A CENTURY of BLACK HOLE PHYSICS Oxford Scientists Have Successfully Modelled the Destructive Influence of a Supermassive Black Hole on a Wandering Star

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Autumn 2019, Number 15 Department of Physics Newsletter A CENTURY OF BLACK HOLE PHYSICS Oxford scientists have successfully modelled the destructive influence of a supermassive black hole on a wandering star

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magnetohydrodynamical turbulence with a characteristic radiation emission ORBITS AND STRESS AROUND and relativistic jet-like outflows, turned profile that decays as a power law with BLACK HOLES out to be too complicated to be used as time. Rees argued that if the debris A CENTURY OF BLACK an unambiguous observational tool. were distributed with equal mass in In Newtonian gravity, the angular Instead, the problem turned around: equal energy intervals, simple Keplerian momentum of a circular orbit is accretion discs emerged from this era as dynamics yields a luminosity that falls proportional to the square root of HOLE PHYSICS fascinating astronomical objects in their off with time t as t-5/3. Since only a the distance from the central mass. It Prof Steven Balbus own right, worthy of their own field of massive central black hole could provide therefore increases outwards. This is Oxford scientists have successfully modelled the destructive influence of a study, much as we study the structure the requisite tidal force to suddenly rip important: were it to decrease outwards, supermassive black hole on a wandering star. EVIDENCE and evolution of stars. In the meantime, apart an entire star, the -5/3 light curve circular orbits would be unstable, a result first proved by Lord Rayleigh. Cover image: An black holes have acquired such a vast and power law became a hallmark signature SUGGESTS In general relativity, this angular artist’s reconstruction overwhelming database of interrelated for X-ray black hole hunters searching momentum inversion of circular orbits of the tidal event THAT EVERY observations and phenomenology that for transient sources. actually occurs in the innermost disc ASASSN-14li, GALAXY IN to doubt their very existence borders If one knows what one is looking for, regions, not too far from the hole’s the object under THE UNIVERSE on the absurd. When the observational study by Professor smoking guns of our era appeared, there it is all too easy to find. Thus, when event horizon. Where circular orbits Steven Balbus IS LIKELY TO was immense gratification – but no real the initial searches for TDEs not only are unstable, the orbits plunge inward and his student CONTAIN A surprise. found candidates, but apparent fits to and there is very little disc to speak of. Therefore, a black hole disc sharply Andrew Mummery. SUPERMASSIVE -5/3 power laws, the theory seemed A wandering star, vindicated. Matters turned out to be a bit cuts off at the radius just inwards of the too close to a BLACK HOLE, SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLES AND more complicated, however. One never innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). TIDAL DISRUPTION EVENTS supermassive black sees an outburst at inception, so the WITH MILLIONS The ‘stress’ is a tensor measuring the flow hole in a distant The evidence now suggests that every initial time t0 is unknown, and different OF SOLAR of momentum in a fluid: x-momentum, galaxy, has been galaxy in the Universe is likely to choices of t0 in the real world of messy for example, that is transported in the pulled apart by MASSES OR harbour a supermassive black hole, with data give different indices. There was

© NASA’S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER FLIGHT SPACE GODDARD NASA’S © y-direction. For accretion to proceed, we the enormous tidal MORE IN THEIR millions of solar masses if not more in also the question of whether a particular forces present. The must transport the angular momentum These are heady times for black hole fields, black hole theory introduces its their centre. These data have been very X-ray flare is truly a TDE or one of the BLACK HOLE ACCRETION DISCS stellar remnant has CENTRE from the rotating flow (designated as φ) astronomers. Recent years have marked own profound difficulties in the form hard-won. Developing search strategies, many other, more standard types of gathered into an towards the outward radial (r) direction. a steady stream of observational of the ‘information paradox’. The quest The gas near the black hole in a binary in 1988 Martin Rees resurrected an known burst sources. Finally, how well evolving accretion The r φ component of the stress tensor system is not simply falling headlong earlier failed scenario in which the tidal could a candidate source location be triumphs for this field. Teams led by for understanding black holes drives disc, which the is a very important quantity! Besides into a central void. The matter has disruption of stars could provide the identified with a galactic centre? If it is Reinhard Genzel (Max Planck Institute, much of the activity at the forefront of Oxford team has transporting angular momentum, the orbital angular momentum, and angular fuel needed for the central black holes a TDE, it should be a spot-on bullseye. Garching) and Andrea Ghez (UCLA) theoretical physics. modelled using stress also serves to extract energy from momentum is conserved. An element of quasars. He suggested that the same have revealed the fully resolved orbits mathematical tools the large scale differential rotation of the of fluid cannot radiate away its angular process might still produce observable, The theorists, meanwhile, had their of individual stars about the massive they have developed. disc gas. Local turbulence immediately momentum like so much heat; the one-off events. These would take the own concerns. What if the late stages of black hole at the centre of our Milky Way SEARCHING THE SKY FOR Their work shows dissipates that free energy, heating BLACK HOLES process is much too inefficient. Rather, form of a flaring X-ray outburst in an TDE accretion is not by direct fall back Galaxy. The LIGO (Laser Interferometer not only that a disc everything up. In general, stress may Gravitational-Wave Observatory) the fluid element must pass on its ordinary galaxy – perhaps even our onto the hole, but by the formation and The historical challenge for the is certainly present, be present from viscosity, turbulence, collaboration has borne fruit with angular momentum to a neighbouring it also has provided very own. The idea behind these tidal mediation of a disc? This is certainly a astronomer wanting to find compelling or even magnetic fields. In treacle, the the spectacular (now routine) direct element a bit further out, which in important new disruption events (TDEs) is that a star possibility! What is the time dependence evidence for a black hole has been to stress is overwhelmingly viscous, but detection of the gravitational radiation turn passes it on to another nearby information on the which happens to venture too close of the luminosity expected from a figure out how to detect what amounts to in astronomical accretion discs it is from merging black holes and neutron neighbour, and so forth. This process of basic structure of on its orbit to a supermassive black steadily draining accretion disc? This empty spacetime. If we play by the rules turbulent magnetic fields that dominate. stars at cosmological distances. Finally, transport is mediated by the formation relativistic discs. hole would be tidally torn apart, in its turns out to be a very interesting of classical physics, a black hole is just a this year’s astronomical show-stopping of a coherent disc, a so-called accretion entirety, by the differential gravitational physics question involving fundamental In the early days of accretion disc theory, vacuum solution to the field equation: image of the event horizon environs disc, in which gas on neighbouring force. The stellar debris would then concepts of rotating fluid orbits in the origin of this important stress tensor move along please, nothing to see here. of the black hole in the galaxy M87 circular orbits is mixed via turbulence. rain back down onto the black hole, general relativity. was poorly understood. For lack of The quantum radiation that is emitted captured everyone’s attention. While the Turbulent mixing ultimately enables the any better idea, it was modelled as an (first discovered by Stephen Hawking) Right: LIGO public was mesmerised by the gaping angular momentum transfer to occur, enhanced viscosity. (The understanding is utterly unobservable from black holes Laboratory operates black void in the centre of illuminated heating the gas in the process, and if not that embedded magnetic fields naturally in the mass range of interest. If, however, two detector sites, surroundings, astronomers argued quite lighting up the black hole, then lead to a turbulent stress came in the the black hole was part of a close binary one near Hanford in amongst themselves about what this certainly lighting up its neighbourhood. 1990s, through work that I did with John system, gas from the normal star would eastern Washington, barely resolved marvel of interferometric Hawley.) A viscous stress would vanish be tidally drawn towards the hole. In The theory of accretion discs was and another near reconstruction was actually telling us. at the edge of a disc (ie the ISCO), so this process of ‘accretion’, the gas would developed by some of the most Livingston, Louisiana. this boundary condition was, in effect, It is hard to remember, but black holes become very hot due to compression and prominent astrophysical theorists of the Artist’s impression of This photo shows the Livingston detector universally adopted. The problem is used to be a topic that serious-minded turbulent heating. (A lot of physics is 1970s: Nikolai Shakura, Rashid Sunyaev, the tidal disruption event named site. that magnetic stress works differently physicists would shun – Einstein himself hidden in that statement!) It is this hot Donald Lynden-Bell, James Pringle, and ASASSN-14li, where to a viscosity. There is no reason that scoffed at them. Yet, within the career gas that the observational astronomer Martin Rees all played seminal roles. At a star wandering too it should vanish at the ISCO, even as span of the author, black holes have literally focusses upon. Black holes in a time when the existence of black holes close to a 3-million- the gas starts its in-spiralling plummet. tunnelled from physics anathema to binary star systems are copious sources was still a matter of controversy, the hope solar-mass black hole of X-rays; ordinary stars can’t possibly was that a robust theory of accretion grand unifier, a link uniting gravity with was torn apart. The thermodynamics, particle creation and compete with them. This is the handle would allow X-ray observations to debris gathered into UNDERSTANDING DISC SPECTRA string theory. In common with all great that observers like to use to find black reveal their presence. Alas, the theory an accretion disk A key aim of black hole astrophysics physics, by uniting formally disparate holes. of black hole accretion, replete with around the black hole. is to be able to observe the emergent IMAGE: HTTPS://WWW.CAMBRIDGESCIENCEFESTIVAL.ORG/EVENT/PHOTOGRAPHING-BLACK-HOLES-FIRST-RESULTS-FROM-THE-EVENT-HORIZON-TELESCOPE/ IMAGE: © CALTECH/MIT/LIGO LAB 2 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 3 SCIENCE NEWS SCIENCE NEWS www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research

UVW2 band ( 3) 10 − UVM2 band ( 1.5) − UVW1 band 11

10− ) Published in

Swift XRT 0.3 10 keV 2 − 27 DISCOVERY OF MAGNETIC 10 12 Disc model − Nature Disc model + exponential decay (FUV only) Vol. 571 (July 2019) 12 14 10− /Hz) 2 MONOPOLE NOISE https://www.nature. 28 10− com/articles/s41586- 16 The nineteenth century saw teams of explorers from around the world take to the ices 10 13 − in search of the poles. The twenty-first century has again seen teams pulling together to 019-1358-1 10 keV ﬂux (erg /s /cm 18 (erg/s/cm ν −

AB magnitude + constant 14 29 find the poles – but this time, the task is to isolate the individual poles of a magnet. It is not

