NORDITA   NEWS   1997 / 5                       October 1, 1997



NORDITA FELLOWSHIPS 1998/99
Information about NORDITA Fellowships for the academic year 1998-99 is attached. Completed application forms and letters of recommendation should arrive at NORDITA not later than November 15, 1997. NOTE THAT THE DEADLINE IS EARLIER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS. Please ensure that potential candidates, especially ones at institutes in other countries, receive this information.


THE NORDITA SEMINAR 1997
``What's it all about? - in physics" - come and find out - Thursdays, Blegdamsvej 21, auditorium M., time: 10.15 -12.00 (coffee 11am). During the autumn lecture courses are offered by the NORDITA staff. The tentative schedule of lectures for the autumn is now: October 9, 23 Chris Pethick: Bose-Einstein condensation (second and third lectures: no lecture on October 16 because of autumn holiday week). October 30 and November 6, 13, and 20: Mitya Diakonov: QCD. November 27 and December 4, 11, 18: Alan Luther: High-temperature superconductivity. Changes in the programmme will be announced at http://www.nordita.dk/$\sim$hertz/nshp.html. Everyone is welcome.


NEW BOOK BY PROFESSOR BERNARD PAGEL
The book `Nucleosynthesis and Chemical Evolution of Galaxies' by Bernard Pagel has been published by Cambridge University Press. Based on a course of lectures given at Copenhagen University, it gives an account of thermonuclear reactions, observed cosmic abundances of elements, primordial nucleosynthesis, stellar evolution, neutron capture processes, models (mainly analytical) for the chemical evolution of our own and nearby galaxies, nuclear cosmochronology, background radiation and cosmic chemical evolution at high red-shifts.


BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION IN DILUTE GASES
Nordita lecture notes from a course given by Henrik Smith and Chris Pethick on the above subject are in the process of being printed. Copies may be obtained from Nordita by contacting Jette Nielsen, email: nielsen@nordita.dk.


NORDIC PROJECTS AND CORRESPONDING FELLOWS 1997/98
At its board meeting on 13 -14 June 1997, Nordita's board decided to support the following new Nordic projects: ``Semiclassical Methods in Quantum Field Theory'', organizer D. Diakonov, Nordita; ``The Physics of Very Cold Atomic Systems'', organizer C.J. Pethick, Nordita; ``Hot Non-Perturbative Particle Physics'', organizer K. Rummukainen, Nordita; ``Statistical Mechanics of Non-Equilibrium Systems'', organizer K. Sneppen, Nordita. The support is granted for a period of 1 year. In addition, H. Fogedby, Aarhus University, and A. Hansen, Trondheim, were each awarded a corresponding fellowship for a duration of 12 months in 1997/1998. Below we present descriptions of the four new projects and the new corresponding fellows.

Semiclassical Methods in Quantum Field Theory
At its meeting on June 13-14 1997, Nordita's Board decided to support a new Nordic project ``Semiclassical Methods in Quantum Field Theory". Its participants are D.Diakonov (Nordita, project leader), J.Ambjoern (NBI), T.Jonsson (Reykjavik), A.Niemi (Uppsala), V.Petrov (St.Petersburg), M.Polyakov (Bochum) and O.Tirkkonen (Nordita).
Semiclassical methods have been of the utmost importance in almost all branches of quantum physics and in quantum field theory in particular. The scientific goals of the project are twofold: on one hand we plan to deepen the knowledge about the semiclassical methods in quantum field theory, in particular to investigate their relation to exactly solvable or integrable systems; while on the other hand we plan to broaden the applicability of semiclassical methods to new fields, like gravitational instantons or the relation of the Yang--Mills instantons to confinement. For more information, contact the project leader: D. Diakonov, email: diakonov@nordita.dk.

