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Articles 1981 - 2010 of 2739

Full-Text Articles in Physics

The Low Co Content Of The Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxy I Zw 18, A. Leroy, John M. Cannon, F. Walter, A. Bolatto, A. Weiss Jan 2007

The Low Co Content Of The Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxy I Zw 18, A. Leroy, John M. Cannon, F. Walter, A. Bolatto, A. Weiss

John Cannon

No abstract provided.


An Ultraviolet-To-Radio Broadband Spetral Atlas Of Nearby Galaxies, D. A. Dale, A. Gil De Paz, K. D. Gordon, H. M. Hanson, L. Armus, G. J. Bendo, L. Bianchi, M. Block, S. Boisser, A. Boselli, B. A. Buckalew, V. Buat, D. Burgarella, D. Calzetti, John M. Cannon, C. W. Engelbracht, G. Helou, D. J. Hollenbach, T. H. Jarett, R. C. Kennicutt, C. Leitherer, A. Li, B. F. Madore, D. C. Martin, M. J. Meyer, E. J. Murphy, M. W. Regan, H. Roussel, J-D. T. Smith, M. L. Sosey, D. A. Tilker, F. Walter Jan 2007

An Ultraviolet-To-Radio Broadband Spetral Atlas Of Nearby Galaxies, D. A. Dale, A. Gil De Paz, K. D. Gordon, H. M. Hanson, L. Armus, G. J. Bendo, L. Bianchi, M. Block, S. Boisser, A. Boselli, B. A. Buckalew, V. Buat, D. Burgarella, D. Calzetti, John M. Cannon, C. W. Engelbracht, G. Helou, D. J. Hollenbach, T. H. Jarett, R. C. Kennicutt, C. Leitherer, A. Li, B. F. Madore, D. C. Martin, M. J. Meyer, E. J. Murphy, M. W. Regan, H. Roussel, J-D. T. Smith, M. L. Sosey, D. A. Tilker, F. Walter

John Cannon

No abstract provided.


Thermal Properties Of Cubic Kta 1 X Nb X O 3 Crystals, X. P. Wang, J. Y. Wang, H. J. Zhang, Y. G. Yu, J. Wu, W. L. Gao, Robert I. Boughton Jan 2007

Thermal Properties Of Cubic Kta 1 X Nb X O 3 Crystals, X. P. Wang, J. Y. Wang, H. J. Zhang, Y. G. Yu, J. Wu, W. L. Gao, Robert I. Boughton

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Cubic potassium tantalite niobate KTa1−xNbxO3 KTN crystals of large size, good quality, and varying Nb concentration have been grown by the Czochralski method and their thermal properties have been systematically studied. The melting point, molar enthalpy of fusion, and molar entropy of fusion of the crystals were determined to be: 1536.9 K, 12 068.521 J mol−1, and 7.85 J K−1 mol−1 for KTa0.67Nb0.33O3; and 1520.61 K, 15 352.511 J mol−1, and 10.098 J K−1 mol−1 for KTa0.67Nb0.33O3, respectively. Based on the data, the Jackson factor was calculated to be 0.994f and 1.214f for KTa0.67Nb0.33O3 and KTa0.63Nb0.37O3, respectively. The thermal expansion …


Algorithm Refinement For Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, Alejandro Garcia, S. Williams, J. B. Bell Jan 2007

Algorithm Refinement For Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, Alejandro Garcia, S. Williams, J. B. Bell

Faculty Publications

This paper introduces an adaptive mesh and algorithm refinement method for fluctuating hydrodynamics. This particle-continuum hybrid simulates the dynamics of a compressible fluid with thermal fluctuations. The particle algorithm is direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), a molecular-level scheme based on the Boltzmann equation. The continuum algorithm is based on the Landau–Lifshitz Navier–Stokes (LLNS) equations, which incorporate thermal fluctuations into macroscopic hydrodynamics by using stochastic fluxes. It uses a recently developed solver for the LLNS equations based on third-order Runge–Kutta. We present numerical tests of systems in and out of equilibrium, including time-dependent systems, and demonstrate dynamic adaptive refinement by the …


