Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Development Of Spintronic Materials By Stoichiometric Engineering Of Cofeval, Gavin Baker, Matthew Wieberdink, Jax Wysong

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

We have carried out an experimental investigation of the Heusler Alloy CoFeVAl and its two variants Co_1.5Fe_0.5VAl and CoFeVAl_0.5Si_0.5 for their potential application in the field of spintronics. Heusler alloys are investigated for their many remarkable properties, including half-metallicity and spin-gapless semi-conductivity. Spintronic technology utilizes the intrinsic spin of an electron for information storage and manipulation in solid state devices. We synthesized these alloys using arc-melting and annealing. All three alloys were found to have cubic crystal structures with varying disorders. The parent alloy CoFeVAl shows a magnetic transition at 65 K. However, …

Structural And Magnetic Properties Of Heusler Alloys: Fecrmn1-Xvxal (X = 0, 0.5, 0.75), Jax Wysong, Gavin Baker

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Heusler alloys are important to investigate due to their multiple interesting properties including half-metallicity and spin-gapless semi conductivity. Materials exhibiting these properties are desired for spin-transport-based devices. These devices provide the storing and delivering of information through the utilization of the spin property of electrons. The magnetic and electronic band properties of these alloys can be modified by tuning the elemental composition. This work investigates structural and magnetic properties of the three Heusler alloys FeCrMnAl, FeCrMn_0.5V_0.5Al, and FeCrMn_0.25V_0.75Al. It was found that all three alloys crystallize in cubic crystal structure with an …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: 2019

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 17.

Effect Of Dissolved Salts On The Physiochemical Properties Of Deep Eutectic Solvents, Eleanor Haeska, Megan Radtke

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Green chemistry seeks to make chemical procedures safer, improve reaction efficiency, and utilize environmentally safe reagents. Deep eutectic solvents (DES) have recently become of great interest due to their eco-friendly nature and functionality as solvent for various chemical processes. One key characteristic of DES is their conductive nature and depressed melting point. This project sought to determine the effect of the addition of aqueous solutions of halides on the conductivity of two selected types of DES. Also assessed were the polarity and viscosity of the DES. It can be concluded that aqueous halides had no measureable effect on the conductivity …

Increased Perchlorate In The Environment Following The 1600 C.E. Huaynaputina Volcanic Eruption, Joseph Gibson, Amanda Shea

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Perchlorate is an environmental contaminant that can have adverse health effects on humans. Although our knowledge about how natural perchlorate is formed is very limited, volcanic eruptions are believed to play an important role. An ice core obtained from Summit Station, Greenland was used to study the effects of the Huaynaputina eruption on the amount of perchlorate in the environment. The section of ice core sampled was determined to span the years 1594 through 1610. The results indicate that the Huaynaputina eruption caused a temporary but significant increase in the amount of perchlorate in the atmosphere.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: 2017

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 15.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: 2018

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research , Volume 16.

Approximate Bayesian Computation In Forensic Science, Jessie H. Hendricks

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Forensic evidence is often an important factor in criminal investigations. Analyzing evidence in an objective way involves the use of statistics. However, many evidence types (i.e., glass fragments, fingerprints, shoe impressions) are very complex. This makes the use of statistical methods, such as model selection in Bayesian inference, extremely difficult.

Approximate Bayesian Computation is an algorithmic method in Bayesian analysis that can be used for model selection. It is especially useful because it can be used to assign a Bayes Factor without the need to directly evaluate the exact likelihood function - a difficult task for complex data. Several criticisms …

Choline Chloride Eutectics: Low Temperature Applications, Kaila M. Kuehn, Camille M. Massmann, Natalie R. Sovell

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have a lower melting point than each of their individual components due to ion dipole interactions or hydrogen bonding. Traditionally, DES are used for processing metals through plating and have many synthesis applications. DES are able to be substituted for hazardous solvents that are traditionally used for metal plating and synthesis. This, along with many other advantageous properties, appear promising for the use of DESs as solvents or for use in electrochemical systems, particularly at low temperatures. Choline chloride:propylene glycol was a novel DES synthesized and analyzed for its properties, including melting point, viscosity, conductivity, heat …

Determination Of Volcanic Impact On Perchlorate Using Polar Ice Cores, Alex Georgiev, Collin Livingston, Cody Ward

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Arctic (Greenland) ice core samples covering the time period of 1638-1646 were analyzed for perchlorate and sulfate concentrations. The sulfate data show a signal corresponding to the 1640 eruption of the Komaga-Take volcano in Japan. Perchlorate concentrations show a significant increase at the time of the Komaga-Take eruption. It is concluded that a positive correlation likely exists between stratospheric volcanic eruptions and perchlorate concentration in the environment. When a volcano has enough explosive force to inject substances into the stratosphere, some of the substances, such as sulfate, can remain in the stratosphere for months and spread all over the global …

A Guided Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experiment: Synthesis And Characterization Of Various Phthiocol Complexes, Turina Jangula

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Despite proven effectiveness of constructivist guided-inquiry based instruction for college chemistry courses, teaching in advanced chemistry courses such as inorganic chemistry remains very much traditional. This persistence of traditional instructional approaches could be attributed to the lack of inquiry-based curriculum materials for these courses. In this paper a guided-inquiry based inorganic laboratory experiment on the synthesis and characterization of phthiocol complexes with four different metals is presented along with suggestions for implementation as a laboratory activity. The experiment is unique in terms of its development based on a social constructivist framework and has student discussion and conceptual understanding of inorganic …

Investigation Of Natural Perchlorate Levels In Antarctic Snow In Relation To The Ozone Hole, Thomas Crawford, Alexandria Kub, Han Vid Cho

