Christopher Walter, Professor and Chair  

Christopher Walter

Office Location: 120 Science Drive, Office 271, Durham, NC 27708
Email Address: chris.walter@duke.edu
Web Page: https://github.com/cwwalter

Specialties:
Experimental high energy physics

Education:
Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1997
M.S., California Institute of Technology, 1991
B.A., University of California, Santa Cruz, 1989

Research Categories: Experimental Particle Physics, Neutrino Physics, Particle-Astrophysics, Observational Cosmology

Current projects: The Super-Kamiokande Experiment, The T2K Experiment, The Hyper-Kamiokande Experiment, The LSST Dark Energy Science Collaboration

Areas of Interest:
Experimental Particle Physics
Neutrino Physics
Particle-Astrophysics
Observational Cosmology

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Jung, S; Abe, K; Asaoka, Y; Harada, M; Hayato, Y; Hiraide, K; Hung, TH; Ieki, K; Ikeda, M; Kameda, J; Kanemura, Y; Kataoka, Y; Miki, S; Mine, S; Miura, M; Moriyama, S; Nakagiri, K; Nakahata, M; Nakayama, S; Noguchi, Y; Pronost, G; Sato, K; Sekiya, H; Shinoda, R; Shiozawa, M; Suzuki, Y; Takeda, A; Takemoto, Y; Tanaka, H; Yano, T; Chen, S; Itow, Y; Kajita, T; Nishijima, R; Okumura, K; Tashiro, T; Tomiya, T; Wang, X; Fernandez, P; Labarga, L; Samudio, D; Zaldivar, B; Yanagisawa, C; Jargowsky, B; Kearns, E; Mirabito, J; Wan, L; Wester, T; Pointon, BW; Bian, J; Cortez, B; Griskevich, NJ; Jiang, Y; Smy, MB; Sobel, HW; Takhistov, V; Yankelevich, A; Hill, J; Moon, DH; Park, RG; Yang, BS; Scholberg, K; Walter, CW; Drapier, O; Ershova, A; Ferey, M; Le Blévec, E; Mueller, TA; Paganini, P; Quach, C; Rogly, R; Nakamura, T; Jang, JS; Litchfield, RP; Machado, LN; Soler, FJP; Learned, JG; Choi, K; Cao, S; Anthony, LHV; Prouse, NW; Scott, M; Uchida, Y; Berardi, V; Calabria, NF; Catanesi, MG; Ospina, N; Radicioni, E; Langella, A; De Rosa, G; Collazuol, G; Feltre, M; Mattiazzi, M; Ludovici, L; Gonin, M; Périssé, L; Quilain, B; Horiuchi, S; Kawabata, A; Kobayashi, M; Liu, YM; Maekawa, Y; Nishimura, Y; Akutsu, R; Friend, M; Hasegawa, T; Hino, Y; Ishida, T; Kobayashi, T; Matsubara, T; Nakadaira, T; Oyama, Y; Portocarrero Yrey, A; Sakashita, K; Sekiguchi, T; Bhuiyan, N; Burton, GT; Di Lodovico, F; Katori, T; Kralik, R; Latham, N; Ramsden, RM; Ito, H; Sone, T; Suzuki, AT; Takeuchi, Y; Wada, S; Zhong, H; Feng, J; Feng, L; Han, S; Hikida, J; Hu, JR; Hu, Z; Kawaue, M; Kikawa, T; Nakaya, T; Ngoc, TV; Wendell, RA; Jenkins, SJ; McCauley, N; Tarrant, A; Fanì, M; Wilking, MJ; Xie, Z; Fukuda, Y; Menjo, H; Yoshioka, Y; Lagoda, J; Mandal, M; Zalipska, J; Mori, M; Jiang, J; Hamaguchi, K; Ishino, H; Koshio, Y; Nakanishi, F; Tada, T; Ishizuka, T; Barr, G; Barrow, D; Cook, L; Samani, S; Wark, D; Holin, A; Nova, F; Yoo, J; Fannon, JEP; Kneale, L; Peacock, T; Stowell, P; Okazawa, H; Lakshmi, SM; Kwon, E; Lee, MW; Seo, JW; Yu, I; Ashida, Y; Ichikawa, AK; Nakamura, KD; Abe, S; Goto, S; Hayasaki, H; Kodama, S; Kong, Y; Masaki, Y; Mizuno, Y; Muro, T; Nakajima, Y; Taniuchi, N; Yokoyama, M; de