Numerical Methods For The Stochastic Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes Equations, Alejandro Garcia, J. B. Bell, S. Williams Jan 2007

Numerical Methods For The Stochastic Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes Equations, Alejandro Garcia, J. B. Bell, S. Williams

Faculty Publications

The Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes (LLNS) equations incorporate thermal fluctuations into macroscopic hydrodynamics by using stochastic fluxes. This paper examines explicit Eulerian discretizations of the full LLNS equations. Several computational fluid dynamics approaches are considered (including MacCormack’s two-step Lax-Wendroff scheme and the piecewise parabolic method) and are found to give good results for the variance of momentum fluctuations. However, neither of these schemes accurately reproduces the fluctuations in energy or density. We introduce a conservative centered scheme with a third-order Runge-Kutta temporal integrator that does accurately produce fluctuations in density, energy, and momentum. A variety of numerical tests, including the random walk …


Exotic Statistics For Strings In 4d Bf Theory, John C. Baez, Derek K. Wise, Alissa S. Crans Jan 2007

Exotic Statistics For Strings In 4d Bf Theory, John C. Baez, Derek K. Wise, Alissa S. Crans

Mathematics Faculty Works

After a review of exotic statistics for point particles in 3d BF theory, and especially 3d quantum gravity, we show that string-like defects in 4d BF theory obey exotic statistics governed by the 'loop braid group'. This group has a set of generators that switch two strings just as one would normally switch point particles, but also a set of generators that switch two strings by passing one through the other. The first set generates a copy of the symmetric group, while the second generates a copy of the braid group. Thanks to recent work of Xiao-Song Lin, we can …


Spin Flips And Precession In Black-Hole-Binary Mergers, Manuela Campanelli, Carlos O. Lousto, Z. Zlochower, Badri Krishnan, David Merritt Jan 2007

Spin Flips And Precession In Black-Hole-Binary Mergers, Manuela Campanelli, Carlos O. Lousto, Z. Zlochower, Badri Krishnan, David Merritt

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We use the “moving puncture” approach to perform fully nonlinear evolutions of spinning quasicircular black-hole binaries with individual spins unaligned with the orbital angular momentum. We evolve configurations with the individual spins (parallel and equal in magnitude) pointing in the orbital plane and 45° above the orbital plane. We introduce a technique to measure the spin direction and track the precession of the spin during the merger, as well as measure the spin flip in the remnant horizon. The former configuration completes 1.75 orbits before merging, with the spin precessing by 98° and the final remnant horizon spin flipped by …


Discovery Of Atomic And Molecular Mid-Infrared Emission Lines In Off-Nuclear Regions Of Ngc 1275 And Ngc 4696 With The Spitzer Space Telescope, R. M. Johnstone, N. A. Hatch, Gary J. Ferland, A. C. Fabian, C. S. Crawford, R. J. Wilman Jan 2007

Discovery Of Atomic And Molecular Mid-Infrared Emission Lines In Off-Nuclear Regions Of Ngc 1275 And Ngc 4696 With The Spitzer Space Telescope, R. M. Johnstone, N. A. Hatch, Gary J. Ferland, A. C. Fabian, C. S. Crawford, R. J. Wilman

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present Spitzer high-resolution spectra of off-nuclear regions in the central cluster galaxies NGC 1275 and NGC 4696 in the Perseus and Centaurus clusters, respectively. Both objects are surrounded by extensive optical emission-line filamentary nebulae, bright outer parts of which are the targets of our observations. The 10–37 μm spectra show strong pure-rotational lines from molecular hydrogen revealing a molecular component to the filaments which has an excitation temperature of ∼300−400 K. The flux in the 0−0 S(1) molecular hydrogen line correlates well with the strength of the optical lines, having about 3 per cent of the Hα+[N II] emission. …


