The Sun and the Solar System Commons^™

Quantification Of Surface Roughness Of Lava Flows On Mars, Carolina Rodriguez Sanchez-Vahamonde

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Volcanism has played a significant role throughout Mars’ geologic history. Extensive lava flows are widely spread across Mars’ equatorial region, shaping the surface in a very distinct way. In radar images (at the decimeter scale), these flows are bright, which is a typical characteristic of extremely rough, blocky lavas flows seen on Earth. Although the source of the extreme roughness of Martian lava flows is unknown, their surface roughness parameters can be constrained to 1) gain information about Mars’ interior processes, 2) find appropriate analogues on other planetary bodies, and 3) ideally infer the emplacement style of such lavas. Here, …

An Investigation Of Metal Sulfides As The Source Of The Low Emissivity Anomaly On The Highlands Of Venus, Sara Taeko Port

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Since its detection in the 1960s the source of the unusual radar emissivity signal seen on several highlands on Venus has long eluded researchers. Researchers have determined that a mineral with a high dielectric constant could explain the signal. Using a Venus simulation chamber, we experimentally investigated this enigma to build upon the candidate mineral list that has been compiled over the last several decades. We tested the stability of 8 different minerals and elements at two to three different temperature/pressure regimes in three different gas mixtures meant to simulate the conditions found on Venus for a period of no …

Astrodynamics Of The Next Generation Space Weather Prediction Mission, Mark Herring

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Accurate prediction of the solar wind properties, interplanetary magnetic field direction and various space weather phenomena becomes ever more important as our dependence on Earth orbiting spacecraft increases. Different solar wind drivers can lead both to enhancements and losses of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belts, thus posing a major risk to satellites. To further our understanding of the Sun’s impact on the near Earth space environment, as well as to provide predictive capabilities, a mission placing monitoring satellites in key orbits in the inner Solar System is being proposed. As part of that effort, the possibility of using …

New Foundation In The Sciences: Physics Without Sweeping Infinities Under The Rug, Florentin Smarandache, Victor Christianto, Robert Neil Boyd

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

It is widely known among the Frontiers of physics, that “sweeping under the rug” practice has been quite the norm rather than exception. In other words, the leading paradigms have strong tendency to be hailed as the only game in town. For example, renormalization group theory was hailed as cure in order to solve infinity problem in QED theory. For instance, a quote from Richard Feynman goes as follows: “What the three Nobel Prize winners did, in the words of Feynman, was "to get rid of the infinities in the calculations. The infinities are still there, but now they can …

Exploring Planetary Surfaces With Remote Sensing, Donald R. Hood

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Aside from Earth, Mars is the most well-explored planetary body in our solar system. Much has been learned about its geologic past including a history of volcanism, ice ages, and potentially long-lasting liquid water. Much of this knowledge of Mars comes from remote observations of the surface and atmosphere from Mars-orbiting satellites. Such remote observations remain the only way to examine the entirety of Mars’ surface as rovers and landers can only examine small areas. The chapters of this work cover three projects that explore the surface of Mars through a variety of remote sensing methods.

In chapter 1, Gamma-ray …

Descriptive Astronomy I: The Solar System (Csu), Rosa Williams, Kimberly Shaw

Physics and Astronomy Grants Collections

This Grants Collection for Descriptive Astronomy I was created under a Round Thirteen ALG Textbook Transformation Grant.

Affordable Learning Georgia Grants Collections are intended to provide faculty with the frameworks to quickly implement or revise the same materials as a Textbook Transformation Grants team, along with the aims and lessons learned from project teams during the implementation process.

