Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Lunar Mining: Designing An Improved Mining System, Evan Cleveland, Rian Simpson, Trevor Mcfarland, Chandler Millar, Alexander Charters, Arthur Steur, Andrew Tolton, Noah Graber, Rene Valles, Sebastien De Villiers, Leaticia Mimche, Nathan Yonkee, Jonathan Warner, Michael Lukowski, Daniel Robinson, Mandy Zheng, Haley Platas, Greyson Mitra, Najman Husaini, Alexander Gill, Lincoln Sand, Shing Ho, Parker King, Byron Liu

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The annual NASA Robotic Mining Challenge: Lunabotics tasks teams with building robots capable of traversing and mining simulated Lunar terrain. The material to mine is approximately 30-45 cm below the surface regolith, and is represented using gravel.

This year, Utah Student Robotics built upon an already successful platform from the 2020-2021 robot. With the biggest changes being the removal of the carbon fiber rocker bogie design and the implementation of a improved sliding mechanism to extend the digging module.

Simulated Icrh In A Vasimr, Benjamin Miera, Phil Matheson

Utah Space Grant Consortium

A Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) uses Ion Cyclotron Resonant Heating (IRCH) to heat a plasma near a magnet nozzle. Thrust is generated as the plasma expands through the nozzle. A VASIMR is expected to develop several Newtons of thrust and exhaust velocities of up to 50,000 m/s. Although the VASIMR plasma is collisional, an upper limit of the efficiency of a VASIMR may be explored by modeling the pumping of the magnetic moment of an ion with circularly polarized IRCH RF fields.

Nominally the magnetic moment of an ion, which is the ratio of its perpendicular kinetic energy …

Characteristics Of Reverse Hybrid Rocket Propellants Based On Nanomaterials, Sierra Padilla, Jessica North, Amber Stricklen

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The purpose of this project is to create dense and porous 3D macrostructures to store nanoenergetic hybrid propellants through the formation of graphene organogels and by incorporating fuel and inorganic oxidizers by applying the resulting compound to rocket propulsion. Graphene organogels raise the reactivity of the hybrid propellants because of the increased surface and volumetric area for more reactions to occur. Hybrid propellants have advantages over liquid and solid propellants, with lower toxicity and reactivity than either propellant on its own. The organogels also have an immense amount of mechanical strength. Since functionalized graphene oxide (FGO) structures have electrostatic interactions, …

Open Source Antenna Pattern Measurement System -- Phase Ii, Matthew Finger, Christian Hearn, Ren Fisher, Justin Knighton

Utah Space Grant Consortium

No abstract provided.

Asteroids, Binaries, And Cepheid Variables: The Abc's Of Ktp Observatory, Jade Hills, Alyssa Stauffer, Stacy Palen, Anemone Burkey, Erik Britton, Chloe Jones, Zachary Kennedy, Carson Matthews, Jordyn Redmond, Nathan Tanner

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The observatory research team spends time operating a telescope to gather data on countless astronomical targets, such as asteroids, binary star systems, and cepheid variables to name a few. Our team is made up of WSU undergraduate students pursuing studies in astrophysics, material science, and nuclear physics, and computer engineering. Our work as a team strengthens us as students and physicists by giving us opportunities to do our own research, experience in work that will prepare us for our fields, and a learning environment outside of a traditional classroom. We as a team work together closely alongside our advisor Dr. …

Usu’S Gaspacs Cubesat, Jack Danos, Carter Page, Shawn Jones, Ben Lewis

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The Get Away Special Passive Attitude Control Satellite (GASPACS) is a 1U CubeSat technology demonstration mission designed to test inflatable structures in space. The project aims to present a possible solution to the limited capacities of spacecraft by providing an inflatable boom that can be packed into a small space and then expanded into something much larger. GASPACS is the world’s first completely undergraduate CubeSat as well as the first satellite to use a Raspberry Pi as its onboard computer.

Effect Of Various Inlet Distortion Patterns On Distortion Transfer And Generation At The Near-Stall Operating Point, Andrew Bedke, Steven Gorrell

Utah Space Grant Consortium

An increased understanding of how inlet flow distortion affects transonic fans enables improved fan design and performance prediction. Inlet distortion refers to non-uniformities in the incoming flow properties. Complex inlet ducts in high performance aircraft result in distorted flow at the fan inlet. In this paper, Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) simulations were used to investigate how the P_t gradient between the clean and distorted sector in the inlet profile affects distortion transfer and generation through a transonic fan. Variants with an increasingly more gradual P_t gradient at the boundary of the distorted sector were applied at the fan …

Preliminary Concepts For Magnetic Actuation And Stabilization Of Origami-Based Space Arrays, Hunter T. Pruett, Nathan M. Coleman, Spencer P. Magleby

Utah Space Grant Consortium

A framework for the generalization of pairs of cuboid magnets embedded in origami-based hinges is presented. Various design variables for the framework are defined. Two novel self-actuation and self-stabilizing hinges (the MaLO hinge and the MaLDO hinge) are presented. The characterization of these hinges is defined, and the hinges are shown in application. The presented applications are the VEMO reflect array antenna design and a deployable truss.

