Description:

"A Theoretical Analysis of the Hot Circumgalactic Medium with FIRE"

The circumgalactic medium (CGM) is the vast diffuse gas that surrounds galaxies inside their dark matter halos. The role of the CGM in the formation of galaxies, which may be crucial, is among the biggest open questions in astrophysics. In this talk I will give an overview of the state of observations and theoretical modeling of the hot virialized phase of the CGM. I will present results from the FIRE project, which carried out cosmological "zoom-in" simulations of galaxies. We use FIRE to study the hot CGM within a self-consistent model of galaxy formation, enabling us to test the predictions of idealized, analytic models. In addition to the default FIRE stellar feedback physics, cosmic rays and multi-channel feedback from supermassive black holes are now included in some simulations evolved with the FIRE-3 framework. I will share a look into the role that different black hole feedback models play in shaping the halo gas.

Speaker: Imran Sultan, NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Faucher-Giguere Group

"All the Right Currents in All the Wrong Places"

Mesoscopic ring structures of superconductors have been a hallmark area of research in condensed matter physics since the 1950's with the experimental inquiry into assorted Aharonov-Bohm-like effects. Since then, investigations into various mesoscopic loop geometries with ranges of constituent materials have given rise to devices such as superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs), Cooper pair splitters, and many more. In this work, I report on preliminary findings from a mesoscopic SNS split-loop configuration measured below 25mK with non-local currents and oscillations in differential resistance on order of the superconducting flux quanta. Lastly, I discuss future iterations of such geometries to both discern cross-correlation signals and explore future quantum demolition measurements of quasiparticle currents in superconductors.

Speaker: Austin Marga, NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Chandrasekhar Group