First Cross-Correlation Analysis Of Interferometric And Resonant-Bar Gravitational-Wave Data For Stochastic Backgrounds, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, Mario C. Diaz, R. Grosso, Soumya Mohanty, Soma Mukherjee, Cristina V. Torres Jan 2007

First Cross-Correlation Analysis Of Interferometric And Resonant-Bar Gravitational-Wave Data For Stochastic Backgrounds, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, Mario C. Diaz, R. Grosso, Soumya Mohanty, Soma Mukherjee, Cristina V. Torres

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

Data from the LIGO Livingston interferometer and the ALLEGRO resonant-bar detector, taken during LIGO’s fourth science run, were examined for cross correlations indicative of a stochastic gravitational-wave background in the frequency range 850–950 Hz, with most of the sensitivity arising between 905 and 925 Hz. ALLEGRO was operated in three different orientations during the experiment to modulate the relative sign of gravitational-wave and environmental correlations. No statistically significant correlations were seen in any of the orientations, and the results were used to set a Bayesian 90% confidence level upper limit of Ωgw(f)≤1.02, which corresponds to a gravitational-wave strain at 915 …


Searches For Periodic Gravitational Waves From Unknown Isolated Sources And Scorpius X-1: Results From The Second Ligo Science Run, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, Mario C. Diaz, R. Grosso, Wm. R. Johnston, Soumya Mohanty, Soma Mukherjee, Cristina V. Torres Jan 2007

Searches For Periodic Gravitational Waves From Unknown Isolated Sources And Scorpius X-1: Results From The Second Ligo Science Run, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, Mario C. Diaz, R. Grosso, Wm. R. Johnston, Soumya Mohanty, Soma Mukherjee, Cristina V. Torres

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We carry out two searches for periodic gravitational waves using the most sensitive few hours of data from the second LIGO science run. Both searches exploit fully coherent matched filtering and cover wide areas of parameter space, an innovation over previous analyses which requires considerable algorithm development and computational power. The first search is targeted at isolated, previously unknown neutron stars, covers the entire sky in the frequency band 160–728.8 Hz, and assumes a frequency derivative of less than 4×10−10  Hz/s. The second search targets the accreting neutron star in the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1 and covers the frequency …


Electromagnetic Strong Plasma Turbulence, A. Melatos, F. A. Jenet, P. A. Robinson Jan 2007

Electromagnetic Strong Plasma Turbulence, A. Melatos, F. A. Jenet, P. A. Robinson

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

The first large-scale simulations of continuously driven, two-dimensional electromagnetic strong plasma turbulence are performed, for electron thermal speeds 0.01c⩽v⩽0.57c, by integrating the Zakharov equations for coupled Langmuir and transverse (T) waves near the plasma frequency. Turbulence scalings and wave number spectra are calculated, a transition is found from a mix of trapped and free T eigenstates for v⩾0.1c to just free eigenstates for v⩽0.1c, and wave energy densities are observed to undergo slow quasiperiodic oscillations.


Algorithm Refinement For Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, Alejandro Garcia, Sarah Williams, John B. Bell Jan 2007

Algorithm Refinement For Fluctuating Hydrodynamics, Alejandro Garcia, Sarah Williams, John B. Bell

Alejandro Garcia

This paper introduces an adaptive mesh and algorithm refinement method for fluctuating hydrodynamics. This particle-continuum hybrid simulates the dynamics of a compressible fluid with thermal fluctuations. The particle algorithm is direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC), a molecular-level scheme based on the Boltzmann equation. The continuum algorithm is based on the Landau–Lifshitz Navier–Stokes (LLNS) equations, which incorporate thermal fluctuations into macroscopic hydrodynamics by using stochastic fluxes. It uses a recently developed solver for the LLNS equations based on third-order Runge–Kutta. We present numerical tests of systems in and out of equilibrium, including time-dependent systems, and demonstrate dynamic adaptive refinement by the …


Numerical Methods For The Stochastic Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes Equations, Alejandro Garcia, John B. Bell, Sarah Williams Jan 2007