3 Disc spectrum 10− F 10 . − 0 20 UVW1 band the icy expanses of the tundra which we search, but insulating crystals known as ‘spin ice’... UVM2 band 15 10− 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 UVW2 band in order to avoid the quantum phase 30 THE ELUSIVE MAGNETIC MONOPOLE A SOLUTION EMERGES t 56983.6 MJD 10− Swift XRT 0.3 10 keV − − of the electron becoming observable, 1014 1015 1016 1017 Our unified understanding of electricity there must exist an unobservable All is not lost, however, because Fig. 1 Fig. 2 ν (Hz) and magnetism is encapsulated in (‘gauge-dependent’) line of magnetic condensed matter physics can come to Maxwell’s equations. These describe flux tethering any monopole to an anti- the rescue. Condensed matter physics, spectrum and deduce the hole’s mass Emboldened by this success, Andrew of particular observational interest is an Fig. 1: The top curve the effects of point-like electric charges monopole. We now term this a ‘Dirac while not concerned with fundamental and angular momentum. We have noted has calculated detailed disc spectra explicit, yet very general, mathematical CAIRNS JOHN © (electric monopoles) on the statics and particles, allows the appearance of shows a theoretical fit Dr Felix Flicker String’. Moreover, magnetic monopoles that the physics of the accretion process based on both the narrow (far ultra- prediction of the form that the decline to the light curve of dynamics of the electric and magnetic are predicted by modern theories of quasiparticles with emergent properties. must be very well-understood if this violet, or FUV) and broad (X-ray) in high energy X-ray luminosity should the integrated X-ray fields. One of Maxwell’s equations can be physics ‘beyond the standard model’, We live in a Universe which is filled scheme is to work, and such a crude band passes of the Swift X-ray satellite follow: neither a power law, nor pure spectrum of the Swift stated in words: ‘there is no such thing including string theories and various with quantum fields and we regard uncertainty as not knowing the proper for the source known as ASSASN-14li. exponential, but a simple product of the satellite, from 0.3 keV as magnetic charge’ because no sources theories of quantum gravity. particles as excitations of those fields. ISCO boundary condition renders this The acronym comes from the All Sky two, which mimics a power law over a to 10 keV. It is well fit or sinks of magnetic field (magnetic However, inside a solid there is a hope all but futile. So theorists found Survey of Automated Supernovae, a restricted sampling interval. by the product of a monopoles) are described in the theory. Particle physics searches for fundamental periodic arrangement of atoms with themselves constantly arguing about programme that is also well-suited to declining power law But Maxwell’s equation merely quantifies magnetic monopoles have been ongoing mobile electrons that can be so strongly the ISCO stress. finding transient TDEs. ASSASN-14li and exponential cut- Prof Stephen J Blundell the experimental observation that we’ve since the 1970s. Such a magnetic charge interacting as to generate their own has been observed over an extended CONCLUSION off in time. The three never seen a magnetic monopole. If we can, in principle, be detected by the very exotic quantum fields. The net curves below are Is it possible to deduce the ISCO period after its initial 2014 flare-up, and LIGO and its sister observatories have detected magnetic monopoles, the law quantised jump in magnetic flux Φ it result of these interactions is that new narrow FUV bands, stress from the disc spectrum? While there are high-quality X-ray and FUV made black hole gravitational radiation would have to be updated. generates upon passing through the particles can then emerge as excitations fit without changing in principle the answer is yes, for data. These are shown in fig. 1, along studies an indispensable component of loop of a superconducting quantum of the quantum fields in the low-energy the X-ray inferred disc There are reasons to think such an steady accretion this turns out to be with fits to a single disc model. the toolbox of modern astronomy. The interference device (SQUID). Fig. 1 sector of the Hamiltonian of the solid. parameters. The FUV observation may be possible. Some very challenging to do, because its astrophysical origin of the merging shows a schematic of such a SQUID- This means that each type of condensed The narrow FUV bands are observed to emission is quite flat implications of the existence of magnetic spectral influence is small. However, black hole binaries that form the based magnetic monopole detector. quantum matter that we study is a new be very flat with time. This is completely with time. Prof Séamus Davis monopoles in a quantum theory were in an evolving disc, such as one might bulk of gravitational wave sources is Universe, with a different set of rules, consistent with a disc model. A disc discussed by Paul Dirac as early as Using this classic technique, a single expect to find in a TDE, the answer that a stimulating puzzle for astronomers. and a different set of emergent particles. spectrum is a superposition of local 1931. Dirac noted that the existence apparent observation of a fundamental my student Andrew Mummery and I The formalism for theoretical accretion Fig. 2: A typical Can we therefore find a material in blackbodies. A readily identifiable of even a single magnetic monopole in magnetic monopole on 14 February have found is much more interesting. disc studies, developed to help the early disc spectrum at which the emergent particles are Rayleigh-Jeans tail, peak, and Wien- our observable Universe would explain 1982 (the St Valentine’s Day Monopole) We derived and solved the general search for black holes, has meanwhile one point in time. Right: Fig. 1: monopoles? like exponential cut-off are all present why all electric charge is quantised. was never duplicated, and subsequent relativistic equation for the evolution taken on a life of its own. Andrew It is broader than a Schematic of a (see fig. 2). As a disc evolves and cools, single temperature fundamental Dirac Dirac’s description also made clear that, searches have proven negative. Let’s build things up slowly. If we start of a disc in Kerr geometry. As in the Mummery and I have pushed the the emission peak moves downwards blackbody, but has monopole traversing thinking about building a periodic original Rees 1988 model, the total development of disc theory a step in frequency. At a given observed an identifiable low the SQUID input coil. material in one-dimension, we can luminosity follows a power law time further, developing mathematical tools -n frequency, just before the peak, the frequency (Rayleigh- The magnetic-flux imagine a one-dimensional chain of dependence at late times, L~t . But to study novel astrophysical events: the emission would therefore rise as the Jeans), mid frequency now, the value of n turns out to have a threading of the magnets, each one lying with its north hump passed through, like a wave. But tidal destruction of a star passing close (power law), and high SQUID changes in bimodal behaviour. If the ISCO stress pole next to its neighbour’s south counteracting this rise at all frequencies to a supermassive black hole. We are frequency (Wien) total by Φ = h/e. vanishes, n>1. If the ISCO stress is finite, 0 pole. This is a stable situation and we is a general decline from cooling. For able to account for the disc emission regimes. The narrow n<1. Very convenient! Bottom: Fig. 2: simply have a line of dipoles. But we an extended time period, the rise and spectrum of the one well-observed FUV bands are shown A line of bar magnets can imagine reversing one of these decline turn out to nearly balance one source, ASSASN14-li, in the process as coloured lines; In 2017, a comprehensive study (top panel) ordered magnets. This creates two adjacent north another. This is precisely what the FUV showing that this truly is a disc source the broad Swift X-ray with north poles on poles and two adjacent south poles, not by K Auchettl, J Guillochon, and with a finite ISCO stress (the strongest bandpass is shaded. data show, in all three bands. the left and south an energetically favourable situation. By E Ramirez-Ruiz distilled, from a long observational argument for this thus Fig. 1 poles on the right. flipping further magnets, we can move list of candidates, four ‘confirmed’ TDE The X-rays tell a different story. Here, far advanced), and tightly constraining Flipping one of them events based on a list of strict criteria, the emission comes from the Wien-like the mass of the black hole (just shy of (middle panel) costs including a bullseye association with portion of the spectrum, and as time two million solar masses). With most energy because you a galactic centre. Every one of their evolves, there is exponential decline of the richest observations yet to come, have two adjacent four candidates has power law X-ray with a power law coefficient. This the study of the tidal disruption of stars poles of the same luminosities with an index n<1. This combination fits the data beautifully by supermassive black holes promises type. Further magnet is very strong evidence, not only for a as well. Both the FUV and the X-rays to remain lively and exciting for the flips (bottom panel) disc to source the TDE emission, but are reproduced by a single disc model. foreseeable future. cost little energy one with a finite ISCO stress. One of the by-products of the analysis but separate the monopoles. Fig. 2

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Fig. 3: Schematic Fig. 5. Left: simulated representation of noise spectral density the spin ice excited S(w, T) in temperature state in which two range 4K to ~1K magnetic charges are which one might generated by a spin expect to achieve by flip and propagated cooling Dy2Ti2O7. through the material. Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Right: measured Fig. 4: Schematic noise spectral density the double-north and the double-south to harness recent developments in proposal to find the poles using their of the Spin Noise from Dy2Ti2O7 1 apart without much extra energetic cost. nanoscale magnetometry . The key magnetic noise, joined the expedition. Spectrometer. samples in the range You can see that where we started with realisation was that, while emergent In work conducted by DPhil student 1.2K≤T≤4K. Red axes one flipped dipole, we now have two magnetic monopoles would be confined Ritika Dusad, they proposed to detect indicate spectra objects that behave like independent within the spin ices, their magnetic the predicted magnetic monopole scaled for B-fields, particles that can travel along the chain. fields could still be felt outside the noise by using the classic magnetic blue axes (matching Breaking a magnetic dipole in two, we sample. These fields feature a distinctive monopole detector – the input loop scales) spectra scaled have made two independent magnetic inverse-square law decay, as opposed to of a SQUID. Ritika developed a flux- for magnetic flux. monopoles. In the jargon, our original the inverse-cube law decay of the field noise spectrometer using a six-turn excitation (the flipped magnet) has been from a magnetic dipole. The original superconducting pickup coil (Fig. 4) fractionalised. The line of flipped spins proposal was that a sufficiently sensitive connected to a SQUID, and optimised between these emergent monopoles nanoscale detector of magnetic fields it for the predicted magnetic noise AS SCIENTISTS, Fig. 5 plays the role of the Dirac string. could, in principle, detect these magnetic signal of Dy Ti O spin ice. This is the 2 2 7 WE ARE USED TO fields at the surface of a spin ice sample. condensed matter physics version of STUDYING DATA is going on. Visualisation techniques first experimental evidence of magnetic Maxwell’s equations remain unbroken. But very large numbers of emergent the classic magnetic monopole search PLOTTED ON are therefore key in physics. However, monopoles which has a single-particle But these results demonstrate the power THE ROUTE: SPIN ICE magnetic monopoles are expected to apparatus shown in Fig. 1. GRAPHS AND WE much less common is the opportunity limit: while we heard the collective of using spin noise spectroscopy to The challenge in finding emergent be moving around at random within to listen to our data. Extraordinarily, noise of many monopoles, the same study many different exotic magnetic This set-up allowed the study of the SPEND A LOT OF magnetic monopoles, then, is to find the crystal, so that the magnetic fields because this magnetic monopole noise basic approach at yet higher sensitivity systems which will contain numerous magnetic-flux noise not just at the TIME LOOKING AT a real material which performs this should be wildly fluctuating. In this occurs in the frequency range below 20 could in principle be used to detect different species of emergent particles. surface, but throughout the bulk of OUR DATA IN LOTS feat in three dimensions. Enter the context, DPhil student Fran Kirschner, kHz, when amplified by the SQUID it individual magnetic monopoles. So, Rather than wait for the Universe to the crystal. They used it to determine OF DIFFERENT spin ices (Fig. 3). The highly magnetic in collaboration with Felix Flicker in is actually audible to humans. our follow-up projects have begun, deliver a rare, exotic magnetic particle the flux noise spectral density of the WAYS TO TRY TO Dysprosium or Holmium ions in these work led by Stephen Blundell, carried to better understand the monopoles’ to a detector, one can now explore Dy2Ti2O7 spin ice samples over a UNDERSTAND WHAT materials live on a lattice of corner- out numerical simulations of the noise signatures in different contexts; to the universes of quantum matter, frequency range 1Hz

poles began with a theoretical proposal group, intrigued by the ingenious different ways to try to understand what STEVE BLUNDELL © 6 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 7 SCIENCE NEWS SCIENCE NEWS www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research www.physics.ox.ac.uk/research

