Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Swarm Intelligence Methods For Extreme Mass Ratio Inspiral Search: First Application Of Particle Swarm Optimization, Xiao-Bo Zou, Soumya D. Mohanty, Hong-Gang Luo, Yu-Xiao Liu

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Swarm intelligence (SI) methods are nature-inspired metaheuristics for global optimization that exploit a coordinated stochastic search strategy by a group of agents. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is an established SI method that has been applied successfully to the optimization of rugged high-dimensional likelihood functions, a problem that represents the main bottleneck across a variety of gravitational wave (GW) data analysis challenges. We present results from the first application of PSO to one of the most difficult of these challenges, namely the search for the Extreme Mass Ratio Inspiral (EMRI) in data from future spaceborne GW detectors such as LISA, Taiji, …

There Is Life On Mars, Colin M. Johnston, Olivier B. Cohen

CAFE Symposium 2024

An extensive research project that involved the research of multiple major experiments and discoveries about possible life on the planet Mars. Facts, Data, conspiracies and theories have all been taken into account and provided in this project.

Extraterrestrial Life: The Possibility Of A Human-Alien Interaction, Ariana M. Piscoya

CAFE Symposium 2024

We all have heard of at least one case where someone assured having seen a flying extraterrestrial object. There are thousands of thousands of videos we can find online that “prove” the existence of aliens. In the hypothetical case where aliens are really out there, why haven't we been able to talk to them and look at them face-to-face? A human-extraterrestrial interaction has not yet been achieved for two reasons. First, alien energy is much more powerful than that of humans, so it would require thousands of thousands of years for the human race to develop a technology able to …

Axion-Polaritons In Quark Stars: A Possible Solution To The Missing Pulsar Problem, Efrain J. Ferrer, Vivian De La Incera

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

This paper proposes an alternative mechanism to solve the so-called missing pulsar problem, a standing paradox between the theoretical expectations about the number of pulsars that should exist in the galaxy center of the Milky Way and their absence in the observations. The mechanism is based on the transformation of incident γ rays into hybridized modes, known as axion-polaritons, which can exist inside highly magnetized quark stars with a quark matter phase known as the magnetic dual chiral density wave phase. This phase, which is favored over several other dense matter phases candidates at densities a few times nuclear saturation …

Flavors And Frailties Of Globalization, Nikhilesh Dholakia, Deniz Atik

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

No abstract provided.

Life Beyond The Horizon: The Universe Was Born In A Black Hole, Zahria Patrick

Undergraduate Research Symposium

It is a widely accepted fact that obtaining information about a black hole is a near-impossible task without being stretched like a spaghetti noodle and trapped in one due to its strong gravitational pull. If the universe exists in a black hole, however, it will mean that it could be possible to survive after crossing its inescapable borders. As surprising as all of this may seem, this theory has existed for quite a while amongst a few different physicists. One person that has shed light on and expanded people’s knowledge of this frightening theory is theoretical physicist, Nikodem Poplawski. The …

Low Complexity Radio Frequency Interference Mitigation For Radio Astronomy Using Large Antenna Array, Zaid Bin Tariq, Teviet Creighton, Louis Percy Dartez, Naofal Al-Dhahir, Murat Torlak

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

With the ongoing growth in radio communications, there is an increased contamination of radio astronomical source data, which hinders the study of celestial radio sources. In many cases, fast mitigation of strong radio frequency interference (RFI) is valuable for studying short lived radio transients so that the astronomers can perform detailed observations of celestial radio sources. The standard method to manually excise contaminated blocks in time and frequency makes the removed data useless for radio astronomy analyses. This motivates the need for better radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation techniques for array of size M antennas. Although many solutions for mitigating …

Synchronicity: An Analysis Of Einstein's Halfway Rule, Preslava Nikolova

Rushton Journal of Undergraduate Humanities Research

For the modern world to function, Global Positioning System satellites must synchronize to clocks on Earth. This paper examines a concept that underlies GPS systems, namely Albert Einstein’s halfway rule—the idea that a line of simultaneity exists between two events in different systems. This essay discusses how Einstein used conventionalist methods to establish ½ as a constant value for σ to take advantage of the property of symmetry.

Alfred Russel Wallace Notes 29. Extraterrestrial Entertainment: Are We Being Monitored By Alien Beings?, Charles H. Smith

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823−1913) was an early advocate for the rational assessment of likelihood of extraterrestrial life. Current efforts to evaluate the situation have ranged from the heavily self-indulgent to the more objective, and it is still often difficult to decide just how much of the information we are receiving on the subject is dependable. An attempt is made here to cut through the haze and reduce the matter to elementals.