Numerical Methods For The Stochastic Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes Equations, Alejandro Garcia, John B. Bell, Sarah Williams

Alejandro Garcia

The Landau-Lifshitz Navier-Stokes (LLNS) equations incorporate thermal fluctuations into macroscopic hydrodynamics by using stochastic fluxes. This paper examines explicit Eulerian discretizations of the full LLNS equations. Several computational fluid dynamics approaches are considered (including MacCormack’s two-step Lax-Wendroff scheme and the piecewise parabolic method) and are found to give good results for the variance of momentum fluctuations. However, neither of these schemes accurately reproduces the fluctuations in energy or density. We introduce a conservative centered scheme with a third-order Runge-Kutta temporal integrator that does accurately produce fluctuations in density, energy, and momentum. A variety of numerical tests, including the random walk …


Form Factors And Wave Functions Of Vector Mesons In Holographic Qcd, Hovhannes R. Grigoryan, Anatoly V. Radyushkin Jan 2007

Form Factors And Wave Functions Of Vector Mesons In Holographic Qcd, Hovhannes R. Grigoryan, Anatoly V. Radyushkin

Physics Faculty Publications

Within the framework of a holographic dual model of QCD, we develop a formalism for calculating form factors of vector mesons. We show that the holographic bound states can be described not only in terms of eigenfunctions of the equation of motion, but also in terms of conjugate wave functions that are close analogues of quantum-mechanical bound state wave functions. We derive a generalized VMD representation for form factors, and find a very specific VMD pattern, in which form factors are essentially given by contributions due to the first two bound states in the Q2 -channel. We calculate electric …


The X-Ray Variability Of Seyfert Galaxies, Kevin Marshall Dec 2006

The X-Ray Variability Of Seyfert Galaxies, Kevin Marshall

Physics and Astronomy Dissertations

Strong and variable X-ray emission has long been known to be a universal property of active galaxies. However, despite years of study, the exact nature of the variability remains relatively unknown. We present here results of a multi-year monitoring campaign of a sample of Seyfert galaxies (3C 120, Mkn 509, 3C 390.3, and Akn 120), carried out using the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). For Mkn 509, we also present results of optical monitoring. Mkn 509 shows a strong correlation between X-ray and optical variations, with the optical leading the X-ray by 25 days. We also investigate the rms-flux relationship …


Threshold Extension Of Gallium Arsenide/Aluminum Gallium Arsenide Terahertz Detectors And Switching In Heterostructures, Mohamed Buhary Rinzan Dec 2006

Threshold Extension Of Gallium Arsenide/Aluminum Gallium Arsenide Terahertz Detectors And Switching In Heterostructures, Mohamed Buhary Rinzan

Physics and Astronomy Dissertations

In this work, homojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HIWIP) detectors based on GaAs, and heterojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HEIWIP) detectors based mainly on the Gallium Arsenide/Aluminum Gallium Arsenide material system are presented. Design principles of HIWIP and HEIWIP detectors, such as free carrier absorption, photocarrier generation, photoemission, and responsivity, are discussed in detail. Results of p-type HIWIPs based on GaAs material are presented. Homojunction detectors based on p-type GaAs were found to limit their operating wavelength range. This is mainly due to band depletion arising through carrier transitions from the heavy/light hole bands to the split off band. Designing …


Optical Variability Of The Three Brightest Nearby Quasars, C. Martin Gaskell, Andrew J. Benker, Jeffrey S. Campbell, Thomas A. George, Cecilia H. Hedrick, Mary E. Hiller, Elizabeth S. Klimek, Joseph P. Leonard, Shoji Masatoshi, Bradley W. Peterson, Kelly S. Peterson, Kelly M. Sanders Dec 2006

Optical Variability Of The Three Brightest Nearby Quasars, C. Martin Gaskell, Andrew J. Benker, Jeffrey S. Campbell, Thomas A. George, Cecilia H. Hedrick, Mary E. Hiller, Elizabeth S. Klimek, Joseph P. Leonard, Shoji Masatoshi, Bradley W. Peterson, Kelly S. Peterson, Kelly M. Sanders