Right: Fig. 2: The top panel shows Typical Temperature Profile 300 60 Surface 287 K MEASURING ATMOSPHERIC part of the top- Measured Radiance of-atmosphere 280 Stratopause radiance spectrum 260 40 TEMPERATURE FROM SPACE from approximately S/P 245 K 15–12 μm extending A theoretical concept put to the test by Oxford’s first space instrument 240 from the CO2 absorption band now plays a key role in weather forecasting 220 Altitude [km] Prof Anu Dudhia 20 into the adjacent T/P 220 K

Brightness Temperature [K] Tropopause Next year will be the 50th anniversary ‘window’ regions, most photons are in the solar spectrum). The ‘missing’ atmospheric window 200 region. The measured 650 700 750 800 850 of Oxford’s first venture into space. The absorbed in the atmosphere. Notably energy is re-radiated downwards, -1 radiance is expressed Wavenumber [cm ] Surface Nimbus-4 satellite, launched on 8 April absent from the list of absorbers are warming the surface instead – the 0 1970, carried a suite of meteorological the two most abundant atmospheric well-known ‘greenhouse effect’. as an equivalent 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 temperature, using 50 Temperature [K] instruments, including the Selective molecules, nitrogen and oxygen. Being S/P 42 km Fig. 3 Chopper Radiometer (SCR), developed symmetric molecules, these have no the inverse of the 40 Planck function. The Sounding Altitude in the Atmospheric Physics Department permanent dipole moment, so interact TEMPERATURE SOUNDING lower panel shows 30 – one of the first instruments to provide only weakly with electromagnetic Given a radiance measurement at the corresponding global measurements of atmospheric radiation. particular wavelength, we can invert the sounding altitude, 20 temperature. Planck function to find the atmospheric defined as the As the excited molecules relax, they 10 T/P 18 km temperature at the photon’s source. For Sounding Altitude [km] Led by John Houghton1 , the department re-emit the photons. However, since altitude where absorption features of a molecule of Surface had already flown high-altitude balloon the atmosphere is generally colder than transmittance 0 known concentration, such as CO2, we from the top of 650 700 750 800 850 and aircraft experiments to measure the surface, the re-emission is at a lower -1 can calculate the emitting altitude as a the atmosphere Wavenumber [cm ] the infrared radiation emitted by the intensity, so the net energy reaching function of wavelength: the stronger the drops to 1/e. See Fig. 2 Fig. 4 atmosphere within the 15 μm CO space is reduced, resulting in absorption 2 absorption, the higher the altitude. So Fig. 3 for location band. These measurements could bands (similar to the Fraunhofer lines then it is just a case of selecting spectral of max/min points points whose emissions span the depth About ten years ago these were replaced These spectra also contain signatures then be used to infer the atmospheric on the atmospheric of the atmosphere (see Fig. 2). by Michelson-type interferometers. of many minor species, associated with temperature structure. The Nimbus-4 Left: Fig. 1: The main temperature profile. These provide complete infrared spectra, pollution events or volcanic eruptions. SCR demonstrated that satellites processes governing Wavelength [μm] Having established the temperature effectively thousands of channels, In AOPP we are devising numerically could provide such data on a global 100 30 20 15 12 109 8 7 6 5 4 infrared radiative structure, we can then use the radiance )] Far right: Fig. 3: from which to extract information efficient algorithms to identify, and -1 transfer in a cloud- scale, and within a couple of years 10.0 Typical atmospheric measurements in other regions on temperature and composition. The preferably quantify, such occurrences. Top of Atmosphere Radiance free atmosphere. The similar instruments had become core temperature of the spectrum to determine the spectrum plotted in Fig. 2 was actually sr cm

2 solar contribution components of the operational polar- B(293K) profile, showing the concentrations of the variable absorbers, obtained from one such instrument: Meanwhile, exploiting recent advances has been scaled to orbiting meteorological satellites. Atmospheric temperature maxima/ water vapour being the most important the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding in ‘microsat’ technology, we are also Contribution represent the same 1.0 B(250K) μ W/(cm minima identified in for weather forecasting. planning new space experiments where The SCR was the size of a large shoebox total energy as the Interferometer (IASI). the spectrum shown not just the instrument, but the entire and weighed just over 2 kg, while the Reflected surface emission. Solar in Fig. 2. The data rate from such instruments is satellite would fit into a large shoebox Surface B(T) represents current generation of instruments are Contribution CURRENT INSTRUMENTS daunting: each IASI instrument (and (Fig. 4).

Radiance [ 0.1 Planck function, about a factor 100 larger in both mass there are currently three in operation) 0 1000 2000 3000 evaluated for Bottom right: Fig. 4: The original infrared sounders were and volume (and probably rather more provides over a million spectra a day. The 100 30 20 15 12 109 8 7 6 5 CO 4 temperature T. A full-size prototype radiometers, using 10 or so spectral in cost). However, they still exploit the routine processing of such a large data 1.0 Note the definition CubeSat spacecraft filters to isolate specific channels same underlying physics. stream to derive profiles of temperature, 0.8 of ‘Wavenumber’, with an infrared sensitive to different altitudes (although as commonly radiometer, being this simple statement barely does justice water vapour and other major absorbers 0.6 is now performed by specialist agencies, THE INFRARED ABSORPTION used in infrared developed by DPhil to the ingenuity that went into some of 1 Subsequently Director General of CH4 Atmospheric Transmittance SPECTRUM spectroscopy, is the student Rory Evans. these designs, particularly in improving so what does that leave for University the Met Office and co-chairman of the 0.4 CO2 CO2 simple reciprocal sensitivity to the high altitudes). research groups? Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

The main processes that determine the Transmittance O3 H2O H2O of the wavelength infrared radiation emerging from the 0.2 N2O and conventionally top of the atmosphere are shown in 0.0 measured in inverse Fig. 1 (this is for a cloud-free situation; 0 1000 2000 3000 centimetres. clouds are as opaque in the infrared as 100 30 20 15 12 109 8 7 6 5 4 )] An artist’s drawing of the general design of the Nimbus -1 they are in the visible). 10.0 series of satellites. The solar-panel ‘wings’ move throughout Surface Radiance sr cm

For wavelengths longer than 4 μm, 2 the day to track the Sun during the daylight part of the reflected sunlight becomes negligible B(293K) Surface Emission satellite’s orbit. The 10-foot-tall satellite has the attitude and the main radiation source at the 1.0 base of the atmosphere comes from the μ W/(cm control system on top, separated from a 5-foot-diameter B(6000K) Scaled Earth’s surface itself, emitting (to a fair Reflected Solar ‘sensory ring’ (centre) with scaffolding. The sensory ring approximation) as a black body. holds the batteries and electronics for each of the sensors

Radiance [ 0.1 A number of molecules have vibration- 0 1000 2000 3000 that are mounted underneath the ring (bottom). -1 rotation bands which are excited at Wavenumber [cm ] these wavelengths so, apart from a few Fig. 1

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www.physics. The quantum Commercial applications of quantum computing ox.ac.uk/ computing and simulation hub will • Use alongside machine learning and AI to make better predictions OXFORD LEADS enterprise drive forward the from medical data; UK’s progress in • Speed up engineering processes such as material modelling; developing future quantum computing • Produce higher efficiencies and productivity or more reliable NADLINGER DAVID © QUANTUM RACE technology. It Qubit — Conventional complex systems in sectors such as meteorology; “What kind of computer are we going to use to simulate physics? Can you do it will build on the computers store data in ‘bits’ • Offer exponential growth in computation speed and power for with a new kind of computer – a quantum computer?” — Richard Feynman, 1982 successes of the that can exist in only one of Oxford-led ‘Phase 1’ systems, such as those used in global financial trading; two states (0 or 1); different Advances in technology since the 1960s have enabled silicon transistors to keep shrinking, allowing NQIT hub, which has • Verification and validation of complex or critical systems, including combinations of 0s and 1s are exponential growth in computational capability. However, they are now so small that the laws of delivered world- aerospace and automotive industries. used to represent letters and leading performance quantum mechanics begin to impair their performance and cannot shrink much further. The continuous numbers. A quantum computer in quantum logic and would store data in ‘qubits’, which breakthroughs in science that have been enabled by this computing growth are now becoming limited. Dr Phillip Tait and NQIT quantum networking, Adding extra qubits to a system and Google for their quantum computing due to quantum superposition, However, with an understanding of quantum mechanical behaviour, new possibilities for computation as well as a number of getting them to talk to one another, systems. To support further development could be both 0 and 1 at once. A are being explored. Can the computer postulated by Richard Feynman now be realised? A computer spin-out companies and thus build a computer that can of Oxford’s intellectual property in group of qubits could occupy all NQIT to take quantum that relies fundamentally on quantum mechanics can potentially solve many important computational crack the toughest calculations, is a this area, a spin-out company, Oxford possible combinations of 0s and research out of the ACHIEVEMENTS significant challenge in physics and Quantum Circuits, was founded in 1s simultaneously, enabling the problems faced by businesses that will remain forever intractable using conventional computers. lab and into the engineering. Oxford physicists are 2017 by Dr Peter Leek, to build scalable computer to explore multiple commercial arena. $200m including investments from not alone in this investment, with pioneering two different technological components for a quantum computer. solutions at the same time. THE GLOBAL RACE — Prof David Lucas, Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon) and the international race for quantum 4 world approaches for the ‘processors’ that Oxford Physics, Superposition — an ambiguous ‘Quantum technologies’ utilise the In-Q-Tel, the venture-capital arm of technology underway and attracting records could form a quantum computer, with principal investigator state in which a particle (eg unique phenomena of quantum the CIA. Their first customers were enormous research funding, including IN ION TRAP each looking for the balance between NEXT STEPS for the new hub. an electron) is simultaneously superposition and entanglement to Lockheed Martin, who were looking $1b over 10 years in Europe, $4b over ease/cost of manufacture and fidelity QUANTUM The Government Office for Science spinning both clockwise and encode and process information, with for a way to tackle particularly tough five years in China, $1.2b over five years (its resistance to decoherence). One predicts that quantum technologies anticlockwise, or ‘0’ and ‘1’. potentially profound benefits to a wide optimisation problems in their flight in the USA and hundreds of millions COMPUTING method has each processing node as could grow to be comparable in size However, once it is measured or range of information technologies, an ion trap, a device within which a control systems, followed by Google by several multinational companies to the consumer electronics sector interacts with its environment, it small number of charged atoms – ions from communications to sensing and and NASA. Although D-Wave were the including Microsoft, Google, IBM (currently worth an estimated £240bn settles into a single state. computing. However, a major challenge first to market, there is a bigger story and Intel. The goal of NQIT was, in 61 – are held suspended in a vacuum and a year globally) and potentially create Entanglement — a physical in developing these technologies is developing, with the UK and collaboration with government, RESEARCH manipulated by laser and microwave hundreds or thousands of high value phenomenon that occurs when that the quantum phenomena are very Oxford Physics amongst industry and the wider systems. A single unit of quantum jobs in the UK. To realise this potential, PAPERS pairs or groups of particles are fragile, and only a handful of physical the leaders in creating We could map the community, to develop information, one qubit, is embodied the UK government’s National Quantum PRODUCED generated or interact in ways systems have been identified in which a quantum technology whole Universe – all of the first truly scalable within the internal hyperfine states of Technologies Programme has now such that the quantum state they survive long enough and are industry. the information that has universal quantum each ion, and control of the qubits is entered its second phase of funding, a ENGAGED WITH of each particle cannot be sufficiently controllable to be useful. existed since the Big Bang computing machine achieved optically via integrated lasers £315 million investment in a National To support and with architectures and through microwave manipulation. described independently. This

