that needed to be restarted, all made extra difficult because we just can't spend any money due to the budget contraints. While I used to be able to buy stuff that I need, now not only do I have to think twice, three, maybe even four times if I really need it now rather than later, but I also have to pass it through a few people who will have to approve of such a purchase. At this stage, people are actually getting quite serious into the idea that we really have almost no ability to do the work we were hired to do since there's just no money to do them!
.. and so it goes.
Zz.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Nuclear Wastes Container Gets Cooked?
OK, this isn't a very comforting news. It seems that one of the material used to store nuclear wastes generated from nuclear plants deteoriates even faster than first thought.
It is no question that storing these material for that long is a daunting task. This is not a permanent solution, and it shouldn't be. If we are to continue using the same technology to generate power from nuclear plants, then without reprocessing, or even the use of breeder reactors, then we will continue to face this problem.
Unfortunately, with the current climate on scientific funding, how much money do you think will go into studying this?
Zz.
It is no question that storing these material for that long is a daunting task. This is not a permanent solution, and it shouldn't be. If we are to continue using the same technology to generate power from nuclear plants, then without reprocessing, or even the use of breeder reactors, then we will continue to face this problem.
Unfortunately, with the current climate on scientific funding, how much money do you think will go into studying this?
Zz.
Plumber Stole 20 kg of Bronze
A plumber in Russia stole 20 kg of bronze from the Nuclear Physics Institute. People are wondering that if something that big and heavy could have slipped out, what ELSE could have been stolen, especially "nuclear substance".
If this had happened at a US Nat'l Lab, all hell would have broken loose, and those who within the DOE Nat'l Lab system, even if it didn't occur here, would feel the consequence of such an incident. We already have enough to "thank" Los Alamos for from these last few years.
Zz.
If this had happened at a US Nat'l Lab, all hell would have broken loose, and those who within the DOE Nat'l Lab system, even if it didn't occur here, would feel the consequence of such an incident. We already have enough to "thank" Los Alamos for from these last few years.
Zz.
High School Physics Enrollment Hits Record High
At least this is one good news of the year so far. Enrollment in high school physics in the US hits record high. This is also reported by the AIP. The trend is also predicted to continue.
Now we can consider the quality of physics education that they are getting. We should not be satisfied with just the qantity alone. Bad physics education at the high school level will have the reverse effect of turning student OFF of physics. So this good news should be the impetus to further improve the quality of physics education.
Still, this is good news all around, considering that Europe, and especially the UK, are having some trouble in getting students interested in pursuing studies in physics.
Zz.
Now we can consider the quality of physics education that they are getting. We should not be satisfied with just the qantity alone. Bad physics education at the high school level will have the reverse effect of turning student OFF of physics. So this good news should be the impetus to further improve the quality of physics education.
Still, this is good news all around, considering that Europe, and especially the UK, are having some trouble in getting students interested in pursuing studies in physics.
Zz.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Tevatron's Frantic Search for the Higgs
It appears that new measurements and calculations that pin down the W mass even more has lowered the upper limit for the Higgs boson. This has increased the chances for the Tevatron at Fermilab to be the first to detect the Higgs in what could possibly the last big hurrah for the lab before its scheduled shut down by the end of 2009. With the looming operation of the LHC at CERN, the next couple of years will be the Tevatron's last grasp for glory it it's long and illustrious history.
Just think. For the first time in the history of the high energy physics field, by the end of 2009, there will be ZERO major high energy physics experiment on US soil. The nation that gave birth to high energy physics experiment will soon have none. If that doesn't tell you something, nothing will.
Zz.
Just think. For the first time in the history of the high energy physics field, by the end of 2009, there will be ZERO major high energy physics experiment on US soil. The nation that gave birth to high energy physics experiment will soon have none. If that doesn't tell you something, nothing will.
Zz.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Science Labs: Beyond Isolationism
Here's a report on an effort to make schools science labs more relevant to the kids' education.
They could easily do this at the undergraduate level also, especially in intro classes. Most science labs do not make a clear emphasis that the skills that a student acquire in such labs can be equally important later on as the lessons being taught.
Zz.
They could easily do this at the undergraduate level also, especially in intro classes. Most science labs do not make a clear emphasis that the skills that a student acquire in such labs can be equally important later on as the lessons being taught.
Zz.
Fiscal Year 2007 Funding
This is the letter to APS members urging them to write to their representatives regarding the House's decision for continuing resolution to the FY 2007 budget. If you are in the US, and especially if you are a US citizen and a registered voter, PLEASE consider seriously writing a letter to your representative and your senator regarding this. I cannot over-emphasize the need for your action, because major important facilities are being considered to be shut down and laying off their employees due to this.
Funding for physics science have suffered for at least the past 6 years. Just when we think we might see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are let down again. There is only so much we can take for being battered like this for so long. Please help us in making those in power realize the harm, both short term and long term, of their inaction to pass a reasonable budget for the sciences for this fiscal year.
Thank you!
Zz.
*******************
Funding for physics science have suffered for at least the past 6 years. Just when we think we might see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are let down again. There is only so much we can take for being battered like this for so long. Please help us in making those in power realize the harm, both short term and long term, of their inaction to pass a reasonable budget for the sciences for this fiscal year.
Thank you!
Zz.
*******************
From: Judy Franz, Executive Officer of APS
To: APS members
Re: Member Alert: http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=apspa&hotissue=65
I'm writing to ask your help in urging Congress to enact increases for the budgets of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) STRS account in the upcoming Continuing Resolution for FY07. These increases are critical for preserving the health of science and education programming at these three agencies.
Please go to this URL to quickly and easily send an email to your Member of Congress:
http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=apspa&hotissue=65. (See Pointers below.)
Background: Congress did not pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 budget before the start of the fiscal year on October 1. Consequently, the NSF, the DOE Office of Science and NIST are currently operating at the FY06 levels, despite strong bipartisan support for significant increases that had been proposed in the FY07 budget. Before adjourning in December, the 109th Congress passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the federal government at FY06 levels through Feb 17th. The leadership of both the House and the Senate has already announced their plan to pass a yearlong spending resolution in lieu of the outstanding appropriations bills when the 110th Congress convenes. The spending resolution, if left unchanged, will extend FY06 funding levels for the entirety of FY07.
The year-long extension of the FY06 funding levels could have severe effects on the science and education programs in the US:
* There will be a significant reduction in operations or a complete shutdown at some key national user facilities that academic and industrial researchers from around the country rely on. (See http://www.aps.org/policy/issues/research-funding/doe-analysis.cfm for a more detailed discussion of the DOE situation.)
* Scientific and technical staffing at the national laboratories may suffer reductions in force, since the FY06 funding levels do not account for salary-adjusted inflation.
* University grants will be notably reduced
o At NSF, there will be a 10% reduction in the number of new research grants, a loss of 40 planned Graduate Fellowships and $439 million in missed opportunities for scientific discoveries. (See http://www.aps.org/policy/issues/research-funding/nsf.cfm for a more detailed list of the effects that will be felt by NSF)
o At DOE, university grants could be cut by 10% or more. Due to the significant cut in funding of the Office of Science in FY06, DOE has been operating below FY05 levels. The proposed Continuing Resolution would extend these difficult levels through October 2007.
It is possible that Congress will make some adjustments for select agencies when they pass the yearlong resolution. It is conceivable that funds will be added to the NSF budget. Congress is more likely to allow DOE and the Department of Commerce to reprogram their allocations to fund the DOE Office of Science and NIST at the proposed FY07 levels, since the overall increases in the proposed FY07 budgets over FY06 for those two agencies is very small and it is the reallocation within the agency that is critical for science. If either or both of these actions are to be taken, however, , it is vital that scientist constituents urge their Members of Congress to do so. Communications from constituents are a very effective tool in influencing Members of Congress and are an important source of leverage for the APS Washington Office.