C. Martin Gaskell Publications

We report on the relative optical variability of the three brightest nearby quasars, 3C 273, PDS 456, and PHL 1811. All three have comparable absolute magnitudes, but PDS 456 and PHL 1811 are radio quiet. PDS 456 is a broadline object, but PHL 1811 could be classified as a high-luminosity Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 (NLS1). Both of the radio-quiet quasars show significant variability on a timescale of a few days. The seasonal rms V-band variability amplitudes of 3C 273 and PDS 456 are indistinguishable, and the seasonal rms variability amplitude of PHL 1811 was only exceeded by 3C 273 once in …


Computationally Modeling The Effects Of Surface Roughness On Soft X-Ray Multilayer Reflectors, Jedediah Edward Jensen Johnson Dec 2006

Computationally Modeling The Effects Of Surface Roughness On Soft X-Ray Multilayer Reflectors, Jedediah Edward Jensen Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Electromagnetic scattering from a rough two dimensional homogeneous scatterer has been computationally modeled. The scatterer is intended to simulate reflection from a two interface multilayer. The rough scatterer was created from Gaussian random points centered about an ideal interface. The points were connected with a third order spline interpolant which accounts for correlation between neighboring surface atoms. The scalar electric field integral equation (EFIE) and magnetic field integral equation (MFIE) were solved using the Nystrom method to obtain the reflected intensity as a function of observation angle. Verification of the accuracy of the code was obtained by means of comparison …


Gravitation In Vectorial Relativity, Jorge A. Franco Nov 2006

Gravitation In Vectorial Relativity, Jorge A. Franco

Jorge A Franco

It is known that Kepler’s Laws can be derived from the Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation. For doing this, mass is considered as an invariable parameter. Although this consideration works wonderfully to solve most of problems in astronomy calculations, as in all physics, when body’s speeds are so high and very precise measurements are required, the referred Kepler Laws do not cope enough what is expected. That’s why the General Theory of Relativity materialized. As it was indirectly pointed out by Einstein in 1905, Newton and Kepler Laws do not consider the relativistic variation of mass with its velocity. In …


Ordering Tendencies In The Binary Alloys Of Rh, Pd, Ir, And Pt: Density Functional Calculations, Gus L. W. Hart, Brian Kolb, Stefan Müller, David B. Botts Oct 2006

Ordering Tendencies In The Binary Alloys Of Rh, Pd, Ir, And Pt: Density Functional Calculations, Gus L. W. Hart, Brian Kolb, Stefan Müller, David B. Botts

Faculty Publications

The binary alloys of Rh, Pd, Ir, and Pt are important because of their high catalytic potential. We report in this paper that the Rh1-xIrx and Rh1-xPtx systems, long thought to phase separate at low temperatures, actually exhibit miscibility over the entire concentration and temperature range. We find low critical ordering temperatures, indicating that long-range order is unlikely to be observed experimentally. These results are compared with previous theoretical predications for the other binary alloys of Rh, Pd, Ir, and Pt and with calculations performed here on the Pt1-xIrx and Pd1-xIrx systems. We discuss these results and investigate the mechanisms …


Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio Oct 2006

Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio

Dartmouth Scholarship

The search for non-relativistic deviations from Newtonian gravitation can lead to new phenomena signalling the unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions. Various recent theoretical frameworks indicate a possible window for non-Newtonian forces with gravitational coupling strength in the micrometre range. The major expected background in the same range is attributable to the Casimir force or variants of it if dielectric materials, rather than conducting ones, are considered. Here we review the measurements of the Casimir force performed so far in the micrometre range and how they determine constraints on non-Newtonian gravitation, also discussing the dominant sources of false …


Cross Sections Fall 2006, Department Of Physics And Astronomy Oct 2006

Cross Sections Fall 2006, Department Of Physics And Astronomy

Cross Sections

No abstract provided.