– onto 300 qubits. SRIVASTAVA RUPESH © Quantum Computing Centre and four In 1999, the ‘world’s first quantum capitalise on the UK’s 140+ means that a measurement that have the highest research hubs, including a Quantum computing company’ D-Wave world-leading academic Seth Lloyd, MIT companies, DPhil student Amy This technology has attracted significant made on one particle will performance of any cur- Computing and Simulation hub led Systems Inc. was spun-out from quantum physics research NATIONAL AND Hughes working with interest from investors and earlier this determine the outcome of a rent qubit system. Aligned by Oxford University. This hub will the University of British Columbia, groups, the UK Government optics for ion traps. year a spin-out company, Oxford Ionics, similar measurement made to this was the aim to build a INTERNATIONAL bring together research teams across founded by two physicists and a local announced in 2013, funding of £270m was founded by physicists Dr Chris on the other particle, even new industry sector around quantum 17 universities with more than 25 venture-capitalist who provided the to create a five year National Quantum Ballance and Dr Thomas Harty from over great distances. Albert information technology, from the supply Top right: A single national and international commercial, first $3000. Twenty years later (and Technologies Programme, which aimed positively-charged the ion-trap group, to take forward its Einstein famously referred to this chain, through the build and operation, 34 governmental and academic entities. despite some scepticism from the to accelerate commercialisation by strontium atom, commercialisation. phenomenon as ‘spooky action to programming and use of quantum INDUSTRY- Alongside the hardware development, quantum computing community), the creating a coherent community across held near motionless at a distance’. computers. The NQIT Consortium saw Another method being developed researchers are developing the software company has gone on to raise over Government, industry and academia. PARTNERED by electric fields an alliance of nine universities led by here uses superconducting circuits for systems to program and operate a Coherence — the ability of a It involved over 130 companies, 17 PROJECTS emanating from the qubit to maintain superposition Oxford, plus more than 30 commercial the quantum computer’s architecture. quantum computing machine and universities and various government metal electrodes over time. It is therefore the and government organisations including This approach exploits the quantum are working on our own quantum agencies. Four research hubs were surrounding it. The absence of ‘decoherence’, which IBM, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, 5 mechanical behaviour of electrical computing emulator platform for created to support collaboration and distance between is any process that collapses the Google, Toshiba, Oxford Instruments, circuits when operated at microwave high-performance computers, which to provide facilities and training, which SPIN-OUT the needle tips quantum state into a classical the National Physics Laboratory and frequencies and at a temperature near will enable scientists in research and focused on applications in timekeeping, COMPANIES is 2.3 mm. When state, for instance by interaction the Defence Science and Technology absolute zero and has been used by industry to develop algorithms and sensing, imaging, communications illuminated by a laser, with an environment. Laboratory. the atom absorbs companies such as D-Wave, IBM and applications for the emerging hardware. and computing. Oxford Physics led Left: Postdoctoral and re-emits light the Networked Quantum Information researchers particles sufficiently Technologies Hub (NQIT), bringing Dr Brian Vlastakis Engaging with the future users of quantum computers both in academia and industry has been a central part OXFORD INVENTIONS quickly to capture it together 200 researchers from across and Dr Martina of NQIT’s mission, from collaborations with the supply chain to supporting and engaging with the emerging in a long exposure the University with the aim to prototype Qubits in superposition are extremely Esposito preparing software sector, and growing a base of skills and awareness. The new hub will continue this work of helping photograph. The the basic components of a quantum sensitive to external stimuli, with the an experiment on picture was taken by businesses prepare for all aspects of the emerging quantum information technology economy. Oxford slightest disturbance causing them superconducting computer, which may eventually be DPhil student David University’s leading role has opened the possibility of the region becoming a UK home for this revolutionary to collapse, introducing errors into devices in a dilution scaled-up to produce a universal Nadlinger. technology, with significant investment in our research and university spin-outs, as well as local start-ups

© JACK HOBHOUSE JACK © the calculations being carried out. refrigeration system. quantum computer. But the UK was that will build the components and capitalise on its capabilities. Are you quantum ready? 10 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 11 OXFORD PHYSICS

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12 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 PEOPLE

Thank you FIVE MINUTES WITH... ROWAN CURTIS DPhil Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics, Trinity College

Tell us a little bit about your been brought to life by the application background of physics. As we look forward, it is Designation quote I grew up in Southampton and then went Science that gives us hope of solving here on to study Physics at the University the ecological and climatological issues of Surrey, before undertaking various we so critically face. We need science research placements to try to work out as a whole to work together for future ‘Lorem ipsum dolor which direction I wanted to go in. I spent global prosperity and development, sit amet, consectetur time researching quantum materials and physics will play a vital role in this. adipiscing elit. Donec (Diamond Light Source Ltd), fiber optics vehicula orci et arcu (Optoelectronics Research Centre) and Can you explain the work you do? lobortis laoreet. @rowancurtis20 tissue engineering (University of Surrey) I study the temperature profiles of the before deciding I wanted to move into polar regions of the lunar surface using space science. I’m now approaching the NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter What other interests do you have end of my first year studying for a DPhil (LRO) and laboratory data taken during besides physics? within the AOPP sub-department. my DPhil. This work aims to constrain Music is a very important part of my the regions for which ice volatiles (such life and I am a keen concert-goer, multi- When/how did you know you as water ice) may be trapped in cold, instrumentalist and big band vocalist. 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Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 15 OPINION OPINION

Maybe as everybody comes to realise how their grandchildren’s survival depends on the large- scale adoption of nuclear energy, the message will become more widely welcomed.

‘Is there life out there in 100m-high dam, the density is 981 joules per kg. The biggest task here is to reassure the public. understand something when his salary depends the Universe?’ is an exciting So, a modern gigawatt power station requires In my work I have explored the history, the on his not understanding it’. a million kg of water per second, ignoring physics and particularly the basic biology of the question, but perhaps a more inefficiencies. As a result, a hydro power plant effect of radiation and nuclear contamination Maybe as everybody comes to realise how their A MESSAGE urgent one is ‘Will there be life has a huge footprint with a correspondingly on life. Undoubtedly, it is the energy source we grandchildren’s survival depends on the large- here on Earth in 100 years?’ destructive effect on nature. Solar power is similar: need – with a safety record and environmental scale adoption of nuclear energy, the message many square kms of the natural environment footprint better than any other. Unfortunately, will become more widely welcomed, not just With the realisation that the climate is must be decked with panels to match our need for its large potential for energy and the public’s tolerated. Educating and changing minds takes FOR SOCIETY changing fast, this has become a matter for energy. Wind is worse. A little physics shows that ignorance makes it a fertile source of exciting time, though really we have none to spare. widespread concern. The combustion of carbon the energy delivered depends basically on the cube fiction – or rather fact entwined with fiction. There But what about the hard evidence for the effects fuels was a foundation stone of the Industrial of the wind speed: at low speed its contribution is is no doubt that many members of the public at of nuclear technology?3 Physics and biology Revolution; replacing it successfully will bring FROM not very useful; at high speed the turbine must be Chernobyl and Fukushima suffered mentally and between them ensure extraordinary levels of a new revolution. To avoid social and economic turned off to prevent its destruction. So not only physically. However, the doses received were so safety from both nuclear energy itself and the instability, the right steps should be taken soon. do wind farms need to cover many square kms low that it is certain that their symptoms, though ionising radiation emitted by radioactivity. I have but their output responds very unfavourably to real, were caused, not by radiation but by the This is a question first for physics, and then for written two books for a general reader: Radiation SCIENCE fluctuations in wind speed. Indeed, for all trauma of being told that they had been other academic disciplines too. Quite beyond and Reason: the Impact of Science on a Culture of these ‘renewables’ it is the unpredictable irradiated. Real symptoms induced 4 the remit of any single research body this struck Fear and Nuclear is for Life: a Cultural Revolution . variation in output that makes them by a falsely-supposed attack is well me as a task to tackle in my so-called retirement. The hardest part is Secondary-level students respond enthusiastically simply inadequate as large-scale known to medicine as the Nocebo Having researched at CERN and taught physics to present the task to simple explanations – though such material is Wade Allison, Emeritus replacements for carbon fuels. On Effect. In the Placebo Effect a patient and maths in the Physics Department since the and its solution in a carefully avoided in school syllabuses at present. average, they are able to deliver only is cured of disease when told he Professor of Physics at Oxford early ‘70s, including a lecture course on Medical way that wider society 20–30% of the designed power, in has been treated, when he has not. But many groups in society need to face the and Environmental Physics, I had many of the is able to accept a largely unpredictable way. Given The Nocebo Effect is the malign science if we are to achieve the revolution tools. Since 2006, I have worked on the question [email protected] also the scars they inflict on the counterpart2. required. Avoiding nuclear technology because with like-minded academics and professionals environment, and their vulnerability to it is thought to be controversial should @radiationreason around the world. The hardest part is to present extreme weather events, they are unsuitable as the be unacceptable: we need to reach the the task and its solution in a way that wider society main workhorse for energy production. This is MEDICAL BENEFITS AND PUBLIC media, schools, government, MPs, is able to accept. OPPROBIUM especially true as there is an alternative that offers the UN – perhaps you can help. At The basic characteristics of energy are that it everything required: steady output, high-energy It is unfortunate that the public has the same time the artificial safety is conserved and that, if left alone, it tends to density, resilience and a small environmental this negative perception of radiation regulations that have been blessed dissipate – simple descriptions of the First and footprint – in fact, even better than carbon. because, thanks to Marie Curie, by the United Nations need to be Second Laws of Thermodynamics. To replace moderate and high doses of radiation changed – beyond most people’s carbon as a fuel, any new candidate fuel should are used in clinics for cancer diagnosis game plan, perhaps. However, that FERMI KINETIC ENERGY be stable and make energy available whenever and treatment, and have been for over a is the goal. required. Furthermore, this fuel should be It is quantum mechanics, the de Broglie wave of an century. Though everyone welcomes that, energised by some greater source, or have been electron (mass m) confined in an atom (size L), that outside medicine the public expects to be so at some point in the past. sets the energy scale (h2/8mL2 =4eV) of chemistry, protected from radiation a thousand times weaker. electronics, batteries, lasers, etc including the Politicians legislate for this level and, in the event Find his book on Amazon at: burning of fossil fuels, metabolisation of food of an accident, authorities evacuate the public EXTERNAL POWER and detonation of high explosives. from the scene without scientific justification. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nuclear-Life- Revolution-Wade-Allison/dp/0956275648 Humans graduated from a reliance on the energy The same calculation, when applied to a proton Why does nobody say so? I have found that most of the food they ate when they began to utilise or neutron confined in a nucleus, gives a scale doctors keep their heads down, anxious to avoid the effort of fellow creatures and the various of kinetic energy five million times larger – the litigation. They prefer to concentrate on their energy forms powered, directly or indirectly, simple physical factor that has made politicians patients’ health rather than public policy. Courts by the Sun, including wind, water power and drunk with power for 70 years! The accessible of law concern themselves with regulations, burning wood. With these they worked metal, nuclear energy of Uranium or Thorium fuel, was not their scientific basis. Industrialists do what 1 https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/ built great cities and sailed the world. Though primed by gravitational collapse in supernovae is required in a contract – it is not their job to nuclear-energy-clean-green-reliable-by-wade- superior to other animals, their population was before the Earth was formed. Unfortunately, question regulations. Safety professionals are allison-2019-06 small, life expectancy short and standard of living few in society welcome what nuclear power has reluctant to undermine their priestly status. 2 www.newscientist.com/article/mg20227081-100-the- miserable. For example, not until the Industrial science-of-voodoo-when-mind-attacks-body/ to offer. Some believe nuclear energy to be an Politicians are happy to spend the public’s money Revolution did the population as a whole enjoy 3 www.researchgate.net/publication/311175620_ unnatural malevolent technology, a nightmare to appease any public concern, real or imagined, sports or annual holidays – at best they survived. Nuclear_energy_and_society_radiation_and_life_-_the_ development from the Cold War period; others, to ensure their re-election. So what people accept evidence_1 The energy density1 of hydro power is low. Let’s though professing ignorance, would simply rather is severely coloured by their career and status. As 4 www.ypdbooks.com/science-and-technology/1690- put in the numbers: for example, for water from a distance themselves from it. Upton Sinclair wrote: ‘It is difficult to get a man to wade-allison-special-book-pack-YPD01882.html