Conventions, Definitions, Identities, And Other Useful Formulae, Robert A. Mcnees Iv

Physics: Faculty Publications and Other Works

As the name suggests, these notes contain a summary of important conventions, definitions, identities, and various formulas that I often refer to. They may prove useful for researchers working in General Relativity, Supergravity, String Theory, Cosmology, and related areas.

Uncover: Jwst Spectroscopy Of Three Cold Brown Dwarfs At Kiloparsec-Scale Distances, Sam E. Cutler, Et. Al.

Astronomy Department Faculty Publication Series

We report JWST/NIRSpec spectra of three distant T-type brown dwarfs identified in the Ultradeep NIRSpec and NIRCam ObserVations before the Epoch of Reionization (UNCOVER) survey of the Abell 2744 lensing field. One source was previously reported as a candidate T dwarf on the basis of NIRCam photometry, while two sources were initially identified as candidate active galactic nuclei. Low-resolution 1–5 μm spectra confirm the presence of molecular features consistent with T dwarf atmospheres, and comparison to spectral standards infers classifications of sdT1, T6, and T8–T9. The warmest source, UNCOVER-BD-1, shows evidence of subsolar metallicity, and atmosphere model fits indicate …

X-Ray Detection Of The Most Extreme Star-Forming Galaxies At The Cosmic Noon Via Strong Lensing, Q Daniel Wang, Carlos Garcia Diaz, Min S. Yun, Et. Al.

Astronomy Department Faculty Publication Series

Hyperluminous infrared galaxies (HyLIRGs) are the most extreme star-forming systems observed in the early Universe, and their properties still elude comprehensive understanding. We have undertaken a large XMM–Newton observing programme to probe the total accreting black hole population in three HyLIRGs at z = 2.12, 3.25, and 3.55, gravitationally lensed by foreground galaxies. Selected from the Planck All-Sky Survey to Analyse Gravitationally lensed Extreme Starbursts (PASSAGES), these HyLIRGs have apparent infrared luminosities >1014 L_⊙. Our observations revealed X-ray emission in each of them. PJ1336+49 appears to be dominated by high-mass X-ray binaries (HMXBs). Remarkably, the luminosity …

Alma-Legus. Ii. The Influence Of Subgalactic Environments On Molecular Cloud Properties, Daniela Calzetti, Et. Al.

Astronomy Department Faculty Publication Series

We compare the molecular cloud properties in subgalactic regions of two galaxies, barred spiral NGC 1313, which is forming many massive clusters, and flocculent spiral NGC 7793, which is forming significantly fewer massive clusters despite having a similar star formation rate to NGC 1313. We find that there are larger variations in cloud properties between different regions within each galaxy than there are between the galaxies on a global scale, especially for NGC 1313. There are higher masses, line widths, pressures, and virial parameters in the arms of NGC 1313 and the center of NGC 7793 than in the interarm …

Uncover Spectroscopy Confirms The Surprising Ubiquity Of Active Galactic Nuclei In Red Sources At Z > 5, Sam E. Cutler, John R. Weaver, Katherine E. Whitaker, Et. Al.

Astronomy Department Faculty Publication Series

The James Webb Space Telescope is revealing a new population of dust-reddened broad-line active galactic nuclei (AGN) at redshifts z ≳ 5. Here we present deep NIRSpec/Prism spectroscopy from the Cycle 1 Treasury program Ultradeep NIRSpec and NIRCam ObserVations before the Epoch of Reionization (UNCOVER) of 15 AGN candidates selected to be compact, with red continua in the rest-frame optical but with blue slopes in the UV. From NIRCam photometry alone, they could have been dominated by dusty star formation or an AGN. Here we show that the majority of the compact red sources in UNCOVER are dust-reddened AGN: 60% …

The Present And Future Of Qcd, P. Achenbach, D. Adhikari, A. Afanasev, F. Afzal, C. A. Aidala, A. Al-Bataineh, D. K. Almaalol, M. Amaryan, D. Androić, W. R. Armstrong, M. Arratia, J. Arrington, A. Asaturyan, E. C. Aschenauer, H. Atac, H. Avakian, T. Averett, C. Ayerbe Gayoso, X. Bai, M. Zurek, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

This White Paper presents an overview of the current status and future perspective of QCD research, based on the community inputs and scientific conclusions from the 2022 Hot and Cold QCD Town Meeting. We present the progress made in the last decade toward a deep understanding of both the fundamental structure of the sub-atomic matter of nucleon and nucleus in cold QCD, and the hot QCD matter in heavy ion collisions. We identify key questions of QCD research and plausible paths to obtaining answers to those questions in the near future, hence defining priorities of our research over the coming …

A Multi-Wavelength Determination Of The Total Luminosity And Star Formation Rate Of The Milky Way, Joshua L. Mascoop

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The star formation rate (SFR) of the Milky Way is poorly understood in comparison to the SFR of other galaxies. In order to better find the Galaxy's place in the universe, it is imperative to understand the star formation activity occurring within it. We characterize the Galactic \hii\ region luminosity function (LF) at multiple infrared and radio wavelengths using a sample of 797 first Galactic quadrant \hii regions compiled from the WISE Catalog of Galactic \hii Regions. This sample is statistically complete for all regions powered by single stars of type O9.5V and earlier.