Please take a moment to write your Member of Congress and strongly urge them to include the FY07 funding levels for these three agencies in the yearlong Continuing Resolution, by simply clicking this link: http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=apspa&hotissue=65.
POINTERS:
(1) Individualizing your letter is not essential. (2) If you are a government employee, please do not use government resources to send a communication. (3) Using the above link to send your messages is straightforward and fast; the system can be used with most web browsers, but works best with Windows and a recent version of Internet Explorer or Netscape. (4) Your browser will take you to a page where you will enter your name and address. (5) After entering your address, click the “Edit/Send Email button.” A window with an individual email message to the five offices will appear. Click “Send Emails” to transmit the communication. (6) Electronic submission is preferred. (7) For technical help, write to opa@aps.org.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Dark Matter Mapped
If you can map the cosmic microwave background (CMB), why can't you map the location of dark matter? This is exactly what has been done, and it is a doozy.
Certainly, this needs refining and re-testing. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it would be a first step in characterizing dark matter as we know it now.
Zz.
Certainly, this needs refining and re-testing. There is still a lot of work to be done, but it would be a first step in characterizing dark matter as we know it now.
Zz.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Comedy Meets Physics
This is a (loose) review of Adam Felber's book Schrodinger's Ball. It is supposed to be comedic, unlike pop-science books.
I haven't read it. Has anyone?
Zz.
I haven't read it. Has anyone?
Zz.
"Floristry" as Good as Mathematics?
The UK school system is already suffering from problems with attracting students into science, especially physics. Now this. It appears that if you get a diploma in hairdressing, that's equivalent to a C in physics at the A-Level. REALLY!
At some point, there are things that should never be made to be compared to. They each have their own worth and their own merit. This is one such case.
Zz.
At some point, there are things that should never be made to be compared to. They each have their own worth and their own merit. This is one such case.
Zz.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Those Who Fail Science Are Doomed
This is just plain hilarious to read, so you should. Besides, it makes for a great reading on weekends when you don't want to overtax your grey matter.
Zz.
Zz.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Particle Astrophysics
Hey, if you have access to the journal Science, or if your school has site-wide accces to it, don't miss the special coverage on particle astrophysics in Jan 5, 2007 issue. This is a very good and comprehensive coverage of the state of art of this field, especially on the wide-ranging experimental efforts ranging from the detecting neutrinos passing through the Antartica ice to the array of detectors in the pampas of Argentina.
I am involved in this in an indirect way via the AirFly project that I've described earlier. This is part of the huge Auger Observatory effort that is also described in the Science journal coverage. So I have a bit of a keen interest in it, even though technically, it isn't my field of study.
Zz.
I am involved in this in an indirect way via the AirFly project that I've described earlier. This is part of the huge Auger Observatory effort that is also described in the Science journal coverage. So I have a bit of a keen interest in it, even though technically, it isn't my field of study.
Zz.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Communicaton of Legitimate Physics Ideas - Pt. 1
In physics, there are principly two means of communicating one's ideas to others in the field. The first and most common means is via publishing one's work in a peer-reviewed journal. The other is via a presentation at one of the many conferences/workshops held throughout the world. I will discuss the former.
For a physicist, there are three most prestigous journals for one's work to be published: Nature, Science, and Physical Review Letters. These journals not only require that the work submitted to be of significant importance and quality, but also have wide-ranging impact beyond just a small, specialized area. This is especially true for Nature and Science where both journals tend to only publish papers that will have a high impact value.
It means that getting one's work to be published in one of these three journals is not that easy. Nature and Science have editors that are actively involved in weeding out all the submitted papers. My guess is that between 50% to 60% of all papers submitted to these two journals never made it past the editors. These editors sometime consult ranking physicists in the appropriate fields to see if a submitted paper has enough of an impact for it to continue to the next stage. Of the remaining papers that did get through and went on to be reviewed by selected referees (typically 2 or 3 referees for each paper), only about less than half that actually got approved for publication. This process is similar for Physical Review Letters, except the editors tend to be more liberal in letting the papers go to the refereeing stage (they still weed out the obvious quackeries, which from what I gather, they receive almost everyday). However, the referees are as strict and demanding as those for Nature and Science.
Why are these three journals that prestigous? First of all, because everyone in the field knows how difficult it is to have a paper published in those journals, it means that having one is a sign of accomplishments. Many funding agencies look favorably if someone has work appearing in these high-impact journals. Secondly, these journals have their own public relations people that advertize and produce press releases of select papers in their journals. This makes some work widely known and cited both within the field and in the public media. Having one's work published in one of these journals is a sign of very high achievement.
If those three are what I consider to be the top tier journals, the next in line would be the Physical Review series of journals (i.e. Physical Review A,B,C,D, and E), the Journal of Applied Physics series and Applied Physics Letters. It needs to be emphasized here that just because these journals are of a lower tier than the first three, it doesn't mean they are of any less importance or less impact. Often, the Physical Review journals serve to expand the work published in the Physical Review Letters (PRL), since PRL has a limit of 4 typeset pages for each paper. Other than certain specialized sections, the Physical Review journals have no length limitations. The papers published here also tend to be more specialized for people working in a particular field, i.e. it doesn't have that "wide-ranging" impact that Nature, Science, and PRL require.
The next tier of journals would include European Physical Review, Journal of Physics series, Europhysics Letters, and Physica journal series. Again, there have been very important papers being published in these journals, even though in terms of prestige, they are not typically considered as high-impact journals.
The level of refereeing also tends to be commensurate with the prestige of the journals. One tends to see a more liberal refereeing for a lower tier journal, and maybe each submitted paper might have only one referee, as opposed to 2,3, and up to 5 referees for papers submitted to Science, Nature, or PRL.
To end this, here's a very sobering fact. Since the establishement and popular practice of peer-reviewed journals in the scientific field (let's say since early 20th century), there have been NO instances of any work or ideas making a significant contribution fo the body of knowledge in physics that have not appeared in a peer-reviewed publication. Now think about this for a second. If you have a discovery, theory, ideas, etc., and you have not or unable to have it accepted and published in a peer-reviewed journal, you have an ABSOLUTE ZERO chance of having any impact or contributing to the body of knowledge in physics. PERIOD! This is what the history of science has shown. It means that if one only has one's theory appearing on some website and/or discussion areas, and these are the ONLY avenue for such an idea to see the light of day, there is a 100% chance that such an idea will go nowhere, do nothing, and will disappear into obscure-land. Having one's work appearing in a peer-reviewed journal is a NECESSARY criteria, although not a necessary AND sufficient criteria, for having any impact and making a contribution to physics.
Zz.
For a physicist, there are three most prestigous journals for one's work to be published: Nature, Science, and Physical Review Letters. These journals not only require that the work submitted to be of significant importance and quality, but also have wide-ranging impact beyond just a small, specialized area. This is especially true for Nature and Science where both journals tend to only publish papers that will have a high impact value.
It means that getting one's work to be published in one of these three journals is not that easy. Nature and Science have editors that are actively involved in weeding out all the submitted papers. My guess is that between 50% to 60% of all papers submitted to these two journals never made it past the editors. These editors sometime consult ranking physicists in the appropriate fields to see if a submitted paper has enough of an impact for it to continue to the next stage. Of the remaining papers that did get through and went on to be reviewed by selected referees (typically 2 or 3 referees for each paper), only about less than half that actually got approved for publication. This process is similar for Physical Review Letters, except the editors tend to be more liberal in letting the papers go to the refereeing stage (they still weed out the obvious quackeries, which from what I gather, they receive almost everyday). However, the referees are as strict and demanding as those for Nature and Science.