16 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 17 DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS

Events... FORTHCOMING IN PICTURES ALUMNI EVENTS We hold a variety of events throughout the year for PROF BARISH LECTURE (NOBEL LAUREATE) our alumni and their guests. All events take place On 9 July, Prof Barry C Barrish (Caltech, Nobel Prize in in Oxford, unless otherwise stated. Please visit our Physics, 2017) gave a lecture entitled ‘Gravitational website (www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events) regularly for waves and prospects for multi-messenger astronomy’ latest updates and full details. to a full house at the Natural History Museum. The talk was followed by a drinks reception. Alumni and their guests are always welcome, and all our events are free, but advance registration is mandatory. If you have any questions CHERWELL SIMON MEMORIAL LECTURE about the events, please contact Val Crowder: In May, Prof Elena Aprile (Columbia University) [email protected]. delivered the 60th Cherwell Simon Memorial Lecture, Below is a list of some of the alumni events we have entitled ‘The XENON project: at the forefront of dark planned for the coming months. We look forward to matter detection’. seeing you soon.

PHYSICS GARDEN PARTY THE 19TH HINTZE LECTURE The annual garden party took place in June at Wolfson 14 November, 17:30 Mar tin Wood Lecture Theatre College, hosted by Prof Ian Shipsey. Prof Steven Balbus, Prof Heino Falcke: ‘The first image of a Black Hole’ a world leader in Black Hole Accretion, delivered a fascinating talk, which was followed by questions and AOPP ALUMNI EVENT afternoon tea.

NEW CLUB, EDINBURGH Our first physics alumni event in Scotland took place at the New Club in Edinburgh, in the beautiful Ramsay & Long Rooms on 2 July. The views over Princes Street and the Castle formed the perfect backdrop for drinks and conversation. We’d like to thank Dr Susan Hezlet and Dr William Duncan for their support in organising SOCIETY HEADBOX/ROYAL © this wonderful evening. 15 November, 18:30 Royal Society (London) Kohn Centre

BILL DIAMOND / SETI LECTURE PARTICLE PHYSICS CHRISTMAS LECTURE ‘Finding aliens – An update on the search for life in the Universe’ was the special lecture given by Bill Diamond (President & CEO, The SETI Institute) on 6 June. Artist Danielle Futsellar was commissioned to create the artwork for the poster advertising the talk.

THINKING 3D – SPACE & TIME The Department of Physics and Magdalen College co-hosted this whole day event, part of a year-long series, on 22 June. The event was designed to incite ICECUBE © dialogue between artists, historians, mathematicians, 7 December, 10:30–16:30 Martin Wood Lecture astronomers and more. Talks were delivered by Prof Jim Theatre Prof Francis Halzen Bennett (Early globes, including celestial globes); Mr Peter Bellerby (Challenges of a modern globe-maker); INTERNATIONAL EVENTS Dr Emma Chapman (Early Universe and Cosmology); We will be participating in the following international events. Dr Colin Wilson (Observing Venus); Prof Steven Balbus More details will follow but please save the date; we’d love you to (Black Holes and new methods of observation); Mr join us! Daryl Green (On the work of James Nasmyth and his MEETING MINDS BERLIN (GERMANY) book on the Moon, published in the 1870s); and Prof Chris Lintott (Citizen science and the Zooniverse). The March 2020 talks were followed by a drinks and canapés reception. MEETING MINDS NEW YORK CITY April 2020

We are aware that alumni who live far from Oxford If you have any comments, suggestions or would would like access to recordings of events. Because of like to share an idea for an event where you live, data protection however, not all events can be filmed. Those please get in touch with Val Crowder, our alumni that can, will be found here: http://podcasts.ox.ac.uk/units/ officer: [email protected]. department-physics IMAGES TOP LEFT, TOP RIGHT AND THIRD ROW MIDDLE © S BEBB. THIRD ROW BOTTOM RIGHT AND FOURTH ROW © JOHN CAIRNS 18 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 19 OUTREACH OUTREACH

For more information: www.physics.ox.ac.uk/ PARTICLE PHYSICS MASTERCLASS QUANTUM 101 MAKING PHYSICS outreachnews FOR A-LEVEL STUDENTS The International Masterclasses in Particle Physics is a programme which allows THIS WAS THE BEST school students to experience a day working as a particle physicist. We ran two EVENT I HAVE BEEN TO. THE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL events in March, reaching 40 A-level students. ACTIVITIES WERE EXCITING AND MEANINGFUL. Oxford Physics engages in a series of highly active outreach programmes, which have reached more STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO: — TEACHER than 200,000 people over the last five years.Our outreach work is focused in four main areas: • LEARN ABOUT PARTICLE PHYSICS FROM CERN RESEARCHERS; • SEE HOW THE PHYSICS TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM IS USED TO Tour of our quantum technologies labs CONDUCT EXPERIMENTS PROBING THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE; INCREASING ACCESS ENGAGING LOCAL INCREASING PUBLIC Quantum 101 was an exciting new opportunity TO OXORD COMMUNITIES DIVERSITY IN STEM ENGAGEMENT • ANALYSE REAL DATA FROM THE for students, aged 12–15, to explore the weird and EXPERIMENTS TO SEARCH FOR SIGNS wonderful world of quantum physics. Students had Supporting disadvantaged students Building partnerships with local Working with children from Supporting our researchers in OF NEW PARTICLES. the opportunity to work with researchers in the who have the potential to benefit communities to enrich the life under-represented backgrounds engaging the public with their field of quantum physics and explore some of its from study in the department of the city to raise aspirations research We hoped the day helped to inspire current and future applications. the next generation of particle physicists, and plan to run the event A highlight from the day was the opportunity to again in 2020. visit the quantum technology labs in the basement CELEBRATING SCIENCE WITH of the department. Students were able to see AN AMAZING how researchers are working on the first quantum SPACE-THEMED CARNIVAL EXPERIENCE WHICH HAS computers here in Oxford. FURTHERED MY UNDERSTANDING The Cowley Road Carnival takes place every worked with artists to create four space- OF PARTICLES. 48 students attended the day from a number of Above: Students explore particle • year and regularly attracts 50,000 people. themed carnival structures for the — STUDENT state schools in the South East. This year’s event, which was held on 7 procession. The community groups in- physics in the undergraduate labs. Over 15 researchers were involved in planning and July, had the theme ‘Space is the Place’ and volved represented a cross-section of people • delivery of the event. celebrated the exciting work being carried facing barriers to participation in science out by scientists in and around Oxford, as and who are under-represented within HIGGS HUNTERS: CITIZEN Feedback from students and teachers was very well as commemorating the 50th anniversary STEM (science, technology, engineering positive and we hope to make this an annual event. of the Moon landing in July 1969. and mathematics) careers. SCIENTISTS ANALYSE DATA FROM QUANTUM TECHNOLOGY IS LEAPING Researchers worked with young people and Researchers also attended the Carnival THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER FORWARDS, AND IT’S TIME WE PUT IT IN community groups in Oxford to design and to join in with the celebrations. Carnival THE SPOTLIGHT! IT’S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO Higgs Hunters, the first particle physics to recognise unusual patterns to identify WORK WITH YOUNG PHYSICISTS TO INSPIRE build colourful creations inspired by our visitors were able to observe the Sun citizen science project in the Zooniverse, events that could be a sign of an invisible AND HELP THEM LEARN ABOUT THIS LESS- exciting space-related science for this year’s and ‘draw the Universe’ at the Oxford has won a Vice Chancellor’s Award for particle – such as a postulated ‘baby boson’ UNDERSTOOD AREA OF PHYSICS carnival, thanks to funding from STFC. Physics stall. Public Engagement with Research. This decaying after travelling away from the — DR KATHRYN BOAST, exciting project was created by Profs Alan beamline. QUANTUM MATERIALS OUTREACH OFFICER The organiser of the annual carnival, Top: Physics-inspired art in the Cowley Barr and Chris Lintott. It enabled more Cowley Road Works, joined forces with Road Carnival procession. Bottom left: In a partnership between Oxford Physics the department to connect four local Passers-by ‘draw the Universe’. Bottom than 37,000 citizen scientists to play a direct role in the search for new particles and the Institute for Research in Schools, community groups with four groups of right: Carnival visitors observe the Sun the results from the citizen scientists RECORD NUMBERS Oxford researchers. These groups then through our new solar telescope. by examining data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider were then examined by school students, AT OXFORD PHYSICS OPEN DAYS at CERN. who were encouraged to use the data to investigate their own research questions. ATLAS datasets record the tracks of The students presented research posters at DR BECKY particles flying out from the collision of a two-day seminar in Oxford in Summer 1,368 20% STUDENTS INCREASE Dr Becky Smethurst set up a YouTube channel two protons. Usually this is analysed by 2018. The proceedings of this conference called ‘Dr Becky’ to engage the public with cutting-edge sophisticated software. The aim of Higgs have since been submitted for review by We welcomed a record 1,368 prospective students astrophysics and astronomy research in an accessible and Hunters was to exploit the human ability colleagues at CERN. (plus hundreds of parents) to the undergraduate inspiring way. The channel has over 2 million views and open days over two days in June – an increase of 47,000 subscribers. Video topics have included questions Higgs Hunters has shown the potential for nearly 20% on last year! Visitors attended physics such as: ‘Should we put telescopes on Mars?’ with the citizen science in particle physics and has talks, physics and philosophy talks, as well as most popular video getting over 250,000 views! built up a community of citizen particle sessions on the admissions process and the Physics physicists ready for the next challenge. www.youtube.com/drbecky Aptitude Test (PAT), plus tours of the undergraduate higgshunters.org laboratory facilities. @drbecky_ Left: School students present their www.physics.ox.ac.uk/study-here/ @drbecky_s Higgs Hunters research at Oxford. undergraduates/open-days