Energy Levels And Transition Probabilities For Boron-Like Fe Xxii, V. Jonauskas, P. Bogdanovich, F. P. Keenan, R. Kisielius, M. E. Foord, R. F. Heeter, S. J. Rose, Gary J. Ferland, P. H. Norrington Sep 2006

Energy Levels And Transition Probabilities For Boron-Like Fe Xxii, V. Jonauskas, P. Bogdanovich, F. P. Keenan, R. Kisielius, M. E. Foord, R. F. Heeter, S. J. Rose, Gary J. Ferland, P. H. Norrington

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock method is used to calculate the energies of the 407 lowest levels in FeXXII. These results are cross-checked using a suite of codes which employ the configuration interaction method on the basis set of transformed radial orbitals with variable parameters, and takes into account relativistic corrections in the Breit-Pauli approximation. Transition probabilities, oscillator and line strengths are presented for electric dipole (E1), electric quadrupole (E2) and magnetic dipole (M1) transitions among these levels. The total radiative transition probabilities, as well as the five largest values from each level be it of E1, M1, E2, M2, or E3 …


Comparison Of Tropospheric Ozone Columns Calculated From Mls, Omi, And Ozonesonde Data, Gary A. Morris, Bojan Bojkov, Mark R. Schoeberl, Amy Wozniak, Jerry Ziemke, Sushil Chandra, Jack Fishman, Ivanka Stajner Sep 2006

Comparison Of Tropospheric Ozone Columns Calculated From Mls, Omi, And Ozonesonde Data, Gary A. Morris, Bojan Bojkov, Mark R. Schoeberl, Amy Wozniak, Jerry Ziemke, Sushil Chandra, Jack Fishman, Ivanka Stajner

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Presentations

This poster shows a comparison of three derived tropospheric ozone residual (TOR) products with integrated tropospheric ozone columns from ozonesonde profile: (1) the method of Ziemke et al. (2006), (2) a modified version of Fishman et al. (2003), and (3) a trajectory mapping approach. In each case, MLS ozone profiles are integrated to the tropopause and subtracted from OMI (TOMS retrieval) total column ozone. The effectiveness of each of these techniques is examined as a function of latitude, time, and geographic region. In general, we find good agreement between the derived products and the ozonesondes, with the Fishman et al. …


Comparison Of Tropospheric Ozone Columns Calculated From Mls, Omi, And Ozonesonde Data, Gary A. Morris, Bojan Bojkov, Mark R. Schoeberl, Amy Wozniak, Jerry Ziemke, Sushil Chandra, Jack Fishman, Ivanka Stajner Sep 2006

Comparison Of Tropospheric Ozone Columns Calculated From Mls, Omi, And Ozonesonde Data, Gary A. Morris, Bojan Bojkov, Mark R. Schoeberl, Amy Wozniak, Jerry Ziemke, Sushil Chandra, Jack Fishman, Ivanka Stajner

Gary A. Morris

This poster shows a comparison of three derived tropospheric ozone residual (TOR) products with integrated tropospheric ozone columns from ozonesonde profile: (1) the method of Ziemke et al. (2006), (2) a modified version of Fishman et al. (2003), and (3) a trajectory mapping approach. In each case, MLS ozone profiles are integrated to the tropopause and subtracted from OMI (TOMS retrieval) total column ozone. The effectiveness of each of these techniques is examined as a function of latitude, time, and geographic region. In general, we find good agreement between the derived products and the ozonesondes, with the Fishman et al. …


Detection Of A Far-Infrared Bow Shock Nebula Around R Hya: The First Miriad Results, T. Ueta, A. K. Speck, R. E. Stencel, F. Herwig, R. D. Gehrz, R. Szczerba, H. Izumiura, A. A. Zijlstra, W. B. Latter, M. Matsuura, M. Meixner, M. Steffen, Moshe Elitzur Sep 2006