We find that neither a single …

Opacities Of S-Type Stars: The Singlet B¹⊓−X¹Σ⁺, B¹⊓−A¹Δ, And C¹Σ⁺−X¹Σ⁺ Band Systems Of Zro, Peter F. Bernath, Manish Bhusal, Jacques Liévin

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications

The ZrO B¹Π–X¹Σ⁺, B¹Π–A¹Δ, and C¹Σ+–X¹Σ⁺ band systems are important opacity sources in the near-infrared and optical spectra of S-type stars. A total of 21 rovibronic bands with v'' ≤ 7 and v' ⩽ 5 were observed and fit for the B¹Π–X¹Σ⁺ transition, five bands for the ⁹⁰ZrO B¹Π–A¹Δ transition and one band for the ⁹⁰ZrO C¹Σ⁺–X¹Σ⁺ transition. All band …

Glitch Veto Based On Unphysical Gravitational Wave Binary Inspiral Templates, Raghav Girgaonkar, Soumya D. Mohanty

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Transient signals arising from instrumental or environmental factors, commonly referred to as glitches, constitute the predominant background of false alarms in the detection of gravitational waves in data collected from ground-based detectors. Therefore, effective data analysis methods for vetoing glitch-induced false alarms are crucial to enhancing the sensitivity of a search for gravitational waves. We present a veto method for glitches that impact matched filtering-based searches for binary inspiral signals. The veto uses unphysical sectors in the space of chirp time parameters as well as an unphysical extension including negative chirp times to efficiently segregate glitches from gravitational wave signals …

Ultralight Vector Dark Matter Search Using Data From The Kagra O3gk Run, A. Abac, R. Abbott, H. Abe, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Francisco Llamas, Soma Mukherjee, Gaukhar Nurbek, Volker Quetschke, Wenhui Wang

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the …

Cosmic Variance Of The Hellings And Downs Correlation For Ensembles Of Universes Having Non-Zero Angular Power Spectra, Deepali Agarwal, Joseph D. Romano

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Gravitational waves induce correlated perturbations to the arrival times of pulses from an array of galactic millisecond pulsars. The expected correlations, obtained by averaging over many pairs of pulsars having the same angular separation (pulsar averaging) and over an ensemble of model universes (ensemble averaging), are described by the Hellings and Downs curve. As shown by Allen [1], the pulsar-averaged correlation will not agree exactly with the expected Hellings and Downs prediction if the gravitational-wave sources interfere with one another, differing instead by a "cosmic variance" contribution. The precise shape and size of the cosmic variance depends on the statistical …

Ligo Operates With Quantum Noise Below The Standard Quantum Limit, W. Jia, V. Xu, K. Kuns, M. Nakano, L. Barsotti, M. Evans, N. Mavalvala, R. Abbott, Francisco Llamas, Volker Quetschke

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Precision measurements of space and time, like those made by the detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), are often confronted with fundamental limitations imposed by quantum mechanics. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle dictates that the position and momentum of an object cannot both be precisely measured, giving rise to an apparent limitation called the Standard Quantum Limit (SQL). Reducing quantum noise below the SQL in gravitational-wave detectors, where photons are used to continuously measure the positions of freely falling mirrors, has been an active area of research for decades. Here we show how the LIGO A+ upgrade reduced the …

Exploring The Hot And Gaseous Universe From Infrared To X-Ray, Chamani Gunasekera

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

Over 90% of baryonic matter in the universe exists as astrophysical plasmas. The gas
is often far from thermodynamic equilibrium, so numerical non-equilibrium spectral
synthesis simulations are used to understand observations. cloudy simulates vari-
ous physical conditions, providing spectra predictions. This thesis aims to meet the
challenge of new observatories like the JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) and
XRISM (X-Ray Imaging Spectroscopy Mission). These simulations are no better
than the underlying atomic and molecular database and the fourth chapter details
a long-needed update to an evolving database. The predicted spectra are strongly
affected by the composition of the gas, which …

Ratification Of The Base Of The Ics Geological Time Scale: The Global Standard Stratigraphic Age (Gssa) For The Hadean Lower Boundary, Janna Halla, Nora Noffke, Humberto Reis, Stanley Awramik, Andrey Bekker, Alexander Brasier, Flávia Callefo, Adrita Choudhury, Jan-Peter Duda, Christopher Fedo, Douglas Galante, Jessica Haddock, Peter Haines, Linda Hinnov, Axel Hofmann, Martin Homann, David Huston, Simon Johnson, Linda Kah, Martin Whitehouse, Et Al.

