Engineering Commons^™

Exploring Using Dr3 Rr Lyrae Photometry To Determine Extinction In The Native Gaia Bandpasses, Izen Longhurst, Jonathan Barnes

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Recent advancements in astrometry and photometry from the Gaia mission's Data Release 3 (DR3) offer new opportunities for astronomical research, particularly in studying interstellar reddening. Traditional approaches to correcting for reddening involve extensive calculations with data from multiple sources. This study aims to streamline the process by crafting relations internal to the DR3 dataset. Using a Gaia RR Lyrae variable color and their membership in globular clusters, we identified a correlation between the Gaia’s internal G - G_RP magnitude and g-band absorption. Leveraging this correlation, we developed a relation to estimate reddening effects using solely Gaia data. Our predictions …

Rr Lyrae Variable Metallicities In Globular Clusters With Known Multiple Stellar Populations, Brent Lane Racker Jr., Jonathan Barnes

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Recent measurements showed that many globular clusters (GCs) contain multiple populations. Among GC stellar membership, variable stars called RR Lyrae are commonly used as tracers. We set out to look at RR Lyrae variable stars that are within confirmed multiple population GCs to investigate if the metallicities or RR Lyrae periods could be used as indicators for multiple populations. We used Gaia spacecraft data in conjunction with measurements on multiple populations (Milone et al. 2017) to check for correlations between metallicity and the fraction of first generation stars to the total numbers of stars (N₁/N_Tot). While …

Assessing Mycorrhizal Influence On Heat-Stressed Poplar Voc Blends, Luis Valdez, Annette Shelton, Mary Alvarez, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

VOCs are organic compounds released by plants as gases into the atmosphere. They’ve been shown to play important roles in plant defense, plant-plant interactions, multi-trophic interactions, as well as atmospheric chemistry. Some VOCs can be induced as a result of stress. Some Terpenes & LOX pathway products, in particular, have been shown to be inducible as a result of environmental stress, such as drought or heat. Terpenes, which are made of isoprene subunits, are bigger, more complex molecules and have been shown to generally have and antioxidant function. (Vickers et al. 2009)

Investigation Of Changes In Emission Lines From Galaxies Through Time, Chloe Guerrero, Christian Draper

Utah Space Grant Consortium

We investigate the number of galaxies with strong emission lines at increasing redshift. We selected 327,327 galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey at varying redshifts, z. We then compared the total number of galazies with those with strong Hα and OIII emission lines and looked for the trend with z.

Power Scaling A Nd:Yvo4 Laser, Alexander R. Gibb

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

Correcting Surface Brightness Fluctuation Distances For Stellar Populations, Sydney Holt, Joseph B. Jensen, Mikaela Cowles, John P. Blakeslee, Peter Milne

Utah Space Grant Consortium

We are using Surface Brightness Fluctuations (SBF) to measure distances to giant elliptical galaxies using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These distance measurements will be used to better define the Hubble Constant, and hopefully help resolve the Hubble tension crisis in cosmology. Part of SBF requires a knowledge of the colors of the galaxies to be studied in order to account for variations in age and composition of the stars contained within. To this end, we are using PanSTARRS and DECam data to determine the optical g-z color (464 nm-900 nm) values for galaxies …

Characterization Of An Acousto-Optic Modulator For Use In A Q-Switched Nd:Yvo4 Laser, Micah C. Laing, Benjamin Holt, York E. Young

Utah Space Grant Consortium

One way to probe tissue for disease is via long wave infrared spectroscopy. This technique uses wavelength dependent absorption of specific molecules which serve as early indicators of disease onset in human tissue.

Though proven to work, this method of using long wave spectroscopy to probe tissue is not widely used. This is because detectors that work in the long wave infrared. (LWIR) are generally expensive and slow.

Another deterrent is that typical LWIR light sources, such as quantum cascade lasers, (QCL) are difficult to tune over wavelength ranges spanning several microns. This limits the molecule types, and thus diseases, …

Mapping Accretion Around The Black Hole X-Ray Binary Maxi J1803-298 With Reflection, Brianna Merila, Benjamin Coughenour

Utah Space Grant Consortium

MAXI J1803-298 is a recently discovered transient black hole (BH) X-ray binary that went into outburst on May 1^st, 2021, and it was detected with MAXI/GSC¹. NuSTAR observed MAXI J1803-298 four times during its outburst (see Table 1, Figure 1)²¹. We will model the spectrum so that we can see reflection features to be able to learn about the inner accretion disk and the environment around the BH. In Figure 1 and Table 1, we can see that the outburst started on May1^st, the peak of the outburst was on May 14 …