20 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 21 PEOPLE PEOPLE

The operational challenges that our improved turbulence advance knowledge of the locations every day. In the time it has taken associated with turbulence are forecasting algorithm is now being of turbulence, with greater accuracy you to read this article, thousands compounded by the projected used operationally by the Aviation than ever before, allowing flight of passengers have taken to the ALUMNI STORIES future growth of the aviation Weather Center (AWC) in the routes through smooth air to be skies and are benefitting from our We welcome stories from all alumni. Please email: [email protected] sector. Historically, global air traffic National Weather Service (NWS), planned. The United States was a research. It is the perfect and (measured in passenger-kilometres) which is the US equivalent of the natural place to test and roll out the somewhat unexpected culmination has experienced an average long- Met Office. The turbulence forecasts algorithm, because it has arguably of a DPhil research project that PROF PAUL D WILLIAMS, LINCOLN 1995, BALLIOL 1999 term growth rate of 5% per year, are freely available via an official the most extensive air transportation began in earnest at Oxford 20 years which corresponds to a doubling US government website (www. network in the world. On an average ago. Atmospheric turbulence research leads to smoother, safer, and cleaner flights period of about 14 years. According aviationweather.gov/turbulence/ day in the US, 2.6 million people fly to Boeing’s market outlook, this gtg). They forecast turbulence up to on a scheduled passenger service. To This article tells the story of how we took forecasting method works by analysing 9 December 1992 encountered extreme trend is expected to continue for 18 hours ahead, updated hourly. Our date, therefore, our algorithm has some basic academic research, dating the atmospheric wind field and using a clear-air turbulence, which tore off at least the next 20 years. Accurate algorithm is the latest in a basket improved the comfort and safety from my student days at Oxford 20 set of equations to identify the regions about six metres of its left wing and turbulence forecasts are needed to of diagnostics that are optimally of air travel on nearly four billion years ago, and applied it to achieve real- where the geostrophic balance (between one of its four engines. For all the above ensure the efficient use of airspace combined to produce the final passenger journeys. world impacts via improved aviation the Coriolis force and the horizontal reasons, turbulence is the underlying in our increasingly crowded skies. published forecast. turbulence forecasts. Atmospheric pressure gradient force) is breaking cause of many people’s fear of flying. Our turbulence forecasting turbulence is the leading cause of down. The subsequent loss of balance This fear reportedly affects up to 40% Every day since 20 October 2015, algorithm has won several awards SMOOTHER JOURNEYS AHEAD injuries to air travellers and flight generates gravity waves, leading to of the population, and it is classified as turbulence forecasts made with recently, including £5,000 in the © NERC ©

attendants. Rough air probably costs UNIVERSITY READING © OF shear instabilities and the production a specific phobia in the Diagnostic and Paul Williams in the Future passenger growth coupled our algorithm have been used in Natural Environment Research the global aviation sector around one of turbulence. Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. cockpit of an aircraft, with climate change will lead to flight planning by commercial and Council (NERC) Impact Awards Paul Williams at Heathrow billion dollars annually. Furthermore, Most people find it generally unpleasant with the weather more turbulence encounters, all private pilots, flight dispatchers, last year. But the real prize is the Airport, as a British Airways we know that climate change is causing and uncomfortable to be randomly radar on the flight other things being equal. Therefore, and air-traffic controllers. The knowledge that the algorithm is aircraft departs through partly INITIAL TESTS at least some kinds of turbulence to buffeted up and down by turbulence, deck visible in the it is good news for air travellers aviation sector is benefitting from making a difference to people’s lives cloudy skies. strengthen. After I left Oxford to take up my but for the unfortunate sufferers of background. aviophobia, even light turbulence can To help reduce turbulence encounters, position at the University of Reading, be extremely distressing. @DrPaulDWilliams we have developed an award-winning we conducted some initial tests on the turbulence forecasting algorithm, which accuracy of our forecasting algorithm, NICK ARMSTRONG MA CPHYS MINSTP, WADHAM 1979–82 with promising results. At that time, is now being used operationally by the CLIMATE CHANGE Wadham’s Scottish Physics Cycle US National Weather Service. Every the US Federal Government’s goals My first-year tutor in Physics his legacy. It felt like an appropriate place for a ‘cocky’. He knew he was good but he didn’t show day, our algorithm is used in flight for aviation turbulence forecasting But there’s another chapter to this story. at Wadham made a distinct physicist to be. Very shortly after moving, my off. We both knew he could easily have put me planning by commercial and private were not being achieved, either by Turbulence also has consequences for impression on me. His name wife recounted a conversation she had had that on the spot asking me questions in class that pilots, flight dispatchers, and air-traffic automated systems or experienced the environment, by causing excessive controllers. To date, our algorithm human forecasters, but our algorithm fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. was Don Edmonds and he was day with another lady at a toddler group when I couldn’t answer but he was far too polite to Up to two-thirds of flights deviate from relaxed, friendly, approachable they were alternately sending the kids down the ever do so. He represented Britain in the World has improved the comfort, safety, and came tantalisingly close. We published WILLIAMS © PAUL our results in 2008, concluding that the most fuel-efficient altitude due to and with no distinct accent to chute (that’s what a slide is called in Scotland!) Physics Olympiad in Iceland and came 15th. I environmental impact of air travel on A patch of clear-air turbulence. This wastes fuel – up to bely his roots (unlike mine!) In the type of ‘part sentence’ conversation remember always marking his homework first billions of passenger journeys, and that ‘major improvements in clear-air turbulence in the 160 million gallons annually in the figure is growing by several million turbulence forecasting could result if jet stream over His enjoyment of physics was obvious and I with which only adults looking after kids can so that I knew I had the right answer before I passenger journeys every day. the methods presented herein become USA – and it also contributes to climate the North Atlantic remember he spent a lot of time working on identify, it was discovered that the lady was marked the rest and it was a shame, I didn’t get operational’. change through 1.5 million tonnes of Ocean, calculated cobwebs simply because he thought it was fun. Don Edmonds’ daughter. Her two older boys to find out what happened to him after Further But turbulence was not on my mind unnecessary CO2 emissions annually. At using supercomputer He had a standard saying for solving problems: attended the Academy and I got to teach them Education. when I arrived in Oxford for my MPhys It is crucial that we improve turbulence a time when we’re all concerned about simulations of the ‘Turn the handle and out pops the answer.’ I both. We loved the story. Keeping in touch with Wadham and its Alumni degree (Lincoln College, 1995–99), nor forecasts, because rough air has long lowering aviation’s carbon footprint, global atmospheric personally found it didn’t actually always work However, in my first year of teaching there, has many benefits. One of them has been that even during my graduate studies in plagued the global aviation sector. improving turbulence forecasts may circulation. for me! But at least the saying always stayed the sub-department of Atmospheric, Tens of thousands of aircraft annually be a relatively easy way to help make with me and because of it, I’ve regularly thought another student came immediately to attention. through the Wadham College Gazette, for Oceanic and Planetary Physics (Balliol encounter turbulence strong enough flying greener. about him. The A level class had some smart students in it example, I discovered that this exceptional pupil, and one in fact went on to work for NASA. It Martin Shotter, had become a Physics tutor at 1999–2003). What was occupying my to throw unsecured objects and people AT A TIME WHEN around inside the cabin. On scheduled Furthermore, climate change is expected A few years after graduating, I also switched into was another though, that stood out from the Wadham. For me, this has completed a cycle thoughts during my DPhil, supervised WE’RE ALL by Peter Read and Tom Haine, was a commercial flights involving large to make turbulence much worse in teaching and eventually moved to Edinburgh to rest – simply for being an extremely intelligent of personal connections to impressive Scottish CONCERNED physical theory for the generation of airliners, official statistics indicate that future. In particular, our published become the Head of Physics at the Edinburgh and studious young man. This didn’t make him physicists having links with Wadham. I shall gravity waves in the atmosphere. These several hundred passengers and flight projections indicate that there will be ABOUT LOWERING Academy. This school is the Alma Mater of an introvert. In fact, I remember him being very always keep in touch! waves can produce clear-air turbulence, attendants are injured every year, but we several hundred per cent more clear-air AVIATION’S James Clerk Maxwell and the school embraced good at violin as well as physics. Neither was he which is hazardous to aviation because know this is just the tip of the iceberg turbulence globally by 2050–80. The CARBON it is invisible and undetectable by on- and the real injury rate is probably in the increase occurs because climate change FOOTPRINT, strengthens the vertical wind shear in board radar. thousands. A typical airline loses 7,000 IMPROVING the jet stream at flight cruising altitudes working days annually due to flight TURBULENCE It was only several years after graduating attendants being injured by turbulence – and our recent Nature paper shows FORECASTS MAY that I set out to develop the gravity and unable to work. On smaller planes, that the shear has already increased wave theory into a practical turbulence turbulence causes around 40 fatalities by 15% in the North Atlantic region BE A RELATIVELY forecasting algorithm. I achieved this each year in the USA alone. since satellites began monitoring the EASY WAY TO by collaborating with John Knox jet stream in the 1970s. These findings HELP MAKE (University of Georgia, USA) and At its worst, turbulence can cause underline the increasingly urgent need FLYING GREENER. Don McCann (McCann Aviation structural damage to aircraft. For to develop better aviation turbulence Weather Research, Inc., USA). Our example, a plane flying over Colorado on forecasting techniques. WIKIPEDIA.ORG

