The Sonoma State University
Department of Physics and Astronomy

presents a series of lectures, demonstrations, and films

WHAT PHYSICISTS DO

Physics is what physicists do late at night

THE SECOND DECADE, 1981-1990
9 FEB 1981IMAGING WITH THE ACOUSTIC MICROSCOPE
Dr. Calvin Quate of Stanford University will discuss microscopic imaging using acoustic waves.
23 FEB 1981HEAVY ION INERTIAL FUSION
Dr. Andrew M. Sessler of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the physics of one of the few ways which potentially could lead to an unlimited energy source.
2 MAR 1981SUB-MICRON LITHOGRAPHY
Doug Gray of the Hewlett-Packard Company, Santa Rosa, will discuss current and proposed methods for the replication of micron and sub-micron geometries for semiconductor devices and integrated circuits using optics, electron beams, and x-rays.
9 MAR 1981TOWARD A PRACTICAL X-RAY MICROSCOPE
Dr. John Dunning of Sonoma State University will describe synchrotron radiation and attempts to use radiation from the SPEAR storage ring at Stanford in an element sensitive x-ray microscope.
16 MAR 1981HOW GALAXIES ROTATE
Dr. Vera C. Rubin of the Carnegie Institution of Washington will describe the very systematic way in which stars move in galaxies.
23 MAR 1981THE SATURN SYSTEM AS SEEN BY VOYAGER I
Dr. Jeffrey N. Cuzzi of NASA Ames Research Center will present images of Saturn, its rings, and its satellites as seen by the Voyager spacecraft and discuss principal scientific results of the mission.
30 MAR 1981BE AND SHELL STARS
Stephanie Snedden of Sonoma State University will discuss properties of stars with extended atmospheres and present recent results of observations of 28 Cygni.
6 APR 1981TUNABLE VISIBLE AND ULTRAVIOLET LASER LIGHT: GETTING THERE FROM THE INFRARED
Dr. Isaac L. Bass of Quanta Ray, Inc. will discuss some of the techniques used in commercial instruments to generate tunable, high power laser light.
20 APR 1981ASSESSMENTS OF TOMORROW'S ENERGY: A NEW VENTURE FOR PHYSICISTS
Dr. Will Siri of the Lawrence Berkeley will discuss the role of physicists in the analysis of alternate energy futures.
27 APR 1981EROSION OF THE EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD
Dr. Richard Karas of Sonoma State University will describe a recent experiment which demonstrates the rapid erosion of the earth's dayside magnetic field lines caused by a sudden southward turn of the interplanetary magnetic field.
4 MAY 1981OPTICAL LEVITATION
Keith Soreng of Sonoma State University will discuss experiments performed at Sonoma State on laser levitation of silicone oil drops.
11 MAY 1981 SOLAR ENERGY CAPTURE AND STORAGE BY WATER SPLITTING
Dr. Melvin Calvin of the University of California, Berkeley will talk about the physics and chemistry of quantum conversion with synthetic chloroplasts.
14 SEP 1981SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF RECENT COMETS
Dr. Hyron Spinrad of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss quantitative measurements of the atomic and molecular fragments spectroscopically observable in Comets Encke, Stephan-Oterma, and Tuttle.
21 SEP 1981THE FIRST GREAT UNIFICATION IN PHYSICS
Dr. C. W. Francis Everitt of Stanford University will describe the process that led up to the unification of electricity, magnetism, and optics achieved between 1861 and 1865 by James Clerk Maxwell.
28 SEP 1981 THE UNITY OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC AND WEAK NUCLEAR FORCES
Dr. Michael Chanowitz of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will describe recent theoretical developments in elementary particle physics which suggest that electromagnetism and the weak nuclear force are actually aspects of a single underlying force.
5 OCT 1981GASES IN SOLIDS
Keith Brister of Sonoma State University will describe thermal dissorption spectrometry experiments he performed as a summer research participant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
12 OCT 1981GRAND UNIFICATION THEORIES
Dr. Helen R. Quinn of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center will describe current efforts towards grand unification in particle physics theories.
19 OCT 1981 THE CRISIS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: IT'S HERE NOW
Dr. Wilson K. Talley of the University of California, Davis and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will describe those trends that have led to the United States becoming a net importer of technology.
26 OCT 1981THE SOUND OF CHAOS
Dr. Bernardo Huberman of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and Stanford University will describe recent work on chaotic behavior of simple dynamical systems with applications to solid state turbulence.
2 NOV 1981THE VOYAGER EXPLORATION OF SATURN
Dr. David Morrison of the University of Hawaii will discuss the new discoveries concerning Saturn, its rings, and satellites and will compare the Saturnian and Jovian systems.
9 NOV 1981ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
Dr. Donald E. Osterbrock of the Lick Observatory will describe his research on Seyfert galaxies, radio galaxies, and quasars.
16 NOV 1981 ADVANCED BATTERIES: A STEP TOWARD ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Dr. Elton J. Cairns of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley will discuss how recent results of electrochemical research and development provide some new battery options.
23 NOV 1981RESONANT COLLISIONS BETWEEN RYDBERG ATOMS
Dr. Thomas F. Gallagher of SRI International will discuss the properties of highly excited atoms and recent experiments to study resonant collisions of Rydberg atoms.
30 NOV 1981 HOT AND CHILLED WATER STORAGE IN UNDERGROUND FORMATIONS
Dr. Chin-Fu Tsang of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the physical process underlying a seasonal thermal energy storage system.
8 FEB 1982 DO STATES MATTER? PHASE TRANSITIONS IN TWO AND THREE DIMENSIONS
Dr. Douglas Henderson of the IBM Research Laboratory in San Jose will describe theories and computer simulations of the states of matter and phase transitions in bulk and interfacial materials.
22 FEB 1982SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION: GALLIUM ARSENIDE AND SILICON
Dr. Len Forbes of the University of California, Davis will describe four techniques—ELTS, photo-Hall, C-V lifetime, and FTIR—and their applications.
1 MAR 1982SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIALS
Dr. A. C. Lawson of Pomona College will discuss how physicists search for superconducting materials—and why.
8 MAR 1982X-RAY BURSTS AND THE EDDINGTON LIMIT
Dr. Lynn Cominsky of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss observations of x-ray bursts and describe how they can be used to determine the characteristics of some interesting objects in the galaxy.
15 MAR 1982COSMOLOGY AND PARTICLE PHYSICS
Dr. Mary K. Gaillard of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss the early universe in light of recent developments in particle physics.
22 MAR 1982TO SEE WITHIN
Dr. Dennis L. Parker of the University of California, San Francisco and Sonoma State University will describe two techniques of medical physics: computerized tomography (CT) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR).
29 MAR 1982METEORITES: MESSENGERS FROM SPACE
Ronald A. Oriti of Santa Rosa Junior College will discuss meteors, meteorites, asteroids, and comets, and how they are related.
12 APR 1982RIDING A BICYCLE WITHOUT HANDS
Dr. John V. Breakwell of Stanford University will discuss the stability of a bicycle.
19 APR 1982MACHINE INTELLIGENCE AND ROBOTICS
Dr. Charles A. Rosen of Machine Intelligence Company, Sunnyvale, will discuss the application of machine intelligence to programmable automation.
26 APR 1982THINKING PHYSICS
Dr. Lewis Epstein of City College of San Francisco will present some new ways of looking at old things.
