Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Development Of A Fast-Neutron Source Localization System, Abdulsalam F. Al Mutairi

Student Research Symposium

Power generation by nuclear fusion is a continuing ambition that has been the focus of nuclear fusion research for nearly a hundred years. However, small-scale fusion reactors have further propulsion and neutron imaging applications that don’t require greater than breakeven efficiencies that a fusion energy source needs. Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion devices have the potential for miniaturization, making them a strong candidate for such applications. Yet the contributions of different interactions within an IEC fusion device are still not fully understood. Imaging an IEC device and investigating each interaction's Neutron Production Rate (NPR) can enhance design efficiency. Neutron imaging …

Creating An Interdisciplinary Learning Community Between Two Cross-Departmental Courses, Krista Mcbride, Maggie Monteverde

Faculty Scholarship Symposium

An Interdisciplinary Learning Community (ILC) consisting of two cross-departmental general education courses has been created. Advantages to linking these courses will be presented. Further, the assignments and course material used to make this learning community successful will be presented. Challenges to developing and evaluating shared assignments for such linked classes will also be discussed. Finally, student feedback will be shown from students enrolled in these courses, which illustrate the positive effects blending these two classes had on the student’s learning experience. As an example, an ILC between a general physics course and a literature course will be introduced.

X-Currents And Extreme Brightening Events, Abrielle Tio An Mei Wang, Gerard J. Fasel, Audrey Daucher, Makena Swenski, Andrea Black, John Mann, Maame Osei-Tutu

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

The solar-terrestrial interaction is a dynamic process which manifests itself in the ionosphere. Interplanetary (IP) shocks or solar wind dynamic pressure pulses can generate enhanced brightening in dayside aurora. Foreshock transients are capable of inducing pressure changes, larger in magnitude than solar wind pressure pulses, which also contribute to intensifying dayside aurora. These pressure variations can accelerate particles into the ionosphere, generating field- aligned currents that produce magnetic impulse events and enhanced dayside auroral activity with periods of increased brightening. This study presents several dayside auroral brightening events which are not associated with IP shocks or solar wind dynamic pressure …

Machine Learning Prediction Of Photoluminescence In Mos2: Challenges In Data Acquisition And A Solution Via Improved Crystal Synthesis, Ethan Swonger, John Mann, Jared Horstmann, Daniel Yang

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) like molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) possess unique electronic and optical properties, making them promising materials for nanotechnology. Photoluminescence (PL) is a key indicator of MoS2 crystal quality. This study aimed to develop a machine-learning model capable of predicting the peak PL wavelength of single MoS2 crystals based on micrograph analysis. Our limited ability to consistently synthesize high-quality MoS2 crystals hampered our ability to create a large set of training data. The project focus shifted towards improving MoS2 crystal synthesis to generate improved training data. We implemented a novel approach utilizing low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) combined with …

Electron Charge To Mass Ratio, Tori Freeman, Quinlin Reynolds

ATU Research Symposium

The purpose of this experiment is to confirm the e/m ratio and charge of an electron discovered initially by J.J. Thomson. We use an electron beam generated inside an e/m tube and Helmholtz coils that generate a magnetic field which deflects the path of the electrons. The radius of the path can be measured and from there the magnitude of the magnetic field and the charge-to-mass ratio can be found. This experiment was successful in confirming the results found by J.J. Thomson and his cathode ray experiments. The results of this experiment had a 0.5% error with the accepted e/m …

Process Of Building And Designing A Spectrometer, Tori Freeman

ATU Research Symposium

Spectroscopy is the study and measurement of electromagnetic spectra resulting from electromagnetic radiation interacting with matter. Each element when excited emits a unique spectrum containing light of various wavelengths. The identity of the element can then be determined by examining the spectra. A spectrometer is a scientific instrument that utilizes optics, mirrors, and lenses to capture and examine spectra. A classroom spectrometer is potentially useful in the demonstration of numerous physics principles such as diffraction, reflection, ray optics, etc.

