Astrophysics and Astronomy Commons^™

An In-Depth Analysis Of The Variable Cyclotron Lines In Gx 301−2, Nicolas Zalot, Ekaterina Sokolova-Lapa, Jakob Stierhof, Ralf Ballhausen, Aafia Zainab, Katja Pottschmidt, Felix Fürst, Philipp Thalhammer, Nazma Islam, Camille M. Diez, Peter Kretschmar, Katrin Berger, Richard Rothschild, Christian Malacaria, Pragati Pradhan, Jörn Wilms

Publications

Context. The high-mass X-ray binary system GX 301−2 is a persistent source with a well-known variable cyclotron line centered at 35 keV. Recently, a second cyclotron line at 50 keV has been reported with a presumably different behavior than the 35 keV line. Aims. We investigate the presence of the newly discovered cyclotron line in the phase-averaged and phase-resolved spectra at higher luminosities than before. We further aim to determine the pulse-phase variability of both lines.

Methods. We analyze a NuSTAR observation of GX 301−2 covering the pre-periastron flare, where the source luminosity reached its peak of ∼4×1037 …

Assigning The Ch Stretch Overtone Spectrum Of Benzene And Naphthalene With Extension To Anthracene And Tetracene Using 2- And 3-Quanta Anharmonic Quantum Chemical Computations, Vincent J. Esposito, Ryan C. Fortenberry, Christiaan Boersma, Louis J. Allamandola

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

The CH stretch overtone region (5750–6300 cm⁻¹) of benzene and naphthalene is assigned herein using anharmonic quantum chemical computations, and the trend of how this extends to larger polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is established. The assignment of all experimental bands to specific vibrational states is performed for the first time. Resonance polyads and the inclusion of 3-quanta vibrational states are both needed to compute accurate vibrational frequencies with the proper density-of-states to match the experimental band shape. Hundreds of 3-quanta states produce the observed band structure in naphthalene, anthracene, and tetracene, and this number is expected to increase …

Investigating The Relationship Between Single And Multiple Sersic Models Of Active Galaxies Using Galfit, Ellie H. Johnson

Physics

Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) can be found in the center of almost every galaxy, and in some cases, can form Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs). AGNs are some of the brightest objects in our observable Universe and are distinguished from quiescent galaxies by accretion onto the central SMBH, which forms a disk where the luminosity is produced. Reverberation mapping (RM) of broad-line AGNs determines the mass of the SMBH by resolving the gravitational sphere of influence of the BH ``in time". In this study, GALFIT is used to fit 2D analytic functions to existing Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images for 23 …

Identifying Ion-Scale Waves In Parker Solar Probe Sub-Alfvénic Intervals, Nicholas Henry Androski, Kristoff Paulson

Physics

Identification of coherent quasi-parallel ion-scale (1-32 Hz) wave activity in sub-Alfvénic regions of the solar wind observed by NASA's Parker Solar Probe during perihelion encounters 8 to 16. Wave activity is filtered computationally by coherency, circular polarization and propagation angle with respect to the mean magnetic field. Initial statistical results are presented with suggestions for future improvements and studies. A general overview of the heliosphere and the context of ion-cyclotron waves (an ion-scale wave) in the coronal heating problem. Along the way to identify ion-scale wave activity, tables of sub-Alfvénic intervals and current sheet crossings for encounters 8 to 16 …

Einstein Field Equations And The Solutions For Uncharged Black Holes, Yogesh Mahat

Masters Theses

The General Theory of Relativity, formulated by the brilliant mind of Albert Einstein, stands as one of the most fundamental and revolutionary pillars of modern physics. This elegant theory of gravity not only offers a comprehensive explanation of the workings of the universe on a large scale, but it has also paved the way for groundbreaking advancements in the field of mathematics. This thesis begins by providing a concise overview of the key mathematical principles that are crucial to understanding Einstein’s theory. These principles form the basis for deriving the field equations that Einstein introduced. From there, these equations are …

Comparison Between Galfit And Lenstronomy To Analyze The Host Galaxies Of Reverberation Mapped Active Galactic Nuclei, Samantha Kay Allen

Physics

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) are some of the brightest objects within our Universe. Most galaxies contain a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at their center, but not all are powered by active accretion which can form an AGN. Due to the conservation of angular momentum, dust and gas rotate around the SMBH to form a disk. The large gravitational potential energy from the SMBH is converted into heat through friction, which produces a hot and luminous source of light. As a result, the SMBH is unresolved. Through a technique known as reverberation mapping (RM), the mass of the SMBH has been …