3 MAY 1982MODELING FLUID FLOW
Muriel Ishikawa of NASA Ames Research Center and Stanford University will discuss computational fluid dynamic simulations.
10 MAY 1982PHOTOACOUSTIC SPECTROSCOPY
Dr. Nabil M. Amer of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss a new tool for determining properties of amorphous photovoltaic materials and for remote sensing of pollutants.
20 SEP 1982THE LARGE SCALE UNIVERSE
Dr. Marc Davis of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss recent results from redshift surveys of galaxies which provide detailed information on the large scale structure of the universe.
27 SEP 1982 CONTROLLED THERMONUCLEAR FUSION: DOING IT WITH MIRRORS
Dr. Robert R. Borchers of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss the present status and prospects of the magnetic fusion energy program.
4 OCT 1982DEEP IMPURITIES IN SEMICONDUCTORS
Dr. Saeid Rahimi of Sonoma State University will discuss theoretical and experimental means of identification of impurities and defects in semiconductors.
11 OCT 1982 SURFACE PHYSICS ENLIGHTENED BY SYNCHROTRON RADIATION
Dr. Stig B. M. Hagström of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center and Stanford University will discuss modern techniques for the study of surfaces and their applications in modern electronics.
18 OCT 1982 PROBING MOLECULAR CLOUDS WITH RADIO INTERFEROMETERS
Stuart Vogel of the University of California, Berkeley will introduce techniques of mapping with radio interferometers and describe observations of star-formation regions with the Very Large Array and the Hat Creek Radio Observatory.
25 OCT 1982 IN SEARCH OF THE MAGNETIC MONOPOLE
Dr. Michael Taber of Stanford University will describe the use of superconducting devices to detect moving magnetic monopoles.
1 NOV 1982 SPECTROSCOPY IN A NEW LIGHT
Dr. Arthur L. Schawlow of Stanford University, co-winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physics, will describe how-with intense,directional, and monochromatic light from lasers-it is possible to detect single atoms, to resolve hidden details of spectra, and to make measurements of unprecedented precision.
8 NOV 1982MOLTEN CARBONATE FUEL CELLS
Geoffrey A. Wilson of Sonoma State University and Argonne National Laboratory will describe mathematical models used to predict current yields from fuel cells using gasified coal as fuel.
15 NOV 1982THE SEARCH FOR HIGH DENSITY NUCLEAR MATTER
Dr. John Harris of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss current experiments in high energy nucleus-nucleus collisions used to search for high density nuclear matter.
22 NOV 1982 INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL: POSSIBILITIES AND TECHNIQUES
Dr. Gordon G. Spear of Sonoma State University will discuss the differences between interplanetary and interstellar travel and will outline several possible technologies for reaching the stars.
29 NOV 1982 ARTHUR STANLEY EDDINGTON
Dr. Joseph S. Tenn of Sonoma State University will celebrate the centennial of one of the pioneers of astrophysics by describing some of Eddington's contributions to the theories of galactic structure, stellar structure and evolution, and cosmology.
6 DEC 1982 LIQUID CRYSTALS: APPLICATIONS TO ELECTRONICS AND LIFE
Dr. Frederick J. Kahn of Hewlett-Packard Laboratories, Palo Alto, will describe the properties of liquid crystals underlying such diverse applications as television and computer displays,non-destructive testing, and biological systems.
7 FEB 1983GRAVITINOS AND THE CLUMPY UNIVERSE
Dr. George R. Blumenthal of the University of California, Santa Cruz will discuss models of the early universe and the role of particle physics in explaining galaxy formation.
14 FEB 1983X-RAY OBSERVATIONS OF THE SOLAR CORONA
Dr. William A. Brown of the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory will describe current x-ray and ultraviolet observations of the solar atmosphere with emphasis on recent sounding rocket observations of a solar flare.
28 FEB 1983THREE DECADES IN FIBER OPTICS
Dr. Narinder Kapany of Kaptron, Inc. and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development, University of California, Santa Cruz, will describe the history, basic principles, and current applications of fiber optics.
7 MAR 1983CREATING NEW STATES OF MATTER
Dr. Lee S. Schroeder of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss current experiments using high energy nuclear beams which are aimed at creating new states of matter-perhaps quark matter-at high energy and particle densities.
14 MAR 1983THE MILLISECOND PULSAR
Dr. Donald C. Backer of the University of California, Berkeley will recount the discovery of a radio pulsar spinning 642 times per second.
21 MAR 1983THE STANFORD ARTIFICIAL EAR PROJECT
Dr. Robert L. White of Stanford University will describe the status of a project directed at developing an artificial implantable ear based on the principle of direct electrical stimulation of the auditory nerve.
4 APR 1983 PIXE: FROM AIR POLLUTION TO THE GUTENBERG BIBLE
Dr. Robert A. Eldred of the University of California, Davis will describe the use of particle induced x-ray emission for analysis of air pollution in the national parks and for matching of inks in old manuscripts.
11 APR 1983 PREDICTING PROPERTIES OF SOLIDS
Dr. Marvin L. Cohen of the University of California, Berkeley will describe how it is possible to explain many of the observed properties of solids using only quantum mechanics.
18 APR 1983 ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: A PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Dr. Johan de Kleer of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center will discuss causality, quantitative reasoning, and physics problem solving.
25 APR 1983 ROUTES TO CHAOS
Dr. Alan M. Portis of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss the interpretation of current experiments on the transition from smooth and ordered to turbulent and disordered dynamical behavior in ferromagnetic resonance.
2 MAY 1983 FUNDAMENTALS OF SOLAR CELLS
Dr. Richard H. Bube of Stanford University will discuss the basic principles involved in the conversion of solar energy into electricity using semiconductor junctions.
9 MAY 1983 INDOOR RADIATION EXPOSURES: POTENTIAL INCREASES FROM CONSERVING ENERGY IN BUILDINGS
Dr. Anthony V. Nero, Jr. of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the influence of various factors on the concentration of indoor air pollutants, emphasizing radon-222 and its decay products— naturally occurring radionuclides in the air we breathe.
12 SEP 1983COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN OF MICROWAVE CIRCUITS
Holly Wallace of Sonoma State University will describe work she performed in the accelerator physics group of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center as a student summer intern.
19 SEP 1983THE NEW TRANSISTORS
Dr. Duncan E. Poland of Sonoma State University will explain how the development of devices involving new physical mechanisms to produce the transistor action offer the possibilities of greater speed and higher densities for integrated circuits.
26 SEP 1983INFRARED ASTRONOMY IN THE EIGHTIES
Dr. Palmer Dyal of NASA Ames Research Center will discuss the Infrared Astronomy Satellite and plans for the next generation of space infrared facilities.
3 OCT 1983MICRO-MINIATURE REFRIGERATORS
Dr. William A. Little of Stanford University will describe the recent development of computer chip— like micro— miniature refrigerators-devices which are finding widespread use in instruments for simple cooling.
10 OCT 1983NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL
Dr. John A. Jungerman of the University of California, Davis and clinical psychologist Nancy K. Jungerman will discuss the physical and psychological effects of the nuclear arms race.
17 OCT 1983 RADIOACTIVITY, FLEETING BEAUTY, AND THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH
Dr. John A. Jaros of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center will discuss the measurement of the lifetime of mesons containing the beauty quark and what it implies about the as-yet-undiscovered truth quark.
