Other Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons^™

Solar Wind–Magnetosphere Coupling During The September 2025 Cme: Multi-Spacecraft Analysis Using Mms And Omni Data, Skylar G. Butler, Margret Stanley

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

A sequence of two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) impacted Earth in early September 2025, producing consecutive geomagnetic disturbances. The first CME, launched on 31 August 2025 and observed as a halo in SOHO/LASCO imagery, reached Earth on 1 September (~20:45 UTC), generating a clear interplanetary shock. OMNI 1-min solar-wind data show a sudden rise in |B| from ≈ 5 nT to > 25 nT, proton density and velocity increases (≈ 350 → 600 km s⁻¹), and a southward IMF Bz interval that drove enhanced coupling. The Kyoto Dst index recorded a sudden storm commencement followed by a minimum of −75 nT …

The Core-Collapse Supernovae Particle Physics Interactions, Skylar G. Butler

Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal

This study investigates the role of specific particle physics interactions in simulations of core collapse supernovae, with a focus on understanding how varying levels of inclusion impact the accuracy of gravitational wave predictions and results of simulations. Different research groups often approach these simulations with varying degrees of complexity, cutting corners by omitting certain reactions or simplifying others. This project systematically evaluates the implications of these choices, comparing the particle physics interactions included, the dimensionality of the simulations, and the governing equations used. Our goal is to identify how these factors influence the precision of numerical simulations. By providing a …

12co Ro-Vibrational Spectroscopy Of Protoplanetary Disks: Inferring Planet-Disk Interactions, Janus Kozdon

All Dissertations

Observing and studying planets around young stars during their initial formation stages is essential for understanding the physics of their formation. Protoplanetary disks are the host sites of planets, and they exhibit substructures that hint towards the planets' presence, but the planet itself has rarely been detected. Analysis of the substructures in protoplanetary disks, especially towards the inner regions where most planets seem to lie, will provide information that can be used to refine theories about planet-disk interactions and, ultimately, planet formation. To probe the high-velocity inner regions, this study utilizes high-resolution spectroscopy, which has increased sensitivity with increasing velocities. …

Measuring Cosmic Rays With Muon Detectors (Quarknet), Aiden Burton, Jack W. Maseberg

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

We report measurement of atmospheric muon particles originating from cosmic rays. Using four QuarkNet project scintillators in an unstacked geometry, we are counting muons in coincidence with each other. We are currently refurbishing a second detector apparatus and will soon be capable of measuring coincidence events for larger shower surface areas using a total of eight scintillators.

Robust Spacecraft Autonomy For Deep Space Exploration In Special Euclidean Group Se(3), Matthew Wittal

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Over the past half-century, humanity has gained extensive experience conducting manned spaceflight near Earth. Arguably, "near Earth" could even include the Moon — the most distant destination humans have reached. However, "near" in this work primarily refers low Earth orbit (LEO). One could argue that we have not truly left Earth since the Apollo, as spacecraft in some LEOs remain subject to atmospheric drag thus emphasizing their continued connection to Earth's immediate environment. Reflecting on this, it becomes clear that humanity has largely remained bound to Earth’s immediate vicinity since the Apollo missions reached the Moon. However, that is set …

An Investigation Into The Use Of Amateur Astronomy Equipment For Optical Orbit Determination Using A Mobile Telescope Platform, Johan C. Govaars

Master's Theses

The process of optical orbit determination has long been in the domain of large organizations and stationary observatories with highly specialized scientific equipment. This thesis seeks to determine not only if satellites can be captured regularly using purely commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment, but also if initial orbit determinations can be made using that data. Moreover, the use of a mobile telescope platform allows users to circumvent the restrictions of fixed observatories such as low horizon viewing restrictions or existing light pollution.

A completely COTS setup was utilized that included an 8-inch Celestron NextStar 8SE telescope with an f/6.3 focal reducer and …

Lightning: An X-Ray To Submillimeter Galaxy Sed-Fitting Code With Physically Motivated Stellar, Dust, And Agn Models, Keith Doore, Erik B. Monson, Rafael T. Eufrasio, Bret D. Lehmer, Kristen Garofali, Antara Basu-Zych

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present an updated version of Lightning, a galaxy spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting code that can model X-ray to submillimeter observations. The models in Lightning include the options to contain contributions from stellar populations, dust attenuation and emission, and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). X-ray emission, when utilized, can be modeled as originating from stellar compact binary populations with the option to include emission from AGNs. We have also included a variety of algorithms to fit the models to observations and sample parameter posteriors; these include adaptive Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), affine-invariant MCMC, and Levenberg–Marquardt gradient-descent (MPFIT) algorithms. To …

