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Full-Text Articles in Physics
The Study Of Variability In Oxygen-Rich Proto-Planetary Nebulae, Kristie Shaw
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
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 …
Measuring Radon Gas Flow In A Home, Zachary Nault
Measuring Radon Gas Flow In A Home, Zachary Nault
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
The primary goal of this research is to measure how radioactive Radon gas flows into a home. Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced in the Earth's crust by Uranium ore. As it moves up toward the surface it can enter homes and places of business through the floor. People can then be exposed to this Radon which can lead to health problems such as lung cancer. For this preliminary study, one house was selected that was previously known to have a Radon gas problem. The house has a Radon Evacuation System that pumps the Radon out of the home …
An Observational Study Of Variable Stars, Joel Rogers, Wesley Cheek
An Observational Study Of Variable Stars, Joel Rogers, Wesley Cheek
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
This past summer, we carried out an observational study of light variability in approximately 20 stars. Our goal was to document their changes in brightness, determine a period of the variability, and investigate whether their brightness changes were correlated with changes in color (and thus temperature). These stars are part of a special class of stars that have evolved beyond the red giant phase but have not yet become white dwarfs. Little is known about their variability during this phase. We observed them on almost every clear night during the summer of 2010. We then compared the data for this …
Correlation Of Cosmic Ray Muon Intensity With Atmospheric Conditions, Timothy Olson
Correlation Of Cosmic Ray Muon Intensity With Atmospheric Conditions, Timothy Olson
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
Cosmic rays are highly energetic particles which are produced by a variety of interstellar sources. They continually bombard Earth’s upper atmosphere and produce showers of other particles. Such particles contribute a substantial background to many modern physics experiments, so understanding and quantifying the variations in the flux of those particles are important for proper removal of the background from the interesting physics signal. Detection of the (nearly) coincident passage of a particle through a series of scintillators will indicate the direction and energy of cosmic ray muons (a particular type of particle produced in the showers). Correlations between the fluctuations …
The Structure And Activity Of Nickel Oxide Clusters In Oxidation Catalysis, Dane Stewart
The Structure And Activity Of Nickel Oxide Clusters In Oxidation Catalysis, Dane Stewart
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
Small clusters of transition metal atoms have been found to have unique and potentially useful catalytic properties. Using a gradient-corrected density functional method, we computed the structure of a four atom nickel cluster at its lowest energy state. The Ni4 cluster was allowed to interact with O2 and gained two oxygen atoms. The Ni4O2 cluster was then put into a variety of different configurations and optimized to determine the most stable structures for several different multiplicities. Vibrational frequencies were also calculated to ensure that the structure was stable. The stable structures are then modeled on …
Ozone Profile Observations In Houston, Texas (1994 - 2010) From Aircraft, Balloons, And Satellites, Gary A. Morris, Barry Lefer, Bernhard Rappenglueck, Christine Haman, Christopher Boxe, Scott Hersey, Valerie Thouret, Jean-Pierre Cammas, Bryan Johnson, Samuel Oltmans
Ozone Profile Observations In Houston, Texas (1994 - 2010) From Aircraft, Balloons, And Satellites, Gary A. Morris, Barry Lefer, Bernhard Rappenglueck, Christine Haman, Christopher Boxe, Scott Hersey, Valerie Thouret, Jean-Pierre Cammas, Bryan Johnson, Samuel Oltmans
Physics and Astronomy Faculty Presentations
Houston, Texas has long been an urban area plagued with high levels of surface ozone, particularly in spring and late summer. The combination of a large commuter population and one of the largest concentrations of petrochemical plants in the world results in abundant and nearly co-located sources of NOx and hydrocarbons. The location of Houston on the South Coast of the United States in a subtropical climate results in meteorological conditions that favor ozone production. Using MOZAIC (1994 - 2004), ozonesonde (2000, 2004 - 2010), and TES (2005 – 2010) data, we examine the evolution of ozone profiles over Houston …
Modeling Electric Fields In Support Of A Measurement Of The Neutron Electric Dipole Moment, Samuel Schaub
Modeling Electric Fields In Support Of A Measurement Of The Neutron Electric Dipole Moment, Samuel Schaub
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
This research focuses on calculating electric fields in support of a proposed experiment to measure the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the neutron at Las Alamos National Laboratory. The experiment will employ a very strong electric field to exert a torque on the neutrons EDM, if any exists. Field Precision software is used to calculate the theoretical electric fields in and around the central detector region of the proposed experimental setup. This research has two goals. The first is to seek out areas of high electric field in the apparatus that will cause arcing and disrupt the experiment. When these …
Initial Studies Of The Forward Gem Tracker, Malorie Stowe, David Grosnik
Initial Studies Of The Forward Gem Tracker, Malorie Stowe, David Grosnik
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
The spin of the proton is known to be produced by several constituents including quarks, antiquarks, and gluons. It has been the goal of STAR to measure the contribution of gluons and various sea quarks to the proton spin. The Forward GEM Tracker (FGT) is a newly constructed detector to be placed into STAR, which is located at the RHIC collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The FGT serves to track the position of forward going charged particles, produced in proton-proton collisions, as they travel towards the Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EEMC). This information will be critical in helping to determine the …
