NORDITA NEWS 2001/2                                               April 1, 2001

New Nordic Assistant Professor at Nordita

We welcome Olav Syljuåsen as Nordic assistant professor in condensed matter physics. He was born in Gjøvik, Norway in 1967, and did his undergraduate studies in Trondheim, specializing in particle physics. During his graduate studies at UCLA he switched to condensed matter physics and obtained a Ph.D. under the guidance of Sudip Chakravarty. After UCLA he went to MIT to work with Patrick Lee, and has since January 1999 been a fellow at Nordita. His interests in physics are mainly in strongly correlated electrons, in particular low-dimensional quantum spin systems and high-Tc superconductivity. He is also interested in the development of numerical methods, such as quantum Monte Carlo, for application to strongly correlated electron systems. Olav will take up his position at Nordita on 1 July 2001.

Visiting Professor Bob Rosner at Nordita during Second Half of 2001

During the second half of 2001, Professor Bob Rosner from the University of Chicago will be visiting Nordita. Bob Rosner is an authority on stellar coronae with interests in X-ray astronomy, magnetic fields, jets and accretions discs. More recently he has been working on turbulent mixing and in particular on modeling astrophysical thermonuclear flashes. Bob's visit will be split into several intervals, so if you are interested in inviting him over, please contact Axel Brandenburg at Nordita at an early stage, e-mail: brandenb@nordita.dk.

Tools to Simulate Turbulence on Supercomputers

Summer School in Potsdam:

The newly founded Helmholtz Institute for Supercomputational Physics at the University of Potsdam (Germany) will be organizing a 4 weeks long course (August 27 to September 21, 2001). This years scientific director and lecturer is Professor Axel Brandenburg (Nordita), who will be lecturing on "Tools to Simulate Turbulence on Supercomputers". Details can be found on the web: http://hisp.agnld.uni-potsdam.de.

Preprints / reprints:

http://www.nordita.dk/preprints/

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

G. D. Moore, K. Rummukainen, A. Tranberg: How to calculate the bubble nucleation rate in first order transitions non-perturbatively. 2001-01.

P. Eden: QCD and multiparticle production - the status of the perturbative cascade. 2001-03.

U. Torkelsson, G.I. Ogilvie, A. Brandenburg, J.E. Pringle, Å. Nordlund, R.F. Stein: Magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in warped accretion discs. 2001-4.

Workshop on Neutrino Physics and Cosmology
Copenhagen, June 11-22, 2001

This workshop is dedicated to studying the interface between cosmology and astroparticle physics, particularly neutrino astrophysics. The workshop will bring together people working on most aspects of these topics in a relaxed enviroment. For the student participants there will be lectures each morning on fundamental topics related to the workshop. The intention is to leave plenty of time each day for discussions and work. Computer facilities will be available to the participants. The workshop is organized jointly by the ESF Scientific Network on Neutrino Astrophysics and Nordita's Nordic Project on Neutrino Physics and Cosmology. Invited speakers include: Lars Bergstrom, (Stockholm), Kari Enqvist, (Helsinki), Ariel Goobar, (Stockholm), Ray Protheroe, (Adelaide), Georg Raffelt, (Munich), Guenter Sigl, (Paris), Joe Silk, (Oxford), Max Tegmark, (Philadelpia), and Jose Valle, (Valencia). Topics to be covered: Solar neutrinos; Supernova neutrinos; CMBR/Structure formation; SNIa's; Ultra high energy cosmic rays; Dark matter physics; Extra dimensions. Organizing committee: Lars Bergstrom, (Stockholm University), Steen Hannestad, Kimmo Kainulainen, (Nordita), and Georg Raffelt, (MPI Munich). Website: http://www.nordita.dk/~steen/work/work.html.

