The Physics Colloquium has been arranged regularly since the fall semester of 2021. The detailed schedule and talk information of this semester are as follows.
For inquiries or suggestions of future speakers, please contact the colloquium working group (Prof. Jane Lixin Dai, Prof. Tran Trung Luu, Prof. Yanjun Tu, Prof. Chenjie Wang, and Prof. Shizhong Zhang).
Cosmology, Supernovae and Black Holes through Cosmic Lenses
Speaker: Prof. Sherry Suyu
Affiliation: Technical University of Munich
Date: September 24, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Venue: KB132, 1/F, Knowles Building, Main Campus, HKU, The University of Hong Kong
Poster: Download
Due to the approaching typhoon, if Typhoon Signal No. 8 or above is in force on September 24, we will reschedule the Colloquium on September 25 at 3:00 p.m. in KK101, 1/F, K.K. Leung Building.
Abstract:
Strongly lensed transients such as supernovae (SNe) and tidal disruption events (TDEs) are emerging as a new probe of cosmology, SNe and black holes. When a SN is strongly lensed by a foreground galaxy, multiple images of the SN will appear around the foreground galaxy at different times. Current and upcoming surveys including Euclid and the Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will capture hundreds of strongly lensed SNe, expanding the existing sample by two orders of magnitude. These surveys will also enable the discovery of the first strongly lensed TDEs. These events offer excellent opportunities to: (1) measure the Hubble constant via lensing time delays, shedding light on the Hubble tension, (2) obtain unprecedented constraints on SN progenitors through early-phase spectra, and (3) acquire unique insights on the emission mechanisms of TDEs that are crucial for studying black holes. I will give an overview of the first discoveries of lensed SNe and their cosmological implications, and show the rates of strongly lensed TDEs from upcoming surveys.
Key Reference:
- Suyu S. H., Goobar A., Collett T., More A., Vernardos G., 2024, SSRv, 220, 13. doi:10.1007/s11214-024-01044-7
- Kelly P. L., Rodney S., Treu T., Oguri M., Chen W., Zitrin A., Birrer S., et al., 2023, Sci, 380, abh1322. doi:10.1126/science.abh1322
- Grillo C., Pagano L., Rosati P., Suyu S.~H., 2024, A&A, 684, L23. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202449278
- Pierel J. D. R., Newman A. B., Dhawan S., Gu M., Joshi B. A., Li T., Schuldt S., et al., 2024, ApJL, 967, L37. doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad4648
- Mamuzic E., Ryu T., Suyu S. H., Szekerczes K., Huber S., Dai L., Oguri M., 2025, A&A, 701, A142. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202554367
TBC
Speaker: Prof. Liu Yang
Affiliation: SYSU
Date: October 8, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Venue: KB132, 1/F, Knowles Building, Main Campus, HKU, The University of Hong Kong
Poster: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Key Reference: TBC
TBC
Speaker: Prof. Chaohong Li
Affiliation: Shenzhen University
Date: October 22, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Venue: MWT2, Meng Wah Complex, Main Campus, HKU, The University of Hong Kong
Poster: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Key Reference: TBC
TBC
Speaker: Prof. Weimin Yuan
Affiliation: NAOC
Date: November 5, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, Main Campus, HKU, The University of Hong Kong
Poster: TBC
Abstract:TBC
TBC
Speaker: Prof. Fakher Assaad
Affiliation: Universität Würzburg
Date: November 19, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: TBC
Venue: TBC
Poster: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Key Reference: TBC
TBC
Speaker: Prof. Matthias Vojta
Affiliation: Technische Universität Dresden
Date: December 3, 2025 (Wednesday)
Time: TBC
Venue: TBC
Poster: TBC
Abstract: TBC
Key Reference: TBC