Why are these three journals that prestigous? First of all, because everyone in the field knows how difficult it is to have a paper published in those journals, it means that having one is a sign of accomplishments. Many funding agencies look favorably if someone has work appearing in these high-impact journals. Secondly, these journals have their own public relations people that advertize and produce press releases of select papers in their journals. This makes some work widely known and cited both within the field and in the public media. Having one's work published in one of these journals is a sign of very high achievement.
If those three are what I consider to be the top tier journals, the next in line would be the Physical Review series of journals (i.e. Physical Review A,B,C,D, and E), the Journal of Applied Physics series and Applied Physics Letters. It needs to be emphasized here that just because these journals are of a lower tier than the first three, it doesn't mean they are of any less importance or less impact. Often, the Physical Review journals serve to expand the work published in the Physical Review Letters (PRL), since PRL has a limit of 4 typeset pages for each paper. Other than certain specialized sections, the Physical Review journals have no length limitations. The papers published here also tend to be more specialized for people working in a particular field, i.e. it doesn't have that "wide-ranging" impact that Nature, Science, and PRL require.
The next tier of journals would include European Physical Review, Journal of Physics series, Europhysics Letters, and Physica journal series. Again, there have been very important papers being published in these journals, even though in terms of prestige, they are not typically considered as high-impact journals.
The level of refereeing also tends to be commensurate with the prestige of the journals. One tends to see a more liberal refereeing for a lower tier journal, and maybe each submitted paper might have only one referee, as opposed to 2,3, and up to 5 referees for papers submitted to Science, Nature, or PRL.
To end this, here's a very sobering fact. Since the establishement and popular practice of peer-reviewed journals in the scientific field (let's say since early 20th century), there have been NO instances of any work or ideas making a significant contribution fo the body of knowledge in physics that have not appeared in a peer-reviewed publication. Now think about this for a second. If you have a discovery, theory, ideas, etc., and you have not or unable to have it accepted and published in a peer-reviewed journal, you have an ABSOLUTE ZERO chance of having any impact or contributing to the body of knowledge in physics. PERIOD! This is what the history of science has shown. It means that if one only has one's theory appearing on some website and/or discussion areas, and these are the ONLY avenue for such an idea to see the light of day, there is a 100% chance that such an idea will go nowhere, do nothing, and will disappear into obscure-land. Having one's work appearing in a peer-reviewed journal is a NECESSARY criteria, although not a necessary AND sufficient criteria, for having any impact and making a contribution to physics.
Zz.
Men Only?
This is a rather astounding statistics published on The Guardian:
Wow! And I thought the situation here in the US is bad.
Zz.
There is a grand total of 515 physics professors in the UK, and a mere 25 of them are women.
Wow! And I thought the situation here in the US is bad.
Zz.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Blogging For Physics
While I decided only recently to get into blogging on physics news and issues, many of you should have heard about Sean Carroll and his blogging history. He and his blogging collaborators have produced what is probably the most popular physics blog Cosmicvariance.com, which I enjoy reading thoroughly.
This is rather fun and amusing interview with Carroll regarding his "fame" as a blogger.
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This is rather fun and amusing interview with Carroll regarding his "fame" as a blogger.
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Belief and Knowledge—A Plea About Language
I will only have one thing to say: READ THIS ESSAY!
It is by Helen Quinn, and the essay is published in Physics Today.
Edit: the link no longer works. Here's another link.
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It is by Helen Quinn, and the essay is published in Physics Today.
Edit: the link no longer works. Here's another link.
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The Physics of Climate Modeling
A very good article in this month's Physics Today. It describes the physics of climate modeling, a very complex system that certainly requires a lot of computational power.
One aspect of this article is the highlight on what is know as the "emergent" phenomenon. I have mentioned this earlier in regards to debunking the myth of the "Theory of Everything", especially with regards to condensed matter systems. So this article is another example of such emergent behavior that detailed understanding at the microscopic scale is hopeless in describing such large-scale effects.
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One aspect of this article is the highlight on what is know as the "emergent" phenomenon. I have mentioned this earlier in regards to debunking the myth of the "Theory of Everything", especially with regards to condensed matter systems. So this article is another example of such emergent behavior that detailed understanding at the microscopic scale is hopeless in describing such large-scale effects.
Zz.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Thread-Bare Theories
IEEE Spectrum has an interview with Smolin with regards to his deliciously controversial book "The Trouble With Physics, which is a stinging criticism of String Theory.
With both his and Woit's book getting huge publicity and the public's attention, there's some hope that those who might be seduced into this field of study due to Brian Greene's book and TV documentary might think twice. I'm not expecting that String Theory will die off. However, it is about time someone throw a lot of cold water to many people, especially young theorists, to wake them up and look carefully at what is going on.
Zz.
With both his and Woit's book getting huge publicity and the public's attention, there's some hope that those who might be seduced into this field of study due to Brian Greene's book and TV documentary might think twice. I'm not expecting that String Theory will die off. However, it is about time someone throw a lot of cold water to many people, especially young theorists, to wake them up and look carefully at what is going on.
Zz.
Monday, January 01, 2007
A Designer Universe?
What better way to kick in the new year than to dive into one of the most divisive and controversial subject - Science and Religion!
It seems that lately, there has been an assault on science by religious fundamentalism, especially with regards to the teaching of evolution. And even when we have entered into the 21st century, there is still a considerable percentage of the population that still believe in supernatural phenomena and paranormal events that have, at best, only anecdotal evidence.
This is an old essay by Steven Weinberg, from a speech he gave in 1999 on the topic of the possibility of our universe made by a "Designer". This essay has a lot of powerful points that cannot be pushed aside easily, and someone with Weinberg's stature certainly cannot be marginalized. While religious zealots tend to not stake the high grounds in terms of the physical world (maybe they learned their lessons from the Galileo affair), they do continue to assert their "moral" high grounds. This is where Weinberg also confronts them head on, that if we look at it carefully enough, this moral high ground actually has nothing to do with their religious beliefs. In fact, he claims that:
If this essay doesn't wake you up, nothing will. So what a way to start the new year, eh?
:)
Zz.
It seems that lately, there has been an assault on science by religious fundamentalism, especially with regards to the teaching of evolution. And even when we have entered into the 21st century, there is still a considerable percentage of the population that still believe in supernatural phenomena and paranormal events that have, at best, only anecdotal evidence.
This is an old essay by Steven Weinberg, from a speech he gave in 1999 on the topic of the possibility of our universe made by a "Designer". This essay has a lot of powerful points that cannot be pushed aside easily, and someone with Weinberg's stature certainly cannot be marginalized. While religious zealots tend to not stake the high grounds in terms of the physical world (maybe they learned their lessons from the Galileo affair), they do continue to assert their "moral" high grounds. This is where Weinberg also confronts them head on, that if we look at it carefully enough, this moral high ground actually has nothing to do with their religious beliefs. In fact, he claims that:
With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil—that takes religion.
If this essay doesn't wake you up, nothing will. So what a way to start the new year, eh?
:)
Zz.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Happy New Year
Happy New Year, everyone! May it be a glorious one.
As for physics in the US, the first half or 2/3 will be brutal with the continuing resolution with the budget. I may not even make it to the Particle Accelerator Conference this year because we're trying to save money. We shall see....
Zz.
As for physics in the US, the first half or 2/3 will be brutal with the continuing resolution with the budget. I may not even make it to the Particle Accelerator Conference this year because we're trying to save money. We shall see....
