Digital Commons Network^™

Poe's Entangled Fiction: Quantum Field Theory In "The Colloquy Of Monos And Una" And "The Mystery Of Marie Rogêt", Jean A. Little

Theses and Dissertations

When seen among the constellation of Edgar Allan Poe's works culminating in Eureka, "The Colloquy of Monos and Una" and "The Mystery of Marie Rogêt," take on an important role as vehicles for scientific contemplation. Similar to early quantum physicists, such as Einstein and Schrödinger, Poe uses macro-level analogies to explore the unity of individual entities, which becomes an important tenet of his explanation of the universe. His thought experiments also resemble those of modern physics in their approach to reality as probabilistic, an idea that finds its echo in quantum field theory, which distinguishes between observed particles and their …

Elements Of The Mathematical Formulation Of Quantum Mechanics, Keunjae Go

Senior Honors Papers / Undergraduate Theses

In this paper, we will explore some of the basic elements of the mathematical formulation of quantum mechanics. In the first section, I will list the motivations for introducing a probability model that is quite different from that of the classical probability theory, but still shares quite a few significant commonalities. Later in the paper, I will discuss the quantum probability theory in detail, while paying a brief attention to some of the axioms (by Birkhoff and von Neumann) that illustrate both the commonalities and differences between classical mechanics and quantum mechanics. This paper will end with a presentation of …

Measurements Of Photon Beam Intensity At The High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source (Higs) Facility For Astrophysically Relevant Photodisintegration Reaction Cross Section, Evan G. Meekins

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

How nuclear reactions in stars and stellar explosions such as supernovae have forged the elements out of hydrogen and helium leftover from the Big Bang is a longstanding, still timely research topic in nuclear astrophysics. Although there is a fairly complete understanding of the production of the chemical elements and their isotopes up to iron by nuclear fusion in stars, important details concerning the production of the elements from iron to uranium remain puzzling. Current knowledge is that the nucleosynthesis beyond iron proceeds mainly via neutron capture reactions and subsequent electron decays to stability. However, some 35 proton-rich stable isotopes, …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Electronic Properties Of Novel 2d Materials : Transition Metal Dichalcogenides And Phosphorene., George Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scaling electronic devices has become paramount. The current work builds upon scaling efforts by developing novel synthesis methods and next generation sensing devices based on 2D materials. A new combination method utilizing thermal evaporation and chemical vapor deposition was developed and analyzed to show the possibilities of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide monolayers and heterostructures. The materials produced from the above process showed high degrees of compositional control in both spatial dimensions and chemical structure. Characterization shows controlled fabrication of heterostructures, which may pave the way for future band gap engineering possibilities. In addition, Phosphorene based field effect transistors, photodetectors, and gas …

Dynamical Mechanisms Leading To Equilibration In Two-Component Gases, Stephan De Bievre, Carlos Mejia-Monasterio, Paul Ernest Parris

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Demonstrating how microscopic dynamics cause large systems to approach thermal equilibrium remains an elusive, longstanding, and actively pursued goal of statistical mechanics. We identify here a dynamical mechanism for thermalization in a general class of two-component dynamical Lorentz gases and prove that each component, even when maintained in a nonequilibrium state itself, can drive the other to a thermal state with a well-defined effective temperature.

Schwarzschild Spacetime And Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker Cosmology, Zachary Cohen

Honors Scholar Theses

The advent of General Relativity via Einstein's field equations revolutionized our understanding of gravity in our solar system and universe. The idea of General Relativity posits that gravity is entirely due to the geometry of the universe -- that is, the mass distribution throughout the universe results in the ``curving" of spacetime, which gives us the physics we see on a large scale. In the framework of General Relativity, we find that the universe behaves differently than was predicted in the model of gravitation developed by Newton. We will derive the general relativistic model for a simple system near a …

Ultracold Trimer Ion Formation Of Rb And K, Michael Cantara

University Scholar Projects

The cooling of molecules into the ultracold regime allows for high resolution laser spectroscopy that reveals their complex rotational and vibrational structure. As the temperature is lowered towards absolute zero, the kinetic energy of the particles approaches zero, and therefore the Doppler shift approaches zero. With the Doppler shift negligibly small, spectral resolution is now primarily limited by the natural linewidth of the molecular peaks. Further, ultracold temperatures make possible the production of atoms or molecules that will reside in the lowest few states of the system. The high population in a few select states provides stronger and less congested …