OES Faculty Publications

The base of the ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy) Geological Time Scale was ratified in 2022 by defining a new Global Stratigraphic Standard Age (GSSA) for the lower boundary of the Hadean Eon (formerly 4000-3600 Ma); the age of the Solar System based on the oldest solids, calcium-aluminium inclusions (CAIs), generated in the protoplanetary disk. The formal GSSA for the Hadean base is the oldest reliable, weighted mean U-corrected Pb-Pb age of 4567.30 ± 0.16 Ma obtained for CAIs in primitive meteorites Allende and Efremovka. This age is supported by the 4568-4567 Ma U-corrected Pb-Pb ages of chondrules in Northwest …

A Review Of Wormhole Stabilization In F (R) Gravity Theories, R. Radhakrishnan, P. Brown, J. Matulevich, E. Davis, Delaram Mirfendereski, G. Cleaver

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

: It has been proven that in standard Einstein gravity, exotic matter (i.e. matter violating the point-wise and averaged weak and null energy conditions) is required to stabilize traversable wormholes. Quantum field theory permits these violations due to the quantum coherent effects found in any quantum field [1]. Even reasonable classical scalar fields violate the energy conditions. In the case of the Casimir effect and squeezed vacuum states, these violations have been experimentally proven. It is advantageous to investigate methods of minimizing the use of exotic matter. One such area of interest is extended theories of Einstein gravity. It has …

Unbiased Estimation Of Gravitational-Wave Anisotropies From Noisy Data, Nikolaos Kouvatsos, Alexander C. Jenkins, Arianna I. Renzini, Joseph D. Romano, Mairi Sakellariadou

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

One of the most exciting targets of current and future gravitational-wave observations is the angular power spectrum of the astrophysical GW background. This cumulative signal encodes information about the large-scale structure of the Universe, as well as the formation and evolution of compact binaries throughout cosmic time. However, the finite rate of compact binary mergers gives rise to temporal shot noise, which introduces a significant bias in measurements of the angular power spectrum if not explicitly accounted for. Previous work showed that this bias can be removed by cross-correlating GW sky maps constructed from different observing times. However, this work …

Ultradeep Atca Imaging Of 47 Tucanae Reveals A Central Compact Radio Source, Alessandro Paduano, Arash Bahramian, James C. A. Miller-Jones, Adela Kawka, Tim J. Galvin, Liliana E. Rivera Sandoval, Sebastian Kamann, Jay Strader, Laura Chomiuk, Craig O. Heinke

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present the results of an ultradeep radio continuum survey, containing ∼480 hr of observations, of the Galactic globular cluster 47 Tucanae with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. This comprehensive coverage of the cluster allows us to reach rms noise levels of 1.19 μJy beam−1 at 5.5 GHz, 940 nJy beam−1 at 9 GHz, and 790 nJy beam−1 in a stacked 7.25 GHz image. This is the deepest radio image of a globular cluster and the deepest image ever made with the Australia Telescope Compact Array. We identify ATCA J002405.702-720452.361, a faint (6.3 ± 1.2 μJy at 5.5 …

Mesmerizing Moon Mysteries: Unraveling The Compositions Of Irregular Mare Patches (Imps) Using Remote Observations, Nicholas G. Piskurich

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Compositional characterization of lunar surface features informs our understanding of the Moon's thermal and magmatic evolution. We investigated the compositions of hypothesized volcanic features known as irregular mare patches (IMPs) and their surroundings to constrain formation mechanisms. We used six datasets to assess the composition of 12 IMPs: 1) Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M³) derived spectral parameters (e.g., band center positions, shapes), 2) Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Diviner Radiometer Experiment (Diviner) measured Christiansen feature (CF) position, 3) SELENE (Kaguya) Multiband Imager (MI) FeO abundance, 4) Clementine 5-band (Ultraviolet/Visible)-derived FeO abundance, 5) LRO Wide Angle Camera (WAC) TiO₂ abundance, …

The Case For Photothermal Spectroscopy In The Future Of Planetary Science Missions, Christopher T. Cox

Graduate Thesis and Dissertation 2023-2024

Optical PhotoThermal InfraRed (O-PTIR) is a relatively new spectroscopy method for studying materials. It produces transmission-like spectra using a remote reflectance technique that is rapid, requires little sample preparation, and is well-suited for the technique to be adapted for a space flight instrument. The method involves a tunable pulsed IR laser creating a photothermal effect on the surface of a material and measuring the distortion of a probing visible laser in the same region of the sample, which can be obtained at sub-micron spatial resolutions. A measurement campaign was performed utilizing Photothermal Spectroscopy Corporation's O-PTIR instrument, mIRage®. In this campaign, …