Zz.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
So You Want To Be A Physicist
If you came here from the PhysicsForums website, you would probably have come across the series of essays that I wrote on this topic. If not, then this will be new to you.
I started writing, in installments, a series of essays on my take of the process one goes through in being a physicist. It started out of the discussion I had with members of our #physics channel on the Undernet IRC server. I then realized that were many issues that most undergraduates and graduate students do not know but should know that are not available in their school brochures and program bulletin. There were also many misconception on not only the profession, but also the process.
So I decided to write what I know of the process in becoming a physicist. The original essays were started on the Undernetphysics Yahoo group. Within a few chapters of the essay, I started getting feedbacks from several people that these were becoming something of value, even though my production rate on these essays was rather slow.
Since then, I have also posted a copy of the essay on the PhysicsForums, and have gotten quite a response there. Other than a copy of a few earlier chapters of the essay posted on PhysicsPost, the thread on the PhysicsForums and the Undernetphysics Yahoo group are the only two places that you can read the complete version of the essays so far.
The series is still ongoing, although the ending could be in sight. I am hoping that, once it is finished, I will re-edit the series (correcting spelling and grammatical errors) and find some place to host the complete essay.
Zz.
I started writing, in installments, a series of essays on my take of the process one goes through in being a physicist. It started out of the discussion I had with members of our #physics channel on the Undernet IRC server. I then realized that were many issues that most undergraduates and graduate students do not know but should know that are not available in their school brochures and program bulletin. There were also many misconception on not only the profession, but also the process.
So I decided to write what I know of the process in becoming a physicist. The original essays were started on the Undernetphysics Yahoo group. Within a few chapters of the essay, I started getting feedbacks from several people that these were becoming something of value, even though my production rate on these essays was rather slow.
Since then, I have also posted a copy of the essay on the PhysicsForums, and have gotten quite a response there. Other than a copy of a few earlier chapters of the essay posted on PhysicsPost, the thread on the PhysicsForums and the Undernetphysics Yahoo group are the only two places that you can read the complete version of the essays so far.
The series is still ongoing, although the ending could be in sight. I am hoping that, once it is finished, I will re-edit the series (correcting spelling and grammatical errors) and find some place to host the complete essay.
Zz.
Friday, December 29, 2006
Top 10 Stories
Nature has picked it's Top 10 science stories of 2006. Unlike Science journal, there are several physics-related stories and news reports. Check out several of the links on that page. Note that many of them require a subscription or site-wide subscription access.
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
A Physics Lesson
This is pretty elementary for anyone who has taken intro physics, but it still drives the point (no pun intended) on what happens when simply basic physics is ignored - you get car crashes when the roads are wet.
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Tuesday, December 26, 2006
As reported here earlier, Nobel Laureate Carl Wieman is leaving Colorado University for University of British Columbia. This news report provides a brief interview of Wieman's reason for leaving Colorado. If I were CU's administrator, I'd would be truly unhappy with the state of my university for a Nobel Laureate to leave under such circumstances. It is a devastating public relations image.
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Monday, December 25, 2006
Breakthrough of the Year
Science journal editors have compiled and named the breakthrough of the year, and the other 9 runner-ups. The breakthrough of 2006 is the proof of the Poincare Conjecture.
None of the runner-ups are in physics, unfortunately, even though the area of "optical lattice" is an area to watch in 2007.
Zz.
None of the runner-ups are in physics, unfortunately, even though the area of "optical lattice" is an area to watch in 2007.
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Leading an Underground Laboratory
Stony Brook University is hoping to win the project to build and manage a new underground laboratory in the US. This is the one area that the US is really behind when compared to Europe and Japan.
With the current budget continuing resolution, though, I don't know how realistic it is to expect a decision by Spring 2007 regarding any funding for such a huge project.
Zz.
With the current budget continuing resolution, though, I don't know how realistic it is to expect a decision by Spring 2007 regarding any funding for such a huge project.
Zz.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
The Physics of Santa
More on how the jolly bearded man and his reindeer will manage to complete their task tonight.
To everyone who celebrates this time of the year, Season Greetings and a very safe Holidays!
Zz.
To everyone who celebrates this time of the year, Season Greetings and a very safe Holidays!
Zz.
Landmark Physical Review Paper - NMR
During this slow physics news period of the holidays, I'll try to highlight some of the webpages that you may have missed. It'll give you some interesting and informative stuff that you might want to read.
This is is part of the APS website series on landmark Physical Review papers. This time, it traces the publication of important work in the discovery and development in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the father of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used in the medical field.
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This is is part of the APS website series on landmark Physical Review papers. This time, it traces the publication of important work in the discovery and development in the field of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), the father of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used in the medical field.
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Friday, December 22, 2006
Monthly Highlights of the Year
PhysicsWeb has listed the highlights of each month for the Year 2006. There are quite a number of significant discoveries and observations here.
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Thursday, December 21, 2006
Last Working Day
Today is the last working day here at the lab. Things are winding down, we're making sure everything that can be shut down gets shut down. Our Division's holiday party will be this evening before everyone leaves for the holidays, so that should be fun, although I think quite a few have left already by looking at the number of vehicles in the parking lot.
It has been a good year, even with our severe budget constraints. Our annual review in March went well (they STILL can't believe we can do that much with so little and so few personnel), the AAC06 workshop we ran in the summer went extremely well, and the results we have from our high-gradient dielectric tube structure got enough heads turning that we received an invited talk to the upcoming PAC next year. So all in all, a very productive year.
The coming year will be a tough one. The continuing budget resolution to stick to the budget for Fiscal Year 2006 will severely affect our program. Our plan on building a second accelerator beamline may be hampered by this, which would mean that our ability to clearly demonstrate that we have achieved the accelerating gradient that we claim will be limited. I think everyone here at the lab is just trying to just stay above water for the next year and hope to come out unscathed by the time Congress gets their act together and do something productive. It does however means that in the meantime, a lot of projects that have been previously approved, would be at a stand-still without the approved funds.
2007 is going to be an adventure.
Zz.
It has been a good year, even with our severe budget constraints. Our annual review in March went well (they STILL can't believe we can do that much with so little and so few personnel), the AAC06 workshop we ran in the summer went extremely well, and the results we have from our high-gradient dielectric tube structure got enough heads turning that we received an invited talk to the upcoming PAC next year. So all in all, a very productive year.
The coming year will be a tough one. The continuing budget resolution to stick to the budget for Fiscal Year 2006 will severely affect our program. Our plan on building a second accelerator beamline may be hampered by this, which would mean that our ability to clearly demonstrate that we have achieved the accelerating gradient that we claim will be limited. I think everyone here at the lab is just trying to just stay above water for the next year and hope to come out unscathed by the time Congress gets their act together and do something productive. It does however means that in the meantime, a lot of projects that have been previously approved, would be at a stand-still without the approved funds.
2007 is going to be an adventure.
Zz.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Neutron Radiative Decay Has Been Observed
As published in Nature this week, the first ever observation of a neutron radiative decay has been accomplished[1]. This decay is different from your typical, more familiar neutron beta decay, where a neutron decays into a proton, electron, and an electron antineutrino. In a neutron radiative decay, which occurs in free neutrons, you get the same 3 products PLUS the emission of a photon. This is one particular channel of decay that has been predicted by QED but never observed till now.
Looks like another triumph for QED.
Zz.
[1] J.S. Nico, J. S. et al., Nature v.444, p.1059 (2006).
Edit: News coverage here.
Looks like another triumph for QED.
Zz.
[1] J.S. Nico, J. S. et al., Nature v.444, p.1059 (2006).