Perio, P; Fujita, S; Jesús-Valls, C; Martens, K; Marti, L; Santos, AD; Tsui, KM; Vagins, MR; Kuze, M; Izumiyama, S; Matsumoto, R; Asaka, R; Ishitsuka, M; Sugo, M; Wako, M; Yamauchi, K; Nakano, Y; Cormier, F; Gaur, R; Hartz, M; Konaka, A; Li, X; Smithers, BR; Wu, Y; Xu, BD; Zhang, AQ; Zhang, B; Adhikary, H; Girgus, M; Govindaraj, P; Posiadala-Zezula, M; Prabhu, YS; Boyd, SB; Edwards, R; Hadley, D; O’Flaherty, M; Richards, B; Ali, A; Jamieson, B; Bronner, C; Horiguchi, D; Minamino, A; Sasaki, Y; Shibayama, R; Shimamura, R, Search for nucleon decay via ?? p → ν π + and ?? n → ν π 0 in 0.484 Mton-year of Super-Kamiokande data, Physical Review D, vol. 113 no. 1 (January, 2026), American Physical Society (APS) [doi]  [abs].
  2. Nakanishi, F; Abe, K; Abe, S; Asaoka, Y; Harada, M; Hayato, Y; Hiraide, K; Hosokawa, K; Hung, TH; Ieki, K; Ikeda, M; Kameda, J; Kanemura, Y; Kataoka, Y; Miki, S; Mine, S; Miura, M; Moriyama, S; Nakahata, M; Nakayama, S; Noguchi, Y; Pronost, G; Sato, K; Sekiya, H; Shiozawa, M; Suzuki, Y; Takeda, A; Takemoto, Y; Tanaka, H; Yano, T; Itow, Y; Kajita, T; Nishijima, R; Okumura, K; Tashiro, T; Tomiya, T; Wang, X; Fernandez, P; Labarga, L; Zaldivar, B; Pointon, BW; Yanagisawa, C; Kearns, E; Wan, L; Wester, T; Bian, J; Cortez, B; Griskevich, NJ; Jiang, Y; Smy, MB; Sobel, HW; Takhistov, V; Yankelevich, A; Hill, J; Jang, MC; Lee, SH; Moon, DH; Park, RG; Yang, BS; Bodur, B; Scholberg, K; Walter, CW; Beauchêne, A; Le Blévec; Drapier, O; Ershova, A; Ferey, M; Mueller, TA; Santos, AD; Paganini, P; Quach, C; Rogly, R; Nakamura, T; Jang, JS; Litchfield, RP; Machado, LN; Soler, FJP; Learned, JG; Choi, K; Cao, S; Anthony, LHV; Prouse, NW; Scott, M; Uchida, Y; Berardi, V; Calabria, NF; Catanesi, MG; Ospina, N; Radicioni, E; Langella, A; De Rosa, G; Collazuol, G; Feltre, M; Mattiazzi, M; Ludovici, L; Gonin, M; Périssé, L; Quilain, B; Horiuchi, S; Kawabata, A; Kobayashi, M; Liu, YM; Maekawa, Y; Nishimura, Y; Akutsu, R; Friend, M; Hasegawa, T; Hino, Y; Ishida, T; Kobayashi, T; Jakkapu, M; Matsubara, T; Nakadaira, T; Oyama, Y; Portocarrero Yrey, A; Sakashita, K; Sekiguchi, T; Tsukamoto, T; Bhuiyan, N; Burton, GT; Di Lodovico, F; Gao, J; Katori, T; Kralik, R; Latham, N; Ramsden, RM; Ito, H; Sone, T; Suzuki, AT; Takeuchi, Y; Wada, S; Zhong, H; Feng, J; Feng, L; Han, S; Hikida, J; Hu, JR; Hu, Z; Kawaue, M; Kikawa, T; Ngoc, TV; Nakaya, T; Wendell, RA; Jenkins, SJ; McCauley, N; Tarrant, A; Fanì, M; Wilking, MJ; Xie, Z; Fukuda, Y; Menjo, H; Yoshioka, Y; Lagoda, J; Mandal, M; Zalipska, J; Mori, M; Jiang, J; Hamaguchi, K; Ishino, H; Koshio, Y; Tada, T; Ishizuka, T; Barr, G; Barrow, D; Cook, L; Samani, S; Wark, D; Holin, A; Nova, F; Jung, S; Yoo, J; Fannon, JEP; Kneale, L; Malek, M; McElwee, JM; Peacock, T; Stowell, P; Thiesse, MD; Thompson, LF; Okazawa, H; Lakshmi, SM; Kwon, E; Lee, MW; Seo, JW; Yu, I; Ashida, Y; Ichikawa, AK; Nakamura, KD; Goto, S; Hayasaki, H; Kodama, S; Kong, Y; Masaki, Y; Mizuno, Y; Muro, T; Nakagiri, K; Nakajima, Y; Taniuchi, N; Yokoyama, M; De