24 OCT 1983 SHEDDING NEW LIGHT ON FLAMES WITH LASERS
Dr. John E. M. Goldsmith of Sandia National Laboratories will describe applications of laser spectroscopy for combustion diagnostics.
31 OCT 1983THE AGE OF THE UNIVERSE
Dr. Allan Sandage of the Mount Wilson and Las Campanas Observatories will review the thirty year search for the Hubble Constant.
7 NOV 1983 ANALYTICAL ELECTRON MICROSCOPY IN MATERIALS SCIENCE
Dr. Ignatius Y. Chan of Chevron Research Company will explain how information from the microscopic level can be related to the macroscopic behavior of materials.
14 NOV 1983TELLING ABOUT SCIENCE
Judith Goldhaber, science writer and editor at the University of California Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, will discuss writing about science from the perspective of over twenty years in the field.
21 NOV 1983THREE DECADES IN FIBER OPTICS
Dr. Narinder Kapany of Kaptron, Inc. and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development, University of California, Santa Cruz will describe the history, basic principles, and current applications of fiber optics.
28 NOV 1983SPACE SHUTTLE AND SECONDARY PAYLOADS
William F. Cabral of Martin Marietta will describe on-orbit fluid transfer and placing small scientific experiments in space.
5 DEC 1983RADIO EXPLORATION OF THE SATURN SYSTEM
Dr. Von Eshleman of Stanford University will discuss Voyager measurements of the rings of Saturn and the atmosphere of Titan.
6 FEB 1984PICTURING FLUID FLOW
Dr. Milton Van Dyke of Stanford University will discuss the motion of liquids and gases with illustrative photographs colected from around the world.
13 FEB 1984 TAKING THE EARTH'S TEMPERATURE WITH BLACKBODY RADIATION
Dr. Nancy Kerr Del Grande of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will explain how a precise application of Planck's law has increased accuracy of temperature mapping tenfold, leading to new exploration techniques in geology and archaeology.
27 FEB 1984RENAISSANCE OF THE LIGHTQUANTUM
Dr. Bruce R. Wheaton of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss one of the major issues involved in the rejection of deterministic theory in early twentieth century physics.
5 MAR 1984 HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF HIGH SCHOOL PHYSICS TEACHING?
Arthur V. Farmer, presidential-award-winning physics teacher at Gunn High School, Palo Alto, will discuss his innovative teaching techniques.
12 MAR 1984 ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS ON VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINALS
Paul LeFebvre of Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. and Sonoma State University will discuss the design and the need for coatings to reduce ambient glare on computer terminals.
19 MAR 1984 PROCESSING AND DISPLAY OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL DATA
Eugene F. Pischel of Lockheed Missiles and Space Company will review classical and new-generation stereo displays with emphasis on digital imagery.
26 MAR 1984CLIMATIC CHANGE ON THE EARTH AND ITS NEIGHBORS
Dr. James B. Pollack of NASA Ames Research Center will describe how the climates of Earth, Venus, and Mars have been affected by evolution of the planets' atmospheres.
2 APR 1984SURFACE ACOUSTIC WAVE DEVICES
Dr. Robert Bray of Hewlett-Packard Company, Santa Rosa, will discuss the design and measurement of devices for instrument frequency control and filtering applications.
9 APR 1984XEROGRAPHIC IMAGING AND ITS USES
Gary K. Starkweather of Xerox Palo Alto Resaearch Center will describe how the xerographic process works and how laser printing is implemented.
23 APR 1984SUPERCONDUCTIVITY, PENDULA, AND CHAOS
Dr. M.R. Beasley of Stanford University discuss how the practical and the profound meet in the study of superconducting devices, and, along the way, will explain how the three concepts in the title are related.
30 APR 1984 SEMICONDUCTOR RESEARCH AT THE CENTER FOR ADVANCED MATERIALS
Dr. Eugene E. Haller of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley will describe the scientific programs of the CAM with emphasis on the semiconductor program.
7 MAY 1984 THE BIRTH OF STARS
Dr. Martin Cohen of the University of California, Berkeley and NASA Ames Research Center will describe radio, optical, and infrared observations that illustrate the surprising behavior of stars in formation.
14 MAY 1984PARTICLES WITH HIDDEN AND NAKED CHARM
Dr. Gerson Goldhaber of the University of California, Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the discovery of psion spectroscopy and the charmed particles, anbd how they relate to the quark model.
17 SEP 1984THE INFRARED UNIVERSE: IRAS DISCOVERIES AND THE PROMISE OF SIRTF
Dr. Michael Werner of NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field will describe the astronomical discoveries made by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) and will explain how some of these discoveries will be examined in greater detail with the more ambitious Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) planned for the 1990's.
24 SEP 1984DEEP LEVEL DEFECTS IN SEMICONDUCTORS
Dr. Eicke Weber, Materials Science and Mineral Engineering professor at University of California, Berkeley, will describe which kind of semiconductor imperfections create deep level defects capable of strongly influencing the performance of a semiconductor device.
1 OCT 1984 A PHYSICIST IN YELLOWSTONE WITH A MASS SPECTROMETER
Dr. John Reynolds of University of California, Berkeley Physics Department, will describe his use of a mobile mass spectrometer to study noble gasses of hydrothermal fluids in the Yellowstone Caldera.
8 OCT 1984 NEW IDEAS IN ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS
Dr. Orlando Alvarez of University of California, Berkeley Physics Department will suggest some answers to the question, Are all the forces of nature really the same force?
15 OCT 1984 ION BEAM ANALYSIS OF SILICON INTERFACE STRUCTURES
Dr. Nathan Cheung, Professor of Electrical Engineering at University of California, Berkeley will describe how ion beams may be used to explore the interfaces of silicon with metals, oxides and other semiconductors.
22 OCT 1984 HOLOGRAPHY AND THE LASER ARTS
Nancy Gorglione, 1984-85 Artist-in-Residence for the California Arts Council, will discuss technical and practical aspects of silver-halide holography including aesthetic and philosophical implications of the use of lasers.
29 OCT 1984 GLOBULAR CLUSTERS: THE OLDEST STARS
Dr. Catherine Pilachowski of Kitt Peak National Observatory will discuss the history of globular clusters and what they have taught us about the evolution of stars and about the origins of the Milky Way Galaxy.
5 NOV 1984 COLLECTIVE COMPUTATION AND SELF REPAIR
Dr. Bernardo A. Huberman of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center will describe a machine composed of layers of connected automata which can be used to learn and reorganize characters.
12 NOV 1984 NOVEL ELECTRONIC CONDUCTION IN LOW DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS
Dr. Alex Zettl of University of California, Berkeley Physics Department will describe the only known collective mode transport mechanism other than superconductivity.
19 NOV 1984SCANNING TUNNELING MICROSCOPY
Dr. David Abraham of University of California, Berkeley Physics Department will describe a nondestructive surface imaging technique with atomic resolution.
26 NOV 1984STEAMBOAT WAVES
Dr. Lewis Epstein of San Francisco City College Department of Physics will discuss the behavior of the V shaped wakes created by supersonic and subsonic projectiles such as airplanes, bullets and steamboats.
3 DEC 1984 THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 10-METER TELESCOPE PROJECT
Dr. Robert Kraft, director of Lick Observatory, will describe the status of the University of California project to construct a new generation giant optical telescope with an aperture of 10 meters.