Analyzing Electron Yield Decay Curves With The Electron Emission Spectra, Matthew Robertson, Jr Dennison

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Electron emission is when electrons escape from the surface of a material. Emissions can be caused by many different mechanisms such as thermionic effects, photon, electron, or ion radiation. When energy is imparted to a material, it can cause electron emissions. Emitted electrons have an energy distribution or emission spectra. Figure 1 shows the emission spectra of gold when irradiated with an ~80 eV electron beam. Emission spectra are related to the work function for metals or the electron affinity for insulators. The goal of this research is to measure the work function or electron affinity of a material using …

Exploring Depth Adjustable Embedded Membrane Joints, Collin Ynchausti, Larry L. Howell

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This work presents methods for using membrane joints in origami-inspired mechanisms. Our method takes the previously presented hinge ideas of the Regionally Compliant Sheets (ReCS) method and the Compliant Rolling Contact Element (CORE) joint, and builds upon them to provide a hinge that has the benefits of being adhered between sheets using clamping with no adhesive needed, preserving panel volume that can be used as hard stops, and keeping the stress in the bending membrane below the yield stress, while reducing the parasitic motion of previous membrane joints. Two different configurations are presented: The Contacting Circles Embedded Membrane and the …

Selecting And Optimizing Origami Flasher Pattern Configurations For Finite-Thickness Deployable Space Arrays, Katie Varela, Diana Bolanos, Brandon Sargent, Larry L. Howell, Spencer P. Magleby

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Design parameters of the flasher pattern can be modified to meet a variety of design objectives for deployable array applications. The focus of this paper is to improve understanding of design parameters, objectives, and trade offs of origami flasher pattern configurations. Emphasis is placed on finite-thickness flasher models suitable for engineering applications. The methods presented aim to provide clarity on the effects of tuning flasher parameters based on existing synthesis tools. An optimization technique is implemented and results are presented to converge on optimal design parameters for a specific case study. Lastly, an approach used to develop thick flasher arrays …

Energy Extraction In Five Dimensional Black Holes, Alexandra Chanson, Maria J. Rodriguez

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The goal of this study is to analyze black hole phase spaces by using a small, electromagnetically dominated perturbation near a resonant gravitational saddle; then, a unique decomposition of the asymptotic perturbation states (a vaccuum solution tower) could be used to index perturbatively stable phase-volumes and, in turn, to construct asymptotically interactive channels (perturbative black hole dynamics).

Ultra-Low Power Adcs For Space Sensors And Instruments, Shea Smith, Wood Chiang

Utah Space Grant Consortium

A 28nm 0.1V 10-bit 20kS/s time domain ADC with 225Hz bandwidth is proposed. This design opens the doors to both low supply and low power space sensors and instruments. Due to the stringent voltage supply, unique challenges arise that are met with innovation in the sample switch and the quantizer design. These components of the ADC architecture are aggressively optimized to perform successfully at a 0.1V supply with a sample rate suitable for most sensor applications.

Heat Management For Electromagnetic 3d Printing, Brian Elder, Yong Lin Kong

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The integration of nanomaterials with additive manufacturing, a.k.a. 3D printing, can enable the creation of complex architecture with tunable functional properties.^[1] As discussed in our review paper,^[1] particles can be patterned or assembled with a broad range of forces during the printing process to impart specific functionalities in an otherwise passive structure. For example, a magnetic field can be leveraged to program the local magnetic remanence of a printed ferromagnetic composite. Magnetic programming can enable the fabrication of biocompatible materials with high energy density, which have promising applications in magnetically actuated biomedical robots. For example, a wireless ingestible …

Antenna Designs For Cubesat-Borne, Continuous-Waveform Radar, Logan E. Voigt, Reyhan Baktur

Utah Space Grant Consortium

CubeSat-borne radar has many potential applications in space exploration including tracking, imaging, and weather prediction. A continuous-waveform radar has advantages of compact size and low power consumption, making it suitable to implement on small platforms such as CubeSats. This paper demonstrates an isolation technique that overcomes the self-interference between the transmit and receive antennas inherent to continuous-waveform radar. The presented approach combines opposite circularly polarized antennas on two deployed solar panels to minimize the self-interference. The prototype antennas are tested on a 6U CubeSat frame and the results show more than 40 dB isolation, satisfying the power budget requirements.

