Physics Commons^™

Heavy Metals In Healthy Water Samples Used By Newborn In Al-Najaf Governorate, Iraq, Ban Hussein Ali, Ali Abid Abojassim

Al-Bahir

Water is essential for life, so monitoring water quality is important. This research focuses on measuring heavy metals (Lead, Pb; Cadmium, Cd; Chromium, Cr (in 14 healthy water samples of two types; bottled water and filtered water used by newborn children in Al-Najaf governorate, Iraq. Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AA-7000, Japan) was used to conduct the experimental analysis. Also, health risks parameters (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) due to Pd, Cd, and Cr concentrations were calculated. The results of Pb, Cd, and Cr concentrations in mg/L for bottled water samples were ranged 0.03-0.83, 0.01-0.69, and 0.01-0.76, respectively, while the range values for filter …

Preparation Of Nanoparticles And Study Of The Effect Of Some Of Their Physical Properties On Epoxy Polymer, Aya N. Abdullah, Niran F. Abeduljabbar

Al-Bahir

Nanoparticles were prepared by the laboratory thermal method from copper, magnesium, and zinc oxides. Different nanoparticles were added to epoxy at weight fractions of (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) wt. %. The structural results from X-ray diffraction showed the appearance of epoxy in a random system, and when reinforced with nanopowders at higher addition ratios, we find the appearance of nanoparticles in a clear crystalline form, while the SEM results showed an increase in consistency and homogeneity with each increase in the proportions of nanoparticles, which appeared clearly during the EDX examination. The hardness of Shore type D was …

Effect Of Adding Nano Silica On Some Structural And Thermal Properties Of Aluminum, Salih Y. Darweesh, Ghazi F. Mahal

Al-Bahir

The powder metallurgy method was employed to fabricate aluminum-based composite samples reinforced with nano silica at varying weight fractions of 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 wt.%. The powders were mixed, dried, and compacted using a hydraulic press at 7 tons of pressure for one minute, followed by thermal sintering in an oven at 600°C for two hours. Structural characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), while thermal analysis included thermal conductivity, heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal flux, and thermal resistance. The results revealed that the optimal nano silica reinforcement ratio was 10%, yielding notably …

Utilizing Machine Learning To Predict The Charge Storage Capability Of Lithium-Ion Battery Materials, Manoj Chhetri, Karen S. Martirosyan

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

With the increasing demand for high-performance batteries in applications such as electric vehicles and portable electronics, accurately predicting the charge storage capacity of battery materials is crucial for developing more efficient and reliable energy storage systems. Machine Learning (ML) and data-driven approaches, plays a vital role in enhancing our understanding of Li-ion battery performance, guiding materials design, optimizing system efficiency, and accelerating innovation in energy storage technologies. In this study, an ML-based approach was applied to a dataset of 2345 rechargeable Li-ion battery materials, obtained from the Materials Project online portal, to predict gravimetric charge storage capacity ─ a key …

Boron Nitride Nanosheets, Quantum Dots, And Dots: Synthesis, Properties, And Biomedical Applications, Raksha Dubey, Matthew Cowles, Zohreh Salimi, Xiuling Liu, Rodney Oakley, Nazmiye B. Yapici, Join Uddin, Dongyan Zhang, Yoke Khin Yap

Michigan Tech Publications

This review examines three aspects of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanomaterials: properties, synthesis methods, and biomedical applications. We focus the scope of review on three types of h-BN nanostructures: boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs, few-layered h-BN, larger than ∼100 nm in lateral dimensions), boron nitride quantum dots (BN QDs, smaller than ∼10 nm in all dimensions, with inherent excitation-dependent fluorescence), and boron nitride dots (BN dots, smaller than ∼10 nm in all dimensions, wide bandgap without noise fluorescence). The synthesis methods of BNNSs, BN QDs, and BN dots are summarized in top-down and bottom-up approaches. Future synthesis research should focus on …

Measuring Small Currents At Fast Speeds Using A 2Nd Generation Electrometer, Donna Metcalf

Student Research Symposium

The Electron Emission Test (EET) chamber in the Utah State University Materials Physics Group (MPG) is used to determine the electron yield of highly insulating materials. An electrometer is employed alongside the EET chamber to measure the output current of 10-6 to 10-14 pulses of 10-7 seconds to DC duration. In previous years, a first- generation electrometer was used for these measurements. However, the introduction of a new electrometer presents an opportunity to achieve faster measurement speeds and improved sensitivity to smaller current values.