Intramolecular Cross-Linking Of Beta Subunits And Pegylation Of Bovine Stroma Free Hemoglobin For Use As A Hemoglobin Based Oxygen Carrier, Gil Salazar

GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Purified Bovine Stroma-Free Hemoglobin's (BSFHb) two beta subunits where intramolecularly cross-linked (BXLHb) using bis(3,5-dibromosalicyl) fumarate (DBBF) and further modified with Polyethylene glycol (BPEGXLHb) for possible use as a Hemoglobin Based Oxygen Carrier (HBOC). Each stage of modification was characterized by size exclusion chromatography and fluorescence methods. We prepared several different molar ratios of DBBF and BSFHb to acquire the highest yield of BXLHb. Cross-linking of the beta subunits will stabilize the whole Hb tetramer from dissociation and prevent unwanted degradation of the HBOC. We prepared a sample modified with PEG (PEGylation) that had a molecular weight of 5kDa. PEGylation increases …

College Of Science And Mathematics Newsletter, Spring 2016, College Of Science And Mathematics, Wright State University

College of Science and Mathematics Newsletters

This 5 page newsletter discusses various happenings within the College of Science and Mathematics. It begins with a letter from the dean, and continues on with news, events, alumni news, and other community news.

Physics Discipline Assessment Report 2015/2016, Physics Discipline

Assessment of Student Learning Reports

No abstract provided.

The Parallelization And Optimization Of The N-Body Problem Using Openmp And Openmpi, Nicholas J. Carugati

Student Publications

The focus of this research is exploring the efficient ways we can implement the NBody problem. The N-Body problem, in the field of physics, is a problem in which predicts or simulates the movements of planets and how they interact with each other gravitationally. For this research, we are viewing if the simulation can execute efficiently by delegating the heavy computational work through different cores of a CPU. The approach that is being used to figure this out is by integrating the parallelization API OpenMP and the message-passing library OpenMPI into the code. Rather than all the code executing on …

The Pribram – Bohm Hypothesis, Shelli R. Joye

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

A holoflux theory of consciousness as modulated energy is hypothesized and shown to support both local and non-local properties. This thesis emerges from an integral evaluation of evidence drawn from: (1) the holonomic mind/brain theories of Karl Pribram, (2) the ontological interpretation of quantum theory by David Bohm. Applying an integral methodology to superimpose and correlate seemingly disparate concepts from among these sources and others, a composite-theory emerges, a “holoflux” theory of consciousness, after the term favored by Karl Pribram to describe David Bohm’s “holomovement” between an explicate order andan implicate order. This Pribram–Bohm composite holoflux theory is shown to …

Consciousness Studies – An Overview, Allan Combs

CONSCIOUSNESS: Ideas and Research for the Twenty-First Century

This essay is a survey of the field of consciousness studies, its history, scope, and a little about its future. It’s principal focus is on Western thinking about consciousness beginning in classical times and continuing down to the present. It highlights and briefly describes major streams of thought including ideas from ancient Greece, German Idealism, British Empiricism, 20^th century European phenomenology, and important contemporary areas of research and scholarship. These include American pragmatism, developmental psychology, transpersonalism, analytic philosophy, computationalism, neural networks, and physics. The essay also briefly explores possible future trends in the study of consciousness.

Physics First: Impact On Sat Math Scores, Craig Earl Bouma

LMU Theses and Dissertations

Improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education has become a national priority and the call to modernize secondary science has been heard. A Physics First (PF) program with the curriculum sequence of physics, chemistry, and biology (PCB) driven by inquiry- and project-based learning offers a viable alternative to the traditional curricular sequence (BCP) and methods of teaching, but requires more empirical evidence. This study determined impact of a PF program (PF-PCB) on math achievement (SAT math scores) after the first two cohorts of students completed the PF-PCB program at Matteo Ricci High School (MRHS) and provided more quantitative data …

Physics Alumni Newsletter Spring 2016, Terry Goforth

Physics Alumni Newsletter

Physics Alumni Newsletter

The Physics Alumni Newsletter is produced by the SWOSU Physics Department.

Our Engineering Physics students are recruited in fields such as electronics, aerospace, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering and software engineering. Graduates also have careers in meteorology, architecture, education and more.