Building A Langmuir Probe, Tessa Miller, Connor Stong, Benjamin Miera, Dan James, Phil Matheson

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Our goal at UVU, is to learn plasma physics and experimental techniques while exploring the physics of the Variable and Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket, or VASIMR for short. Invented by physicist and astronaut, Dr. Franklin Chang-Diaz, the VASIMR engine is “electrodeless”. It first develops a plasma using a helicon RF antenna, and by guiding the plasma along a magnetic field, sends it through an Ion Cyclotron Heating (ICH) antenna. This pumps the magnetic moments of the ions, greatly increasing their energy. Subsequent flow through a magnetic nozzle develops exhaust velocities of order 50 km/s with thrust of several newtons. We …

Atmospheric Modeling Of Brown Dwarfs With Picaso, Sonora, And Jwst, Brayden Roberts, Joshua Lothringer, Denise Stephens

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Brown dwarfs are celestial bodies outside the solar system that are more massive than planets, but less massive than stars. Since they are less massive than stars, they do not fuse hydrogen in their core, but rather cool slowly over time. However, brown dwarfs still emit light. We can measure this light by taking its spectra. From this spectra, we can learn many characteristics and properties of brown dwarfs, such as their temperature, chemical composition, and much more. Brown dwarfs can be categorized by their spectra into M,L,T and Y spectral types. Since brown dwarfs lack hydrogen fusion as an …

What If Wasp-39b Was Twice As Hot? A Jwst Transmission Spectrum Of Ultra-Hot Jupiter Wasp-178b, Brian Seamons, Joshua Lothringer

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

Graphene Characterization With 785 Nm Raman Spectroscopy, Seth Stringham, Audrey Elison, Kevin Shurtleff, Paul Weber, Dustin Shipp

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Graphene, a single atom-thick layer of carbon, is a focal point in various research fields due to its unique properties. With researchers developing new methods to create this material, it's crucial to establish tools to confirm the authenticity of graphene samples. This study utilizes 785 nm Raman spectroscopy, focusing on Raman spectral analysis and the construction of a Carbon Spectral Library. Leveraging G and 2D bands, Raman spectroscopy identifies structural and vibrational properties, while the Carbon Spectral Library aids in accurate comparison and identification. The study's findings emphasize the significance of the 785 nm Raman spectrometer as an effective tool …

Optimization Of Animal Hair Preparation For Scanning Electron Microscopy (Sem), Cristina De La Vieja Medina, Samuel Tobler, Wendy Schatzberg

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This study investigates the best method to prepare animal hair samples for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main objective is to identify the most effective method to clean, cut, and position the hair to achieve a better image of the hair without external elements. Various cleaning methods were explored, but the best option was a 15-minute sonication in water followed by a 24-hour immersion in a 90% ethanol-10% methanol mixture. Samples were placed with different types of glue to ensure the hair remained stable. A diamond blade was used to cut the hairs but did not provide the desired results …

Wok The Line: Searching For The Hydrogen 21 Cm Emission, Jade Marchant, Matt Wilkinson, Gaige Jordan

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Prior to this research, the students and faculty of the Weber State Physics and Astronomy Department, and any other interested parties, did not have access to instruments that would allow us to perform observations of astronomical objects that emit in the radio portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. To address this problem, we set out to build a small and affordable radio telescope in an effort to encourage future undergraduate research in both observational instrumentation and radio astronomy research. This device is composed of a kitchen wok with a diameter of 61 centimeters that acts as a reflector and a dipole …

Testing The Limits: Characterizing The Ability Of The Ktpo Telescope To Observe Exoplanetary Transits, Eden Saxton, John C. Armstrong, Jade Marchant, Matt Wilkinson, Spencer Brickey

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The goal of this project is to characterize the ability of the Keith Terry Palen Observatory (KTPO) to be able to reliably detect exoplanets. The KTPO telescope has already been shown to be excellent at taking data of other time series events, and being able to take data of a wider variety of targets will allow the telescope to have a wider research draw. Additionally, the methodology utilized in characterizing the telescope’s capabilities for this particular kind of event can be expanded to allow for more robust criterion regarding choosing targets and taking data.