Keywords: Spectrometry, optics, spectrum

P-39 Interdisciplinary Diffusion Lab, Sable Canales, Chloe Gaban, Mickey Kutzner

Celebration of Research and Creative Scholarship

Diffusion is a principle in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. The rate of diffusion is affected by temperature, particle size, concentration, and material type. Students can model the rate of diffusion based on particle size by contrasting blue and yellow dyes. Two petri dishes containing agar-agar receive a drop of dye at the center. The radius of expansion is recorded over time. The variance of the distribution grows as 𝜎2=4𝐷𝑡, where 𝜎2 is the variance, D is the diffusion constant, and t is time. Graphing variance versus time gives a slope of 4D. Diffusion constants vary by particle size, allowing for …

Seizure Prediction In Epilepsy Patients, Gary Dean Cravens

NSU REACH and IPE Day

Purpose/Objective: Characterize rigorously the preictal period in epilepsy patients to improve the development of seizure prediction techniques. Background/Rationale: 30% of epilepsy patients are not well-controlled on medications and would benefit immensely from reliable seizure prediction. Methods/Methodology: Computational model consisting of in-silico Hodgkin-Huxley neurons arranged in a small-world topology using the Watts-Strogatz algorithm is used to generate synthetic electrocorticographic (ECoG) signals. ECoG data from 18 epilepsy patients is used to validate the model. Unsupervised machine learning is used with both patient and synthetic data to identify potential electrophysiologic biomarkers of the preictal period. Results/Findings: The model has shown states corresponding to …

Numerical Modelling Of A Novel 3d T-Junction Microfluidic Droplet Generator, Andrew G.H. Roberts

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Speed And Accuracy For Partial Differential Equation Solvers, Aidan Grasby

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This Research project consisted of testing multiple software used to solve partial differential equations to determine the fastest solver while not compromising other aspects such as accuracy. The larger project involved using electrodes and electric fields to treat brain tumours. An optimization program is required to determine electrode placement and this program must solve partial differential equations to determine the electric field for each electrode configuration. This optimization step is extremely slow so it is critical a faster partial differential equation solver is found. Therefore, I tested various software to determine the fastest solver that could then be linked with …

Monitoring Chlorophyll A And Pheophytin At Crabtree Swamp, James Blankenship

Undergraduate Research Competition

The two chemicals compound we will be looking at include Chlorophyll A and Pheophytin. These two chemicals are common in most waters around the world. While they are helpful for the ecosystem, like most everything, having too much can also be harmful. Having a high concentrate of Chlorophyll A can result in foul smell and green scum on the bottom and surface of water. Likewise, pheophytin can be harmful when it comes to dissolving oxygen in water. This can result in erosion around the water source and can lead to unwanted chemicals in water (4). The results discussed will show …

Absorbance At The Crabtree, Jaquon Williams

Undergraduate Research Competition

Water scarcity is a growing concern across the world in this document we investigate Crabtree swamp, that’s in Conway, SC. Water absorption is the amount of water taken up by flour to achieve the desired consistency and create a quality end-product. Yet, in this case, we're talking about the Crabtree swamp land area. The goal of this research project is to compare and contrast water absorbance in the area.

The purpose of this study is to naturalize the aquatic ecosystem processes in Crabtree Swamp and improve the survivability of resources of regional significance that have been identified. Resources such as …

Physics 223 Poster: Hubble Law, Andrew Burghaus

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The Objective of this experiment was to determine The Hubble constant.1 The Hubble constant is a ratio of the recessional velocity of distant galaxies to the distance that galaxy is from the Milky way. The constant can then be used to calculate the age of the universe. Doing this will allow us to compare our results with a more accepted quantity.

Physics 223 Poster: Hubble Law, William Coleman

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The objective of this experiment was to calculate the age of the universe. This was done by using provided astronomical data to calculate an experimental Hubble’s constant to which Hubble’s law was applied.

Physics 223 Poster: Hubble Law, Rayshad Lindsay

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In the work is to determine the value for Hubble’s constant based on observing images and spectra of various spiral galaxies and determining the age of the universe.

Physics 223 Poster: Statistical Mechanics And Dice, Ibrahim Maday

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In this experiment we will •explore the realm of statistical mechanics by rolling dice. •calculate the multiplicity and entropy of varying dice rolls. •determine the type of distribution pattern that it follows.