11 FEB 1985 NUCLEAR WEAPONS: OFFENSIVE, DEFENSIVE, OR NONE-OF-THE-ABOVE
Dr. Charles Schwartz of the Department of Physics at the University of California, Berkeley will address the non-technical aspects of the controversies but aspects pertinent to the work of physicists.
25 FEB 1985 THE STRATEGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE
Dr. Gerald P. Kiernan of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, will describe the scientific and technological issues underpinning the proposed space weapons initiative.
4 MAR 1985 DOPPLER IMAGING THE SURFACES OF STARS
Dr. Steven S. Vogt of the Department of Astronomy at University of California, Santa Cruz and Lick Observatory will describe a method developed for obtaining resolved images of spotted stars from their spectra and discoveries about the nature of starspots.and stellar activity.
11 MAR 1985 SOFT X-RAY LASER EXPERIMENT
Dr. Dennis Matthews of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, will describe experiments which demonstrate a soft x-ray laser
18 MAR 1985 ELECTRONIC AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF TRANSITION METAL ALLOYS, SURFACES, AND OVERLAYERS
Mr. Randy Victora, Department of Physics Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley will describe some unusual computational results suggesting broken spatial symmetry and extremely high spin polarization for transition metals.
25 MAR 1985 SEMI-INSULATING GaAs MATERIAL: PHYSICS IN APPLICATION
Dr. Fau Ching Wang of Hewlett-Packard's Santa Rosa Microwave Technology Division will discuss the physics of gallium arsenide materials and the limitations implied for discrete and integrated circuit devices.
8 APR 1985 CHAOS IN SUPERFLUID HELIUM AND AT LOS ALAMOS
Mr. Richard Montgomery, Department of Mathematics Ph.D. candidate at the University of California, Berkeley, will discuss experimental and theoretical results of chaotic behavior in the magnetization of superfluid helium. Also he will discuss some of his experiences while visiting Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory.
15 APR 1985 METAL CLUSTERS: A NEW PERIODIC SYSTEM
Dr. Walter Knight of the Department of Physics at University of California, Berkeley will describe how clusters of metal atoms show periodic structure in their stability and electronic properties.
22 APR 1985 LEFT-HANDED FORCES AND PARTICLES
Dr. John Carr of the Department of Physics HIgh Energy Physics Group at University of Colorado, Boulder will discuss experiments studying the basic left-right asymmetry of some natural phenomena.
29 APR 1985 DUPER AND SUPER-DUPER FAST RELAXATION OF CARRIERS IN GaAs AND RELATED SEMICONDUCTORS
Dr. David Erskine of the Department of Physics at University of California, Berkeley will discuss measurement of scattering times of carriers in semiconductors using optical pulses of 100-femtosecond duration.
6 MAY 1985 SETI: PLANS AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE MICROWAVE OBSERVING PROGRAM
Dr. Jill Tarter of the Department of Space Science at University of California, Berkeley and NASA Ames Research Center will describe prototype instrumentation and the ongoing field testing to learn how to conduct a systematic search for extraterrestrial life.
13 MAY 1985 EXPERIMENTS ON ROTATING SUPERFLUID 3HE: WHAT'S NEW NEAR ABSOLUTE ZERO?
Dr. Richard Packard, post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Physics at University of California, Berkeley, will describe how an AC gyroscope has been used to detect superfluid persistent currents in 3He.
16 SEP 1985THE ASTEROID AND THE DINOSAUR
Ms. Helen V. Michel, Staff Scientist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, University of California will present a theory contending that the dinosaurs as well as most other life forms of the cretaceous period became extinct due to the impact of a large asteroid. The periodic nature of mass extinctions and comet impacts will also be discussed.
23 SEP 1985WHY SARAN WRAPS
Dr. Lawrence B. Coleman, Associate Professor of Physics at University of California, Davis will discuss the underlying physical basis for the properties of materials. Why copper is a metal, silicon a semiconductor, and diamond a hard insulator.
30 SEP 1985COMPUTER-AIDED ACOUSTICAL MEASUREMENTS
Dr. Thomas Barnebey, Lecturer in Physics at Sonoma State University. Acoustic tests of rooms and partitions can be conveniently performed with the help of a microcomputer. A computerized measurement system will be demonstrated by measuring some acoustic characteristics of the lecture hall.
7 OCT 1985 OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THIN FILMS
Dr. Jerome Swalen, Manager of Molecular Films, IBM Research Laboratories, San Jose will describe some current applications of ultra thin films, the optical techniques and measurements to characterize them, and some examples.
14 OCT 1985 HIGH-POWERED LASERS
Dr. Kenneth Manes, Fusion Experiments Program, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, will describe the development of 1012 to 1014 watt lasers over the last decade.
21 OCT 1985INTERFACING COMPUTERS TO PHYSICS EXPERIMENTS
Eric Reiter, Owner/Designer of Computer Continuum, Daly City will discuss the theory and demonstration of real world interfacing using a newly developed applications bus. Eric, a former SSU physics major, now serves physics as an entrepreneur.
28 OCT 1985 HEAVY ION ACCELERATORS FOR INERTIAL CONFINEMENT FUSION
Dr. W. B. Herrmannsfeldt of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center will discuss the prospects for achieving economic power production from inertial confinement fusion. The special attributes of high energy heavy ion accelerators may make this approach to fusion particularly attainable.
4 NOV 1985 ERASABLE OPTICAL STORAGE: A REVOLUTION IN RECORDING TECHNOLOGY
Dr. Neville Connell, Manager of the Interfaces and Artificial Structures Group, General Sciences Laboratory at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center will discuss how the physical properties of magneto-optic and phase change media may allow significant increases in the storage density of rotating memories.
11 NOV 1985FREQUENCY MODULATION SPECTROSCOPY
Dr. David E. Cooper, Senior Research Physicist, Electro-optics System Laboratory at SRI International, Palo Alto. Frequency modulation (FM) spectroscopy is a novel optical spectroscopic technique capable of sensitive and rapid absorption measurement. In this talk Dr. Cooper will discuss FM spectroscopy and its application to the ultrasensitive detection of atoms and molecules.
18 NOV 1985THE HUGGINSES, THE DRAPERS, AND THE BEGINNINGS OF ASTROPHYSICS
Dr. Joe Tenn, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Sonoma State University will describe how two couples working in their private observatories began the study of the composition of stars.
25 NOV 1985LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE
Dr. John Billingham, Chief of Life Sciences Division at the NASA-AMES Research Center will describe biological evolution in a cosmic and planetary context. He will address the question of extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) and how to detect it.
10 FEB 1986EXTREME ULTRAVIOLET ASTRONOMY
Dr. Lynn R. Cominsky of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss the current status of the Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer: science payload, spacecraft, and observing plans.
24 FEB 1986MICROCOMPUTING IN CHINA
Dr. Richard Karas of Sonoma State University, former director of technical services for ComputerLand China, will discuss users and uses of microcomputers in China and aspects of government policy affecting foreign trade in high technology products.
3 MAR 1986SUPERFLUID PHYSICS
Dr. Alexander L. Fetter of Stanford University will describe the unusual frictionless properties of helium at very low temperatures.
10 MAR 1986THE DISCOVERY OF THE W AND Z PARTICLES
Dr. Darrel W. Smith of the University of California, Riverside will describe the experimental discovery of the long-sought intermediate vector bosons at the UA1 experiment at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.