Exploring Microbialite Mats Of Great Salt Lake, Alivia Preston, Brooks Hawkes, Caitlin Christensen, Bonnie Baxter

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Among the major contributors to the bottom of the food chain in the Great Salt Lake, microbialites are mats of microorganisms supported by rock-like structures. The microbiome includes photosynthesizers such as cyanobacteria, but they also include more complex organisms such as algae. We have recently, for the first time, discovered evidence of fungi associated with the microbiolite mats. Little research has been conducted on fungi of the Great Salt Lake. The microbialites are the foundation for the food chain in the lake, and without them, the food chain will likely face a collapse. As the Great Salt Lake is shrinking, …

Analysis Of Total Solar Eclipse Images, Quincy Stewart, Julia Kamenetzky

Utah Space Grant Consortium

In efforts to comprehend and predict space weather, specifically solar flares and coronal mass ejections, studying the Sun's corona is crucial. The innermost corona layer is best observed during a total solar eclipse when brighter light interference is minimized. Citizen CATE captured corona images during the 2017 eclipse, and in preparation for the 2024 event, we enhanced image quality by stacking varied exposure images. This method allows for the creation of radial brightness profiles, starting from the Sun's surface, at 1 solar radii, while other methods such as LASCO typically start at 3.0 solar radii.

Lunar Untethered Modular Inflatable Robot, Chris Paul, James Wade, Isaac Weaver, Simon Charles, Logan Yang, Ashleigh Cerven, Nathan Usevitch

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Sustained operations on the moon will require robotic structures that can perform tasks like building solar arrays and habitats, servicing equipment, exploring, or rescuing astronauts.

As an alternative to traditional rigid robots, inflatable soft robotics could be used to fill these needs while keeping weight low and taking up less payload volume for a mission.

Byu Rocketry: 2024 Irec & Spaceport America Cup, Casey Gooch, Spencer Stowell, Taylor Anderton, Aidan Rice, Zach Lyman, Haylee Sevy, Nathan Butler, Brad Hornfischer, Tyson Butterfield, Joshua Taylor, Gabe Slade, Barry Creighton, David Fullwood, Matt Allen

Utah Space Grant Consortium

BYU Rocketry will compete in the 2024 IREC competition at the Spaceport America Cup in June 2024 in the 10,000 ft commercial motor category. The 12.5 ft and 67 lb. rocket, Alta, beckons to BYU Rocketry’s past while honoring some of Utah’s most towering peaks.

Progress On The Optically Transparent Antenna Payload For The Gasrats Cubesat, Ethan Wayland, Tyler Day, Lorenzo High, Carter Page

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The Get Away Special Radio and Antenna Transparency Satellite (GASRATS) is an education and technology demonstration CubeSat mission being developed by the Get Away Special (GAS) Student Satellite Team at Utah State University (USU) in collaboration with USU professor Dr. Reyhan Baktur. The 3U CubeSat (34x10x10 cm) will demonstrate an optically transparent, solar panel-integrated patch antenna in low Earth orbit and verify its long-term durability in the space environment.

Aggie Aeroview's Trans-American High-Altitude Balloon, Jared Wallace, Kaeden Teague, Chris Harker, Spencer Anderson, Wade Palmer, Mason Anderson, Som Dutta

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

Spaceport America Cup Rocket, Mary Bergquist, Wyatt Lane, Gavin Morgenegg, Patrick Merighe, Jake Newberry, Bryce Nichols, Nathan Schwemmer, Jonathan Sedwick, Hayden Stout, Braxton Wiggins

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The Spaceport America Cup Rocketry Competition is an international event with 20 countries and 152 teams competing. The goal is to build a rocket that delivers an 8.8 lb. payload as close to a 10,000 ft. apogee as possible using a commercial off the shelf motor, and to achieve the precise apogee with an innovative design that pushes rocket engineering while maintaining safe practices. The rockets are being launched in New Mexico, June 2024. After the rockets launch, a panel of judges comprised of industry professionals evaluate each team based on rocket performance and design.

Lunar Landscaping: Designing A Berm-Building Robot For Nasa Lunabotics, Chandler Millar, Andrew Tolton, Daniel Robinson, Najman Husaini, Nathaniel Bruns, Brycen Cheney, Jacob Wilson, Samuel Friel, Wyatt Jones, Joseph Youngblood, Leah Smock, Anthony Bolda, Vincent Banh, Carlos Carvajal, Ethan Larsen, Kwinten Hale, Mark Minor, John Davies, Ried Rouse

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The goal of the NASA Artemis missions are to establish long-term human presence on the moon. This year’s NASA Lunabotics competition tasks teams with building robots capable of traversing and landscaping in a simulated Lunar terrain to gather data on Lunar construction. The competition goal is to construct a robot capable of building a berm out of regolith simulant. A diagram of the competition, and of USR’s robot E.L.E is shown in Figure 1.

