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Physics Colloquium John E. La Tourette Hall (FW) 200 Friday, March 22, 2013 Refreshments - 3:00 p.m. Colloquium 3:30 p.m. Dr. Johann Rafelski, Theoretical Physicist Professor of Physics, University of Arizona (Tucson) Laser-electron scattering at the critical force limit Collisions of ultra-intense laser-pulses with relativistic electrons test forces akin, and way stronger than those created in ultra relativistic heavy ion collisions at RHIC and at LHC. We show how it is today possible to probe critical acceleration a=mc^3/hbar, an object related to Planck scales but not burdened by gravity. The behavior of a particle undergoing critical acceleration challenges the limits of the current understanding of basic interactions: little is known about this physics frontier; both classical and quantum physics realms appear in need of further development in order to be able to address this newly accessible domain of physics. In this lecture I will consider the foundations and limits of current understanding of particles dynamics and inertia in presence of critical fields and forces; and will relate to radiation reaction challenges, and describe strong field particle production phenomena. Johann Rafelski, a theoretical physicist, is Professor of Physics at the University of Arizona (Tucson) and a Member of the Arizona Theoretical Astrophysics Program. He is a Visiting Scientist at CERN, a senior visiting scientist at LULI-Ecole Polytechnique Palaiseau in France and Adjunct Professor at the International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network (ICRANet) at the University of Rome and Pescara Center. Rafelski contributes to the strong field physics for past 40 years, initially in the area of heavy ion collisions and today focused on intense light. He is coauthor of more than 400 publications in his main research area of strong field quantum electrodynamics and quark-gluon plasma.