CITA Sackler Lecture: The Fastest Particles in the Universe

Ellen Zweibel, University of Wisconsin-Madison

The Earth is constantly bombarded by cosmic rays, atomic nuclei travelling at nearly the speed of light. The energy of the fastest cosmic rays, which are so rare that they require vast collectors and heroic efforts to detect, far surpasses that of particles created by even the largest accelerators on Earth. How does Nature create such energetic particles? These Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays are thought to originate far outside our own Milky Way Galaxy, in some of the most exotic and high energy environments in the known Universe.

Professor Zweibel is a William L. Kraushaar Professor of Astronomy & Physics, Chair of the Astronomy Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Director of the Center for Magnetic Self-Organization. Professor Zweibel's research centres on electromagnetic effects in astrophysical systems, a field known as plasma astrophysics.

Technical Seminar: Prof. Zweibel will also give a CITA Colloquium at a more technical level on Monday April 13 at 2:00pm at 50 St. George St., Cody Hall, Room 107.

Who can attend: Everyone
Fee: Free
Reservations: Not required
Organized by: Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
Location: Koffler Institute, Room 108, University of Toronto, 569 Spadina Ave., Toronto