Nordic Project on the Physics of Very Cold Atoms
Since the experimental realization of Bose-Einstein condensation in alkali atom vapors, there has been an explosion of interest in the physics of cold atoms, and the properties of clouds of cold atoms. Under this project it is planned to attack various problems in this general area, including collective behaviour of atoms in the Bose-Einstein condensates (excitations and vortices), cold binary collisions between laser-cooled atoms, and tailored light fields that are important in optical lattices (and other specially tailored light fields that are important in atomic optics). A number of groups in the Nordic countries have interests in these problems, and a major aim of the project is to foster collaboration between groups approaching problems from somewhat different directions. Members of the network include: N.O. Andersen, K. Moelmer, H. Smith, S. Stenholm, A. Svane, K.-A. Suominen, and K. Berg-Soerensen. If you are interested in participating in the project, contact the coordinator, Chris Pethick. (pethick@nordita.dk)

Hot Non-perturbative Particle Physics
The aim of this project is to study the physics of the Standard Model of strong and electroweak interactions and its extensions at high temperatures and energy densities -- conditions which can be found during the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang, inside neutron stars, and, on Earth, in heavy-ion collision experiments. The Big Bang provides the ultimate particle physics experiment available to us: we can calculate the thermodynamical properties of our favourite theories with, for example, lattice Monte Carlo methods, insert the results into phenomenological calculations and weigh the outcome against the observational data. This can lead to stringent tests of the Standard Model, and point to theories beyond it.

For several years, the Nordic countries have given very strong contributions to the understanding of the physics of the matter at ultrahigh temperatures and densities. This project will bring together 22 physicists from Copenhagen, Helsinki, Stockholm, Uppsala, Gothenburg and Trondheim. The research interests include: cosmological baryon number violation and baryogenesis, magnetic fields in the early Universe, thermodynamics and phase transitions in the Standard Model, and the physics of supersymmetric theories at high temperature. Since these are often dominated by non-perturbative processes, a large part of the planned research is done with numerical lattice Monte Carlo methods.

The project starts in January 1998 and lasts until the end of the year 2000. In addition to the scientific aspect of the project, during 1998-1999 the project will organize (in collaboration with the NorFA-project `Standard model in the Extreme Environments') a PhD school about the physics of the Standard Model and its extensions at high temperatures and densities.
For more information, you are welcome to contact the project coordinator, Kari Rummukainen at Nordita (kari@nordita.dk), and to visit our soon-to-appear homepage at Nordita (http://www.nordita.dk/).

Nordic Network in Statistical Physics of Non-equilibrium Systems
The purpose of this Statistical-mechanics network is to catalyze Nordic activities within the physics of non-equilibrium behaviour and complex systems. In particular we consider the dynamics of large systems, examplified by unfolding of instabilities in glassy and driven diffusive systems and folding/unfolding dynamics of complex molecules such as proteins. A number of such studies have recently been initiated within the Nordic area, including the paper burning experiments by Timonen and coworkers in Jyvaeskylae, the fracture front propagation experiment by M{\aa}l{\o}y and coworkers in Oslo and the study of continuous unfolding of dynamic instabilities of growing yeast colonies by Sams in Copenhagen, and finally the protein folding/unfolding experiments by Zocchi at the Niels Bohr Institute. The members of the network (Tapio Ala-Nissilae, Erik Aurell, Hans Fogedby, Alex Hansen, John Hertz, Mogens Hoegh Jensen, Kristian Lindgren, Knut Joergen M{\aa}l{\o}y, Carsten Peterson, Kim Sneppen and Jussi Timonen) are currently working on problems in statistical mechanics, in particular related to the understanding of the non-ergodicity of non-equilibrium systems. The pathways that such systems tend to select during their evolution open up new physics related to the interplay between dynamics, structure and function. The network will meet for the first time for a small workshop at Nordita the 28-29 November 1997. Guests, in particular Nordic students, are welcome to attend. Please contact John Hertz (hertz@nordita.dk) or Kim Sneppen (at sneppen@nbivax.nbi.dk) for details.

Hans Fogedby - New Corresponding Fellow
Hans Fogedby, born in Copenhagen, Denmark. M. Sc. 1965, University of Copenhagen, Ph. D. 1970, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. US, Doctor of science 1980, University of Copenhagen. Nordita fellow for two years, staff scientist at Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France, for five years, visiting assistant professor at Nordita for one year. Main research activity is in condensed matter: solitons, one dimensional magnetism, many-body theory, soft condensed matter: fractals, membranes, domain growth, interfaces, random walk, Levy flights, statistical physics: kinetics, hydrodynamics. complex systems: driven systems, self-organized criticality, phase space approach. Senior associate professor in theoretical physics at Institute of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, Denmark where he is involved in graduate teaching and supervision. He has organized several workshops in Aarhus and has been the main organizer of a Nordita workshop in statistical physics. He is a member of the Nordita subcommittee in condensed matter physics.