Physics 223 Poster: Hubble Law, Nick Zebhideh

2020 Virtual Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The purpose of this experiment was to calculate an experimental Hubble constant value and use that value to calculate an estimated age of the universe using data drawn from the Hubble Law Lab from the University of Washington. Both experimental values were then compared to the most recent accepted values respectively.

Autonomous Watercraft Simulation And Programming, Nicholas J. Savino

Student Scholar Showcase

Automation of various modes of transportation is thought to make travel more safe and efficient. Over the past several decades, advances to semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles have led to advanced autopilot systems on planes and boats, and an increasing popularity of self-driving cars. We predicted the motion of an autonomous vehicle using simulations in Python. The simulation models the motion of a small scale watercraft, which can then be built and programmed using an Arduino Microcontroller. We examined different control methods for a simulated rescue craft to reach a target. We also examined the effects of different factors, such as …

Characterization Of Magnetic Thin Films Using The Magneto Optic Kerr Effect, Nicholas J. Savino

Student Scholar Showcase

Understanding magnetic properties of materials allows for advances in applications such as data storage. The Magneto-Optic Kerr Effect (MOKE) displays the reflective response a magnetic material has to a magnetic field. When polarized light reflects off of a magnetic material, the polarization orientation can change. The application of an external magnetic field can affect how much this polarization changes in a non-linear manner. Hysteresis loops are created when examining the relationship between intensity of the reflected light to the applied magnetic field provide information about magnetic properties of that material, such as the coercive field and field retention. Preliminary measurements …

Searching For The Origins Of Matter, Joshua L. Barrow

Andrews Research Conference

The big bang and inflation are experimentally confirmed by multitudes of astronomical observations, yet theoretical tension still exists upon a very important question: why is there something rather than nothing? In other words, why are there unequal amounts of matter and antimatter? Why did a supposedly initially symmetric state not annihilate perfectly?

The breaking of this symmetry has allowed for all of material existence--also known as baryogenesis, the prevalence of matter over antimatter--and yields the theoretical possibility of direct detection by observation of baryon number violating mechanisms, which have previously never been observed.

One such plausible mechanism can be found …

Stacking 2d Materials, Michael Hernandez, John C. Mann

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides are atomically thin semi-conductors that are considered quasi 2D materials due to their extremely small thickness. It has been observed that atomically thin crystals exhibit different physical properties than their bulk counterparts due to quantum confinement effects. We are attempting discover new physical properties by developing a technique to stack two different monolayer crystals, MoS2 and MoSe2.

The Property Of Mass: An Interdisciplinary Metaphysical Investigation, Benjamin Hayworth

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The property of mass as used in the physical sciences is somewhat of a metaphysical conundrum. Not only has the definition of mass changed with various paradigm shifts in physics, but the powers belonging to the property have also varied. In my study, I begin by examining the historical context surrounding the term, including the changes to its definition. In doing so, it is revealed that various definitions of mass are used and circulated in general discussion, so a cogent criterion of identity is established by which each definition can be measured. After determining the distinctions between each mass term, …

Between-Day Reliability Activity Fluctuations In Young Adults At Baseline And 6-Months Follow-Up, Connor J. Wicks

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Human Daily Motor Activity (DMA) is characterized by complex temporal fluctuations and scale invariance. DMA is estimated from a time series composed of continuous amounts of activity recorded with the Actigraph GT9X monitor. The purpose of this study was to measure the complex temporal fluctuations in several young healthy adults over a 7-day period. After six months there was a follow-up of another 7-day period. Future collections will involve healthy older adults and adults with Parkinson’s disease. For the first phase of this study, 24 healthy young adults wore the monitor on their non-dominant hand for seven straight days. For …

Preliminary Results From A Ground Based Magnetometer Rotation Table, Rachel Newman, April Gross, Jolene Johnson, Kaye Smith, Erick Agrimson, James Flaten

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

Understanding high altitude balloon rotation is important for many types of scientific measurements, therefore, balloon and payload rotation is a continuing area of interest and research. In this work, we present results obtained from an Arduino logged magnetometer rotated on a ground based rotation table. This table allowed us to precisely rotate and locate the Arduino logged magnetometer. We compare the Arduino logged results with “known magnetic field orientation” using an AIM rocketry altimeter. This comparison allowed us to test the accuracy of our Arduino logged results and the sampling capabilities of our magnetometer system using different rotational speeds.