Effect Of Magnetic Draping On Satellite Galaxies In Clusters, Vanessa Brown

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Galaxy evolution has been observed to be influenced by environment. Satellite galaxies orbiting within clusters can experience changes in morphology and composition through various mechanisms such as ram-pressure stripping (RPS), which removes a galaxy’s interstellar medium as it passes through the cluster via direct interaction with the hot intracluster medium gas. An open question is whether intracluster magnetic fields affect galaxy evolution, for example by forming a magnetic layer around infalling galaxies (called magnetic draping) and mitigating gas removal by RPS. Using the code GADGET-3, we compare global properties and mass distributions within identical cluster simulations run with and without …

Using Gaussian Processes To Measure M-Dwarf Rotation Periods From Ground-Based Light Curves, Ryan J. Lebron

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Stellar rotation is a readily observable characteristic that plays a crucial role in the generation and activity of magnetic fields through a process known as a magnetic dynamo. For low mass main sequence stars, they exhibit fully convective interiors, giving rise to a distinct dynamo mechanism compared to solar-type stars. Examining the rotational speeds of these stars can offer valuable insights into the workings of these mechanisms. To measure these rotation periods, we developed a pipeline to analyze 192 archival light curves of low mass stars observed by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) by utilizing a combination of Lomb-Scargle and …

Illustris-Tng Simulated Central Black Mass(Mbh) And Galaxy Properties Correlations With A Machine Learning Approach, Imani L. Dindy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Observationaly it is well established that the masses of central black holes are tightly correlated with galaxy properties, most notably the bulge’s velocity dispersion. Cosmolog- ical hydrodynamical simulations can capture most of these correlations, but it is yet not understood why this occurs. To gain greater insight into central black hole growth we use machine learning algorithms to study the relationship between central black hole mass(MBH) and other galaxy properties at z=0 in the TNG simulations. We find that the central black hole mass can be accurately predicted with just a few galaxy properties only if the central black hole …

Simultaneous Chandra And Hst Observations Of The Quiescent Neutron Star Low-Mass X-Ray Binaries In 47 Tucanae, M. Van Den Berg, Liliana E. Rivera Sandoval, C O. Heinke, H. N. Cohn, P. M. Lugger, J. E. Grindlay, P. D. Edmonds, J. Anderson, A. Catuneanu

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present simultaneous Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope observations of three certain (X5, X7, W37) and two likely (X4, W17) quiescent neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries (qLMXBs) in the globular cluster 47 Tuc. We study these systems in the X-ray, optical, and near-ultraviolet (NUV) using the simultaneous data and additional non-contemporaneous HST data. We have discovered a blue and variable NUV counterpart to W17. We have not securely identified the eclipsing qLMXB W37 in the optical or NUV. Deeper high-resolution imaging is needed to further investigate the faint NUV excess near the centre of the W37 error circle. …

Phase Error Scaling Law In Two-Wavelength Adaptive Optics, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Matthew Kalensky, Michael J. Spencer

Faculty Publications

We derive a simple, physical, closed-form expression for the optical-path difference (OPD) of a two-wavelength adaptive-optics (AO) system. Starting from Hogge and Butts’ classic OPD variance integral expression, we apply Mellin transform techniques to obtain series and asymptotic solutions to the integral. For realistic two-wavelength AO systems, the former converges slowly and has limited utility. The latter, on the other hand, is a simple formula in terms of the separation between the AO sensing (i.e., the beacon) and compensation (or observation) wavelengths. We validate this formula by comparing it to the OPD variances obtained from the aforementioned series and direct …

On The Ubiquity, Properties And Evolution Of Small-Scale Magnetic Flux Ropes In The Heliosphere, Hameedullah Farooki

Dissertations

The solar wind is a plasma constantly blowing out from the Sun with a large-scale magnetic field having significant local complexity at small scales. Small-scale magnetic flux ropes (SMFRs), plasma structures with twisted field lines, are an important element of this complexity. This dissertation contributes several studies that further our understanding of SMFRs. The first study applies machine learning to measurements from Wind labeled by the presence of SMFRs and magnetic clouds (MCs). MCs were distinguished from non-MFRs with an AUC of 94% and SMFRs with an AUC of 89% and had distinctive plasma properties, whereas SMFRs appeared to be …

Classification Of Major Solar Flares From Extremely Imbalanced Multivariate Time Series Data Using Minimally Random Convolutional Kernel Transform, Kartik Saini, Khaznah Alshammari, Shah Muhammad Hamdi, Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

Solar flares are characterized by sudden bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun’s surface, and are caused by the changes in magnetic field states in active solar regions. Earth and its surrounding space environment can suffer from various negative impacts caused by solar flares, ranging from electronic communication disruption to radiation exposure-based health risks to astronauts. In this paper, we address the solar flare prediction problem from magnetic field parameter-based multivariate time series (MVTS) data using multiple state-of-the-art machine learning classifiers that include MINImally RandOm Convolutional KErnel Transform (MiniRocket), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Canonical Interval Forest (CIF), Multiple Representations Sequence …

