Colloquium

Title: Quantum phase transitions in spin systems and ultracold gases

Speaker: Elena Aprile, Professor, Columbia University

Location: Room 111, Physics Building

Time: 15:00-16:00, Wed, Oct 22, 2014

Abstract:
A variety of experiments attempts to find out what the Dark Matter that fills our Universe is made of, resulting in a vibrant field of research. This talk will review what we know (or do not know) about the nature of Dark Matter, before introducing the basic principles for its  direct detection in laboratory-scale detectors, focusing on Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. I will then review  the XENON project, with the ongoing XENON100 and the future XENON1T experiments. 

Biography:
Elena Aprile is a Professor of Physics at Columbia University, and is internationally recognized for her experimental work with noble liquid detectors for research in gamma-ray astrophysics and astro-particle physics.  She is the founder and Spokesperson of the XENON Dark Matter experiment, one of the most sensitive direct searches for Dark Matter worldwide. Dr. Aprile has pioneered the development of the liquid xenon imaging detector technology used in XENON and similar experiments. Her publications, review article in Review of Modern Physics and book  on the properties of liquid xenon for radiation detection are widely referred to.  She has served on numerous committees and panels.
From experiments geared to answer fundamental questions such as the nature of Dark Matter and of the neutrino, to new devices with advanced capabilities in medical and industrial imaging, the research and development of liquid xenon detectors pioneered by Prof. Aprile will continue to play a vital role.