Title: Stellar Physics: from Plasma Dynamics to Stellar Evolution Abstract: New data available from recent space-missions Kepler and GAIA, as well as up-coming missions TESS and PLATO, has introduced a new era for stellar physics. New theoretical/computational models are needed to interpret the wealth of detailed new data. This includes fundamental theories of stellar convection, … Continue reading "CRA Seminar: Dr Jane Pratt"

Title: Dynamical Assembly of Black Hole Binaries in Dense Star Systems Abstract: The discovery of merging black hole (BH) binaries by the LIGO and Virgo experiments has initiated the era of gravitational wave (GW) astrophysics. Detailed comparisons between theoretical and observed waveforms have already tested classical general relativity, and placed stringent constraints on alternative theories … Continue reading "CRA Seminar (Dr. Nicholas Stone, Columbia University)"

Title: CHIME - the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Keith Vanderlinde (University of Toronto) URL: http://dunlap.utoronto.ca/~vanderlinde/ ABSTRACT: Among the great surprises of modern cosmology was the discovery of Dark Energy, which dominates the energy budget of the Universe and is driving the acceleration of its expansion rate. Decyphering its properties and nature will require novel … Continue reading "CRA Seminar (Dr. Keith Vanderlinde, University of Toronto)"

3D Radiation Magneto-hydrodynamic Simulations of Accretion Disks around Supermassive Black Holes Abstract: Black hole accretion disks convert the gravitational energy of accreted gas to photons and produce varies observational phenomena of AGNs. First principle calculations of black hole accretion disks for a wide range of accretion rates are not only important for understanding various observational … Continue reading "CRA seminar: Dr. Yan-Fei Jiang (University of California Santa Barbara)"

Title: A multi-observatory X-ray approach to characterize heavily obscured AGNs According to the different models of Cosmic X-ray Background (CXB), the diffuse X-ray emission observed in the 1 to ~200-300 … Continue reading "CRA Seminar: Dr. Stefano Marchesi (Clemson University)"

Monte Carlo Simulation and Balloon-Borne Observation of Energetic Radiations and Electromagnetic Fields from Thunderstorms and Lightning   Mahdi Bagheri Space Science Center and Physics Department, University of New Hampshire   … Continue reading "CRA Seminar: Mahdi Bagheri (University of New Hampshire)"

Title: How Black Holes Dine above the Eddington "Limit" without Overeating or Excessive Belching Abstract The study of super-Eddington accretion is essential to our understanding of the growth of super-massive … Continue reading "CRA seminar: Prof. Shane Davis (University of Virginia)"

Probing neutron star physics with gravitational wave detections The recent detection of the binary neutron star merger event (GW170817) has marked the beginning of multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves. In … Continue reading "CRA Seminar: Prof. Huan Yang (Perimeter Institute)"

Observational tests of general relativity with black hole inspiral, coalescence, and ringdown Prof. Lee Samuel Finn (Penn State University) Website: https://www.phys.psu.edu/people/lsf5 Abstract: As far as it has been tested, general … Continue reading "CRA Seminar: Lee Samuel Finn (Penn State University)"