Alex Hansen - New Corresponding Fellow
Alex Hansen graduated from the University of Oslo with a Cand. Real. degree, having written a thesis on particle production in strong fields. He then went on to graduate studies at Cornell University where he was awarded the Ph. D. in 1986. His thesis was on anyons, percolation and superfluid turbulence. Then followed postdoc positions at Ecole Normale Superieure, University of Cologne, IBM and the University of Oslo. From 1991 - 1993 he was a staff scientist with the CNRS in France, working in the condensed matter group at the University of Rennes. From 1994, he has been professor of theoretical physics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, Norway. Alex Hansen's main interest today is in statistical physics: non-equilibrium growth processes, transport and breakdown processes in disordered materials, porous media, and granular media. He is also working on quantum transport in low-dimensional systems.


NEW NORDITA FAX NUMBER
From 16 December 1997 Nordita's fax number will change to: 35 38 91 57.


ASSOCIATE PROFESSORSHIP IN PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
University of Copenhagen, Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics and Geophysics}. A tenured associate professorship at the Department of Geophysics in the field of physical oceanography (observations, theory, numerical modelling) will become available as of July 1, 1998. Deadline for applications is October 31, 1997. For further information see the institute homepage: http//www.nbi.dk/NBIfAFG/ or contact the Institute Director, Prof. Ole Hansen, Niels Bohr Institute for Astronomy, Physics, and Geophysics, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark. (E-mail: oleh@nbi.dk).


BOARD MEETINGS
Nordita's Board will meet on the following dates: 3-5 November 1997 and 13-14 March 1998 Copenhagen and 12-13 June 1998 in Reykjavik.


Items for Nordita News
If you have any information about meetings, etc. that would be useful to include in Nordita News, please send it to Nordita, att.: Jette Nielsen, Blegdamsvej 17, DK-2100 Copenhagen OE, Denmark or by e-mail: nielsen@nordita.dk. Nordita News appears on the first day of even numbered months, and material should be sent at least 3 weeks before the publication date.

Electronic Nordita News
You may order the electronic version of Nordita News by subscribing to our listserver. To obtain information on how to add your name to the recipient list, send an e-mail (with empty or no subject line):
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For general questions about Nordita, please send an e-mail to nordita@nordita.dk.

 

VISITORS AT NBI / CATS / NORDITA / TAC

U. Danielsson, (Uppsala), 2-3 days, NORDITA
C. Schweigert, (CERN), 4 days, NORDITA
T. Guhr, (Heidelberg), C, present - 11.10.97, CATS
V. Frolov, (Edmonton), A, present - 14.10.97, TAC
R.K. Puri, (India), N, present - 25.10.97, NBI
S. Pastor, (Valencia), A, present - 29.10.97, TAC
Y. Makeenko, (Moscow), P, present - 7.11.97, NBI
C. Dettmann, (Chicago), C, present - 15.11.97, CATS
K. Grandin, (Sweden), present - 29.11.97,.NBA
A. Marshakov, P, present - 30.11.97, NBI
V. Antonuccio, (Catania), A, present - 31.12.97, TAC
O. Vilhu, (Turku/Helsinki), A, present - 31.12.97, NORDITA
� Elgaroey, October - mid December, NORDITA
R. Sole, (Barcelona Univ.), 7.10 - 14.10.97, NORDITA
B. Elmegreen, (USA), A, 10.10 - 22.10.97, TAC
K. Enqvist, (Helsinki), 17.10 - 24.10.97, NORDITA
E. Falgarone, (Paris), A, 20.10 - 22.10.97, TAC
A. Sedrakian, P, 20.10 - 20.12.97, NBI
J. Langer, (UCSB), 1.11 - 8.11.97, NORDITA
P. Valageas, (CEA Saclay), A, 2.11- 7.12.97, TAC
M. Polyakov, (Bochum), 9.11 - 29.11.97, NORDITA
M. Hobson, (Cambridge), A, 1 week autumn, TAC
A. Lasenby, (London), A, 1 week autumn, TAC
B. Jensen, (Oslo), P, fall semester, NORDITA
H. Fogedby, (�hus), S, several visits fall, NORDITA
A. Hansen, (Trondheim), S, several visits, NORDITA
R. Jimenez, (Edinburgh), A, 1 month December, NORDITA
H. Nishimori, (Tokyo), S, late 1997, NORDITA
J. Stucki, (Univ. of Bern), January - March 1998, NORDITA
S. Mitzuroi, (Kyoto), 2 months around Feb. - March 98, NORDITA