School on Relativistic Heavy Ion Physics and Hard Probe Collaboration Meeting
NBI and NORDITA, May 14-20, 2001

In connection with the "Hard Probe Collaboration" meeting a school on "RHIC physics" is organized jointly sponsored by the Niels Bohr Institute and Nordita. The purpose is to host the HPC meeting, to have leading experts in this field to give general physics lectures and colloquia, and to discuss recent results from the RHIC heavy-ion physics program. Besides the general physics colloquia every day at 3 p.m. by selected participants, there will also be morning lectures for students as listed below as well as informal Hard probe seminars. May is really the best month in Copenhagen and the weather should be pleasant with some nice long sunny days. We look forward to welcoming all of you here.

General Physics Colloquia (Aud. A, 15.15): 1. Monday 14/5: D. Kharzeev: "QCD and Heavy Ions"; 2. Tuesday 15/5: C. Lourenco: "SPS Review"; 3. Wednesday 16/5: H. Satz: "Quark-Gluon Plasma at RHIC?"; 4. Thursday 17/5: V. Ruuskanen: "Hadronic observables at RHIC and LHC: from initial to final state"; 5. Friday 18/5: X. N. Wang: "Hard Physics at RHIC".

Lectures for students (Aud. D, 10.15): 1. Monday 14/5: R. Vogt: "Hard Probe Cross Sections". 2. Tuesday 15/5: H. Heiselberg: "QGP Signals at RHIC". 3. Wednesday 16/5: K.J. Eskola: "Initial Conditions for QGP from pQCD". 4. Thursday 17/5: J. Randrup(*): "Chiral dynamics in high-energy collisions". 5. Thursday 17/5: P. Huovinen(*): "Relativistic Hydrodynamics Introductory Course". 6. Friday 18/5: J.J. Gaardhoje: "Experimental results from Brahms@RHIC". (*to be confirmed).

Registration: Interested students can sign up by e-mailing Ramona Vogt or Henning Heiselberg. We expect to be able to cover the cost of housing, and we are trying to obtain extra funding for student travel. For accomodation contact Hanne Christensen or conference secretary Ulla Holm. Organizers: Ramona Vogt, Jakob Bondorf, Jens-Jorgen Gaardhoje, Henning Heiselberg. Contact H. Heiselberg (hh@nordita.dk), if you are interested in participating. Website: http://www.nordita.dk/~hh/hpc.html.
 

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): To: listserv@nordita.dk, Subject: (empty or none) with the following lines of text: info nordita_news. For general questions about Nordita, please send an e-mail to nordita@nordita.dk.
 
 

A one-week school of physics will be organised in Hillerød (~35 km North of Copenhagen) for students from the Nordic and Baltic countries. The participants will learn some hot physics topics first hand from highly experienced researchers and teachers in their fields. The topics that will be covered this year include astrophysics, string theory, biophysics, as well as condensed matter and nonlinear physics. Traveling and lodging at Den Nordiske Lejrskole in Hillerød will be covered by the School for all successful applicants. The deadline for applications is May 1st, 2001. The application form is on the web: http://www.nordita.dk/con ference/MasterClass2001.
 

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 Ø, 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.
 
 

From Biomembranes to Cationic Liposomes, August 17-19, 2001
Physics of Biomembranes and Complexation, August 15-16, 2001
Helsinki/Espoo, Finland
 

This is the call for papers for the international conference "Physics meets biology: From biomembranes to cationic liposomes." In addition to the conference, a two-day intensive summer school aimed at graduate students and young researchers will be organized from Wednesday August 15 to Thursday August 16, 2001. The emphasis of the school will be on biomembranes and complex formation in biological systems. The aim of the conference is to bring together distinguished experts, researchers and students - both theorists and experimentalists - from physics, chemistry, biology and medical sciences to present and discuss recent advances in studies of biological systems.

WWW: http://www.lce.hut.fi/research/polymer/BioPhys2001/. Email: bio2001@lce.hut.fi. Important dates: Summer School: Application deadline: April 2, 2001. Conference: Deadline for abstracts and registration: April 20, 2001. NOTE: Deadline for applying for financial support is April 2, 2001.