Effect Of Geomagnetic Activity On Radio Propagation In The 14 And 18 Mhz Range, Stuart Barney

Student Research Symposium

The purpose of this experiment was to discover if the magnitude of a geomagnetic event has a notable effect on the reliability of the reception of a radio transmission given the location of origin.

Automatic Aurora Detection, Cameron Eggleston

Student Research Symposium

Aurorae happen when particles in the earth’s magnetosphere become excited and emit visible light. Below is a picture that shows this process more meaningfully:

The colors of each aurora is determined by these electrons as well. Below is a diagram showing where the different colors of aurora come from. In addition to being nice to look at, aurorae can be caused by Coronal Mass Ejections(CMEs). CMEs can affect radio communication, power grids, GPS systems, and more.

2017 Seasonal Variation Of Atmospheric Gravity Waves Above Rothera Station, Antarctica, Elijah Kroeber, Zhao Yucheng, Pautet Dominique, Taylor Michael

Student Research Symposium

As a part of the international Antarctic Gravity Wave Instrument Network (ANGWIN), Utah State University operates an infrared (IR) all-sky imager at the British Rothera Station in Antarctica (67°34’S, 68°07’W) which observes several hydroxyl (OH) emission bands.

Electron-Phonon Coupling In Copper, Joseph Pigott

Student Research Symposium

The behavior of metals is all about the motion and behavior of the metal's electrons. When interactions between the electrons and vibrations in the crystal lattice (phonons) are considered, the electrons act as if they are "heavier" than they otherwise would be. This is accounted for by introducing the mass- enhancement parameter λ, which represents the strength of electron- phonon interactions. This study explores whether λ can be accurately calculated by comparing literature data for two known quantities: the electronic coefficient of specific heat and the density of states at the Fermi energy.

Ion-Induced Electron Yield Database Development Through Data Mining For Exploratory Data Analysis And Predictive Analytics, Trace Taylor

Student Research Symposium

• What is ion yield and what affects it?

• Why create a database?

• Status of the database

• Ion yield data comparisons

• Conclusions

• Future work

Are Rotating Black Holes Rigid?, Luis Fernando Temoche

Student Research Symposium

What is rigidity for a black hole?

Gravity Wave Activity During The 2024 Sudden Stratospheric Warmings Observed By Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe), Jiarong Zhang, Yucheng Zhao, Pierre‐Dominique Pautet, Ludger Scherliess, Michael J. Taylor, Hanli Liu

All Physics Faculty Publications

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) instrument, launched in November 2023, provides direct observation of small‐scale (30–300 km) gravity waves (GWs) in the mesosphere on a global scale. This work examined changes in GW activity observed by AWE during two major Sudden Stratospheric Warmings (SSWs) in the 2023 and 2024 winter season. Northern Hemisphere (NH) midlatitude GW activity during these events shared similarities. Variations in mesospheric GW activity showed an evident correlation with the magnitude of zonal wind in the upper stratosphere. NH midlatitude GW activity at ∼87 km was reduced following the onset of …

Three New 2+2 Quadruple Systems With Changing Inclination, Petr Zasche, Z. Henzl, M. Mašek, Jan Kára, H. Kučáková, J Merc, R. Uhlař

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present a unique discovery of three new detected systems showing two different phenomena together. These are 2+2 quadruple stellar systems showing two eclipsing binaries as the inner pairs. And besides that, these systems were also found to exhibit the precession of the inner orbits causing the inclination changes manifesting themselves through the eclipse depth variations. We are not aware of any similar known system on the sky nowadays, hence our discovery is really unique. In particular these systems are: CzeV4315 = HD 228777 (periods 6.7391 and 0.91932 d, inclination change of pair B of about 1.4∘ yr−1); ASASSN-V J075203.23−323102.7 …

Mitigation Of Lunar Dust Charging Issues Using Electron Yield, Christopher Vega

Student Research Symposium

What is Electron Yield?