Optimal Method For Reconstructing Polychromatic Maps From Broadband Observations With An Aysmmetric Antenna Pattern, Brianna Cantrall, Emory F. Bunn, Solomon Quinn

Honors Theses

Broadband time-ordered data obtained from telescopes with a wavelength-dependent, asymmetric beam pattern can be used to extract maps at multiple wavelengths from a single scan. This technique is especially useful when collecting data on cosmic phenomena such as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, as it provides the ability to separate the CMB signal from foreground contaminants. We develop a method to determine the optimal linear combinations of wavelengths (“colors”) that can be reconstructed for a given telescope design and the number of colors that are measurable with high signal-to-noise ratio. The optimal colors are found as eigenvectors of a …

Applications Of Digital Filters In Radio Astronomy, Joseph William Kania

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The radio sky spans tens of orders of magnitude in length, density, and time.
In this thesis, using novel filtering techniques and two different telescopes,
we investigate two tracers of cosmic structure: Baryon Acoustic Oscillations
(BAOs) and Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). BAOs formed as the universe cooled
after the Big Bang. BAOs provide a fiducial length scale of the universe
throughout cosmic time and thus can be used to understand how the universe
is evolving. FRBs are very bright, short timescale, bursts of as-yet unknown
origin which occur uniformly on the sky at a rate of a few thousand per …

Using Neural Network To Search For Isolated Hα Clouds In The Virgo Cluster, Audra Carver

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Mining The Data Cubes In Sub-Mm And Optical Astronomy, Nathanael Pichette

Summer Community of Scholars Posters (RCEU and HCR Combined Programs)

No abstract provided.

Preliminary Studies Of Background Rejection Capabilities For The Southern Wide−Field Gamma−Ray Observatory, Sonali Mohan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The Southern Wide-field Gamma-ray Observatory (SWGO), is a next-generation
gamma-ray observatory to be constructed in the Southern Hemisphere that will com-
plement current and future instruments by providing a wide-field coverage of a large
portion of the southern sky and a better sensitivity to the 100 GeVs to few PeVs
photon band to understand extreme astrophysical phenomena throughout the uni-
verse. Air shower events initiated by gamma rays will be recorded by the detector
and reconstructed to extract shower properties. The challenge for air-shower arrays
in the observation of gamma-ray sources is the large background of hadronic cos-
mic rays. …

Searching For Anomalous Extensive Air Showers Using The Pierre Auger Observatory Fluorescence Detector, Andrew Puyleart

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Anomalous extensive air showers have yet to be detected by cosmic ray observatories. Fluorescence detectors provide a way to view the air showers created by cosmic rays with primary energies reaching up to hundreds of EeV . The resulting air showers produced by these highly energetic collisions can contain features that deviate from average air showers. Detection of these anomalous events may provide information into unknown regions of particle physics, and place constraints on cross-sectional interaction lengths of protons. In this dissertation, I propose measurements of extensive air shower profiles that are used in a machine learning pipeline to distinguish …

Inferential Statistics And Information Theoretical Measures: An Approach To Interference Detection In Radio Astronomy, Morgan R. Dameron

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In a time when technology is rapidly growing, radio observatories are now able to expand their computational power to achieve higher receiver sensitivity power and a more flexible realtime computing approach to probe the universe for its composition and study new astronomical phenomena. This allows searches to go deeper into the universe, and results in the recording of massive quantities of observed data. At the same time, this increases the amount of radio frequency interference (RFI) found in the obtained observatory data. The high power of RFI easily masks the low power of extraterrestrial signals, making them hard to detect …

Pathfinding Fast Radio Bursts Localizations Using Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Pranav Rohit Sanghavi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration, bright radio transients of extragalactic origin. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope’s CHIME/FRB instrument and other radio telescopes across the globe have detected hundreds of FRBs. Their origins are a mystery. Precise localization within the host is critical to distinguish between progenitor models. This can be achieved through Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI). Until now, VLBI localizations have only been carried out in targeted follow-up observations of some repeating sources which comprise a small fraction of the FRBs.

For this work, an interferometric array of 6m dishes was constructed at the Green …

Impact Of Radio Frequency Interference And Real-Time Spectral Kurtosis Mitigation, Evan T. Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

We catalog the ubiquity of Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) plaguing every modern radio telescope and investigate several ways to mitigate it in order to create better science-ready data products for astronomers. There are a myriad of possible RFI sources, including satellite uplinks and downlinks, cellular communications, air traffic radar, and natural sources such as lightning. Real-time RFI mitigation strategies must take these RFI characteristics into account, as the interfering signals can look significantly different at very high time and frequency resolutions.

