The goal of physics is to formulate theories, or “laws,”
which summarize our knowledge of the natural world. We don’t yet know
all the basic laws of nature,or how many laws there are.
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Science Poster Session
12 February 2010
See What You've Been Missing - Hyperspectral Imaging Technologies and Applications
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Location: 2L17 (map)
Brian Wilcox, Channel Systems, Pinawa
Hyperspectral imaging in the visible and near infrared wavelengths of light provides a wealth of information that helps researchers and industrial users solve problems that range from quality control of pharmaceutical tablets, to exploration of minerals, to experimental treatment of cancerous tumours. The human eye and standard scientific cameras are limited in their spectral range and ability to discriminate colour or wavelength details. Spectral cameras provide both spatial and spectroscopic detail and when combined with chemometric analyses, provide the capability of discriminating chemical components on a pixel by pixel basis. This presentation reviews the fundamentals of spectral imaging, the enabling technologies, the basics of chemometric analysis, and an overview of many applications.
10 March 2010
BLACK HOLES AND THE PROBLEM OF INFORMATION LOSS
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Location: (map)
Saurya Das, University of Lethbridge part of the CAP Lecture Tour
Starting from two fundamental principles of physics, namely the maximum speed of propagation of information (speed of light) and reference frame independence of this speed, we arrive at the notion of spacetime continuum and the metric. When we try to incorporate acceleration or gravity in this picture, we show that spacetime must be curved. The amount of curvature depends on the matter content of the spacetime, and is governed by the Einstein equations. These equations also predict the existence of black holes - highly dense gravitating objects, from which (classically) nothing can escape, not even light. When quantum mechanics is taken into consideration, black holes are predicted to emit small amounts of thermal radiation and have large amounts of entropy. This gives rise to the so-called 'information loss problem', which says that information entering a black hole maybe lost forever, in apparent violation of quantum mechanics. We explore microscopic origins of black hole entropy and possible resolutions of the information loss problem. We also show that in a strange but interesting way, black holes seem to predict that breakdown of the spacetime continuum at very small length scales, giving way to a discrete structure at the most fundamental level.