• Electron Yield(EY): Ratio of electrons in over electrons out

Physical Interpretation Of The Dynamic Dual-Defect Model Of Radiation Induced Conductivity, Tyler Heggenes, Jenny Whiteley

Student Research Symposium

• Spacecraft charging is the main source of spacecraft anomalies [A]
• Spacecraft are often made of resistors
• Arcing can end a project early

Fiber Bundles Of The Complex Projective Space And Their Relation To Quantum Physics, Emily Wessman

Student Research Symposium

The complex projective space CPⁿ is the space of lines through the origin in Cⁿ⁺¹ with an equivalence relation defined by Z ~ λZ' for λ ∈ C*. We define the points under the equivalence relation as homogeneous coordinates, represented by [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... Z_n]. Since all Z,sub>i cannot equal zero, we can find a unique set of n coordinates (z₁,...,z_n) such that [Z₀ : Z₁ : ... : Z_n] ~ [1 : z₁ : ... : z_n] where z …

Synthesis Of Pristine Graphene On Cu Substrates Within A 3d Parameter Space, Max Haehnel

Student Research Symposium

We designed a low-pressure chemical vapor deposition system wherein the toluene combines with the carrier gas flow to contact with the substrate within the quartz tube. As toluene is a liquid at room temperature, we froze the toluene using liquid nitrogen before pumping down the chamber to low pressure. Substrate cleanliness and preparation proved to be essential in the synthesis process.

Microcanonical Analysis Of Semiflexible Homopolymers With Variable Bending Potential Width, Michael Gray

Scholars Week

I have developed an algorithm for finding phase transition in microcanonical data of simulations of homopolymers. These simulations model the behavior of homopolymers in an array of different conditions. This algorithm is generalized and can be applied to a variety of different systems. It works by taking repeated derivatives of the microcanonical entropy of the system and applying several filters, whose parameters are tuned algorithmically as well. Identification of phase transitions allows for the construction of a phase diagram.

32 - Nested Two Level Decomposition For Quantum Computing, Andrew Maciejunes, John Stenger, Dan Gunlycke, Nikos Chrisochoides

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Abstract—We present a two-level decomposition strategy for solving the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) using the Quantum Approximate Optimization Algorithm (QAOA). A Problem-Level Decomposition (PLD) partitions a 9-node (72-qubit) VRP into smaller Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) instances. Each TSP is then further simplified via Circuit-Level Decomposition (CLD), enabling execution on near-term quantum devices. Our approach achieves up to 90% reductions in circuit depth and qubit count. These results demonstrate the feasibility of solving VRPs previously too complex for quantum simulators and provide early evidence of potential quantum utility.

Highly Regenerable Magnetic Sulfonated Chitosan Crosslinked With Glutaraldehyde Composite Beads (Iron Sand/Naso3-Chi-G) For Aqueous Mercury Removal, Fathurrahmi Fathurrahmi, Rahmi Rahmi, Lelifajri Lelifajri, Anggun Sixthia Wulan Ayu, Muhammad Iqhrammullah

Karbala International Journal of Modern Science

We developed a novel adsorbent from sulfonated, glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan embedded with magnetic iron sand. The adsorbent was synthesized through a two-step process: (1) sulfonation with N(SO₃Na)₃ to introduce sulfonate groups, and (2) crosslinking with glutaraldehyde to enhance structural stability. The optimal formulation, containing 43.5% iron sand and crosslinked with 0.17 M glutaraldehyde, exhibited the highest Hg²⁺ adsorption capacity (30.74 mg/g) at pH 3. The adsorbents were characterized using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopic (FT-IR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved within 60 minutes, and isotherm modeling showed that the process followed the Freundlich model …

Constructing And Confirming The Viability Of Nested Helmholtz Coils As An Education Model For Clinical Mri Systems, Yoel Kim

