Talks

Primordial Magnetic Fields (PMFs), long studied as potential relics of the early Universe, can accelerate recombination and have been proposed as a possible solution to the Hubble tension. In this seminar, I will present the latest observational evidence supporting this idea, based on comprehensive magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations of recombination in the presence of PMFs. Current Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) data exhibit a mild preference for PMFs while predicting a higher Hubble constant. Notably, the inferred field strengths align with those required to explain galaxy cluster magnetic fields purely from primordial origins, eliminating the need for additional dynamo amplification or stellar contributions. Future high-resolution CMB temperature and polarization measurements will be crucial in confirming or further constraining the role of PMFs during recombination.

Readings:
Kerr Black Holes Are Not Unique to General Relativity, by D. Psaltis https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.091101
Gravitational waves from the inspiral of a compact object into a massive, axisymmetric body with arbitrary multipole moments by F. Ryan  https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.52.5707
Towards a formalism for mapping the spacetimes of massive compact objects: Bumpy black holes and their orbits, by Collins & Hughes, https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.69.124022
Systematic study of event horizons and pathologies of parametrically deformed Kerr spacetimes, by T. Johannsen, https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.87.124017
Metric for rapidly spinning black holes suitable for strong-field tests of the no-hair theorem, by Johannsen & Psaltis, https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.124015
Spacetime and orbits of bumpy black holes, by Vigeland & Hughes, https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.81.024030
Regular black hole metric with three constants of motion, by T. Johannsen, https://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.88.044002

 

In this session, we'll discuss the nuts and bolts of science writing for the general public. You'll learn how produce engaging science content for blogs and articles, as well as how to pitch ideas for publication in media outlets.