Dear Colleagues
Today at 17:15, the Kolloquium series of SS05 will continue with the
Abschiedsvorlesung of Peter F. Meier (see
abstract below).
From 16:45, there will be tea and coffee in front of the lecture hall
16 G 05 at the Irchel Campus of the University
(the usual place!). For directions or further information, go to
http://www.physik.unizh.ch/teaching/kolloquium05/kolloquium.html
Note that tomorrow there will be a Workshop dedicated to Peter F. Meier
(for program see attachment).
You will notice that there is still one slot of the Kolloquium program
open: June 29, the last date before SS05 ends.
Suggestions for a speaker are welcome.
With best regards,
Juerg Osterwalder
Abstract:
Computer Simulations in Science (Abschiedsvorlesung)
Peter F. Meier
Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich
A critical examination of advantages and limits of computer simulations
in science is presented. The interplay between reality, model, and
treatment is of essential relevance and must be addressed. Do numerical
calculations help us in understanding nature, or do they perhaps hide
away the essential issues or even mislead us ? Some of these questions
are examined using well known examples from statistical mechanics and
solid state physics. In particular, the usefulness of computer
simulations for an explanation of high temperature superconductivity is
discussed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prof. Dr. Jürg Osterwalder
Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
phone: +41 44 635 5827 <<< NOTE NEW AREA CODE ! >>>
lab: +41 44 635 5745
sekr: +41 44 635 5781
fax: +41 44 635 5704
e-mail: osterwal(a)physik.unizh.ch
web: http://www.physik.unizh.ch/groups/grouposterwalder/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Colleagues
Tomorrow Wednesday, at 17:15, the Kolloquium series of SS05 will
continue with the talk outlined below.
From 16:45, there will be tea and coffee in front of the lecture hall
16 G 05 at the Irchel Campus of the University
(the usual place!). For directions or further information, go to
http://www.physik.unizh.ch/teaching/kolloquium05/kolloquium.html
With best regards,
Juerg Osterwalder
Earthquakes and Tsunami
Edi Kissling
Institut für Geophysik, ETH Zürich
Following the large and destructive earthquake of December 26th, 2004
off-shore Sumatra, quick installation of a tsunami warning system for
the Indian ocean has been requested and promised by politicians. The
second large earthquake in the Sumatra subduction zone only three
months later, luckily did not excite a tsunami. This only documents,
however, some of the challenges to be met by any warning system for
such potentially very dangerous natural phenomena and, in particular,
the problems related to false alarms. In the presentation, the main
physical processes related to earthquakes and tsunamis will be outlined
to address the following problems: What triggers such large earthquakes
and under what conditions do they excite a tsunami? How does the
tsunami interact with islands, groups of islands, and continental coast
lines? Continued earthquake research, tsunami modeling, and fast and
reliable routine assessment of earthquake source parameters by
seismological services around the world are prerequisites to better
understand these natural phenomena. Research and technology provide the
basis for targeted monitoring and ultimately for warning systems for
earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis, though only by continued and
increased awareness and action of local and regional authorities and by
the people may these systems work to reduce the effects of these
unavoidable processes of nature and hopefully to help prevent
disasters.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prof. Dr. Jürg Osterwalder
Physik-Institut, Universität Zürich
Winterthurerstr. 190
CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
phone: +41 44 635 5827 <<< NOTE NEW AREA CODE ! >>>
lab: +41 44 635 5745
sekr: +41 44 635 5781
fax: +41 44 635 5704
e-mail: osterwal(a)physik.unizh.ch
web: http://www.physik.unizh.ch/groups/grouposterwalder/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~