Globally-Attractive Logarithmic Geometric Control Of A Quadrotor For Aggressive Trajectory Tracking, Jacob C. Johnson, Randal W. Beard

Utah Space Grant Consortium

We present a new quadrotor geometric control scheme that is capable of tracking highly aggressive trajectories. Our geometric controller uses the logarithmic map of SO(3) to express rotational error in the Lie algebra, and we show that it is globally attractive without requiring a complicated hybrid switching scheme. We show the performance of our controller against highly aggressive trajectories in simulation experiments. Additionally, we present an adaptation of this controller that allows us to interface effectively with the angular rate controllers on an onboard flight control unit and show the ability of this adapted control scheme to track aggressive trajectories …

Active Learning With Cybersecurity, Carole Shook

TFSC Publications and Presentations

A global campus grant was obtained in Spring 2020 to develop modules for Cybersecurity. This presentation encompasses the use of Cyberciege and case studies that require active learning of students.

Influence Of Citrate And Phosphate On The Adsorption Of Adenosine-5′-Monophosphate At The Hematite Water Interface, Sudipta Rakshit, Avedananda Ray, Ali Taheri, Michael E. Essington

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Nucleic acid derived organic phosphorus (Po) is an important source of plant available P when degraded to inorganic phosphate (P(V)i). It is known that when nucleic acids or components are adsorbed on mineral surfaces, the enzymatic degradation is hindered or delayed. Thus, understanding adsorption/desorption mechanisms of nucleic acids and their derivatives are key to assess the biogeochemical pathways of Po cycling. Here we report adsorption mechanisms of adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) on hematite, a common iron oxide mineral, under various solution properties using macroscopic and in situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopic probes. The effects of citrate, mimicking organic …

The Effect Of Different Feeding Regimes On Recent Nutritional And Growth Measurements In Juvenile California Killifish (Fundulus Parvipinnis), Emily Parks

Theses

Gaining a deeper understanding of in-situ growth approximations for juvenile fishes is one way to understand how food consumption may affect fish growth. If variations in growth rate are strongly mirrored by past food status, then the condition (degree of well-being) of fish can be potentially used as a reference for relative prey availability. Furthermore, confirming that there is a positive relationship between food availability and fish growth rate is a critical first step to deepen our understanding of growth rate variation as well as examining if growth can be a proxy for habitat quality.

The California killifish (Fundulus …

Reconstructing The Ecological Relationships Of Late Cretaceous Antarctic Dinosaurs And How Functional Tooth Morphology Influenced These Relationships, Ian D. Broxson

2022 Symposium

The Sandwich Bluff Formation of the James Ross Basin of Antarctica has recently yielded a group of five late Cretaceous dinosaurs that lived contemporaneously with each other, a first for Antarctica. These five dinosaurs include fragmentary remains of two differently sized elasmarian ornithopods, a possible megaraptor, a hadrosaur, and a nodosaur. In this study we will construct a model of the ecological relationships of late Cretaceous Antarctica. Additionally, we will look at what specific factors allowed this group of four herbivores and a carnivore to coexist in a restricted locality and what niches were filled by each species. Methods to …

Pre-Eruptive Magma Configurations And Petrogenetic Relationships Of The Rattlesnake Tuff, Oregon–Insights From Spectacularly Banded High-Silica Rhyolite Pumices, Vanessa M. Swenton, Martin J. Streck

Geology Faculty Publications and Presentations

The 7.1Ma Rattlesnake Tuff (RST) of eastern Oregon is a widespread and voluminous (>300 km3) ignimbrite composed of 99% crystal poor (≤1%) high-silica rhyolite (HSR) and

Age And Water-Quality Characteristics Of Groundwater Discharge To The South Loup River, Nebraska, 2019, Christopher M. Hobza, John E. Solder

United States Geological Survey: Water Reports and Publications

Streams in the Loup River Basin are sensitive to groundwater withdrawals because of the close hydrologic connection between groundwater and surface water. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Loup and Lower Loup Natural Resources Districts, and the Nebraska Environmental Trust, studied the age and water-quality characteristics of groundwater near the South Loup River to assess the possible effects of a multiyear drought on streamflow.