The Subject Librarian Newsletter, Physics, Spring 2016, Patti Mccall

Libraries' Newsletters

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Using Computer Simulation On Correcting Physical Misconceptions In The Subject Of Periodic Motion Among Eleventh Grade Students In The Sultanate Of Oman, Amal R. Malkawi, Rashid J. Al Maamari

Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies

This study aimed to detect the impact of using computer simulation on correcting physical misconceptions in the subject of periodic motion among the eleventh grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. The researchers used a quasi-experimental approach and the study sample consisted of 128 of eleventh grade. Students were selected randomly in a deliberate manner from two schools, in the North Batinah Governorate. The students were distributed into two groups; experimental and control. The experimental group consisted from (65 students) and studied the scientific material related to the unit of periodic motion using computer simulation. The control group consisted of …

Spatio-Temporal Generalization Of The Harris Criterion And Its Application To Diffusive Disorder, Thomas Vojta, Ronald Dickman

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We investigate how a clean continuous phase transition is affected by spatiotemporal disorder, i.e., by an external perturbation that fluctuates in both space and time. We derive a generalization of the Harris criterion for the stability of the clean critical behavior in terms of the space-time correlation function of the external perturbation. As an application, we consider diffusive disorder, i.e., an external perturbation governed by diffusive dynamics, and its effects on a variety of equilibrium and nonequilibrium critical points. We also discuss the relation between diffusive disorder and diffusive dynamical degrees of freedom in the example of model C of …

Search Of The Orion Spur For Continuous Gravitational Waves Using A Loosely Coherent Algorithm On Data From Ligo Interferometers, J. Aasi, B. P. Abbott, E. Huerta, S. Mcwilliams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Gw150914: The Advanced Ligo Detectors In The Era Of First Discoveries, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, E. A. Huerta, S. T. Mcwilliams

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Correlation Between Physics And Calculus Workshop Attendance And University Grades, Caroline Ferguson Ph.D.

Student Success

The Student Learning Centre at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology offers various support services for students enrolled in first year calculus and physics courses; the most widely used of these services are focused workshops. The purpose of this study was to compare student academic performance between those who did and did not attend physics and calculus workshops. Data provided by the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis at UOIT was analyzed using pivot tables in MS Excel. Students enrolled in Physics I and Calculus I were categorized based on their Grade 12 physics and calculus marks, respectively. Students …

The Effect Of Impurities On The Superconductivity Of Bscco-2212, John Vastola

Honors Undergraduate Theses

BSCCO-2212 is a high-temperature cuprate superconductor whose microscopic behavior is currently poorly understood. In particular, it is unclear whether its order parameter is consistent with s-wave or d-wave symmetry. It has been suggested that its order parameter might take one of several forms that are consistent with d-wave behavior. We present some calculations using the many-body theory approach to superconductivity that suggest that such order parameters would lead to a suppression of the critical temperature in the presence of impurities. Because some experiments have suggested the critical temperature of BSCCO-2212 is relatively independent of the concentration of impurities, this lends …

"Smoking-Gun" Observables Of Magnetic Reconnection: Spatiotemporal Evolution Of Electron Characteristics Throughout The Diffusion Region, Jason Shuster

Doctoral Dissertations

How does magnetic reconnection happen in a collisionless plasma? Knowledge of electron-scale dynamics is necessary to answer this outstanding question of plasma physics. Based on fully kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations of symmetric reconnection, the spatiotemporal evolution of velocity distribution functions in and around the electron diffusion region (EDR) elucidates how electrons are accelerated and heated by the cooperating reconnection electric and normal magnetic fields. The discrete, triangular structures characteristic of EDR distributions rotate and gyrotropize in velocity space as electrons remagnetize, forming multicomponent arc and ring structures. Further downstream, exhaust electrons are found to exhibit highly structured, time-dependent anisotropies that …

The Development Of A Computerized Interactive Teaching Assistant In Physics: The Cita On Chip Project, Cyrus Marazban Vandrevala

Open Access Dissertations

One of the many roles of university instructors is to provide help to students throughout the semester - especially in the form of feedback on homework. Personalized feedback from the instructor might be possible in a small classroom setting, but becomes unmanageable when class sizes grow to dozens or even hundreds of students. As a result, universities are turning to computerized homework systems that guide students through problems and provide focused grades and feedback.