Verification Of Monte-Carlo Simulation For Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Kevin Miller
Verification Of Monte-Carlo Simulation For Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Kevin Miller
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
The STAR experiment at Brookhaven National Laboratory seeks to measure the source of the protons spin, a fundamental property of matter. To accomplish this measurement, a simulation method called Monte-Carlo will be used to model the true detector responses to proton-proton collisions. My work is to confirm the accuracy of the Monte-Carlo simulation for the Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EEMC). By comparing histograms of fundamental parameters from the Monte-Carlo simulated data and true data from 2006 experimentation, we will be able to test the simulations accuracy. When validated, the Monte-Carlo simulation will be used to achieve a greater understanding of the …
Radon Concentration In Basements, Joel Rogers
Radon Concentration In Basements, Joel Rogers
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
This summer I am studying radon gas concentrations in basements in the Valparaiso community area. Radon is known to be the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. After several years (more than twenty) of continuous radon inhalation, the human lungs can be impaired and can become cancerous. This study will help people be aware of a potential radon problem in their homes. The EPA recommends having a concentration of four picocuries per liter or less in each home. The experiment is performed by using an EPA approved radon testing apparatus that records the concentration each hour for up …
The Reduction And Reporting Of Data On Proto-Planetary Nebulae From Two Observatories, Wesley Cheek
The Reduction And Reporting Of Data On Proto-Planetary Nebulae From Two Observatories, Wesley Cheek
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
I am documenting the light variability in a sample of proto-planetary nebulae (PPNs) observed from two observatories. PPNs are stars in the stage of evolution between the AGB and planetary nebula phases. I analyzed the digital images of the data taken on 34 nights from the SARA-South observatory located in Cerro Tololo, Chile along with data taken from the SARA-North Observatory located in Tuscon, Arizona. This was done to obtain quantitative measurements of the brightness variations over time. Once I had this information for each object, I plotted light curves, which can be used to document the amplitudes and possible …
Searching For Binary Stars In Planetary Nebulae Using The Isis Image Subtraction Software, Samantha Schwartz
Searching For Binary Stars In Planetary Nebulae Using The Isis Image Subtraction Software, Samantha Schwartz
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
We explored the theory that binary central stars of planetary nebulae may be contributing factor in the formation of planetary nebulae. We searched for this photometric variability in central stars of planetary nebulae because consistent periodic variability is indicative of a close binary system. The variability of our targets was assessed with the image subtraction software, ISIS. We found that the central stars of the planetary nebulae Hen 2-84, NGC 6326, and K 1-22 showed clear variability. A preliminary light curve for Hen 2-84 showed periodic behavior, suggesting a binary system. Of the remaining targets observed, with sufficient data, five …
The Study Of Variability In Four Oxygen-Rich Proto-Planetary Nebulae, Kristie Shaw
The Study Of Variability In Four Oxygen-Rich Proto-Planetary Nebulae, Kristie Shaw
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
This summer, I have been working on a project to study the variability of four proto-planetary nebulae. Proto-planetary nebulae (PPNe) are evolved stellar objects that are in the process of losing their outer layers and in transition from a red giant star to a planetary nebula. Oxygen-rich PPNe, specifically, have a higher oxygen content in their nebula than they do carbon, and this occurs mainly in lower mass stars. This project includes combining our data from the VU Observatory with other published data, analyzing light curves of brightness versus time and looking for patterns, and performing period analysis using a …
Calibrating The Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter Using π-0'S, Benjamin Barber
Calibrating The Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter Using π-0'S, Benjamin Barber
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
The STAR Endcap ElectroMagnetic Calorimeter (EEMC) is an important tool for identifying the particles produced in the forward direction of the STAR detector. These particles are used in the study of the proton's intrinsic angular momentum. Current calibrations of the EEMC have relied on the energy deposition of minimally ionizing particles (MIPs). To verify the MIP-based calibration, we are re-calibrating it using the energy deposition of the di-photon pairs created by Ï€-0 decays. Using the position and initial energy calibration of the two photon events, we can reconstruct the invariant mass of the parent particle. When this analysis is performed …
A Mip-Based Energy Calibration Of The Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Zachary Nault
A Mip-Based Energy Calibration Of The Star Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter, Zachary Nault
Symposium on Undergraduate Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE)
One of the main goals of the STAR Spin Collaboration is to understand the intrinsic angular momentum of the proton. An integral part of this experiment is the Endcap Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EEMC). The EEMC is used in detecting particles produced from hard proton-proton collisions that end up in the forward direction or 'end' of the experimental apparatus. In order to use properly the data collected, the energy and position measurements in the EEMC need to be well-known. To accomplish this, an energy calibration of the EEMC was performed using minimum ionizing particles (MIPs). The important property of MIPs utilized was …