Past Colloquia
Probing the early universe: mm-wavelength cosmology from inflation to the epoch of reionization and beyond.
MP 202, University of Toronto
Abigail Crites, California Institute of Technology
February 04, 2019
11:00am - 12:00pm
I will describe how I use mm-wavelength instruments (both spectrometers and photometers) to explore our universe across cosmic time. I will discuss instrument projects such as SPT, CMB-S4, TIME, and future even more powerful mm-wavelength spectrometers that will allow us to probe the universe, from…
Precision Cosmology with the Cosmic Microwave Background
MS3153, Medical Sciences Building, 1 King's College Circle
Sara Simon, University of Michigan
January 31, 2019
2:00pm - 3:00pm
The cosmic microwave background (CMB) provides unparalleled views into the early universe and its later evolution. Recent and ongoing experiments have contributed to our understanding of neutrinos, dark energy, and dark matter through measurements of large-scale structure imprinted on the CMB and constrained the conditions…
Directly Imaging Exoplanetary Systems in Polarized Light
MP202
Maxwell A. Millar-Blanchaer (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
January 28, 2019
11:00am - 12:00pm
In the past twenty years we have discovered nearly 4000 extrasolar planets, allowing us to begin to answer fundamental questions about our place in the universe. These discoveries have largely been fueled by the development and refinement of planet detection techniques such as the transit,…
Dark Matter Throughout Cosmic History
Cody Hall, AB 107
Vera Gluscevic (University of Florida)
January 16, 2019
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Ours is a dark Universe: its astrophysical systems are but a minor addition to dark matter, whose abundance six times outweighs all other particles in the Universe. The physical nature of dark matter is a pressing question, whose answer will likely lead to discovery of…
The Transient Universe: Cosmic Explosions and Dark Energy
Cody Hall, AB 107
Mark Sullivan (University of Southampton)
December 12, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Type Ia supernovae have long been used as probes of the expansion history of the universe. Their standardisable luminosities make them very attractive as distance measures, and they remain indispensable in constraining the properties of dark energy. In this talk, I will give an update…
Planet Formation as told by Kepler
Cody Hall, AB 107
Eve J. Lee (California Institute of Technology)
December 05, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
One of the key results from the Kepler mission is that super-Earths and sub-Neptunes abound in the universe, outnumbering their larger counterparts. Their radii (~1–4 Rearth) and masses (~2–20 Mearth) are consistent with the bulk solid-to-gas mass ratio of 100:1. Basic astrophysical considerations of gas…
Joint Colloquium presented by The Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
Cody Hall, AB 107
R. Peter Broughton and Andrew Oakes (IHPST, University of Toronto)
November 28, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
“The UofT and J.S. Plaskett” by R. Peter Broughton Abstract: John Stanley Plaskett (1865-1941) did not show any interest in astronomy until 1903 when he embarked on a career that would blossom into one of the most illustrious of his time. By 1913, he convinced the Canadian…
Galaxy Evolution in Dense Environments
Cody Hall, AB 107
Laura Parker (McMaster University)
November 21, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Over time star-forming galaxies transform into passively-evolving red galaxies. These transformations are due to a combination of internal processes, like the presence of a bar or active galactic nucleus, as well as environmental processes. I will review some of our recent work on galaxies in…
Extreme Makeover: Titan Edition
Cody Hall, AB 107
Catherine Neish (University of Western Ontario)
November 14, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
When the Cassini spacecraft arrived at Titan in 2004, it revealed a varied and active world previously unseen. Unique among the icy satellites, Titan’s surface shows evidence for extensive modification by fluvial and aeolian processes. Erosion likely contributes to the noticeable lack of craters on…
Karl Kamper Memorial Lecture – “Science and Technology of the Mid-Infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS)”
Cody Hall, AB 107
Bernhard Brandl, Leiden University
November 07, 2018
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Mid-Infrared ELT Imager and Spectrograph (METIS) is one of three first generation, scientific instruments on the European Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). The ELT with its 39 meter aperture is expected to see first light in 2024. In my talk I will provide a brief…