Invited speakers: Avinoam Ben-Shaul, Jerusalem (2); Håkan Wennerström, Lund (1,2); Roland Netz, Golm (2); Peter Laggner, Graz (*,2); Motomu Tanaka, München (1,2); Kari Laasonen, Oulu (1,2); Ole G. Mouritsen, Lyngby (2); Samuel Safran, Rehovot (1,2); Ling Miao, Odense (1); Robijn Bruinsma, Leiden (1,2). *=to be confirmed, 1=school, 2=conference. Organized in collaboration with NORDITA. Organizers: Paavo K.J. Kinnunen, Helsinki; Mikko Karttunen, Helsinki; Ilpo Vattulainen, Helsinki; Ole G. Mouritsen, Lyngby; Ari Lukkarinen, Helsinki; Kim Sneppen, Copenhagen; John Hertz, Copenhagen.
 
 

Climate and Physics: The global average temperature has increased by 0.6 degrees over the 20^th century. This is more than three times larger in magnitude than the average temperature trend over the past thousand years, and of the opposite sign. At the same time atmospheric composition has changed, carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by 30% since the industrial revolution. An increased greenhouse effect due to carbon dioxide is a probable explanation for the observed temperature increase, but variations in solar radiation has also been proposed as a possible cause of global warming. How will climate change in the future? How certain are we about the theories proposed to explain climate variations? These questions are of high concern for our societies.

The Role of Physicists: Scientists working in the area of climate research often have a background in physics and mathematics. This is perhaps more so in the US and some countries in Europe than in the Nordic countries. This course is aimed at overcoming the apparent Nordic gap between students in basic physics and climate research. The school is intended primarily for physics graduate students with an interest in broad applications of physics methods. Prior knowledge of climate research is not required, but skill in physics is.

Lecturers: The lecturers have a background in physics/mathematics and their research concerns the basic principles of the climate system. They will coordinate their presentations so as to make the school useful for students with a good background in physics, but little prior knowledge of climate research. The following speakers have been invited: Ray Bates, Robert Charlson, Peter Ditlevsen, Erland Källén, Johan Nilsson, Tim Palmer, Ray Pierrehumbert, Henrik Svensmark and Aksel Wiin-Nielsen. The lectures will be supplemented by group and plenary discussions.

During the school a special seminar Climate Change, Science and Policy Making will be arranged: Persons responsible for science policy and climate research institutes will be invited to a discussion on ways of attracting bright physics graduates to climate research, and of creating an environment that stimulates research in basic issues.

Applications: The school is primarily aimed at graduate (PhD) students in physics, but a limited number of advanced undergraduate students as well as more experienced physicists will also be invited. Full board and lodging will be covered for all participants. Nordic and Baltic graduate students can also apply for a refund of travel costs.

Organiser: Paul Hoyer<hoyer@nordita.dk> et al. Secretary: Ellen Pedersen pedersen@nordita.dk. Applications should be submitted by 15 May 2001 using the registration form on http://www.nordita.dk/conference /Climate2001/ .
 

Visitors at Nordita 2001
http://www.nordita.dk/contact/visitors.html
 
 

A. Hermann	EPF Lausanne, CM	One week May
V. Petrov	St. Petersburg, HE	5 weeks May-June

The fields are listed after the names: AP, astrophysics; C, Complex Systems & Chaos; NP, nuclear physics; HE, high energy physics; CM, condensed matter physics. If you are interested in having any of these people visit your institute, please contact NORDITA.
 

Long-term Visitors at Nordita
http://www.nordita.dk/contact/visitors.html
 

F. Orellana	Zuerich	present -30.06.01
R. Marotta	Italy	present - 15.07.01
N. Marchal	LAPTH, Annecy	present - 31.07.01
D. Aristov	St. Petersborg	present - 01.08.01
M. Hörnquist	Linköping	present - 31.12.01
W. Schäfer	Germany	present - 31.01.02
B. Dintrans	France	present - 30.06.02
F. Sannino	Italy	present - 31.12.02
M. Bertolini	Italy	present - 31.10.03