17 MAR 1986WHAT DO PHYSICISTS DO, ANYWAY? THE COPERNICAN CASE
Dr. Douglas R. Martin of Sonoma State University will present descriptions of science provided by several philosophers of science and will compare their views with some details of the Copernican Revolution in astronomy.
31 MAR 1986 THE QUEST FOR THE ORIGIN OF THE ELEMENTS
Dr. William A. Fowler of the California Institute of Technology will present an updated version of his 1983 Nobel lecture, discussing fifty years of experimental and theoretical work on the nuclear processes which generate energy in the sun and other stars and which have synthesized the chemical elements in the universe.
7 APR 1986THE BIOMEDICAL USE OF HEAVY IONS
Dr. William T. Chu of the UC Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the use of Bevatron beams for diagnostic imaging and for the treatment of cancer patients.
14 APR 1986VOYAGER DISCOVERIES AT URANUS
Dr. Jeffrey Cuzzi of NASA Ames Research Center will discuss the recent Voyager encounter with Uranus and describe what has been learned about the planet and its satellites and rings.
21 APR 1986BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Dr. John Oldenburg of California State University, Sacramento will discuss what biomedical engineers do, opportunities in biomedical engineering, and educational paths students may follow to achieve career objectives in the field.
28 APR 1986HOW MANY ELEMENTS ARE THERE?
Dr. Darleane C. Hoffman of the UC Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the discovery of new chemical elements and the problems associated with identifying them when only a few atoms of very short half-life are produced.
5 MAY 1986HALLEY'S COMET: WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Dr. Hyron Spinrad of the University of California, Berkeley will present results of worldwide observations in many wavelength regions of the 1985-86 visit of Comet Halley to the inner solar system.
12 MAY 1986MICROCOMPUTER SIMULATIONS
Scott Anderson of Anderson Studies, a Sonoma State University physics graduate and the author of Fantavision, will demonstrate the use of microcomputer animation in physics simulations.
8 SEP 1986 X-RAY MICROSCOPES, TELESCOPES, AND HOLOGRAMS-THE EARLY DAYS
Dr. Albert V. Baez, formerly visiting professor of physics at Stanford University, will present a review of the early experiments in x-ray imaging that have found applications in physics, biology, and astronomy.
15 SEP 1986 CAN COMPUTERS PROMOTE INTUITIVE UNDERSTANDING OF PHYSICS?
Dr. Zvonko Fazarinc of Hewlett-Packard Laboratories and Stanford University will demonstrate some physics teaching modules which he is using to answer the above question.
22 SEP 1986PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY AND THE ANTARCTIC OCEAN
Dr. Theodore Foster of the University of California, Santa Cruz will discuss the physical processes of bottom water formation.
29 SEP 1986FROM THE CYCLOTRON TO THE SSC
Dr. J. D. Jackson of the University of California, Berkeley and the SSC Central Design Group will describe how particle physicists have reached the point of needing and being able to construct the proposed Superconducting Supercollider.
6 OCT 1986 EXPLORING THE SOLAR WIND
Dr. Karl Hufbauer, a historian of science at the University of California, Irvine, will describe solar wind research since Eugene Parker predicted the phenomenon in 1958.
13 OCT 1986THE CHARGE COUPLED DEVICE
Dr. John Vallerga of the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley will explain how CCDs work and how they are used to efficiently detect photons in astronomy and high energy physics.
20 OCT 1986IRREVERSIBILITY?
Dr. Alexander Pines of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss the notion of irreversibility and some surprising NMR experiments in which systems which have seemingly decayed irreversibly to equilibrium are shown to spontaneously reorder.
27 OCT 1986 GROWING SINGLE CRYSTALS FOR SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Dr. Edith Bourret of the UC Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss different techniques for growth of silicon and gallium arsenide single crystals and how crystal properties are determined.
3 NOV 1986 SOLAR OSCILLATIONS AND QUIVERING WIMPS
Dr. John Faulkner of the University of California, Santa Cruz will explain how Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) can help solve the long-standing solar neutrino problem and also fit details of recently observed solar oscillations.[CANCELLED]
10 NOV 1986HOW STARS ARE MADE
Dr. Steven Stahler of NASA Ames Research Center and the University of California, Berkeley will present results of supercomputer simulations of the expanding universe of galaxies.
17 NOV 1986LARGE SCALE STRUCTURE OF THE UNIVERSE
Dr. Garrett Jernigan of the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley will present results of supercomputer simulations of the expanding universe of galaxies.
24 NOV 1986APPLICATIONS OF LASER SPECTROSCOPY
Dr. Roger M. MacFarlane of IBM Almaden Research Center will discuss how an understanding of the behavior of atoms and molecules in solids can lead to new ways of storing information at ultra-high density.
1 DEC 1986PROSPECTS FOR THE DETECTION OF DARK MATTER
Dr. Bernard Sadoulet of the University of California, Berkeley will describe attempts using cryogenic detectors to detect previously unseen forms of matter which may fill the universe.
9 FEB 1987MAGNETISM AND SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
Dr. Oystein Fischer of the University of Geneva and Stanford University will describe experiments in which superconductivity is induced by a strong magnetic field.
23 FEB 1987SOLAR OSCILLATIONS AND QUIVERING WIMPS
Dr. John Faulkner of the University of California, Santa Cruz will explain how Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) can help solve the long-standing solar neutrino problem and also fit details of recently observed solar oscillations.
2 MAR 1987 IRREGULARITIES IN THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
Dr. Sandra M. Faber of the Lick Observatory and the University of California, Santa Cruz will describe evidence that a large volume of the universe around our galaxy is moving rapidly sideways with respect to the local cosmic rest frame-an unexpected result that means the universe is much lumpier on large scales than previously thought.[CANCELLED]
9 MAR 1987 STRINGS
Dr. Leonard Susskind of Stanford University will describe the evolution of the theory that the most fundamental laws of nature describe microscopic string-like objects.
16 MAR 1987 THE PHYSICS OF SUPER-TWIST LCD'S
George Morrow of Intelligent Access will delve into the tough question: Will we ever be able to make low-energy displays readable?
23 MAR 1987 SPECTROSCOPIC MEASUREMENTS OF COMBUSTION EMISSIONS
Nancy J. Brown of the UC Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will describe tunable atomic line molecular spectroscopy, a technique based upon the Zeeman effect which has been applied to the measurement of air pollutants and emissions from oil shale retorting.
30 MAR 1987THE MODERN ANCIENT ART OF WINDMILLS
Louis V. Divone, Director of the Office of Solar Electric Technologies, U.S. Department of Energy, will discuss the evolution of the windmill from early times through the modern wind turbines now in use.
6 APR 1987SEMICONDUCTOR LASERS FOR SPACE COMMUNICATIONS
Dr. Richard K. DeFreez of Oregon Graduate Center and Portland State University will discuss recent developments in diode laser research that apply to direct satellite-to-satellite communications.
20 APR 1987 LISE MEITNER AND THE INTERPRETATION OF NUCLEAR FISSION
Dr. Patricia Rife of National University and Sonoma State University will trace Meitner's education, assistantship under Panck, and research leading to the discovery of nuclear fission.
27 APR 1987 THE MICROCHANNEL PLATE IMAGING DETECTOR SYSTEM
Dr. Oswald Siegmund of the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley will discuss types of microchannel plate photon counting imaging detectors for use in visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray astronomy.