Edit: News coverage here.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
How Does Santa Delivers All Those Gifts In One Night?
Such question comes up every year around this time. Of course, kids have their own explanation on how Santa does it, but so do scientists! In this article, you get the kids' explanations, and also a like to Fermilab where the scientists there have made an estimate on how fast Santa has to move to deliver all those gifts.
However, I think they forgot to factor in extra time for Santa to snack on the cookies and milk.
:)
Zz.
However, I think they forgot to factor in extra time for Santa to snack on the cookies and milk.
:)
Zz.
Einstein and Superconductivity
While Einstein is more well-known for his work in Relativity, Photoelectric Effect, attempts at a Unified Field Theory, it is less well-known that at some point, he dabbled in the theoretical aspect of Superconductivity. This preprint gives an overview of Einstein's role, and his thoughts, on the phenomenon.
It is interesting to note that superconductivity is the clearest manifestation of quantum pheonomenon at the macroscopic scale. According to Carver Mead[1]:
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[1] C.A. Mead, PNAS v.94, p.6013 (1997); or you may be able to access it here.
It is interesting to note that superconductivity is the clearest manifestation of quantum pheonomenon at the macroscopic scale. According to Carver Mead[1]:
Although superconductivity was discovered in 1911, the recognition that superconductors manifest quantum phenomena on a macroscopic scale (4) came too late to play a role in the formulation of quantum mechanics. Through modern experimental methods, however, superconducting structures give us direct access to the quantum nature of matter. The superconducting state is a coherent state formed by the collective interaction of a large fraction of the free electrons in a material. Its properties are dominated by known and controllable interactions within the collective ensemble. The dominant interaction is collective because the properties of each electron depend on the state of the entire ensemble, and it is electromagnetic because it couples to the charges of the electrons. Nowhere in natural phenomena do the basic laws of physics manifest themselves with more crystalline clarity.
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[1] C.A. Mead, PNAS v.94, p.6013 (1997); or you may be able to access it here.
Monday, December 18, 2006
The Physics of a Golf Swing
I'm sure there are golfers who read this blog. If you are one of them, then this page might be of interest to you, not that it might help since you still need to have the skill to be able to execute the technique.
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All-Science Auction Sells Modestly
London's Christie first All-Science auction sold modestly. Manuscripts by Einstein and Darwin fetched the big bucks, but a historically-significant box of light bulbs by Edison did not fetch the reserved price.
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Scientists Search for Own Errors
This is a very good article to read, especially if you are not familiar with how science is done.
The thing that I find ironic is that, for those of us who are in science, and physics in particular, we deal with things that often have degree of certainty significantly higher than, let's say, various ideas and "principles" in social sciences such as politics, economics, etc. Yet, we care a lot more in terms of errors and ambiguities in what we do, while in politics, you very seldom see anything resembling something similar. What you do see are definite statements about something, where people seem to have no qualm to attribute the cause-and-effect with utmost certainty.
I've always said that a science education, and certainly a physics education, is valuable not simply to learn the subject matter, but to learn the process on how we arrive at a conclusion and to what extent is the conclusion valid. Most people seem to not be aware of any kind of "degree of certainty" in the things they hear and accept. Evolution isn't 100% proven? Of course! But it has a higher degree of certainty than MANY other things that one readily accepts! Furthermore, scientific ideas and principle are NEVER proven, unlike mathematics. They only have degree of certainty. The degree of certainty of Newton's Law is so high, we use it to build houses and buildings in which depend our lives on. But is Newton's Law "proven" to be 100% correct? Nope! There is no such thing as 100% correct in physics.
Yet, we see politicians, social scientists, and economists routinely proclaim many of their ideas to be 100% correct. The fallacy perpetuates.....
Zz.
The thing that I find ironic is that, for those of us who are in science, and physics in particular, we deal with things that often have degree of certainty significantly higher than, let's say, various ideas and "principles" in social sciences such as politics, economics, etc. Yet, we care a lot more in terms of errors and ambiguities in what we do, while in politics, you very seldom see anything resembling something similar. What you do see are definite statements about something, where people seem to have no qualm to attribute the cause-and-effect with utmost certainty.
I've always said that a science education, and certainly a physics education, is valuable not simply to learn the subject matter, but to learn the process on how we arrive at a conclusion and to what extent is the conclusion valid. Most people seem to not be aware of any kind of "degree of certainty" in the things they hear and accept. Evolution isn't 100% proven? Of course! But it has a higher degree of certainty than MANY other things that one readily accepts! Furthermore, scientific ideas and principle are NEVER proven, unlike mathematics. They only have degree of certainty. The degree of certainty of Newton's Law is so high, we use it to build houses and buildings in which depend our lives on. But is Newton's Law "proven" to be 100% correct? Nope! There is no such thing as 100% correct in physics.
Yet, we see politicians, social scientists, and economists routinely proclaim many of their ideas to be 100% correct. The fallacy perpetuates.....
Zz.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
What Would Einstein Tell Us If He Were Still Alive?
This is a rather interesting review of a new book that I hadn't hear about before. It is titled "Please, Mr. Einstein". It has an interesting premise of having Einstein being still alive in this day and age.
Has anyone read this book yet? I would be intersted in hearing another review of it. It certainly sounds like it might be a material for a movie.
Zz.
Has anyone read this book yet? I would be intersted in hearing another review of it. It certainly sounds like it might be a material for a movie.
Zz.
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Physicists Set Record For Network Data Transfer
The recent Supercomputing 2006 Bandwidth Challenge set a record for sustained data transfer. This is in anticipation of the huge amount of data that will be coming out of the LHC once it is operational. Such huge data will also be distributed to many parts of the world and certainly presents a significant computing and network challenge.
I think a lot of people do not realize how much of the technological advancement in computing/networking, especially high-speed networking, have been driven by the needs that came out of physics. Forget about the invention of the World Wide Web at CERN (which many people still don't realize). The need to handle such large amount of data, and to be able to transfer it efficiently to all over the world, have driven many improvement and advances in computing that are now being used in places such as stock exchanges.
There are many things that people see as a direct outcome of scientific research, but there are also many things they take for granted that they do not realize that also came as the byproduct of scientific research. This is one such example.
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I think a lot of people do not realize how much of the technological advancement in computing/networking, especially high-speed networking, have been driven by the needs that came out of physics. Forget about the invention of the World Wide Web at CERN (which many people still don't realize). The need to handle such large amount of data, and to be able to transfer it efficiently to all over the world, have driven many improvement and advances in computing that are now being used in places such as stock exchanges.
There are many things that people see as a direct outcome of scientific research, but there are also many things they take for granted that they do not realize that also came as the byproduct of scientific research. This is one such example.
Zz.
Friday, December 15, 2006
A Looming Crisis in US Science Funding
There is a crisis brewing in the US Science funding. As reported in Science, the present Congress that will be controlled by the Democrat for the upcoming year, has decided to adjourn session without passing a budget for the fiscal year 2007. A continuing resolution has been adopted, and possibly extended till the end of fiscal year 2007. This means that (i) current spending levels will be maintained till end of September and (ii) funds that have been approved as part of the fiscal year 2007 budget would not be approved and available.
This would be disasterious for many scientific projects that are continuing or scheduled to be started in this fiscal year. Already, facilities such as RHIC at Brookhaven, and JLab are looking at not only cutbacks, but also a possible shut down! Maybe other scientific projects are also in limbo because they simply do not have the money to start.
You may read more of the Science report here, but the full article is accessible only via subscription. If you are a US citizen, and if this is something you care about, I urge you to write to your respresentatives and ask them to not take the easy way out and sweep everything under the carpet. The "laziness" at coming up with an appropriate budget and approving the money that have already been allocated will severely affect several important projects. It will take an even MORE money to bring these projects back up to speed later on, so it makes no sense to criple them now.