Probing Charge Recombination In Organic Solar Cells, Ally C. Hurd, Awwad Alotaibi, Acacia Patterson, Obaid Alqahtani, James Doyle, Brian Akira Collins

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

Printable and flexible organic solar panels are promising sources of inexpensive, large-scale renewable energy, where panels can be manufactured by printing from polymer inks. There are some limitations to these types of solar cells, however. First, toxic halogenated solvents have historically been necessary to dissolve polymers to make the ink. In addition, organic solar cells typically have high rates of recombination, which limits their efficiency. Here, we use a transient photovoltage (TPV) technique to measure charge lifetimes in cells made from two different organic solvents. The first solvent is toxic, halogenated dichlorobenzene (DCB) which is typically used to make organic …

Investigation Of Tantalum Sodium Lead Borate Glass Using Laser Ionization Time Of Flight Mass Spectrometry (Litof-Ms), Siri Erickson-Green

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

Laser ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (LITOF-MS) is a spectrometry method which can measure, with exceptional accuracy, the composition of ions within a glass system. Additionally, unlike other spectroscopy and spectrometry methods, this technique allows insight into the abundance of each kind of ion within a given glass system. This specific project tackled the topic of tantalum-doped sodium and lead borate glasses, as sodium and lead borate glasses doped with a transition metal is a topic which has not been thoroughly explored. Our group synthesized such a glass and was able to use LITOF-MS to gain insights into how …

Strain Methods For Changing Local Electric Field Gradient In Bafe2as2, Caleb Williams

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

In this study, we introduce a novel approach aimed at advancing the investigation of local nematicity in BaFe2As2 via dynamically pulsed strain fields. Our research is motivated by the pursuit of a more sensitive alternative to existing static strain methods. Employing nuclear magnetic resonance techniques, we measure the nuclear quadrupolar energy splittings, utilizing them as a sensitive indicator of the electric field gradient (EFG) that couples strongly to the orbital occupations of the 75As p-orbitals. In the new method, we discern an EFG response through changes in the phase acquired by the nuclear magnetization while time-evolving in the strain field, …

Linking The Population Of Binary Black Holes With The Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background, Olivia X. Laske

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

The astrophysical stochastic gravitational-wave background (SGWB) is the product of overlapping waveforms that create a single unresolvable background. While current LIGO sensitivity is insufficient to uncover the SGWB, future space-based detectors and Third Generation (3G) experiments are expected to probe deep enough for detection. Predictions of the SGWB can constrain future searches as well as provide insight into star formation, merger history, and mass distribution. Here, three primary methods are used to calculate a theoretical SGWB. The first method integrates over a precomputed mass distribution probability grid, while the second and third employ Monte Carlo integration with simulated data. After …

Simulation Of Polymerization On Surfaces: Implications For Abiogenesis, Sylvia Greene

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

How did life arise from the prebiotic conditions of the early earth? This problem has vexed scientists for decades with no consensus on its solution. Significant spontaneous formation of biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids in the aqueous phase appears to be improbable due to thermodynamic constraints. It has been proposed that mineral surfaces could have served as a catalyst for the initial formation of biopolymers. However, the feasibility of this mechanism has not been thoroughly studied. In this study, a particle simulation of polypeptide formation on surfaces is developed to assess the feasibility of this mechanism. Elementary processes …

Variability Of High-Degree Modes Over Multiple Solar Cycles Using Local Helioseismic Data From Gong, Nicholas Cebula, Sushanta Tripathy, Kiran Jain, John M. Cannon

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

In this investigation we use the local helioseismic technique of ring diagrams to study the power, energy, and damping rates of high degree solar acoustic modes. Our data covers the period from the maximum phase of solar cycle 23 to the ascending phase of cycle 25. The goal is to examine the variations in the mode parameters with solar activity as well as the differences between different cycles. For this, we use different proxies of solar activity. We use 10.7 cm radio flux measurements and a measure of magnetic flux known as magnetic activity index from magnetograms.

Ammonia Emission In The Milky Way Galactic Bar Dust Lanes, Charles G. Burton

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

The Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) of the Milky Way is a region of molecular gas within the inner few hundred parsecs of the Galaxy. This inner region of the Milky Way is hotter and more turbulent when compared with the disk of the Milky Way. Gas is thought to be funneled into the CMZ through dense gaseous dust lanes that are associated with the Galactic Bar. I studied two regions of one of these dust lanes using the NH3 inversion transitions of (J,K) = (1,1), (2,2), (3,3), and (4,4). Data has been obtained from the Green Bank Telescope targeting these …