4 MAY 1987 THE QUANTUM HALL EFFECT
Dr. Robert B. Laughlin of Stanford University and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss the significance and review the history of this revolutionary discovery in solid state physics.
11 MAY 1987HAVE YOU SEEN THE BIG BANG LATELY?
Distinguished University Professor Edward R. Harrison of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst will explore the intricacies of modern cosmology from a scientific and philosophical viewpoint.
14 SEP 1987EXTREME AND FAR ULTRAVIOLET AERONOMY
Dr. Supriya Chakrabarti, a Senior Fellow at the UC Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, will review recent experimental and theoretical results in this newest branch of solar-terrestrial physics, which describes the interaction of the sun on the earth's atmosphere.
21 SEP 1987HOLOGRAPHY: LIGHT WAVES AREN'T HEAVY
Steve McGrew of Light Impressions, Inc. in Santa Cruz, CA will discuss holography, current commercial applications and the future of this rapidly growing technology.
28 SEP 1987 QUASARS AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI: PAST AND PRESENT
Dr. Herman Marshall of the Space Sciences Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley, will describe quasar searches employing optical and X-ray telescopes which test theories of quasar energy supplies.
5 OCT 1987 IRREGULARITIES IN THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE
Dr. Sandra M. Faber of the Lick Observatory and the University of California, Santa Cruz will describe evidence that a large volume of the universe around our galaxy is moving rapidly sideways with respect to the local cosmic rest frame—an unexpected result that means the universe is much lumpier on large scales than previously thought.
12 OCT 1987 MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING: PHYSICS AT WORK FOR MEDICINE
Dr. Cherrill Spencer of Resonex, Inc. in Sunnyvale CA will describe the Magnetic Resonance Imaging technique which produces images of the insides of the human body without the dangers inherent in X-ray scans.
19 OCT 1987 THE GREAT RED SPOT OF JUPITER
Dr. Philip Marcus of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley will explain everything you ever wanted to know about the red spot of Jupiter. He will describe a numerical model of the Jovian atmosphere which can account for the size, shape and location of the spot, as well as its interaction with other planetary features.
26 OCT 1987 HISTORICAL ANALYSES BY PARTICLE INDUCED X-RAY EMISSION (PIXE)
Dr. Bruce Kusko of the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, University of California, Davis will describe the use of the PIXE technique for the elemental analysis of the papers, parchment and inks of historical documents such as the Gutenberg Bible, controversial Vinland Map and the Calov Bible owned by Johann Sebastian Bach. This technique has been used to solve historical and bibliographical issues.
2 NOV 1987 LONG PERIOD SUPERLATTICES IN BINARY ALLOYS
Dr. Joseph Kulik of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley will discuss modulated, ordered structures with wavelengths as large as 70 angstroms in FCC binary alloy systems. He has used high resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction to study the atomic configuration of the alloys Ag-Mg and Cu-Pd.
9 NOV 1987 EXPLORING THE INVISIBLE UNIVERSE
Dr. George A. Seielstad, Assistant Director of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia will comment on current significant areas of research in radio astronomy. He will also describe the operation of the NRAO and discuss the physical principles important in the interpretation of radio data.
16 NOV 1987 RECENT PROGRESS IN X-RAY LASERS
Dr. Richard A. London of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss X-ray laser research in which the Nova high-powered optical laser is used to induce controlled X-ray lasing. This new technique was recently developed at LLNL.
23 NOV 1987 ADVANCES IN HIGH TEMPERATURE CERAMIC SUPERCONDUCTOR SYNTHESIS
Mr. Storrs Hoen, Physics Graduate Assistant at the Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, will discuss experiments with the synthesis and characterization of ceramic semiconductors at temperatures higher than 100 degrees Kelvin.
30 NOV 1987 AMORPHOUS SILICON
Dr. William Imler, of the Hewlett Packard Corporation will discuss recent advances in the production of amorphous silicon using the technique of Laser Induced Chemical Vapor Deposition. Amorphous Silicon may someday be able to significantly reduce the price of solar power cells.
8 FEB 1988 MADELUNG, EWALD, AND 1-2-3
Senior physics student Kenneth A. Ritley of Sonoma State University will describe his summer research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory where he computed the Madelung energy of one of the new high-temperature ceramic superconductors.
22 FEB 1988 THE HUMAN VISUAL SYSTEM: SHOULD YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU SEE?
Dr. Donald A. Glaser of the University of California, Berkeley will summarize what is known about the wiring diagram of the human visual system and give some examples of its impressive performance and equally impressive failures in the form of optical illusions. Professor Glaser was awarded the Nobel prize in physics in 1960.
29 FEB 1988 IN QUEST OF THE FREE QUARK
Dr. Roger Bland of San Francisco State University will describe a series of experiments aimed at isolating single fractionally charged particles. Professor Bland received the American Physical Society Award for Research at an Undergraduate Institution in 1987.
7 MAR 1988 GIANT LUMINOUS ARCS AS GRAVITATIONAL MIRAGES
Dr. Vahé Petrosian of Stanford University will describe the discovery of giant luminous arcs and clusters of galaxies and the subsequent studies which show clearly for the first time that they are indeed mirages, images of distant galaxies gravitationally stretched into perfect circular arcs.
14 MAR 1988 FRONTIERS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS
Dr. Ling-Lie Chau of the University of California, Davis will give an overview of such current problems as the physics of particles with charm and beauty, CP non-invariance, and attempts to unify all forces in a single theory.
21 MAR 1988 PROBLEMS IN ROBOT DESIGN
Dr. Robert E. Steele of Motion Engineering, Santa Barbara, will discuss the uses of physics in designing robotic systems for manufacturing integrated circuits. Dr. Steele is a Sonoma State University physics graduate.
4 APR 1988 LICK OBSERVATORY: THE FIRST CENTURY
Dr. Donald E. Osterbrock of the Lick Observatory, University of California, Santa Cruz will describe the history of America's first big science research institution. Dr. Osterbrock is a former director of the Lick Observatory and president-elect of the American Astronomical Society.
11 APR 1988 CEPHEIDS ARE NOT JUST STANDARD CANDLES
Dr. Gordon G. Spear of Sonoma State University will describe the use of classical pulsating variable stars as probes of the structure and evolutionary status of stars in advanced stages of evolution and will explain how he uses Cepheids as probes of the chemical history of nearby galaxies.
18 APR 1988 EXPERIMENTAL SEARCH FOR A FIFTH FORCE
Dr. Paul E. Boynton of the University of Washington will discuss current experiments to test the possibility of an intermediate-range, composition-dependent, fundamental force weaker than gravity.
25 APR 1988 PHYSICS FIRST
Paul Robinson of Edison-Computech High School, Fresno, California's 1987 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching, will explain why he believes high school students should study physics before chemistry and biology. Mr. Robinson is California's 1987 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Science Teaching.
2 MAY 1988 NEGATIVE CAPACITANCE?
Dr. Saeid Rahimi of Sonoma State University will present and discuss the results of experiments which reveal negative differential capacitance in the semiconductors gallium arsenide, silicon and germanium.
9 MAY 1988 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS
Dr. Aharon Kapitulnik of Stanford University will discuss recent developments in the production of thin superconducting films and the analysis of their physical properties.
