4:00pm, 318 Willamette Hall
Abstract: Observational efforts over the past decade have led to the discovery of a population of stars in close proximity to Sgr A*, the presumed center of the Milky Way galaxy. Continuous monitoring of these stars has led to the detection of proper motion in many of the members, and enough data has now been gathered to detect acceleration (curvature) in the proper motion, which makes orbit fitting possible. In this seminar, I will review the data for the proper motion of the members of the Sgr A* cluster, examine the implications of this population for a distribution of massive, dark stellar remnants in the region, and consider the possibility of detecting low frequency bursts of gravitational radiation from this region using a space based gravitational wave observatory such as LISA.
4:00pm, 318 Willamette Hall
Abstract: In this talk I will discuss the constraints on the CKM matrix elements, in particular the CP violating phase from recent experimental data from B factories. I will also discuss ways to determine the CKM unitarity triangle and new physics beyond the Standard Model using various B decays.
4:00pm, 318 Willamette Hall