Perio, P; Fujita, S; Jesús-Valls, C; Martens, K; Marti, L; Tsui, KM; Vagins, MR; Xia, J; Kuze, M; Izumiyama, S; Matsumoto, R; Asaka, R; Ishitsuka, M; Sugo, M; Wako, M; Yamauchi, K; Nakano, Y; Cormier, F; Gaur, R; Hartz, M; Konaka, A; Li, X; Smithers, BR; Chen, S; Wu, Y; Xu, BD; Zhang, AQ; Zhang, B; Adhikary, H; Girgus, M; Govindaraj, P; Posiadala-Zezula, M; Prabhu, YS; Boyd, SB; Edwards, R; Hadley, D; Nicholson, M; O’Flaherty, M; Richards, B; Ali, A; Jamieson, B; Bronner, C; Horiguchi, D; Minamino, A; Sasaki, Y; Shibayama, R; Shimamura, R, First Associated Neutrino Search for a Failed Supernova Candidate with Super-Kamiokande, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 997 no. 1 (January, 2026), pp. L9-L9, American Astronomical Society [doi]  [abs].
  3. Greenstreet, S; Li, ZC; Vavilov, DE; Singh, D; Jurić, M; Ivezić, Ž; Eggl, S; Koumjian, A; Moeyens, J; Carruba, V; Womack, M; Granvik, M; Alexov, A; Antilogus, P; Baumanć, BJ; Bellm, EC; Boucaud, A; Bradshaw, A; Carlin, JL; Chiang, H-F; Daly, PN; Daruich, F; Daubard, G; Dennihy, E; Deppe, SJH; Drass, H; Gangler, E; Le Guillou, L; Guy, LP; Hascall, PA; Ingraham, P; Jee, MJ; Jenness, T; Kahn, SM; Kannawadi, A; Kelvin, LS; Kurlander, JA; Laporte, D; Lust, NB; Lutfi, M; MacArthur, LA; Mainetti, G; Marc, M; Plazas Malagón, AA; Mejías, DJ; Menanteau, F; Mills, DJ; O’Mullane, W; Neto, AF; Neveu, J; Nourbakhsh, E; Park, H; Patterson, MT; Peterson, JR; Quint, BC; Ribeiro, T; Ridgway, ST; van Reeven, W; Sebag, J; Sedaghat, N; Shaw, RA; Strauss, AL; Suberlak, K; Sullivan, IS; Swinbank, JD; Thomas, S; Thornton, A; Wood-Vasey, WM; Walter, CW; Ward, C; Willman, B, Lightcurves, Rotation Periods, and Colors for Vera C. Rubin Observatory’s First Asteroid Discoveries, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 996 no. 2 (January, 2026), pp. L33-L33, American Astronomical Society [doi]  [abs].
  4. Alarcon, A; Aldoroty, L; Beltz-Mohrmann, G; Bera, A; Blazek, J; Bogart, J; Braeunlich, G; Broughton, A; Cao, K; Chiang, J; Chisari, NE; Desai, V; Fang, Y; Galbany, L; Hearin, A; Heitmann, K; Hirata, C; Hounsell, R; Jain, B; Jarvis, M; Jencson, J; Kannawadi, A; Kasliwal, MK; Kessler, R; Kiessling, A; Knop, R; Kovacs, E; Laher, R; Laliotis, K; Lin, C; Lopes, I; Macbeth, E; Mahabal, A; Mandelbaum, R; Masiero, J; Mau, S; Meehan, C; Meyers, J; Moraes, B; Paladini, R; Pearl, A; Malagon, AP; Rose, B; Rubin, D; Rusholme, B; Santos, A; Šarčević, N; Scolnic, D; Singhal, J; Troxel, MA; Van Alfen, N; Van Dyke, S; Walter, CW; Wu, T; Yamamoto, M; Yan, L; Zhang, T, OpenUniverse2024: A shared, simulated view of the sky for the next generation of cosmological surveys, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 544 no. 4 (December, 2025), pp. 3799-3823 [doi]  [abs].