Urine Supplementation Of Nostoc Muscorum In Mgs-1 Media, Alix Elliston

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Cyanobacteria have been referred to as the architects of Earth's atmosphere and are widely credited with being the planet's first oxygenators. While it is speculated that cyanobacteria could similarly be utilized to oxygenate the atmosphere of Mars, one constraint is resource scarcity on the planet. Studies have shown that certain cyanobacteria can survive at least short term in media comprised of Martian regolith; however, their ability to thrive long term in such nutrient-deprived conditions is questionable. This study aims to investigate whether a cyanobacterial culture grown in a nutrient-deprived, Mars regolith simulant media can be supplemented with urine to facilitate …

Sustainability Of Cyanobacteria In A Co2 Rich Environment, Lonnie Ernst

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The goal of this project is to grow the cyanobacterium, Nostoc muscorum, under a Mars-like condition by growing N. muscorum in an anaerobic chamber supplemented with 100% CO2 and observe the rise in O2 levels. One culture is grown to density outside the chamber and a second culture is subcultured from the first, then the two cultures are placed into the CO2 chamber. The O2 and CO2 levels are measured daily and the cultures density are visually observed each day to determine if cyanobacteria can grow and survive in a CO2 dense environment.

Identifying Secondary Metabolites In Corals Of The Order Corallimorpharia For Novel Medicinal Use, Dave Huish, Jane Lee

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Medicinal and bioactive compounds have been found in various species of corals and are currently being used for, but not limited to, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic/chemotherapy, antimicrobial, antivirus, and antifouling. Currently, acquiring compounds and derivatives is limited by naturally occurring resources. This project is investigating corals from the order Corallimorpharia that are known rapid reproducers and potentially invasive. They demonstrate many of the same attributes as corals that have been studied suggesting that they have similar compounds. The specific coral of interest is Rhodactis howesii. Samples have been obtained, DNA has been isolated, and their genomes are in the process of being …

Chemical Synthesis Of Aerogel Fabric Under Standard Lab Conditions, Antonio Ruiz, Cristina Kinosian, Lane Law, John Flood

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Aerogels are a fascinating material that function as great insulators. Nasa has partnered with Aspen Aerogels to produce a commercially viable product that aims to tackle a variety of problems such as space shuttle insulation, space particle collection, thermal safety, and cryogenic applications. The main objective of our project is to reproduce an aerogel blanket using standard lab conditions and chemicals. We will be producing the blanket using the silica gel process. We will compare properties of durability, cost, and thermal conductivity. We plan to pinpoint a procedure that provides the most cost effective, durable, and thermally conductive material under …

Historical El Nino/La Nina Patterns In Slc, Sea, And La, Eric Wykstra, Jonathan Barnes

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Temperature and precipitation patterns vary across the United States. Different environmental influences can affect these patterns in predictable ways. El Nino and La Nina are two such environmental influences. It is a temperature reading of a section of the ocean that reads 0.5 Celsius above or below the average ocean temperature. In this project we follow the temperatures and levels of precipitation in three cities: Salt Lake City, Seattle, and Los Angeles. We then compare them to the temperatures of El Nino and La Nina to see if there are correlations between the data.

Molecular Dynamics Simulations For Molten Salt Mixtures, Bryant Jones, Shane Schaugaard, Maggie Wu, Ashely Littlefield

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

The First Snap Surface Brightness Fluctuation Distances, Mikaela Cowles, Joseph B. Jensen, Brent Tully, John P. Blakeslee, Ehsan Kourkchi

Utah Space Grant Consortium

We have successfully acquired F110W (J-band) images of 68 massive elliptical galaxies in clusters and groups out to 80 Mpc by taking advantage of the efficient Hubble Space Telescope SNAP observing mode. We used the Surface Brightness Fluctuation (SBF) technique to measure distances to 44 of the galaxies so far with a typical uncertainty of ~5% in distance by implementing a new Python-based pipeline to simplify and automate the SBF analysis procedure. This new SNAP sample doubles the total number of IR SBF distances to galaxies beyond 50 Mpc. The new distances will allow for more accurate determination of the …