22 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 23 developments of astronomy. Early seventeenth- | Department ofPhysics Newsletter |Autumn 2019 24 |Department known as trigonometric aform parallax, of distancesthe to nearby stars using atechnique century that it possible became to directly measure Savilianthe Chair. It wasn’t until nineteenth the eighteenth and nineteenth century holders of astronomy. We same the stellar see inthe focus stars’ Greek the of is, in fact, word the etymology stars and precise their law positions. ‘The the of solar system, becoming more concerned with sophistication, astronomy expanded beyond the As telescopes and astronomy grew in both his fulsome praise. Newton himself. He was not someone known for enthusiastic endorsement from no less than Isaac were of astandard enough to high attract an Wren, most the distinguished holder of Chair, this The mathematical contributions of ChristopherSir without considerable inmathematics. expertise of any influence at any interval this centuryof impossiblebeen to have an astronomer been solar system form, was taking and it would have precise the when mathematical description of the Johannes Kepler It Galilei. and Galileo was atime century astronomy was dominated by giants like S an effect wherebyan effect positionsthe of stars appear to exploitation) of aberration the of starlight. This is of light! is known Bradley for his explanation (and position measurements to determine velocity the occupantcentury of Chair, the could these use that James Bradley, adistinguished eighteenth- determined couldwith sufficient be precision coordinate position of astar on sphere celestial the as abaseline. Before however, this, change the in triangulation using Earth’s the orbital diameter PEOPLE inevitablythe reflected contemporaneous Savilianthe Chair in Astronomy have ince its inception holders in1619,the of THE SAVILIAN CHAIR SAVILIANTHE CHAIR IN ASTRONOMY IN IN MODERN TIMES Up until 1930s, astronomers the did not still offield considerable astronomical interest. spectroscopy was a mid-twentieth-century radiatedto be at different wavelengths.Solar of starlight, namely how much is seen energy field involves thestudy detailed the of spectrum prominent astronomical spectroscopists. This his successor Donald Blackwell (1960),were physics at Oxford. Plaskett, together with two years earlier, marks ascension the of solar in1932,followingpost death the of Turner The arrival of PlaskettHenry the Savilianto below Earth’s the surface. boundaries, originate which more than 300km tremors now associated with tectonic plate conceptthe of earthquakes, seismic deep-focus core. solid of an otherwise He originated also is now for known true outer to the be mantle notion of aliquid core at Earth’s the centre. This as one of the first researchers to put the forth geoscience into firmly thetwentieth century, Butcalculational methods. brought he also Oxford measurements, devising ingenious, effort-saving Savilianthe tradition of accurate stellar position an avid interest ingeophysics. Turner continued mathematics exam, and an astrophysicist with WranglerSecond inhis Cambridge Tripos Chair was held by Herbert Turner, apolymath, Crossing into twentieth the century, Savilian the of light. speed the Bradley’s an yielded accurate method value for apparent path of light the from distant the star. our instantaneous orbital velocity changes the orbitalthe displacement but of Earth, the because change sky inthe by tiny amounts, not of because STEPPING INTO THE 20TH CENTURY 20TH THE INTO STEPPING Prof Steven Balbus know, crudely, even what elements were most Penrose and Stephen Hawking that brought black together with brilliant the analyses of Roger dominates gravitational the forces of galaxies, radio waves, of X-ray ‘stars’, of dark matter that ‘Big Bang’), of pulsars, of that galaxies gush left fromover the creation the of Universe (the changed. The stunning discoveries the radiationof Chair field in1988,the of astronomy had utterly By Blackwell time the retired from Savilian the as precise elemental abundances. physical conditions atmospheres intheir as well other stars inour Galaxy, determining precise the for interpreting of Sun the spectra the and many twentieththe century, developing techniques spectroscopicthis tradition throughout most of of Universe. the Plaskett and Blackwell continued fundamental understanding of composition the of hydrogen and helium, that we owe our showed that Sun the is comprised almost entirely College (now Radcliffe part of Harvard University) inherwho remarkable thesis at 1923doctoral interpretation. It Payne-Gaposhkin, is to Celia and one when cannot, are to acorrect crucial elementof aparticular inastar’s atmosphere, ofdetails one an when atom can see actually of same the stuff Earth. Butthe the as physics conclusion drawn was that Sun the was made that are measured actually on planet. the The silicon, and common elements of Earth’s the crust same the revealed relative percentages of carbon, key to solving puzzle. this solar The spectrum study in far greater detail than any other, was Sun’sthe arepresentative spectrum, star we can abundant instars. understanding Adetailed of A NEW ERA IN ASTRONOMY IN ERA A NEW

© NASA/DANA BERRY orbiting and ingalaxies orbiting around forming broad. Ihave worked on understanding gas cool flattered anddaunted. Like Joe, my interests are George and Joe Savilian inthe Chair, Iwas both Thus,when in2012 I had a chance to follow ofbecome part lexicon. cosmological the Universe. ‘Silk damping’ and ‘Silk the mass’ have from expanding the background medium of the growth of structures able to detach and collapse radiation played role a crucial inconstraining the point out, in1968,that cosmicbackground the exotic astroparticles. Joe was first the theorist to formation, to physics the of dark matter and stars,medium the between to star and galaxy astrophysics, from nature the of gaseous the Joe’s interests spanned of almost all theoretical is!) an eminent and prolific cosmologist. But bysucceeded Joseph in1999.Joe Silk was (and Lured away by Cambridge in1997, George was Bang. Big fromgleaned study of radiation the from the interpretation of physics the of early the Universe and aleading authority to seeds, initial be inthe and superclusters of evolve galaxies from small how intricate the formation patterns of clusters his co-workers, for our current understanding of world’s leading cosmologists, responsible, with of Universe. the He would go on one to be of the computations of structure the on largest the scales in cosmology, for inparticular his masterful already had made aname for himself by his work to assume asenior chair like Savilian. the George exceptionally young age (by standards) modern In 1988 George Efstathiou an turned thirty-three, Savilian Professor for. was called prioritiesthe of astronomy. kind of new Avery holes to of life permanently –all these changed eager and engaged public occasions. on several predecessors, and to have able been to address an remarkable the review accomplishments of my Frances to have Kirwan, had an opportunity to with my dual Savilian Professor of Geometry, anniversary celebration,400th to share time this students. I am most fortunate for in post to be this of pride for college the and of inspiration for its Astronomy continue and Geometry sources to be would that like to Savilian think the both Chairs of Modesty forbids self-indulgence, further but I public imagination earlier year. this Eventthe Horizon Telescope captured which the wonderfulthe black hole image produced by computer simulations for used understanding astrophysical and objects, for basis is the the forcritical formation the of range awide of proceed. This breakdown into turbulence is itself, allowing ‘accretion’ to (as it is called) process this via through gaseous the medium angular momentum transported can be outward gas infalling turbulent,the and that excess the showed that including magnetic effects renders is much too angular momentum. John and I ultimate collapse onto central the Thereobject. a severe problem: rapid rotation prevents the a star, or into to fall ablack hole, encounters and legstightly, to form of abody gas trying skater spins rapidly she when pulls inher arms angular momentum problem. Just as afigure Hawley 1990son inthe apuzzle known as the for work that Ididwith my associate John my colleagues would me identify most closely unusual dynamicala very behaviour. Isuspect to understand whytrying Sun the displays such have worked on internal the rotation of stars, that and sits galaxies emits between X-rays. I stars, and hot, on X-ray very the emitting gas / DIBNER LIBRARY OF THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. Astronomer Royal. and in1742,hesucceeded Edmond Halleyas to theSavilian chairofastronomy at Oxford, College 1721hewas appointed in1711.In astronomer whoentered andpriest, Balliol James Bradley FRS (1693–1762) was anEnglish Savilian Professor ofAstronomy at Oxford. the Royal Society. 1661, In Wren was elected of AllSoul’s College, hewas alsofounder of physics in Wadham College, andlater fellow in history. Educated inLatin andAristotelian the mosthighlyacclaimed Englisharchitects mathematician-physicist, aswell asoneof was anEnglishanatomist, astronomer and Sir Christopher Wren PRSFRS(1632–1723) at Oxfordand ofGeometry University. He endowed theSavilian ChairsofAstronomy College, Oxford,Merton andProvost ofEton. English scholarandmathematician, Warden of L–R: Savile (1549–1622)was an SirHenry 2119. More’s pity. the anniversary celebrations of Savilian the Chairs in Frances nor present be Ishall to enjoy 500th the of Universe, the geometry spacetime neither as yet acquired to be ability to alter local the exciting year. My one regret is that, barring an encouragement and sage advice throughout this Magdalen respectively, Colleges for your generous Green, Fellow the Librarians of New and Thank you much, so Will Poole and Daryl WALLPAPER: SHUTTERSTOCK/ANTONIO-I. FOUNDATION BASED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. RIGHT: WIKIMEDIA WEBSITE OPERATED BY WELLCOME TRUST, A GLOBAL CHARITABLE THE YOUNGER. CENTRE: WIKIMEDIA / WELLCOME IMAGES, A IMAGES: LEFT: WIKIMEDIA / MANNER OF MARCUS GHEERAERTS PERMISSION OF COLLEGE NEW LIBRARY. COLLEGE, OXFORD: ON THE QUATERCENTENARY OF THE SAVILIAN SAVILIAN THE OF QUATERCENTENARY THE ON OXFORD: COLLEGE, THIS PIECE APPEARED IN PROFESSORSHIPS, 1619–2019 PROFESSORSHIPS, Department of Physics Newsletter |Autumn 2019| 25 Department GEOMETRY AND ASTRONOMY IN NEW NEW IN ASTRONOMY AND GEOMETRY (NEW COLLEGE, (NEW 2019). WITH THE PEOPLE DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS DEPARTMENT NEWS & EVENTS

