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Easter
Christ is risen!
Blessed Easter to you, dear reader. I’d like to make an exception from no-image rule for this blog and let you see my favourite icon of Resurrection. This icon is situated in a small russian-orthodox chapel in Dachau, Germany, and refers to Easter celebration on May 8th, 1945.
(see http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles/RahrDachauPascha.php)
Fifth lecture advanced quantum mechanics
was a kind of experimental: it combined a story of superfluifity with refreshing the concepts of classical electromagnetic field. Never did it before. The lecture has started with another experiment not set by me. Somebody has experimented hard with the beamer settings. As result, the projection i. caught only a part of my computer screen ii. was a meter below its usual position. I’ve fixed i. but could not deal with ii. after 10 minutes of trying. It looks like my remote control does not give me sufficient priviledges in changing the settings. And I missed by smoking break. So when the lecture has started, steam was hissing from my ears.
To let off the steam (and explain the disorted projection), I gave a rather inconventional introduction to the lecture. I mention that a university education is very broad, there are many things to learn at a university, those may include the lessons of irresponsibility and negligence and getting away with these indespensible qualities. But I hope that my students will get bad marks in these particular subjects etc… It is my hope that the students did not find this introduction too patronising/irrelevant. Anyway I talked from the bottom of my heart, and most understood this.
And I was back to the subject. We got thru superfluidity with no much viscosity. Both in positive and negative sense. All went smoothly: quantum field theory => almost classical field theory => linearization with operators => wreid terms => Bogolyubov hunch=> particles become quasiparticles, and, look, atoms become a sound. "=>" means a simple calculation, we did not do that: this explains zero viscosity. So the students were rather spectactors, did not feel any interaction with the audience.
And got tired upon switching to the classical field. This is not my favourite topic, but with more energy I could make it more entertaining and not just mumbling "from zis ekwatin" and "substitute"… Sorry for zis. Anyway, almost a half of the course is over, we have completed at least one climbing: from "particles" to a top where difference between particles and fiels is hardly seen.
Next week the students will decide if we go through the rest of classical preparatory stuff or just stat quantizing.
Thanks for 2000 views
When I have started the blog, I did not really counted on any noticeable audience. Well, the blog goes about boring and rather specific stuff, mostly it is a technical dairy of my lectures. I am flattered with the fact that people find it (and perhaps the lectures) interesting. Thank you, your attention is very motivating both for writting the blog and for lecturing, and, let me put it frankly, just for living this life through.
Of course, I’d love to receive more feedback in the form of comments:)
Semester begins
This summer is over. I’m back to classes again. This year I will give Advanced Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Transport.
I’ve checked today how many students are enlisted for Blackboard. It’s 32 for AQM and 18 for QT, a bit more than expected.
Let’s see how many will show up on Wednesday and Friday.
Today I took part in a master thesis commission. There was an international student whom I know a bit. He has been very interested and motivated during his study in Delft. His result however might be better. Is it a price to pay for "enhanced mobility" of the new generation of students?