Each collection contains the following materials:

• Linked Syllabus
• Initial Proposal
• Final Report

On Newtonian Dynamics With A Variable Earth Mass: Geodetic Evidence And Its Implications On Pioneer Spacecraft Anomaly And Lageos Satellite, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Around 3 decades ago, Jayant Narlikar & Halton Arp argued on possible variable mass hypothesis cosmology (VMH). In the meantime, the Earth expansion problem has attracted great interest, and recent study gives geodetic evidence that the Earth has been expanding, at least over the recent several decades. Therefore, in the present article discusses some interesting effects related to varying G, but here we argue that instead of varying G we can think of varying mass (M). Among other things we discuss receding planets from the Sun, calculation of Pioneer spacecraft anomaly as proposed by B.G. Sidharth, and also possible slight …

Adsorption Driven Regolith-Atmospheric Water Vapor Transfer On Mars: An Analysis Of Phoenix Tecp Data, Holly Nicole Farris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

NASA’s Phoenix mission allowed for investigations of Martian diurnal water vapor cycles through the collection of temperature, relative humidity, and electric conductivity data by the Thermal and Electric Conductivity Probe (TECP) instrument. Using this data and previous experimental data, we propose a regolith-driven adsorption-desorption regime at the Phoenix landing site, where parameters intrinsic to the regolith are controlling localized relative humidity at the surface. To constrain these parameters, we model adsorption as a function of temperature and relative humidity across various Mars-relevant materials, defined by two layer-based adsorption theories: Langmuir (monolayer) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller or BET (multilayer). Langmuir serves as an …

Decoding The History Of The Early Solar System Using Comet Volatile Compositions, Nathan Roth

Dissertations

Understanding the evolution of the solar system, as well as its current volatile content, requires knowledge of the initial conditions present in the solar nebula. As some of the first objects to accrete in the solar nebula, cometary nuclei are among the most primitive remnants of solar system formation, and their present-day volatile composition likely reflects the composition and conditions where (and when) they formed. As such, the volatile compositions of cometary nuclei may serve as "fossils" of solar system formation. High-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy offers a valuable tool for sampling the primary volatile (i.e., ices subliming directly from the nucleus) …

Figure 3: Simulation Results For Flux Tube Entropy And Specific Entropy In Saturn's Magnetosphere, Xuanye Ma, Peter A. Delamere, Michelle F. Thomsen, Antonius Otto, Bishwa Neupane, Brandon Burkholder, Katariina Nykyri

Katariina Nykyri

No abstract provided.

Figure 2: Simulation Results For Flux Tube Entropy And Specific Entropy In Saturn's Magnetosphere, Xuanye Ma, Peter A. Delamere, Michelle F. Thomsen, Antonius Otto, Bishwa Neupane, Brandon Burkholder, Katariina Nykyri

Katariina Nykyri

No abstract provided.

Quantifying Lithochemical Diversity Of Martian Materials Using Hierarchical Clustering And A Similarity Index For Classification, Michael Conner Bouchard

Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are currently living in the golden age of robotic exploration of Mars, with a continued robotic presence there since 1997. Next to Earth, Mars is the planet about which we have gathered the most geologic information. Unlike Earth, Mars does not appear to have plate tectonics, and the planet’s primary and secondary crust is dominated by basalts. Understanding the compositional diversity of the materials that make up the martian crust will give us a better insight into the geologic processes that formed the planet and its subsequent evolution. One large and growing source of martian surface compositions is the …

Understanding Solar Activity During The Last 400 Years, Sam Q. Hollenbach

Macalester Journal of Physics and Astronomy

The solar cycle has a profound effect on both terrestrial and extra-terrestrial operations. Understanding the history of the solar cycle is necessary for studying long term trends, however older data is difficult to calibrate due to the sparsity of observations. In this paper we propose a new method for calibrating sunspot number data that does not rely on observational overlap. Initial testing shows promise in this method’s success, though more work must be done to ensure calibration consistency across all observers.