We are often asked about new books written by members of the Department. BOOKS BY OUR Here is a compilationProfessor Alexei of Leporc, Curator of Professor Martin Bureau, Professor some Westernof them… European Art, Hermitage of Astrophysics, Wadham College, Museum, St Petersburg University of Oxford ACADEMICSWINTER IN ST PETERSBURG: Alexei was Professor of 15th-20th Century NORWAY’S WINTER SKIES: Previously a NASA Hubble Fellow at Columbia West European Art and Architecture at St University, Martin’s research centres on the Space: 10 Things You Statistics for nuclear and ModernPetersburg Classical Optics European University (1999-2006) formation and evolution of galaxies Should Know DAZZLINGparticle ART physicists TREASURES PROF GEOFFREY BROOKER ASTRONOMY SAILING TRIP DR BECKY SMETHURST PROF LOUIS LYONS Oxford Universityy PressVisit the Hermitage to view its glittering y Explore the skies of Norway’s beautiful Orion and Seven Dials Cambridge University Press A title in OUP’sand Master gilded Series, rooms and its unrivalled coastline, with the opportunity to Ten captivating, simple essays Practical statistics techniques aimed at the fourthcollection year of MPhys European and Russian art witness the Northern Lights that guide you swiftly through that are used in data analyses course. the galaxies, explaining the in particle and nuclear physics, y Immerse yourself in a ballet or opera in y Discover Norway's coastal islands, mysteries of black holes, dark and other nearby fields (eg useful distributions; Science andone Humanity of Europe’s – a grandest theatres mountains, fishing villages, cities, glaciers matter and what existed before the Big Bang. parameter fitting; hypotheses testing; Monte and cliffs Humaney PhilosophyRelax in an of excellently Science located hotel only Presenting the evidence as to whether we Carlo simulation etc). and Religion really are alone, illuminating what we still don’t a few minutes walk from the city’s main y Disembark for an overnight stay at the PROF ANDREWsights STEANE including the Palace Square, the Snowhotel Kirkenes and a dog sledding know, and much more besides. A Practical Guide to Data Oxford University PressHermitage and Saint Isaac’s Cathedral excursion youtube.com/drbecky Analysis for Physical Science Reconfigures the public Students understandingy Visit of sciencethe stunning by Fabergé Museum y Enjoy a series of lectures from Professor @drbecky_s @drbecky_ PROF LOUIS LYONS Martin Bureau including Big Toys: Light bringingy in mainstreamEnjoy a day philosophy excursion of to science. Tsarkoye Selo, Cambridge University Press and Telescopes, The Dark Side of the the spectacular town of Imperial Palaces The Crowd and the Cosmos Explaining to first year Force: Dark Energy and Dark Matters, Galperin and Read and Galperin Zonal Jets – Phenomenology,Recent developments in many subjects – atmospheric science, outsideoceanography, planetaryof science, geophysical St fluid dynamics, plasma Petersburg, and to the physics, magnetohydrodynamics, turbulence theory – have exposed the importance of flows combining anisotropic turbulence, zonal jets and currents, and dispersive waves. Since there exist many different types of PROF CHRIS LINTOTT undergraduates how to waves, the interactions between turbulence and waves take place practically Location, Location, Location: Galaxies on all scales. On large and planetary scales this interaction leads to the Zonal Jets Genesis and Physicsphenomenon of ‘zonation’, resulting in the formation of coherent, alternating east-west currents that can stretch over long distances and persist for a long Phenomenology, Genesis, and Physics Peter andtime. Such zonal jets are well known on thePaul giant planets (such as Jupiter) Fortress and Yussopev and recently, with the help of satellites and computer simulations, similar jets have been discovered in the Earth’s oceans. Physically similar phenomena Edited by Boris Galperin and Peter L. Read of zonal flows also occur in magnetized plasmas which may have practical calculate uncertainties implications for the design of plasma containment systems. Jets Zonal and Intergalactic Real Estate

In recent decades, great progress has been made in our understanding of Oxford University Press PROF PETER READ [EDS.zonal jets, but communication betweenBORIS researchers from different fields has Palacebeen weak or non-existent. Even the terminology in different fields may be so disparate that researchers working on similar problems do not understand each other. This comprehensive, multidisciplinary volume will break cross- disciplinary barriers and aid the advancement of the subject. It presents a on measured physical quantities; and state-of-the-art summary of all relevant branches of the physics of zonal jets, from the leading experts. The phenomena and concepts are introduced GALPERIN & PETER READ]at a level accessible to beginning graduate students and researchers from Find out how you can help understanding straight line fitting. Also different fields. The book also includes a very extensive bibliography. y Choose from a selection of carefully astronomers find planets – and Cambridge Universityy Extend Press your visit to include a high Cover image: from a painting ‘Jovian storms’, available in Japanese. © Iakov Afanassiev. curated optional excursions speed Covertrain designed by Hart McLeod Ltd ride and a three day visit to count penguins. Everything you wanted to know Moscow y Relax on the MS Nordnorge, with its Requests for talks via: about zonal jets in atmospheres, All you wanted to know crowdandcosmos.com oceans, planetary interiors and magnetised Arctic-inspired interior about mathematics but plasmas, in nature and the laboratory, but were @chrislintott were afraid to ask afraid to ask! 23 February — PROF LOUIS LYONS 28 February 2020 24 March — Handbook of Laser Cambridge University Press 31 March 2020 Presenting Science: From £2,060 A practical per person Technology & Applications 2 Volumes. Explaining the guide to giving a good talk ED: PROF COLIN E WEBB MBE FRS From £2,336 per person with flights mathematical techniques PROFS ÇIGDEM IŞSEVER AND AND JULIAN JONES that form part of first and second year KEN PEACH Originally published by the Institute of Physics undergraduate courses in Physics, Engineering, Distant Horizons Oxford University Press Hurtigruten Press, but now available from CRC Taylor Chemistry etc. +44 (0) 151 6253425 and Francis ‘Giving a talk’ is one of the most important ways in which we communicate +44 (0) 208 8462633 Three-volume set: Laser Components, Trinity – The Treachery and [email protected] our research, and this book covers everything [email protected] Properties, and Basic Principles. Pursuit of the Most from a ten-minute briefing to a handful of Dangerous Spy in History colleagues, to a keynote address to a major Jet Stream: A Journey through PROF FRANK CLOSE international conference, with the aim of our Changing Climate4 Allen Lane getting the message across. 5 DR TIM WOOLINGS The story of Oxford Professor Oxford University Press Rudolf Peierls (father of the Exploring the Planets – atomic bomb), his intellectual A Memoir A fascinating introduction to the Do you have a photo from your Would you like to host an event Congratulations to all our colleagues jet stream, providing insight into son, the atom spy Klaus Fuchs, and the ghosts PROF FRED TAYLOR who were recognised in the 2019 Vice of the security services trying to decide which for physics alumni? how it affects our weather, and Oxford University Press time in Oxford? Chancellor’s Public Engagement with how it relates to extreme weather events. of them was the spy. Also gives the science A story or anecdote that you It could be a drinks reception or dinner, a behind what Fuchs passed to the Russians. Personal history and anecdotes of Research Awards. Prof Alan Barr (@ @TimWoollings a career mainly in Oxford Physics, visit to your company for a small or large higgshunters) in collaboration with Prof @closefrank would like to share? 1966 to 2016. group… the possibilities are endless. The alumni office is making the archives Chris Lintott (@chrislintott ); Dr Becky Please get in touch for an informal Laser Physics more accessible and interactive. Send Smethurst (@drbecky_) and Dr Sam Henry The Future of Fusion Energy conversation, we’d love to hear from you! PROFS COLIN WEBB & SIMON Quantum Physics: An your contributions, no matter how big or (@7vdj). HOOKER PROF JUSTIN BALL & JASON PARISI Introduction Based on Photons small, to Val Crowder, Alumni Officer: Email Val Crowder, Alumni Officer: World Scientific Europe PROF ALEXANDER LVOVSKY Oxford University Press [email protected] [email protected] An undergraduate and first Popular science book that helps Springer general public and scientists to year graduate text book on An undergraduate textbook understand the past, present Laser Physics, part of the Oxford that teaches quantum physics and future of fusion energy REGISTER FOR ALUMNI NEWS & EVENT UPDATES AT Master Series in Atomic, Optical, and in a ‘reverse’ way: first entanglement, then research. Laser Physics. @JB_Fusion wavefunctions. Now also published in Russian. www.physics.ox.ac.uk/alumni/connect

26 | Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 Department of Physics Newsletter | Autumn 2019 | 27 PEOPLE COMINGS, GOINGS & AWARDS... COMINGS... Prof Achillefs Kapanidis and Mr Bo Jing (Condensed Name Position Department Matter Physics) have Prof David Alonso Associate Professor Astrophysics been named as BBSRC’s Dr James Kariuki Mechanical Design Engineer Central Physics Innovator of the year 2019 – an award celebrating GOINGS... excellent research which demonstrates impact. Read Name Position Department more about the award: Mr Kirk Arndt Silicon Detector Development Engineer Particle Physics https://oni.bio/ Mr Neil Clifford Senior Systems Manager Central Physics Dr Kerri Donaldson Hanna UKSA Fellow AOPP The Galaxy Zoo Team (Astrophysics) was Dr Rick Hamilton Senior Research Assistant CMP awarded the 2019 Royal Astronomical Prof Cigdem Issever Physics Senior Lecturer Particle Physics Society Award for Group Achievement, for contributing significantly to our Mr Kashif Mohammad Linux Systems Manager Particle Physics knowledge of the formation and evolution Mrs Louise Sumner Head of Student Administration Central Physics of galaxies, through strong commitment to Prof Laure Zanna Associate Professor of Physical Climate Science AOPP collaboration with members of the public.

AWARDS...

Prof Katherine Blundell OBE (Astrophysics) was Dr Xianguo Lu (Particle Physics) was awarded the 2019 appointed Gresham Professor of Astronomy. In this STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship, to undertake capacity, Prof Blundell will continue the 421-year-old research on Neutrino interactions in the GeV regime. tradition of delivering free lectures aimed at the public within the City of London and beyond. www.gresham. ac.uk/professorships/astronomy-professorship.

Dr Megan Engel was awarded the Schmidt Science Prof Ian Shipsey (Particle Physics; Henry Moseley Fellowship. Megan aims to gain expertise in machine Centenary Professor of Physics and HOD) was awarded learning techniques to build algorithms that can map the Institute of Physics 2019 Chadwick Medal and Prize the self-assembly process with unprecedented for his elucidation of the physics of heavy quarks, the accuracy. More information about the fellowship can development of the enabling instrumentation, and be found here: schmidtsciencefellows.org. leadership of scientific collaborations.

Dr Roger Johnson (Quantum Materials/Condensed Prof Alexander Schekochihin has been awarded the Matter Physics) was awarded the BTM Willis prize for Institute of Physics 2019 Cecelia Payne-Gaposchkin his work on the understanding of magnetic and Medal and Prize for elucidating the dynamics that magnetoelectric phenomena achieved through regulate the properties of turbulent, magnetised state-of-the-art structural studies of complex laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. crystalline solids. The prize is jointly awarded by the IoP and the RSC to an early career researcher.

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We hope you enjoyed reading this issue of the Physics Department’s Newsletter. To contact the Newsletter editor, Prof Dimitra Rigopoulou, please email [email protected]. For latest news on developments at the Oxford Physics Department, see www.physics.ox.ac.uk. To contact the alumni office, email [email protected]. For events and lectures, www.physics.ox.ac.uk/events.

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