Dr. Sergey Zybin

California Institute of Technology

Abstract

Fundamental physics and chemistry of materials behavior in extreme conditions are important for understanding material transformation and processes during shock materials synthesis, high-pressure phase transformations, femtosecond laser ablation, detonation, geophysical processes in the core of the Earth and other planets, and hypervelocity impacts of comets.  Usually these conditions are created by a gigantic release of energy in the matter or by compression caused by the shock waves sent through the material.  Processes of shock compression and detonation often take place at sub-picosecond and sub-nanometer time and length scales.  Therefore, they are ideal for studying by molecular dynamics which can grasp at the atomic level the essentials of many non-equilibrium processes of material transformation and chemical reactions in condensed phase under extreme conditions.

Date: Friday, Oct. 6th
Time: 2:30pm
Place: SLH102

Refreshments will be provided