Induced Magnetic Dipole On Jupiter’S Moon Europa, Luke Francis, Michele Zanolin

Student Works

Physics can have some of the most unique and extraordinary applications of basic principles applied on a larger scale. This paper will explore the properties of induced magnetic dipoles and will examine this phenomenon directly from Jupiter's moon, Europa. These properties will be used to determine if there is liquid water beneath its icy surface and how this conclusion was verified. This will be accomplished using the concepts of magnetic dipoles and induced currents. Recent missions have also revealed estimates of the depth of Europa's subsurface ocean. There have been many measurements taken of Europa's magnetic field, and they are …

Using Atran Telluric Correction To Investigate The 3Μm-Region, Lucas Trent Mcclure

EURēCA: Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement

Small-bodies of the Solar System, such as asteroids, provide an abundant amount of information about planetary formation and evolution. In particular, the characterization of asteroids is vital to understanding the distribution and abundance of water throughout the Solar System. Recent findings in asteroid spectroscopy have provided evidence for the surface presence of water-ice and hydroxide, likely due to silicates on asteroid surfaces interacting with H⁺ ions from the solar wind. To investigate surface hydration, astronomers analyze the 3µm region, where an absorption feature is exhibited. Atmospheric water, however, affects the quality of the data around this particular region, but …

Pluto’S Classification, Saylor Bane

Classical Conversations

Nearly 100 years ago, astronomers hypothesized that a large celestial object, nicknamed “Planet X,” must be pulling two planets out of their typical heliocentric orbits. After racing to find this celestial object for decades, Clyde Tombaugh found a faint sparkling speck of light and announced that he had finally discovered Planet X. Later, Tombaugh’s discovery was named Pluto and immediately deemed the ninth planet. As technology improved, many other celestial objects were found lurking in the outer limits of the solar system leading to worldwide confusion over which were official planets. To solve the problem, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) …

Galactic Preservation And Beyond: A Framework For Protecting Cultural, Natural, And Scientific Heritage In Space, Matthew Rosendahl

William & Mary Environmental Law and Policy Review

In July 2017, Moon Express, a private spaceflight company, announced plans to build an outpost on the South Pole of the Moon by 2020. The goal? To mine the Moon for minerals and water that could then be sold for profit. Indeed, the Moon has been found to possess resources with lucrative uses, both in space and here on Earth. The potential for huge rewards has incentivized several private and governmental actors to launch planned expeditions to the Moon, with China becoming the third nation to land a spacecraft there in 2013. Both China and India have since announced plans …

Measurement Of Solar Spectral Irradiance And Surface Ozone At Carrollton, Georgia, Usa, During The Great American Eclipse On 21 August 2017, Kirthi Tennakone, L Ajith Desilva, Charles A. Zander*, Shea Rose, Austin B. Kerlin

Georgia Journal of Science

Measurements conducted at the University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia, during the time of the solar eclipse of 21^st August 2017 demonstrated that the integrated spectral irradiance in defined wavelength ranges in the ultraviolet and visible calculated as a fraction of the total irradiance reached a minimum at maximum obscuration of the Sun, whereas in an infrared range it was maximum. The method of analysis adopted supports the view that the changes in spectral irradiance during highly obscured partial phases is a consequence of limb darkening. In a surface ozone measurement, a minimum in ozone concentration occurred 30 +_ …

Engaging The Greater Lafayette Community In A Journey Through The Earth Sciences: Purdue’S Eaps Earth Science Passport Day Event, Dara Laczniak, Bradley Garczynski

Engagement & Service-Learning Summit

No abstract provided.

The Limited Reign Of Saturn's Rings, Laurence A. Marschall

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Saturn’s rings—stretching tens of thousands of miles above its equator but no more than a few hundred yards thick—mark an ancient debris field of orbiting ice shards, the remains of a moon-sized object that strayed too close and was torn to pieces by Saturn’s intense gravitation. Astronomers have debated when the rings formed and how long they will stay in orbit. Recent observations from large, land-based telescopes and orbiting spacecraft reveal that Saturn’s rings are remarkably young and are dissipating at a rapid rate. [excerpt]