We examine Spectral Kurtosis (SK) as a real-time statistical RFI detection method, and compare its flagging efficacy against simulated …

Constraining The Star Formation Histories Of Galaxies In The Swift/Uvot + Manga (Swim) Value-Added Catalog, Nikhil Ajgaonkar

Theses and Dissertations--Physics and Astronomy

Although our understanding about galaxy evolution has improved in the past few
decades, we still do not understand how galaxies suddenly stop forming stars and move towards a quiescent phase. In order to do that, we must derive the Star Formation Histories (SFHs) of galaxies, that trace the change in Star Formation (SF) inside the galaxy over the cosmic timescale. This is achieved by using a set of spatially resolved near-ultraviolet (NUV) and optical spectroscopic images of the galaxies. We generate the Swift/UVOT + MaNGA value added catalog (SwiM VAC; Molina et al., 2020b) which comprises 150 galaxies having a …

Modeling Cherenkov Light Detection Timing For The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System, Keilan Finn Ramirez

Physics

The Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) is an array of four 12-meter telescopes which use the Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Technique to conduct high-energy gamma-ray astronomy. VERITAS detects magnitude and location information associated with Cherenkov light, and uses this information to indirectly observe gamma-rays through a software reconstruction process. VERITAS also records timing information corresponding to Cherenkov light detection, and this additional information could theoretically be incorporated into the reconstruction process to improve the accuracy of gamma-ray observations. The first step to including timing information is to understand when Cherenkov light detection would be expected from a known …

On The Mobility Of Small Aperture Telescopes For Initial Orbit Determination And Apparent Magnitude Derivation Of Low Earth Satellites, Jonathan Ian Hernandez

Master's Theses

Maintaining Space Domain Awareness (SDA) of satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) requires effective methods of tracking and characterization. Optical measurements of these objects are generally sparse due to limited access intervals and high angular rates. Light pollution and geographic obstructions may also preclude consistent observations. However, a mobile small aperture telescope grants the ability to minimize such environmental effects, thereby increasing capture likelihoods for objects within this regime. By enhancing LEO satellite visibility in this way, extensive orbital and visual data are obtainable.

An 8-inch Meade LX200GPS telescope equipped with a Lumenera SKYnyx2-0M CCD camera comprises the system that …

Dark Matter Detection Materials, James E. Harrison Iv

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas

The purpose of this paper is to review the different methods and materials used in the detection of dark matter. Special attention is given to materials in the solid state, but other materials are briefly mentioned for the sake of completeness. After a review, we discuss the viability of each material as a detector, and determine what advantages each material has, and what method of detection works best for each material. We conclude by discussing the potential outcomes of a null detection.

Investigation On The Use Of Small Aperture Telescopes For Leo Satellite Orbit Determination, Luis R. Curiel Iii

Master's Theses

The following thesis regards the use of small aperture telescopes for space domain awareness efforts. The rapidly populating space domain was motivation for the development of a new operation scheme to conduct space domain awareness feasibility studies using small telescopes. Two 14-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes at the California Polytechnic State University and the Air Force Research Lab in Kirtland AFB, NM, in conjunction with a dedicated CCD camera and a commercial DSLR camera, were utilized to conduct optical observations on satellites in Earth orbit.

Satellites were imaged during August 2019, and from January 2020 to March 2020, resulting in the collection …

Telescope Parallel Actuator Mount: Control And Testing, Samuel S. Artho-Bentz

Master's Theses

This thesis approaches the task of designing a control system for the Parallel Actuator Mount developed by Dr. John Ridgely and Mr. Garrett Gudgel. It aims to create a base framework that directly controls the telescope and can be expanded to accept external command. It incorporates lower priced components and develops more easily approachable software with great functionality. An open-loop method for velocity control is established. Developing repeatable tests is a major focus. Testing finds the control methods developed result in velocity error of less than 5% and position error of less than 1.5% despite several mechanical issues and inaccuracies. …

Automated Spectroscopic Detection And Mapping Using Alma And Machine Learningtechniques, Steven Cocke, Andrew Wilkins, Josephine Mcdaniel, John Santerre, Conor Nixon