  5. Yamauchi, K; Abe, K; Abe, S; Asaoka, Y; Harada, M; Hayato, Y; Hiraide, K; Hosokawa, K; Ieki, K; Ikeda, M; Kameda, J; Kanemura, Y; Kataoka, Y; Miki, S; Mine, S; Miura, M; Moriyama, S; Nakahata, M; Nakayama, S; Noguchi, Y; Pronost, G; Sato, K; Sekiya, H; Shimizu, K; Shinoda, R; Shiozawa, M; Suzuki, Y; Takeda, A; Takemoto, Y; Tanaka, H; Yano, T; Itow, Y; Kajita, T; Nishijima, R; Okumura, K; Tashiro, T; Tomiya, T; Wang, X; Fernandez, P; Labarga, L; Samudio, D; Zaldivar, B; Pointon, BW; Yanagisawa, C; Kearns, E; Mirabito, J; Wan, L; Wester, T; Bian, J; Cortez, B; Griskevich, NJ; Jiang, Y; Smy, MB; Sobel, HW; Takhistov, V; Yankelevich, A; Hill, J; Jang, MC; Lee, SH; Moon, DH; Park, RG; Yang, BS; Bodur, B; Scholberg, K; Walter, CW; Beauchêne, A; Drapier, O; Ershova, A; Mueller, TA; Santos, AD; Paganini, P; Quach, C; Rogly, R; Nakamura, T; Jang, JS; Litchfield, RP; Machado, LN; Soler, FJP; Learned, JG; Choi, K; Iovine, N; Tiwari, D; Cao, S; Anthony, LHV; Martin, D; Prouse, NW; Scott, M; Uchida, Y; Berardi, V; Calabria, NF; Catanesi, MG; Ospina, N; Radicioni, E; Langella, A; De Rosa, G; Collazuol, G; Feltre, M; Mattiazzi, M; Ludovici, L; Gonin, M, Search for neutron decay into an antineutrino and a neutral kaon in 0.401 megaton-years exposure of Super-Kamiokande, Physical Review D, vol. 112 no. 9 (November, 2025), pp. 1-13 [doi]  [abs].

Highlight:
I am a professor in the physics department studying particle physics and cosmology. I try to understand both the nature of the ghostly particles called neutrinos in giant detectors deep underground, and why the expansion of the universe is accelerating using telescopes on top of mountains.   My background and training is originally in particle physics and I was part of the team that showed the sub-atomic particles called neutrinos have mass.  The leader of our team, T. Kajita was co-awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics for this discovery which cited the work of our collaboration.   I also began the effort in observational cosmology at Duke, joining the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, a giant telescope under construction in Chile designed to make a 10 year, three dimensional survey of the entire visible sky. Using the Rubin Observatory, we will focus on examining billions of galaxies, along with supernovae and other astronomical probes to try to determine the nature of the mysterious “Dark Energy” which is unaccountably causing the universe to pushed apart at a faster and faster rate.


Postdocs Mentored

  • Erin O'Sullivan (2014/11-present)  
  • Alex Himmel (2011 - present)  
  • Tarek Akiri (2011 - 2013)  
  • Jennifer Prendki (2010 - 2011)  
  • Roger Wendel (May, 2008 - present)  
  • Maximilien Fechner (2006 - 2008)  
  • Naho Tanimoto (2005 - 2008)  
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