Detection Of A Far-Infrared Bow Shock Nebula Around R Hya: The First Miriad Results, T. Ueta, A. K. Speck, R. E. Stencel, F. Herwig, R. D. Gehrz, R. Szczerba, H. Izumiura, A. A. Zijlstra, W. B. Latter, M. Matsuura, M. Meixner, M. Steffen, Moshe Elitzur

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present the first results of the MIRIAD (MIPS InfraRed Imaging of AGB Dust shells) project using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The primary aim of the project is to probe the material distribution in the extended circumstellar envelopes (CSEs) of evolved stars and recover the fossil record of their mass-loss history. Hence, we must map the whole of the CSEs plus the surrounding sky for background subtraction while avoiding the central star that is brighter than the detector saturation limit. With our unique mapping strategy, we have achieved better than 1 MJy sr-1 sensitivity in 3 hr of …


Fourier Spectroscopy Of Ultrashort Laser Pulses, Scott D. Bergeson, Justin Peatross Sep 2006

Fourier Spectroscopy Of Ultrashort Laser Pulses, Scott D. Bergeson, Justin Peatross

Faculty Publications

We describe a Fourier-transform spectrometer appropriate for use in an undergraduate optics laboratory. The modular design, which uses off-the-shelf equipment, is suitable for determining the spectra of ultrashort pulsed and continuous light sources. The spectrometer does not require equal step sizes for the motion of the mirror. An algorithm interpolates the phase of both a reference and an unknown light beam at equal intervals before performing the Fourier transform. The interferometer scan and the phase and spectral analysis are performed in a few seconds, making the apparatus a useful tool for teaching concepts of temporal coherence and Fourier spectroscopy.


Sound Absorption And Sound Power Measurements In Reverberation Chambers Using Energy Density Methods, David B. Nutter Aug 2006

Sound Absorption And Sound Power Measurements In Reverberation Chambers Using Energy Density Methods, David B. Nutter

Theses and Dissertations

Measurements in a reverberation chamber use spatially averaged squared pressure to calculate sound absorption, sound power, and other sound measurements. While a reverberation chamber provides an approximation of a diffuse sound field, variations in the measurements introduce uncertainty in measurement results. Room qualification procedures require a sufficient number of source-receiver locations to obtain suitable measurements. The total acoustic energy density provides greater spatial uniformity than squared pressure, which requires fewer source-receiver positions to produce similar or better accuracy in measurement results. This paper explores the possibility of using energy density in place of squared pressure, using methods outlined in current …


Spinning-Black-Hole Binaries: The Orbital Hang-Up, Manuela Campanelli, Carlos O. Lousto, Y. Zlochower Aug 2006

Spinning-Black-Hole Binaries: The Orbital Hang-Up, Manuela Campanelli, Carlos O. Lousto, Y. Zlochower

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present the first fully-nonlinear numerical study of the dynamics of highly-spinning-black-hole binaries. We evolve binaries from quasicircular orbits (as inferred from post-Newtonian theory), and find that the last stages of the orbital motion of black-hole binaries are profoundly affected by their individual spins. In order to cleanly display its effects, we consider two equal-mass holes with individual spin parameters S/m2=0.757, both aligned and antialigned with the orbital angular momentum (and compare with the spinless case), and with an initial orbital period of 125M. We find that the aligned case completes three orbits and merges significantly after the antialigned case, …


Feedback Applications In Active Noise Control For Small Axial Cooling Fans, Matthew J. Green Aug 2006

Feedback Applications In Active Noise Control For Small Axial Cooling Fans, Matthew J. Green

Theses and Dissertations

Feedback active noise control (ANC) has been applied as a means of attenuating broadband noise from a small axial cooling fan. Such fans are used to maintain thermal stability inside of computers, projectors, and other office equipment and home appliances. The type of low-level noise radiated from axial cooling fans has been classified as harmful to productivity and human well being. Previous research has successfully implemented feed-forward ANC, targeting specific narrow-band fan noise content related to the blade passage frequency (BPF) of the fan. The reference signal required for a feed-forward algorithm limits its ability to attenuate much of the …