CASPER Research Scientist Will Present Physics Department Colloquium

Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMediaCom

Dr. Ke Qiao, assistant research scientist for the Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER) at Baylor University, will present a colloquium, "Wave Modes, Instabilities and Phase Transitions in Plasma Crystals and Dust Clusters in Dusty Plasmas," at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, in room E125 of the Baylor Sciences Building on the Baylor campus.

Presented as a part of the Baylordepartment of physics' 2012 Spring Physics Colloquium Series, Qiao will discuss research using numerical simulations on dust lattice waves (DLWs) in two dimensional (2D) plasma crystals and normal modes in 2D dust clusters. He also will propose that a special kind of instability unique to dusty plasmas, induced by the ion wakefield around dusts, is the cause of experimentally observed melting.

This semester's speakers also include:

? Dr. Andrey Chabanov, University of Texas at San Antonio, Feb. 1

? Dr. Antonino Flachi, Baylor, Feb. 8

? Dr. Ohad Shemmer, University of North Texas, Feb. 15

? Dr. David Staack, Texas A&M University, Feb. 22

? Dr. Paul Shapiro, University of Texas at Austin, Feb. 29

? Dr. Christopher Jackson, University of Texas at Dallas, March 7

? Dr. Alex Demkov, University of Texas at Austin, March 21

? Dr. Joe Izen, University of Texas at Dallas, March 28

? Dr. Casey Papovich, Texas A&M University, April 4

? Dr. Alexey Belyanin, Texas A&M University, April 11

? Dr. Maxim Tsoi, University of Texas at Austin, April 18

? Dr. Amir Farbin, University of Texas at Arlington, April 25

Each event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Anzhong Wang at (254) 710-2276.

by Katy McDowall, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805