The fields are listed after the names: A (Astrophysics), C (Complex Systems & Chaos), N (Nuclear Physics), P (Particle Physics), and S (Condensed Matter Physics).
If you are interested in having any of these people visit your institute, please contact NORDITA.

 

LONG-TERM VISITORS AT NORDITA

M. Billo, (Italy), P, present - 31.10.97
P. Godzinsky, (Barcelona), N, present - 31.12.97
J. Johansson, (Chalmers), present - end December
G. Kavaloukis, (Illinois), present - 1.3.98
OE.M. Skjaeveland, (NTNU, Norway) present - 1.3.98
S. Peigne, (France), P, present - 31.12.98

 

PREPRINTS / REPRINTS

New reprints and preprints obtainable from Jette Nielsen, e-mail: nielsen@nordita.dk.

A. Kashlinsky: Reconstructing the spectrum of the pregalactic density field from astronomical data. 97/43.

A. Holt, T. Engeland, M. Hjorth-Jensen, and E. Osnes: Effective interactions and shell model studies of heavy tin isotopes. 97/46.

J. Ambjoern, K.N. Anagstopoulus, and U. Magnea: Complex zeros of the 2d Ising model on dynamical random lattices. 97/47.

P. Di Vecchia: A unique theory of all forces. 97/51.

J. Ignatius: Early stages of growth of QCD and electroweak bubbles. 97/52.

V.M. Braun: Ultraviolet dominance of power corrections in QCD ? 97/53.

H. Kharraziha and L. Loennblad: The linked dipole chain Monte Carlo. 97/54.

� Elgaroey and M. Hjorth-Jensen: Nucleon-nucleon phase shifts and pairing in neutron matter and nuclear matter. 97/55.

J. Suhonen, J. Toivanen, A. Holt, T. Engeland, E. Osnes, and M. Hjorth-Jensen: Study of odd-mass N = 82 isotones with realistic effective interactions. 97/56.

P. Gosdzinsky and N. Kivel: Resummation of (-b$_{0}\alpha_{s})^{n}$ corrections to the photon-meson transition form factor $\gamma^{*} + \gamma \rightarrow \pi^{0}$. 97/58.

E. Bagan, P. Ball, and V.M. Braun: Radiative corrections to the decay $B \rightarrow \pi e \nu$ and the heavy quark limit. 97/59.

P. Froejdh, M. Howard, and K. Baekgaard Lauritsen: Directed percolation with a wall or edge. 97/61.

M. Beneke, M. Kraemer, and M. Vaenttinen: Inelastic photoproduction of polarised $J/\psi$. 97/62.

K. Roland and Haru-Tada Sato: Multiloop $\Phi^{3}$ amplitudes from bosonic string theory. 97/63.

 

OVERVIEW OF FUTURE NORDITA AND OTHER CONFERENCES

Title / Date / Place Contact Person Fax / Email / www
Nordita's 40th Anniversary
Nordita, Copenhagen.
3-4 November 1997.
  +45 - 353 89157 (fax)
nordita@nordita.dk
 
Cosmology: from COBE
to Galaxy Formation.
Nordita, Copenhagen.
2 - 5 December 1997.
A. Kashlinsky
Nordita and
Goddard Space
Flight Center
+45 - 353 89157 (fax)
cosmology@nordita.dk
http://www.nordita.dk/Conf/cosmology/
Graduate Course on the
Physics of Random Systems,
Modern Statistical Physics,
Univ. of Oslo.
Periods: I. 9-27.2.1998,
II. 13-17.4.1998
III. 14-20.6.1998.
I. Lauvstad
Physics Dept.
Univ. of Oslo
+47-22 85 51 01 (fax)
inger.lauvstad@fys.uio.no

 


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