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Snow samples collected from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide in January 2013 were analyzed for perchlorate concentrations to determine a possible seasonal variation. These samples were dated for the years 2007 through 2012 using annual variations in sulfate concentration as determined by an ion chromatography (IC) method. Perchlorate concentrations in the samples were measured with an IC instrument paired with tandem mass spectrometry detection. The concentration data show that perchlorate reached an annual maximum concentration in the austral autumn seasons, assuming that snowfall was relatively constant throughout the course of each year. Comparison with published total column ozone density …

Optimization And Structural Characterization Of Dimethyl Trisulfide (Dmts) Oxidation Product, Laura Dirks, Brian Peterson, Benjamin Walter

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Cyanide poisoning is a public concern, and there are many shortfalls in current cyanide treatments. Dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS) is a cyanide antidote candidate that overcomes these shortfalls. Currently, there are limited published reports related to the analysis of DMTS. Therefore, an analytical method to detect and analyze DMTS from a biological matrix is vital for it to become available as a therapeutic agent against cyanide poisoning. The motivation of this project is to develop an HPLC-MS/MS method for analysis of DMTS and its degradation products; however, DMTS is difficult to ionize, a requirement for MS analysis, due to its nonpolar …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 13

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 13.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 12

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 12.

The Mathematics Of Spot It, Marcus Heemstra

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Spot It™ is a fun, fast paced game for people of all ages. The game appears to have a rich mathematical structure, which we investigated, using combinatorial analysis. We constructed some similar Spot It type games with a different number of cards, and displayed that some games are impossible to complete. In particular, the original Spot It game has eight objects on each card; however, it is impossible to construct a complete game (a game in which every object appears with every other object) in which every card has seven objects. We have investigated the mathematics behind the game.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 11

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 11.

Theory And Applications Of Correspondences, Heather Olson

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Throughout this paper, we will examine correspondences, also known as set-valued functions. A definition of correspondences and their graphs are given. Properties of correspondences including continuity, optimization, and existence of fixed points are considered. Examples are considered demonstrating these properties. Applications in the field of Economics are introduced. Specifically the optimization of consumer utility is examined through examples.

Establishment Of Photo-Activated Localization Microscopy (Palm) For Imaging Signaling Complexes On The Surfaces Of Cells, Bradley E. Iverson

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Photoactivated Localization Microscopy (PALM) permits visualization of single molecules inside cells at ~10 times the resolution of existing optical microscopes. The 10-50 nanometer resolution afforded by PALM is ideally suited to studying the organization of receptor signal transduction occurring on the surfaces of cells. Initial efforts presented here focused on cells expressing Fc receptor fused to photoactivatable green fluorescent protein (paGFP). A small fraction of the paGFP molecules were photoactivated using a 405 nm laser pulse, resulting in single molecule spots that could then be imaged using 488 nm laser excitation until they photobleached. Both lasers illuminated the sample through …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 10

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 10.

Real Number Rado Numbers For The Equation ∑_(I=1)^(M-1)▒X_(I+C=X_M ), Melanie Zinter

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This paper will examine the type of Ramsey theory concerned with the preservation of solution to specific linear equations under set partition. That is, if a solution to a linear equation exists in the natural numbers, must one also exist within one set of a partition of the natural numbers? To differentiate sets of a partition of the natural numbers from one another, it is convenient to use colors. Then a solution in just one set of a partition of the natural numbers can be referred to as monochromatic solution, or a solution in a single color. [Page 1]

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 09

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 13.

Engineering Our Climate: A Critical Review Of The Geoengineering Response To Climate Change, Gary Huff

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Various responses to greenhouse gas induced climate change have been proposed within the literature. While the most desirable response is to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, technological and financial obstacles make it difficult to realize the reductions necessary to solve the climate change problem. Several geoengineering schemes have been proposed that would compensate for increased greenhouse gas concentrations by reducing the solar energy absorbed by Earth. The most notable of these shortwave climate engineering schemes involves injection of sulfur aerosols into the stratosphere in order to disperse incoming radiation. This paper examines the geoengineering responses to climate change and demonstrates …

Xenakis' Combination Of Music And Mathematics, Janelle Anderson

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

My interest in using mathematics in music composition stems from the works of the contemporary composer Iannis Xenakis. As a physics and music education major I am able to combine both fields of study for this topic. Although Xenakis wrote many orchestral compositions it is his vocal music that I have concentrated on as I too am a singer. Graphic representation and new music notation are among the methods used to analyze his music. I found that his first choral work was called “Nuits,” which I proceeded to analyze. I also found myself interested in the analysis of a more …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 08

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 8.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 07

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 7.

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 06

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 6.

Characterization And Analysis Of Hailstorms In The Northern Great Plains, Thomas Sando

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hail is a meteorological occurrence that appears frequently during spring and summer across the Northern Great Plains. This paper first characterizes patterns associated with reported hail events occurring within a five-state region (North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska) from 2000-2006 using records taken from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Severe Storms database. Patterns of interest include the seasonality of hail activity for each state and across the region, observational bias in the reporting of hailstone size, and temporal trends in the number of hail reports across the region and in each state. This paper then explores a …

The Journal Of Undergraduate Research: Volume 05

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

This is the complete issue of the South Dakota State University Journal of Undergraduate Research, Volume 5.

Modeling Immune Response To Bacterial Infection, Carla Roth

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

Mathematical models have begun to play an important role in the study of biology. We will examine this role further by analyzing a specific model of the innate immune system's response to a bacterial infection. Beginning with the biological background of the model, we will move into an explanation of a specific model of this situation followed by a critique of the model and future work to be done with the topic.