19 SEP 1988 COSMIC STRINGS AND LARGE SCALE STRUCTURES IN THE UNIVERSE
Dr. François Bouchet of the University of California at Berkeley and l'Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris will discuss recent developments in cosmic string theory and applications to understanding anisotropies in the universal microwave background.
26 SEP 1988 HOW MUSCLE WORKS
Dr. Manuel F. Morales of the University of California at San Francisco will describe research on the molecular mechanism of muscle contraction.
3 OCT 1988 BUILDING SCIENCE EXHIBITS FOR THE PUBLIC
Dr. Paul Doherty of the Exploratorium will explain how to teach physics painlessly with hands-on exhibits.
10 OCT 1988 MASS LOSS AND PHOTOSPHERIC ACTIVITY IN HOT STARS
Dr. Geraldine J. Peters of the University of Southern California will discuss new ultraviolet observations from the International Ultraviolet Explorer and other satellites which reveal hitherto unknown winds and variability in early-type stars.
17 OCT 1988 HOW LASER BEAMS CHANGE SURFACES
Dr. Frances A. Houle of IBM Almaden Research Center will explain how the unique characteristics of laser radiation affect chemical reactions at solid surfaces, leading to film growth, oxidation, and etching.
24 OCT 1988 TECHNICAL WRITING AS A CAREER
Dr. Lea Mason of PG&E will describe skills needed by technical writers, types of work technical writers do, and how to get more information about opportunities in the field.
31 OCT 1988 MAKING SOLAR CELLS WORK IN SPACE
Dr. James W. Seeser of Optical Coating Laboratory, Inc. will describe some of the problems associated with the use of solar cells in space and how physicists contribute to the solutions.
7 NOV 1988 DC TO DAYLIGHT
Dr. Robert Bray of the Hewlett-Packard Microwave Technology Division will discuss the explosion of lightwave communications and related test instrumentation.
14 NOV 1988 SHEDDING A LITTLE PHYSICS ON ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING
Dr. Samuel Berman of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will explain that major increases in light source efficiency are possible and show that it takes a broad interdisciplinary team to make them acceptable.
21 NOV 1988 ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS
Dr. Eicke R. Weber of the University of California at Berkeley will introduce a powerful technique for characterization of semiconductors and high-temperature superconductors
28 NOV 1988 TEN YEARS OF PIONEER VENUS OBSERVATIONS
Dr. Lawrence Colin of the NASA Ames Research Center will describe our current knowledge of the environment of Venus based on U.S. and Soviet spacecraft missions.
5 DEC 1988 THE FORMATION OF MASSIVE STARS
Dr. William J. Welch of the University of California at Berkeley will describe recent radio observations of dark dust clouds in which massive stars are forming.
6 FEB 1989 EARTHQUAKES AND PHYSICS
Dr. Robert Nason of New Quake Research will discuss earthquakes in California, how earthquakes damage buildings and other topics of audience interest.
13 FEB 1989 IMAGING MOLECULES ON SURFACES BY SCANNING TUNNELING Microscopy
Dr. Shirley Chiang of the IBM Almaden Research Center will show how the scanning tunneling microscope makes real space images of individual atoms and molecules on solid surfaces.
27 FEB 1989 COSMOLOGY, QUANTUM MECHANICS, AND THE NATURE OF TIME
Dr. Elizabeth A. Rauscher of Tecnic Research Laboratories of San Leandro will discuss non-linear evolutionary models of the universe, superstrings and the unification of the four force fields in physics.
6 MAR 1989 THE DISCOVERY OF PLUTO
Dr. Clyde Tombaugh of New Mexico State University will discuss his historic discovery of Pluto, the ninth planet in our solar system.
13 MAR 1989 PROBING THE DYNAMICS OF SPACE TIME: THE SEARCH FOR GRAVITATIONAL RADIATION
Dr. Peter Michelson of Stanford University will describe research on gravitational wave detectors and astrophysical sources that produce gravitational waves.
20 MAR 1989 AURORAS ON THE EARTH AND THE OUTER PLANETS
Dr. Randy Gladstone of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss ultra-violet wavelength observations and physical mechanism that produce auroras in planetary atmospheres.
3 APR 1989THEORETICAL PHYSICS MEETS EXPERIMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY
Dr. William Bialek of the University of California at Berkeley will describe the collaborative efforts of physicists and biologists to understand the nervous system, culminating in the recent discovery that humans and animals can perform nearly noiseless processing of important visual signals.
10 APR 1989 RADIO OBSERVATIONS OF THE ATMOSPHERE OF JUPITER
Dr. Imke de Pater of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss her radio observations of Jupiter and how they help to determine the structure of the clouds surrounding the planet.
17 APR 1989 NEUTRON TRANSPORT THROUGH MATERIALS OF INTEREST TO FUSION REACTORS
Dr. Luisa Hansen of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will discuss measurements and calculations designed to test the cross sections, the computer models, and the physical assumptions used in the conceptional design of blankets for fusion reactor.
24 APR 1989 COMPUTER HOLOGRAPHY AND IMAGE RECOGNITION
Dr. Don M. Cottrell of San Diego State University will show how to construct small holograms on a MacIntosh and will discuss computerized image recognition.
1 MAY 1989 SPACE ASTRONOMY— IN PERSON
Dr. Loren Acton of the Lockheed Palo Alto Research Laboratory will describe research in astronomy and show a movie of his experiences using Spacelab 2 on the Space Shuttle Challenger in the summer of 1985.
8 MAY 1989 SOUNDPROOFING FOR SANITY
Dr. Tom Barnebey, Principal Consultant for Sound Solutions Acoustical Consulting Services, and sometime lecturer in physics at Sonoma State University, will discuss methods of soundproofing which help provide livable environments outdoors and within buildings.
15 MAY 1989 THE PARADOX OF PREDICTION
Dr. Rob Shaw, MacArthur Fellow, will discuss the new physics of chaos theory.
18 SEP 1989 EXPLOSIONS IN SPACE
Dr. Kevin Hurley of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss his studies of cosmic gamma ray bursts, one of the outstanding mysteries of modern astrophysics.
25 SEP 1989 A TOUR THROUGH SPACESHIP EARTH
Dr. Raymond Jeanloz of the University of California at Berkeley will describe how to use lasers and diamonds to see what is happening deep inside our planet.
2 OCT 1989 DISCOVERY OF THE OPTICAL PULSAR IN SUPERNOVA 1987A
Dr. Carl Pennypacker of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will describe recent observations of the rotating neutron star inside the Large Magellenic Cloud supernova remnant and will discuss the implications of these unprecedented observations for nuclear physics and astrophysics.
9 OCT 1989 HOW CHILDREN AND THE REST OF US LEARN SCIENCE
Dr. Douglas Martin of Sonoma State University will discuss how our ideas about the world develop from initially naive concepts into those accepted by professional scientists.
16 OCT 1989 PHYSICS OF BRASS MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Dr. Brian Holmes of San Jose State University will provide a physical and musical answer to the question, What do horn players do with their right hands anyway?. The lecture will be held in the Student Union Multipurpose Room.
23 OCT 1989 SYNCHROTRON RADIATION—X-RAY BEAMS OF UNPRECEDENTED BRIGHTNESS
Dr. Jay Marx of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will describe how undulator and wiggler magnetic arrays are used to generate powerful X-ray beams which can be used as experimental probes in biological, chemical and physical systems.