Oh, what am I saying? Since when do things have to make sense in politics?
Zz.
This would be disasterious for many scientific projects that are continuing or scheduled to be started in this fiscal year. Already, facilities such as RHIC at Brookhaven, and JLab are looking at not only cutbacks, but also a possible shut down! Maybe other scientific projects are also in limbo because they simply do not have the money to start.
You may read more of the Science report here, but the full article is accessible only via subscription. If you are a US citizen, and if this is something you care about, I urge you to write to your respresentatives and ask them to not take the easy way out and sweep everything under the carpet. The "laziness" at coming up with an appropriate budget and approving the money that have already been allocated will severely affect several important projects. It will take an even MORE money to bring these projects back up to speed later on, so it makes no sense to criple them now.
Oh, what am I saying? Since when do things have to make sense in politics?
Zz.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Theorists Propose New State of Matter in Semiconductor
S.C. Zhang at Stanford and 2 of his current/former graduate students are proposing a new state of matter in semiconductors. They called it "quantum spin Hall states". The proposed state is to be published in Science (B. A. Bernevig, T. L. Hughes, S.-C. Zhang, Science 314, 1757 (2006)). You may read the Stanford press released on this idea here.
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Cal Band Reenacts Big Bang
This is rather amusing. The University of California marching band, under the direction of recent Nobel winner George Smoot, reenacts the Big Bang at Cal Stadium. There's a video of this "explosive" event. It was shown during Smoot's acceptance of his Nobel Prize.
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Wednesday, December 13, 2006
AirFly Update 1
It's going to be a very long day today. I arrived at work around 6:30 am, and it looks like I will be here till at least 7:00 pm. We finally have all the allignment done, both for our beamline, and their external chamber. After lunch, we finally got our electron beam to pass through their chamber. We are now calibrating our signals and adjusting things here and there to improve the signal-to-noise ratio.
It's a tough, long day, but these are some of the nicest and wonderful people to work with. So even though the work is hard, I always have fun and interesting time working with them.
I'm guessing that the time we have left (they're here till end of Friday) might not be sufficient to complete all the intended measurements. So it looks like this project might continue into next year.
Zz.
It's a tough, long day, but these are some of the nicest and wonderful people to work with. So even though the work is hard, I always have fun and interesting time working with them.
I'm guessing that the time we have left (they're here till end of Friday) might not be sufficient to complete all the intended measurements. So it looks like this project might continue into next year.
Zz.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Did This Really Happened?
I found this "Message from a Physics Prof". Please read it and then, come back here and see what I have to say.
Did this REALLY happened? I smell a hoax, or someone's fabrication. This is because this was the same thing that Martin Gardner had asked a long time ago. In his book "Mathematical Magic Show" (Mathematical Association of America, 1989), he asked this exact question. On page 141, Question 23 asked "Give at least three ways a barometer can be used to determine the height of a tall building." In his answer, he gave 5:
1. Lower the barometer using a string from the roof and then measure the length of the string (this, btw, happens to correspond to the FIRST answer given by the "student" in that article).
2. Same as #1, but let it swing like a pendulum and measure the frequency or period.
3. Drop the barometer from the roof and measure the time taken.
4. On a sunny day, find the ratio of the height of the barometer to the height of the building
5. Find superitendent of the building, give him the barometer if he tells you the height of the building (this last answer happens to also correspond to the student's last answer. Coincidence? I don't think so.).
My conclusion: whoever wrote the article made up this story and that this scenario never happened.
Zz.
Did this REALLY happened? I smell a hoax, or someone's fabrication. This is because this was the same thing that Martin Gardner had asked a long time ago. In his book "Mathematical Magic Show" (Mathematical Association of America, 1989), he asked this exact question. On page 141, Question 23 asked "Give at least three ways a barometer can be used to determine the height of a tall building." In his answer, he gave 5:
1. Lower the barometer using a string from the roof and then measure the length of the string (this, btw, happens to correspond to the FIRST answer given by the "student" in that article).
2. Same as #1, but let it swing like a pendulum and measure the frequency or period.
3. Drop the barometer from the roof and measure the time taken.
4. On a sunny day, find the ratio of the height of the barometer to the height of the building
5. Find superitendent of the building, give him the barometer if he tells you the height of the building (this last answer happens to also correspond to the student's last answer. Coincidence? I don't think so.).
My conclusion: whoever wrote the article made up this story and that this scenario never happened.
Zz.
Clowning Around with Physics
Circus Physics introduces physics to youngsters using a clown. I suppose this is a rather entertaining way to make kids learn without them actually realizing that they learn something. I just wish they could do without the "centrifugal force" part. It'll take physics teachers years to correct that.
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Monday, December 11, 2006
Saga of a 4-Year Old Manuscript Updated
I mentioned earlier about the saga of a 4-year old manuscript that I wrote for publication that was in limbo till a couple of months ago when we finally submitted it to Phys. Rev. B. We finally received the referee reports. It was sent to 3 referees. I must say that it was received better than I expected. All 3 referees agreed that the manuscript should be published. However, we have to make quite a few changes to it. There were a lot of comments from all 3 referees asking for clarifications, and a few things that weren't very clear to them.
So there's still a lot of work to be done to address the referees' comments, but I think if we do all of that, this thing should be published. I just wish that we had done it a lot sooner since we could have easily get it in to Phys. Rev. Lett.
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So there's still a lot of work to be done to address the referees' comments, but I think if we do all of that, this thing should be published. I just wish that we had done it a lot sooner since we could have easily get it in to Phys. Rev. Lett.
Zz.
Discord in the Definition of a Planet
If you think the issue of the demotion of Pluto from being a planet is a done deal, think again. It appears that in an upcoming article in the Planetary and Space Science journal, a new criteria is proposed for what a planet is and possibly restore Pluto as one.
Frankly, I am just amazed that professional scientists spend THIS much time and effort with something THIS superficial. I mean, how does it change the physics of the situation? NADA? Then get over it and tackle something that will actually make a difference already!
Oy vey!
Zz.
Frankly, I am just amazed that professional scientists spend THIS much time and effort with something THIS superficial. I mean, how does it change the physics of the situation? NADA? Then get over it and tackle something that will actually make a difference already!
Oy vey!
Zz.
Sunday, December 10, 2006
AirFly Flying In
This week will be a very busy and I will probably be putting in a lot of long hours. We are running again a series of experiments as part of the AirFly collaboration. This collaboration is part of a larger project under the Auger Observatory.
The AirFly people have been at our facility a few times. We collaborate with them at our accelerator beamline by provide them a high-quality electron beam with energies ranging from 3 MeV to 14 MeV. What they do with these electron beams is have them pass through air and nitrogen gas at several different pressures to measure the fluorescence created by the electron beam as it passed through. They then use the fluorescence (light in the UV range) to calibrate their instruments that will be part of the Auger Observatory detector. The energy range that our facility can provide fills in the gap in the fluorescence data that currently exists.
This is one of the few times that outside collaborators come in to use the electron beam that we can generate. There have been other astrophysics experiments done here, and other groups using our accelerators to test their beam diagnostic techniques. So even though we have an accelerator experimental facility that we currently use to study advanced accelerator physics, often the quality of our facility becomes very enticing for our group outside of our field to want to use it. While we can't simply open it up to anyone that want to use it (we are, after all, not a user facility, and we have a primary mission for our existence), it is still interesting that we can accomodate such requests quite often. Not only that, we also become collaborators in these external projects and are listed in the authors list when papers are published.