SMU Data Science Review

In this paper we present a methodology for automating theclassification of spectrally resolved observations of multiple emissionlines with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).Molecules in planetary atmospheres emit or absorb different wavelengthsof light thereby providing a unique signature for each species. ALMAdata were taken from interferometric observations of Titan made be-tween UT 2012 July 03 23:22:14 and 2012 July 04 01:06:18 as part ofALMA project 2011.0.00319.S. We first employed a greedy set cover algorithm to identify the most probable molecules that would reproducethe set of frequencies with respective flux greater than 3σaway from themean. We then selected a subset of …

There Is No Constant In Physics: A Neutrosophic Explanation, Victor Christianto, Robert Neil Boyd, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In Neutrosophic Logic, a basic assertion is that there are variations of about everything that we can measure; the variations surround three parameters called T,I,F (truth, indeterminacy, falsehood) which can take a range of values. Similarly, in this paper we consider NL applications in physics constants. Those constants actually all have a window of plus and minus values, relative to the average value of the constant. For example, speed of light, c, can vary in a window up to +/- 3000 m/s. Therefore it should be written: 300000 km/s +/- 3 km/s. We also discuss some implications of this new …

Applications Of Information Theory In Solar And Space Physics, Jay R. Johnson, Simon Wing

Faculty Publications

Characterizing and modeling processes at the sun and space plasma in our solar system are difficult because the underlying physics is often complex, nonlinear, and not well understood. The drivers of a system are often nonlinearly correlated with one another, which makes it a challenge to understand the relative effects caused by each driver. However, entropy-based information theory can be a valuable tool that can be used to determine the information flow among various parameters, causalities, untangle the drivers, and provide observational constraints that can help guide the development of the theories and physics-based models. We review two examples of …

Unh Observatory Exoplanet Transit Depth Limit, Nicholas R. Larose

Honors Theses and Capstones

Using the University of New Hampshire Observatory, we performed multiple exoplanet transits observations on a variety of systems. Of these transits, those performed with ideal weather conditions were chosen to do extensive analysis on. The transit chosen for initial analysis was HAT-P-56b. We then used Z-Score values, along with the average mean and standard deviation collected from multiple transits to determine a minimum possible transit depth of 7.4 +/- 0.6 mmag. This value will allow UNH to access exoplanet transit observation and / or confirm potential exoplanets, thus making the UNH Observatory more research capable. A follow up threshold transit …

Analysis Of Autoguiding For Exoplanet Transit Research At The Unh Observatory, Anthony Cappuccio

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper will discuss the proper calibration technique for an autoguider of a CCD camera and the results that follow from successful exoplanet transit observations. A brief background on exoplanets, the transit method, and the analysis of their parent stars through photometry will be examined. The results will be presented in a before and after framework that will visually represent the data improvements from autoguiding as graphical Light Curves (LC). The addition of being able to autoguide at the UNH observatory will work towards providing future students with the possibility of performing follow-up ground-based observations and archiving their work online …

Observation Of High-Energy Gamma-Rays With The Calorimetric Electron Telescope (Calet) On-Board The International Space Station, Nicholas Wade Cannady

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The CALorimetric Electron Telescope (CALET) is a multi-instrument high-energy astrophysics observatory deployed to the International Space Station (ISS) in August 2015. The primary instrument is the calorimeter (CAL), which is intended for measurement of the cosmic ray electron flux in the energy range 10 GeV - 20 TeV. The CAL is also sensitive to gamma-rays in the energy range 1 GeV - 10 TeV and protons and nuclei up to PeV energies. Also present on the CALET payload are an Advanced Stellar Compass (ASC) for the fine determination of the pointing direction and the CALET Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (CGBM) for …

High Dynamic Range Optical Devices And Applications., Elijah Robert Jensen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of what we know about fundamental physical law and the universe derives from observations and measurements using optical methods. The passive use of the electromagnetic spectrum can be the best way of studying physical phenomenon in general with minimal disturbance of the system in the process. While for many applications ambient visible light is sufficient, light outside of the visible range may convey more information. The signals of interest are also often a small fraction of the background, and their changes occur on time scales so quickly that they are visually imperceptible. This thesis reports techniques and technologies developed …

Observations Of Ion Density And Temperature Around The International Space Station During Two Geomagnetic Storms, Alex M. Wright

Honors Theses and Capstones

The International Space Station (ISS) is a low Earth orbit research facility and host to an international crew. Geomagnetic storms cause changes in the Earth’s magnetic field and affect the ion density and temperature in the ionosphere which could pose a hazard to ISS crew. This hazard is measured by the Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) which measures ion density, ion temperature, and the charge differential of the ISS relative to its surrounding environment. I analyzed data collected by Narrow Sweep Langmuir Probe for two storms in 2015. Ion density and temperature were affected by geomagnetic storms, but the effects …