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Other Astrophysics and Astronomy

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Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

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2011

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Physics

The Study Of Variability In Oxygen-Rich Proto-Planetary Nebulae, Kristie Shaw Apr 2011

The Study Of Variability In Oxygen-Rich Proto-Planetary Nebulae, Kristie Shaw

Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

In this project, I am studying and analyzing the light and color variations for two proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe). PPNe is a stage in a star’s life where the star is in the process of losing its outer layers and exposing its core. I observed at the Valparaiso University Observatory, using the 0.4 meter telescope and an electronic camera to take digital images. I reduced these data using an image processing program to get the numerical data results. I plotted these results as a light curve showing the variation in brightness of the star versus time. By observing in three different …


The Effect Of Strong Electrostatic And Magnetostatic Fields On The Activity Of Radioactive Nuclides, Sam Schaub Apr 2011

The Effect Of Strong Electrostatic And Magnetostatic Fields On The Activity Of Radioactive Nuclides, Sam Schaub

Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)

This experiment seeks to measure the effect of strong electrostatic and magnetostatic fields on the decay constant of short-lived radioactive isotopes. Though it is assumed in modern radioactivity theory that such fields should not have any measurable effect, conclusive evidence utilizing modern equipment is absent from published literature. Samples have been monitored that exhibit beta-minus, beta-plus, electron capture, and internal conversion modes of radioactive decay. Radioactive nuclides chosen for this study include I-128, Cs-134, and Cu-64. The half-lives in this collection of radioactive nuclides range from 25 minutes to 12.7 hours. Sodium Iodide detectors are used to monitor the samples …