About the topic
This talk focuses on the control and understanding of a gravitationally interacting elementary quantum system using the techniques of resonance spectroscopy. It offers a new way of looking at gravitation at short distances based on quantum interference. The ultra-cold neutron reflects from a mirror in well-defined quantum states in the gravity potential of the earth allowing the application of gravity resonance spectroscopy (GRS). GRS relies on frequency measurements, which provide a spectacular sensitivity.
I also present a novel search strategy using GRS to differentiate between Einstein’s cosmological constant and dark energy theories. This example show that questions of particle physics and cosmology at highest energies can be pursued at the other extreme of the energy scale, using neutrons at the lowest energies down to the pico-eV range.
About the speaker
Prof. Hartmut Abele received his PhD degree in Physics in 1993 at the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Heidelberg. After a postdoctoral stay at Yale University (Feodor-Lynen Fellow) he continued his scientific career at the University of Heidelberg, where he obtained his habilitation (Venia legendi) in 1998. During his time in Heidelberg he received the first prize of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research from Dubna, and in 2006 the Gustav-Hertz-Prize from the German Physical Society. In 2007 he was appointed as a W2 Professor at the Faculty of Physics at TU Munich. Since 2009, he is a full professor at the Faculty of Physics at the Technical University of Vienna.