It's a win-win situation, really. :)
Zz.
The AirFly people have been at our facility a few times. We collaborate with them at our accelerator beamline by provide them a high-quality electron beam with energies ranging from 3 MeV to 14 MeV. What they do with these electron beams is have them pass through air and nitrogen gas at several different pressures to measure the fluorescence created by the electron beam as it passed through. They then use the fluorescence (light in the UV range) to calibrate their instruments that will be part of the Auger Observatory detector. The energy range that our facility can provide fills in the gap in the fluorescence data that currently exists.
This is one of the few times that outside collaborators come in to use the electron beam that we can generate. There have been other astrophysics experiments done here, and other groups using our accelerators to test their beam diagnostic techniques. So even though we have an accelerator experimental facility that we currently use to study advanced accelerator physics, often the quality of our facility becomes very enticing for our group outside of our field to want to use it. While we can't simply open it up to anyone that want to use it (we are, after all, not a user facility, and we have a primary mission for our existence), it is still interesting that we can accomodate such requests quite often. Not only that, we also become collaborators in these external projects and are listed in the authors list when papers are published.
It's a win-win situation, really. :)
Zz.
The Physics of James Bond
More "The Physics of....". We had the physics of Star Trek, the physics of golf, the physics of football, etc. We now have the physics of James Bond.
I'm expecting the physics of Dancing with the Stars any day now. :)
Zz.
I'm expecting the physics of Dancing with the Stars any day now. :)
Zz.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Einstein's Impact on 20th Century Physics
This is a long paper, but it is worth reading.
Most people are more familiar with Einstein's Special and General Relativity, and think that this is all Einstein was good for. Yet, his work has permeated in almost every aspect of physics, including the physics of the materials that you are using in your modern electronics.
Not only that, if you have a term paper to write about Einstein's legacy, this paper is undoubtedly invaluable.
Zz.
Most people are more familiar with Einstein's Special and General Relativity, and think that this is all Einstein was good for. Yet, his work has permeated in almost every aspect of physics, including the physics of the materials that you are using in your modern electronics.
Not only that, if you have a term paper to write about Einstein's legacy, this paper is undoubtedly invaluable.
Zz.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Laser Wakefields
There have been two recent impressive results on using the laser-plasma wakefield technique to accelerate electrons. The first was the paper by Wim Leemans and company at Berkeley. In this technique, they claim to have achieved an acceleration up to 1 GeV in just 3.3. cm.
The second was just published this week in Nature. Victor Malka group at Palaiseau Ecole Polytechnique has managed to stabilize this type of acceleration mechanism and produced a reliable and highly controllable scheme.
These two are terrific results in the effort towards an advanced accelerator technique. There are, of course, other acceleration technique competing with this, such as the dielectric-loaded structure which also uses wakefields generated in the dielectric.
The only issue that has yet to be addressed in the laser wakefield technique is the amount of charge that is accelerated. In these experiments, a charge of the order of pC (pico Coulombs) per bunch is typically the amount that is accelerated. This is considerably smaller than the "standard" that is required for what is known as a "high brightness" beam, which is 1 nC at 1 mm-mrad emittance. I think FEL (free electron laser) facilities would require charge bunches of around such a value.
I hope they can scale up their experiements to be able to accelerate larger amount of charges that would make such a technique practical.
Zz.
The second was just published this week in Nature. Victor Malka group at Palaiseau Ecole Polytechnique has managed to stabilize this type of acceleration mechanism and produced a reliable and highly controllable scheme.
These two are terrific results in the effort towards an advanced accelerator technique. There are, of course, other acceleration technique competing with this, such as the dielectric-loaded structure which also uses wakefields generated in the dielectric.
The only issue that has yet to be addressed in the laser wakefield technique is the amount of charge that is accelerated. In these experiments, a charge of the order of pC (pico Coulombs) per bunch is typically the amount that is accelerated. This is considerably smaller than the "standard" that is required for what is known as a "high brightness" beam, which is 1 nC at 1 mm-mrad emittance. I think FEL (free electron laser) facilities would require charge bunches of around such a value.
I hope they can scale up their experiements to be able to accelerate larger amount of charges that would make such a technique practical.
Zz.
Gerald Gabrielse Seminar
Wow, this is a coincidence. After I pointed out the AIP top physics stories of the year in which Gerald Gabrielse's work on the most accurate measurement of the electron magnetic moment, he's coming here to Argonne to give a talk on that very same subject. He's giving the Physics Division colloquium this coming Friday.
If I'm not stuck with running our beamline, I might try to attend this.
Zz.
If I'm not stuck with running our beamline, I might try to attend this.
Zz.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Particle Accelerators Are Not Just For Colliders
Many people mistaken "particle accelerators" to be the same as "particle colliders" and lump them with particle/high energy physics. This is of course a mistake. While particle accelerators certainly is a major component of any particle physics experiment, its use is not just restricted to such an area. Any facility that needs a beam of charged particles requires a particle accelerator. This can range from synchrotron facilities all the way to your doctor's office. Synchrotron centers require the injection of electrons into a circular storage ring. The electron bunches must be of high "quality", i.e. a small range of energy and a small emittance so that they don't deteriorate while going around the ring. Doctors offices require a compact accelerator to produce x-rays (google "medical accelerator"). Some of these x-ray sources may even be used at airports to scan your bags!
There is a further, direct use of accelerators for medical purposes, as in using the beam itself for therapy. This article describes one such example where it is used to fight cancer.
Zz.
There is a further, direct use of accelerators for medical purposes, as in using the beam itself for therapy. This article describes one such example where it is used to fight cancer.
Zz.
AIP's Physics Story of the Year
As is traditionally done at the end of each year, the American Institute of Physics's Physics News Update compilled what they believe to be the top physics news of the year. The story that ended up at #1? The most accurate determination of the electron's magnetic moment.
You may read the rest of their top stories of the year here.
Zz.
You may read the rest of their top stories of the year here.
Zz.
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory
This is a good overview of the famous Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, whose contract to manage the laboratory is up for bidding (as is the case for most US Nat'l Lab nowadays when the contract is about to expire). It is good to know that, even with the construction and operations of ITER, the lab still has a purpose and function within the plasma physics research.
Zz.
Zz.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Calibration of MINOS Detector
For those of you not familiar with MINOS, you may read about it at their homepage. This is an experiment that not only detects, but measure the neutrino oscillation. The neutrinos are created from the Main Injector at Fermilab and shoots out to two detectors: the near detector a few meters away at Fermilab, and the far detector in a mine near Soudan, Minnesota. The neutrinos actually pass through the earth on its way to Soudan.
Anyway, the seminar that I attended this afternoon was on the calibration of both the near and far detector. It was extremely fascinating, because the exercise in calibration isn't trivial, not by any stretch of the imagination. It is amazing how much effort is put in just on characterizing the behavior of the detectors and how to calibrate such a thing. There are even Ph.D thesis on nothing but such detector calibration.
It isn't surprising that such efforts are being put in, considering that for one to trust the experimental data, the detector must be fully understood.
Zz.
Anyway, the seminar that I attended this afternoon was on the calibration of both the near and far detector. It was extremely fascinating, because the exercise in calibration isn't trivial, not by any stretch of the imagination. It is amazing how much effort is put in just on characterizing the behavior of the detectors and how to calibrate such a thing. There are even Ph.D thesis on nothing but such detector calibration.
It isn't surprising that such efforts are being put in, considering that for one to trust the experimental data, the detector must be fully understood.
Zz.
China and High Energy Physics
A good article on the evolution of high energy physics experiments in China. Note somewhere in the article of the very possible and devastating future of high energy physics experiments in the US, where both the Tevatron and SLAC are scheduled to shut down all high energy physics experiments by the end of this decade (SLAC will morph as a light source with the completion of the LCLS).
