Mathematical Sciences

As a mathematical sciences student, you'll work alongside professors conducting research on a wide selection of topics that are catered to theirs and your specific interests.

USD is home to more than 170 student organizations, including several that are housed in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. The Math Club and USD's chapter of Phi Mu Epsilon, the national mathematics honor society, frequently host social events, guest speakers and off-campus trips.

Probing the quantum nature of black holes with ultra-light boson environments

March 20, 4-5 pm, UP 222

Soumodeep Mitra- USD Physics

We show that the motion of a black hole (BH) through a cloud of an ultra-light scalar field, mimicking dark matter, is one of the best avenues to probe its quantum nature. This is because quantum effects can make the BH horizon reflective, with the largest reflectivity at smaller frequencies/smaller velocities, where the scattering of ultra-light scalar fields is most effective. In particular, we demonstrate that the quantum nature of BHs can lead to less energy flux, but larger frictional force experienced by them, resulting into an increase in the number of cycles in an extreme mass ratio inspiral. This provides a new window to probe the quantum nature of BHs, as well as ultra-light dark matter.