Search For Neutral Mssm Higgs Bosons Decaying To Μ+Μ− In Pp Collisions At √S=7and8tev, Vallary Bhopatkar, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Mareskas-Palcek, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

A search for neutral Higgs bosons predicted in the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) for μ+μ- decay channels is presented. The analysis uses data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 5.1 and 19.3 fb-1, respectively. The search is sensitive to Higgs bosons produced either through the gluon fusion process or in association with a bb quark pair. No statistically significant excess is observed in the μ+μ- mass spectrum. Results are interpreted in the framework of several benchmark scenarios, and the data are …

Search For Exotic Decays Of A Higgs Boson Into Undetectable Particles And One Or More Photons, Vallary Bhopatkar, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Mareskas-Palcek, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

A search is presented for exotic decays of a Higgs boson into undetectable particles and one or two isolated photons in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8TeV. The data correspond to an inte-grated luminosity of up to 19.4fb−1collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. Higgs bosons produced in gluon–gluon fusion and in association with a Z boson are investigated, using models in which the Higgs boson decays into a gravitino and a neutralino or a pair of neutralinos, followed by the decay of the neutralino to a gravitino and a photon. The selected events are consistent with …

Combined Search For Anomalous Pseudoscalar Hvv Couplings In Vh(H→Bb‾) Production And H → Vv Decay, M M. Baarmand, Vallary Bhopatkar, Stefano Colafranceschi, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Noonan, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

A search for anomalous pseudoscalar couplings of the Higgs boson H to electroweak vector bosons V (=W or Z) in a sample of proton–proton collision events corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 fb−1 at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV is presented. Events consistent with the topology of associated VH production, where the Higgs boson decays to a pair of bottom quarks and the vector boson decays leptonically, are analyzed. The consistency of data with a potential pseudoscalar contribution to the HVV interaction, expressed by the effective pseudoscalar cross section fractions fa3, is assessed by means of profile likelihood …

Search For Supersymmetry In The Multijet And Missing Transverse Momentum Final State In Pp Collisions At 13tev, M M. Baarmand, Vallary Bhopatkar, Stefano Colafranceschi, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Noonan, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

A search for new physics is performed based on all-hadronic events with large missing transverse momentum produced in proton-proton collisions at s=13 TeV. The data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.3 fb-1, was collected with the CMS detector at the CERN LHC in 2015. The data are examined in search regions of jet multiplicity, tagged bottom quark jet multiplicity, missing transverse momentum, and the scalar sum of jet transverse momenta. The observed numbers of events in all search regions are found to be consistent with the expectations from standard model processes. Exclusion limits are presented for simplified supersymmetric …

Search For Lepton Flavour Violating Decays Of The Higgs Boson To Eτ And Eμ In Proton–Proton Collisions At S=8 Tev, M M. Baarmand, Vallary Bhopatkar, Stefano Colafranceschi, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Noonan, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

A direct search for lepton flavour violating decays of the Higgs boson (H) in the H→eτ and H→eμ channels is described. The data sample used in the search was collected in proton–proton collisions at s=8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb−1. No evidence is found for lepton flavour violating decays in either final state. Upper limits on the branching fractions, B(H→eτ)<0.69% and B(H→eμ)<0.035%, are set at the 95% confidence level. The constraint set on B(H→eτ) is an order of magnitude more stringent than the existing indirect limits. The limits are used to constrain the corresponding flavour violating Yukawa couplings, absent in the standard model.

ϒ(Ns) Polarizations Versus Particle Multiplicity In Pp Collisions At S=7 Tev, M M. Baarmand, Vallary Bhopatkar, Stefano Colafranceschi, Marcus Hohlmann, H Kalakhety, D Noonan, Tuhin S. Roy, Francisco X. Yumiceva, Cms Collaboration

Aerospace, Physics, and Space Science Faculty Publications

The polarizations of the ϒ(1S), ϒ(2S), and ϒ(3S) mesons are measured as a function of the charged particle multiplicity in proton–proton collisions at s=7 TeV. The measurements are performed with a dimuon data sample collected in 2011 by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 fb−1. The results are extracted from the dimuon decay angular distributions, in two ranges of ϒ(nS) transverse momentum (10–15 and 15–35 GeV), and in the rapidity interval |y|>1.2. The results do not show significant changes from low- to high-multiplicity pp collisions, although large uncertainties preclude definite statements in the ϒ(2S) and …