With LHC about to start running, Japan with KEK/RIKEN continuing to produce results, and China emerging with incresing funding and upgrading their program, the center of high energy physics will certainly shift away from the US, especially if the ILC is built elsewhere.
Zz.
With LHC about to start running, Japan with KEK/RIKEN continuing to produce results, and China emerging with incresing funding and upgrading their program, the center of high energy physics will certainly shift away from the US, especially if the ILC is built elsewhere.
Zz.
A Negative is a Positive
Wow. I didn't realize that we haven't detected a negatively-charged molecule in space, and didn't know it was that important.
It has been reported that scientists at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have detected this negatively-charged atom/molecule for the very first time. It seems that the presence of such particles is essential in astro-chemistry.
Well, bravo! And I learned another new thing.
Zz.
It has been reported that scientists at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have detected this negatively-charged atom/molecule for the very first time. It seems that the presence of such particles is essential in astro-chemistry.
Well, bravo! And I learned another new thing.
Zz.
Monday, December 04, 2006
Physics Meets the Brain
This is a fascinating profile of Dr. Terry Sejnowski, who started out as a graduate student in physics and ended up as a neuroscientist. It is interesting to see how his background in physics plays a role in his new field.
Zz.
Zz.
Material Science Film Festival?
I would not have believed this if it werent for the fact that it was reported in Nature's daily update.
The Materials Research Society innaugurated their film festival (if you can call it that) during their Autumn meeting. Short films with a material science theme battled it out to in first prize. The description of some of the film competing was quite .... er ... interesting, including the one titled Material Combat that has ".... a man farting in a lift to demonstrate gaseous diffusion".
Oooookaaaayy......
Certainly, Cannes Film Festival it is not. :)
Zz.
The Materials Research Society innaugurated their film festival (if you can call it that) during their Autumn meeting. Short films with a material science theme battled it out to in first prize. The description of some of the film competing was quite .... er ... interesting, including the one titled Material Combat that has ".... a man farting in a lift to demonstrate gaseous diffusion".
Oooookaaaayy......
Certainly, Cannes Film Festival it is not. :)
Zz.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
The Entanglement of Physics
OK, I'll make this as plain as possible. If you do not subscribe to Physics Today, READ THIS ARTICLE! READ THIS ARTICLE!
Was that clear enough? This is a terrific article to give to someone who does not know what physics is, what it does, how it works, etc. It is about time something like this is written. It emphasizes something that I've been telling a lot of people, especially quacks, who think that one can simply "learn" one aspect of physics while ignoring others. In particular, pay attention to this passage:
A terrific article.
Zz.
Was that clear enough? This is a terrific article to give to someone who does not know what physics is, what it does, how it works, etc. It is about time something like this is written. It emphasizes something that I've been telling a lot of people, especially quacks, who think that one can simply "learn" one aspect of physics while ignoring others. In particular, pay attention to this passage:
Consider the case of Bose–Einstein condensates (figure 2), existing at the intersection of atomic, condensed matter, and statistical physics, belonging to all those fields and to none of them alone. In addition, BECs could not have been produced, let alone studied, without the tools of optical physics, without manipulating electric and magnetic fields, without understanding gas and fluid dynamics, or without innovations in low-temperature physics. The experts will no doubt tell me what else I failed to mention. The point is that BEC research depends critically on the synergistic entanglement of all these sometimes separate fields of study. Take the contributions of one away and the program to make BECs collapses. It's more than interdisciplinary physics coming together to solve a problem. It's a deep entanglement of fields that gives rise to something qualitatively different, the emergence of an entirely new field.
A terrific article.
Zz.
Football Physics
We seem to have the physics of a lot of things lately. We have the physics of golf, the physics of Star Trek, etc.. which is all good! People need to be aware that physics isn't just some esoteric subject that has no relevance to their lives.
This article is on Football Physics, written by Timothy Gay, a physics professor at the University of Nebraska. Coincidentally, Prof. Gay was also asked in another media publication about the loudness of the cheering crowd at a typical football match.
Zz.
This article is on Football Physics, written by Timothy Gay, a physics professor at the University of Nebraska. Coincidentally, Prof. Gay was also asked in another media publication about the loudness of the cheering crowd at a typical football match.
Zz.
Physics in the UK
This article describes the declining popularity of science, and physics in particular, in the United Kingdom. The article is probably a result of the recent debacle on the closure of the physics dept. at Reading University.
As difficult of a task that we have here in the US in promoting physics to students, I somehow think that they are having even a tougher time there in the UK.
Zz.
As difficult of a task that we have here in the US in promoting physics to students, I somehow think that they are having even a tougher time there in the UK.
Zz.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
Berkeley Lab
A brief look at the history and accomplishments of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The amount of historic and landmark discoveries that came out of this lab is incredible.
Zz.
Zz.
Hawking on Big Brother?
Oh Brother!
The producers of Celebrity Big Brother attempt to get Stephen Hawking to appear on their show! Are they serious?
I hope it doesn't happen, because I can see a lot of jokes being done at his expense.
Zz.
The producers of Celebrity Big Brother attempt to get Stephen Hawking to appear on their show! Are they serious?
I hope it doesn't happen, because I can see a lot of jokes being done at his expense.
Zz.
Friday, December 01, 2006
The Physicist Behind The Physics of Star Trek
This is a very entertaining conversation with Lawrence Krauss, who wrote the very popular book The Physics of Star Trek. The most entertaining part, for me, is where he blows up a few pie-in-the-sky ideas coming out of Star Trek. That's because I am such a stinker!
:)
Zz.
:)
Zz.
James Clerk Maxwell
A terrific review of the life and accomplishment of James Clerk Maxwell. In his case, it is certainly an example of "Only the Good Die Young". To think of what he could have accomplished had he lived just a few more years.
Zz.
Zz.
Physics Quiz of the Year
PhysicsWeb has a quiz on how much you know about the physics news of this year. Take it and see how well you do.
Zz.
Zz.
Superluminal Tunneling?
There have been claims made now and then of an apparent superluminal signal occuring in quantum tunneling process. Of course, quacks like to jump all over something like this and going off into their own laa-laa land to come up with their outlandish theories.
However, the issue isn't as simple, and in fact, could be explained via re-examining on what actually is being timed during tunneling. Several publications have dealt with such a thing. See the list below:
H. Winful, PRL v.90, p.023901 (2003)
M. Buttiker and S. Washburn, Nature v.422, p.271 (2003)
The most recent comprehensive treatment of this issue was published by H. Winful, where he again expanded upon his PRL paper and explained away the apparent superluminal paradox in various tunneling phenomena.
H. Winful, Phys. Rep. v.436, p.1 (2006).
Of course, this may not sit well with some people, and I'm sure there will be a lot more being discussed about this. However, the point here is that claims of superluminal tunneling is far from convincing.
Zz.
However, the issue isn't as simple, and in fact, could be explained via re-examining on what actually is being timed during tunneling. Several publications have dealt with such a thing. See the list below:
H. Winful, PRL v.90, p.023901 (2003)
M. Buttiker and S. Washburn, Nature v.422, p.271 (2003)
The most recent comprehensive treatment of this issue was published by H. Winful, where he again expanded upon his PRL paper and explained away the apparent superluminal paradox in various tunneling phenomena.
H. Winful, Phys. Rep. v.436, p.1 (2006).
Of course, this may not sit well with some people, and I'm sure there will be a lot more being discussed about this. However, the point here is that claims of superluminal tunneling is far from convincing.
Zz.
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