Thermal Analysis Of Borosilicate Glass For Its Biological Applications, Gregory Humble

Symposium of Student Scholars

Borosilicate glass doped with varying wt% of cerium oxide is investigated for biological applications. Thermal studies of each formulation were conducted using an SDT Q600 differential scanning calorimeter. 30mg samples of 350 - 425 μm particle size of each type of glass were heated to 1200°C in order to obtain the glass transition, crystallization, and melting temperatures. Samples were then heated to 900°C at several heating rates, ranging from 2°C/min to 100°C/min, then compared against each other as well as against an undoped borosilicate glass.

Nasa Nebraska High Altitude Ballooning And The Fab Lab, Kendra Sibbernsen, Michael Sibbernsen

2017 Academic High Altitude Conference

The NASA Nebraska High Altitude Ballooning (N-NHAB) program has collaborated on projects with the Fab Lab at Metropolitan Community College (MCC) in Omaha, NE. Based on the MIT Center for Bits and Atoms, the Fab Lab contains 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, and much more. In its trial phase, the Fab Lab encouraged projects from the sciences. In response to this request, one of these projects involved a HAB student who wanted to streamline custom circuitry for measuring the efficiency of solar cells. The circuit pathways were designed and precisely cut from a copper sheet and the laser cutter …

Assembly, Alignment, And Maintenance Of An Automated Laser Cutter, Zhenghao Ding, Lunjun Liu, Gabriel C. Spalding, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

We have assembled a kit for an automated laser cutter system, intended to play an important role in a wide variety of student-led design projects on our campus. We began by electrically soldering the wiring for a powerful (60 Watt), pulsed infrared (10.6µm wavelength) CO₂ laser beam, which can thermally induce shock waves that locally ablate a wide range of (non-reflective) materials. The laser tube itself generates significant heat when operating, so we also assembled the required water-cooling system. Given the high powers involved, careful alignment this invisible laser was required, to ensure that the beam is safely contained …

A New Laboratory For Mm-/Sub-Mm-Wave Characterization Of Cosmic Dust Analogs, Lunjun Liu, Thushara Perera, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

At visible wavelengths, cosmic dust obscures many interesting astronomical environments such as stellar nurseries and new planetary systems. Studying how light interacts with cosmic dust would help reveal the nature of the objects and environments that are obscured by dust. In order to study the optical properties of cosmic dust analogs in the lab, we constructed a custom apparatus, which consists of a vacuum chamber, a cooling mechanism to vary the temperature of dusts in an astronomically interesting range (7-50 Kelvin), and a long-wavelength spectrometer. Since completing the construction of the custom apparatus, we are currently assembling and testing the …

Microfluidic Generator Of Sub-10-Micron Hydrosomes, Zhenghao Ding, Lunjun Liu, Gabriel C. Spalding, Faculty Advisor

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference

Known as the fundamental “lab on a chip” technology, microfluidics is a thriving young research area that first took off in the 1990s. It is commonly used for reducing the amount of material required for biochemical analysis, such DNA sequencing. Its narrow tunnels can annihilate turbulence even in high-speed fluid flow, facilitating controlled, systematic processing. Also, by leveraging lithographic techniques developed for the semiconductor industry, enormous capability can be integrated into a single microfluidic chip. We have thus far utilized templates designed and fabricated by previous students in our lab, for fabrication of a series of microfluidic chips, made of …

Microwave Properties Of Magnetic Nanowires Arrays, Daniel Adams

Innovate UNO

This study focused on examining high-frequency properties of magnetic nanowire arrays. The microwave was produced by a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) and transmitted through coplanar waveguides (CPW). The CPWs are 300 µm long with signal line width of 20 µm, ensuring minimum losses due to radiation. CPWs were fabricated through the photolithography process. The magnetic nanowires were fabricated through e-beam lithography on top of the CPW. The VNA was used to feed the CPW and measurements of the FMR absorption allowed us to understand the effect of interaction between nanowires on their dynamic properties.