Groundwater sampled in wells screened in Quaternary-age deposits displayed a wide range of mean ages (27 to 2,100 years), fraction modern, and susceptibility index values. Groundwater with higher concentrations of chloride and higher …

2021 Bpsou Subdrain Electronic Database, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc., Atlantic Richfield Company, Environmental Protection Agency

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

All-Sky Search For Gravitational Wave Emission From Scalar Boson Clouds Around Spinning Black Holes In Ligo O3 Data, R. Abbott, H. Abe, F. Acernese, Michael G. Benjamin, Teviet Creighton, Mario C. Diaz, Francisco Llamas, Soma Mukherjee, Gaukhar Nurbek, Volker Quetschke, Wenhui Wang

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

This paper describes the first all-sky search for long-duration, quasimonochromatic gravitational-wave signals emitted by ultralight scalar boson clouds around spinning black holes using data from the third observing run of Advanced LIGO. We analyze the frequency range from 20 to 610 Hz, over a small frequency derivative range around zero, and use multiple frequency resolutions to be robust towards possible signal frequency wanderings. Outliers from this search are followed up using two different methods, one more suitable for nearly monochromatic signals, and the other more robust towards frequency fluctuations. We do not find any evidence for such signals and set …

A Machine Learning And Deep Learning Framework For Binary, Ternary, And Multiclass Emotion Classification Of Covid-19 Vaccine-Related Tweets, Aditya Dubey

Honors Scholar Theses

My research mines public emotion toward the Covid-19 vaccine based on Twitter data collected over the past 6-12 months. This project is centered around building and developing machine learning and deep learning models to perform natural language processing of short-form text, which in our case tweets. These tweets are all vaccine-related tweets and the goal of the classification task is for our models to accurately classify a tweet into one of four emotion groups: Apprehension/Anticipation, Sadness/Anger/Frustration, Joy/Humor/Sarcasm, and Gratitude/Relief. Given this data and the goal of the paper, we aim to answer the following questions: (1) Can a framework be …

Chirality In Light–Matter Interaction, Andrew Lininger, Madhav Goel, Michael Hinczewski, Giuseppe Strangi

Faculty Scholarship

The scientific effort to control the interaction between light and matter has grown exponentially in the last 2 decades. This growth has been aided by the development of scientific and technological tools enabling the manipulation of light at deeply sub-wavelength scales, unlocking a large variety of novel phenomena spanning traditionally distant research areas. Here, the role of chirality in light–matter interactions is reviewed by providing a broad overview of its properties, materials, and applications. A perspective on future developments is highlighted, including the growing role of machine learning in designing advanced chiroptical materials to enhance and control light–matter interactions across …

The Scientific Method As A Scaffold To Enhance Communication Skills In Chemistry, Thomas D. Montgomery, Joanne Rae Buchbinder, Ellen S. Gawalt, Robbie J. Iuliucci, Andrew S. Koch, Evangelia Kotsikorou, Patrick E. Lackey, Min Soo Lim, Jeffrey Joseph Rohde, Alexander J. Rupprecht

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

Scientific success in the field of chemistry depends upon the mastery of a wide range of soft skills, most notably scientific writing and speaking. However, training for scientific communication is typically limited at the undergraduate level, where students struggle to express themselves in a clear and logical manner. The underlying issue is deeper than basic technical skills; rather, it is a problem of students’ unawareness of a fundamental and strategic framework for writing and speaking with a purpose. The methodology has been implemented for individual mentorship and in our regional summer research program to deliver a blueprint of thought and …

Understanding The Transport And Chemistry Of Indoor Air During Wildfire Smoke Events With Elliott Gall, Elliott T. Gall

PDXPLORES Podcast

Dr. Elliott Gall, Associate Professor in the Mechanical and Materials Engineering Department at Portland State University, studies indoor air quality in order to better understand how to improve building designs to promote health.

Wildfires are increasing in frequency and intensity. So, too, are wildfire smoke events. Smoke from wildfires pose serious health risks. That is why the Environmental Protection Agency recommends individuals remain indoors during smoke events.

In this episode, Professor Gall discusses the importance of understanding the chemistry of wildfire smoke indoors and how smoke is transported into buildings.

Click on the "Download" button to access the audio transcript.

All-Sky Search For Gravitational Wave Emission From Scalar Boson Clouds Around Spinning Black Holes In Ligo O3 Data, Ligo Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, Kagra Collaboration, Tiffany Z. Summerscales

Faculty Publications

This paper describes the first all-sky search for long-duration, quasimonochromatic gravitational-wave signals emitted by ultralight scalar boson clouds around spinning black holes using data from the third observing run of Advanced LIGO. We analyze the frequency range from 20 to 610 Hz, over a small frequency derivative range around zero, and use multiple frequency resolutions to be robust towards possible signal frequency wanderings. Outliers from this search are followed up using two different methods, one more suitable for nearly monochromatic signals, and the other more robust towards frequency fluctuations. We do not find any evidence for such signals and set …

Comment Letter: Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Unreclaimed Sites Quality Assurance Project Plan (Dated April 5, 2022), Nikia Greene

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.