Honors Theses

Our goal was to construct a viable laboratory model utilizing oscillating compasses as a visual and manipulable analogue for magnetically resonant proton procession in a clinical magnetic resonance (MR) system for students without a strong background in nuclear physics. The constructed model -- which utilized concentric perpendicular helmholtz coils -- was tested for its ability to replicate the 3 central components in the clinical MR system: the main coils, the RF coils and the gradient coils. Experiments were conducted to demonstrate that each portion of the apparatus was successfully able to model its analogue in the clinical MR system, as …

A New Weighting Scheme To Optimize The Full Fisher Information In Multi-Tracer Surveys Of The Large-Scale Structure, Cole Rischbieter, Shun Saito

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

An Open-Framework Iron-Selenite As Cathode For Li- Ion Batteries, Sutapa Bhattacharya, Aleksandr V. Chernatynskiy, Amitava Choudhury

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

The Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science Survey (Ceers), Steven L. Finkelstein, Micaela B. Bagley, Pablo Arrabal Haro, Mark Dickinson, Henry C. Ferguson, Jeyhan S. Kartaltepe, Dale D. Kocevski, Anton M. Koekemoer, Jennifer M. Lotz, Casey Papovich, Pablo G. Pérez-González, Nor Pirzkal, Rachel S. Somerville, Jonathan R. Trump, Guang Yang, L.Y. Aaron Yung, Adriano Fontana, Andrea Grazian, Norman A. Grogin, Lisa J. Kewley, Allison Kirkpatrick

Pacific Faculty Work

We present the Cosmic Evolution Early Release Science (CEERS) Survey, a 77.2 hr Director’s Discretionary Early Release Science Program. CEERS demonstrates, tests, and validates efficient extragalactic surveys using coordinated, overlapping parallel observations with the JWST instrument suite, including NIRCam and MIRI imaging, NIRSpec low- (R ∼ 100) and medium- (R ∼ 1000) resolution spectroscopy, and NIRCam slitless grism (R ∼ 1500) spectroscopy. CEERS targets the Hubble Space Telescope-observed region of the Extended Groth Strip field, supported by a rich set of multiwavelength data. CEERS facilitated immediate community science in both of the extragalactic core JWST science drivers “First Light” and …

Seoul National University Agn Monitoring Project. V. Velocity-Resolved Hβ Reverberation Mapping And Evidence Of Kinematics Evolution, Shu Wang, Jong-Hak Woo, Aaron J. Barth, Vardha N. Bennert, Elena Gallo, Edmund Hodges-Kluck, Minjin Kim, Suvendu Rakshit, Tommaso Treu, Hojin Cho

Physics

We present velocity-resolved reverberation lags of Hβ for 20 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Seoul National University AGN Monitoring Project. We detect unambiguous velocity-resolved structures in 12 AGNs, among which eight objects exhibit symmetric structures, two objects show inflow-like characteristics, and two objects display outflow-like signatures. For two AGNs, we successfully measure the velocity-resolved lags in different years, revealing evidence of evolving broad-line region (BLR) kinematics. By combining our sample with the literature velocity-resolved lags, we find that the symmetric velocity-resolved lags are the most common (40%) type among this sample. The frequency of inflow kinematics is also …

Replicating And Testing The First Point-Contact Transistor, Lucas Ethington, Lana Herkenhoff, Braden Stillmaker, Punit Turlapati

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Amorphous Metal Transparent Conducting Oxide P-Type Semiconductors, Joshua Santy

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Fractional Brownian Motion With Mean-Density Interaction, Jonathan House, Skirmantas Janusonis, Ralf Metzler, Thomas Vojta

Miners Solving for Tomorrow Research Conference

No abstract provided.

Optimizing Fisher Information In Quantum Technology, Bran Purvis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Fisher information is a statistical metric whose inverse represents a lower bound on the variance of an unbiased estimator. Naturally, in order to make the best estimates of a given unknown parameter, one would desire to find ways to minimize the value of this lower bound. Thus, the Fisher information can also be used to compare the quality of different estimators for a given parameter: whichever estimator has a lower value for its Fisher information must also provide better estimates. The same holds true in the framework of quantum information theory, where an analog to the Fisher information, dubbed quantum …