30 OCT 1989THE ARCTIC AND THE ANTARCTIC OZONE EXPERIMENTS
Estelle Condon of the NASA Ames Research Center will present an overview of the airborne experiments conducted in the polar stratospheric regions.
6 NOV 1989RADIO OBSERVATIONS OF SUPERNOVA REMNANTS
Dr. Robert Becker of the University of California at Davis will describe Very Large Array observations of supernova remnants and how they relate to pulsars.
13 NOV 1989VISUALIZING MUSIC
Dr. Ronald Pellegrino, president of Electronic Arts Productions and lecturer at Sonoma State University, will demonstrate the use of affordable technology (including the Macintosh) for an audio and visual integration of spectral wavefields.
20 NOV 1989 PARTICLE PHYSICS AT THE STANFORD LINEAR COLLIDER
Dr. Jonathan Dorfan of the Stanford Linear Accelerator will discuss the role of the Linear Collider in particle physics research with specific reference to the Z-zero physics program now underway at the Stanford Linear Accelerator.
27 NOV 1989 FROM HUBBLE TO HUBBLE: A CENTURY OF ASTRONOMY
Dr. Joseph Tenn of Sonoma State University will describe the changes that have occurred in astronomy from 1889, when Edwin Hubble was born, to 1989, when we are preparing for the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.
4 DEC 1989 DISTORTIONS OF THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND
Dr. Isabel Hawkins of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss how pregalactic stars and fractal dust grains could account for observed distortions in the spectrum of the microwave background.
5 FEB 1990 THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLAY AND EVALUATION OF SCIENTIFIC DATA
Dr. Lambertus Hesselink of Stanford University will use stereo slides and video animation to show how recent advances in computer graphics allow improved analysis of complicated fluid flow data sets.
12 FEB 1990 THE SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER
Dr. Robert Cahn of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss the ninety kilometer accelerator under construction in Texas and will explain how this device will be used to answer questions about the fundamental nature of matter.
26 FEB 1990 PURSUING WHISTLERS IN ANTARCTICA
Dr. Robert A. Helliwell of Stanford University will describe the triggering of very low frequency emissions from plasma in the earth's magnetosphere.
5 MAR 1990 DETERMINATION AND CHAOS
Dr. Max Dresden of Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center will discuss relationships between microscopic and macroscopic physics and some curious questions which arise in that connection.
12 MAR 1990 THE FIRST HIGH ENERGY NEUTRINO EXPERIMENT
Dr. Melvin Schwartz of Digital Pathways, Inc. will describe the background and implementation of the experiment in which it was demonstrated that the muon neutrino and the electron neutrino differ. (Dr. Schwartz and his co-workers were awarded the 1988 Nobel prize in physics for this experiment.)
19 MAR 1990 NEPTUNE: EXPLORATION OF THE MOST DISTANT GIANT PLANET
Dr. Heidi Hammel of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory will present an overview of results from the Voyager 2 spacecraft encounter with the Neptune system, describing the planet's atmosphere, satellites, rings, and magnetosphere.
26 MAR 1990 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN OPTICAL STORAGE
Dr. Edward Engler of the IBM Almaden Research Center will describe the scientific issues that need to be resolved to make this important storage technique a reality and discuss the promise that it holds for the future.
2 APR 1990 GLOBAL CHANGE AND ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE
Dr. Aslam Khalil of the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science and Technology will describe methods of monitoring and modelling changes in the earth's atmosphere caused by human activities and will discuss how these changes may affect us.
9 APR 1990 SCIENCE AT THE EDGE
Dr. Marjorie Olmstead of the University of California at Berkeley will describe the unique phenomena that occur at semiconductor surfaces and interfaces.
23 APR 1990 SUPERNOVA 1987A: COSMIC FIREWORKS
Dr. Alex Filippenko of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss the brightest supernova seen in nearly 400 years and the many ways in which it has influenced our understanding of stellar death, nucleosynthesis, and the formation of neutron stars.
30 APR 1990 CRYSTAL GROWTH IN SPACE; HIGH TECH RESEARCH IN A TEST Tube
Dr. Heinz K. Henisch of Pennsylvania State University will present an overview of crystal growth by diffusion, as observed in the laboratory and in the mind of his trusty computer. (Prof. Henisch will also speak at noon in the Art Building, Room 108, on the beginnings of photography.)
7 MAY 1990 OBSERVATIONAL COSMOLOGY WITH COBE
Dr. George Smoot of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will present maps of the early universe obtained since the November 18, 1989, launch of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite.
10 SEP 1990 WHAT HAPPENS NEAR ABSOLUTE ZERO?
Dr. Douglas Osheroff of Stanford University will describe current research in the properties of helium three near absolute zero, including superfluidity and nuclear antiferromagnetism.
17 SEP 1990 QUANTUM REALITY
Dr. Nick Herbert, author of Quantum Reality and Faster than Light, will discuss one of the skeletons in the closet of physics.
24 SEP 1990 THE SUN, STARS, AND CLIMATE: WHY LOUIS XIV HAD COLD FEET
Dr. Sallie Baliunas of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics will discuss work at Mt. Wilson Observatory on starspot cycles and what they tell us about the sun's impact on climate change.
1 OCT 1990 ION SOURCERY, MATERIALS, AND DIAMONDS
Dr. Ian Brown of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will describe a program to develop superhard materials using ion source and plasma techniques.
8 OCT 1990 OBSERVATIONS OF YOUNG SUNS WITH PROTOPLANETARY DISKS
Dr. Gibor Basri of the University of California at Berkeley will describe observations of newly forming sunlike stars and the discovery that many of them are surrounded by vast disks of dust and gas out of which planets could form.
15 OCT 1990 RELATIVISTIC TRAVEL TO THE STARS
Dr. Art Huffman of the University of California, Los Angeles will discuss using relativistic time dilation to shorten interstellar travel time, construction of Star Trek-type transporters, space warps, and time warps.
22 OCT 1990 SCIENTIFIC COMPUTATION: THE THIRD WAY
Dr. Robert Borchers of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory will describe how computation has joined theory and experiment as an additional methodology for scientific research.
29 OCT 1990 BINARY X-RAY PULSARS
Dr. Lynn Cominsky of Sonoma State University will give an overview of our current understanding of binary systems containing highly magnetized X-ray emitting neutron stars, with specific emphasis on the recent work at SSU.
5 NOV 1990 ARE STARS OLDER THAN THE UNIVERSE?
Dr. Edwin Salpeter of Cornell University will describe the cosmological controversy over the rate of expansion of the universe and discuss the implications of dark matter.
12 NOV 1990 ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN BOMBAY
Dr. Ashok Gadgil of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will discuss one approach toward reducing global warming.
19 NOV 1990 ORGANIC PHOTO RECEPTORS
Dr. Geoff Owen of Flex Products, Santa Rosa, will describe the basic elements of electrophotography and review recent advances made in the development of organic photo receptors for photocopier and laser printer applications.
26 NOV 1990 SURFACES ILLUMINATED BY LIGHT
Dr. Yuen-Ron Shen of the University of California at Berkeley will discuss how nonlinear optical techniques can be used to explore many new areas of research in surface science.
3 DEC 1990 THE PHYSICS OF BEAUTY
Dr. Natalie Roe of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory will present an overview of research into the nature of the beauty quark and will discuss some of the measurements which could be made at a beauty factory.

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Please send comments, additions, corrections, and questions to
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2005-04-17