Engineering Physics Commons^™

Optical Force/Torque Sensor, Kyle Sweeney, Ian Unruh

Senior Project

This project presents the design, development, and testing of a low-cost optical force/torque sensor for Skyforge, an autonomous robotic system intended for in-space construction. The sensor utilizes eight optical transmissive sensors and a compliant PEEK spring mechanism to measure forces and torques across six degrees of freedom. By detecting spring deflections through changes in light intensity, the system provides real-time force and torque feedback while remaining significantly less expensive than commercially available alternatives. The prototype was designed to measure forces up to ±5 N and torques up to ±50 N·mm with a target minimum detectable force of 0.5 N. Calibration …

Skyforge End Effector, Sarah Alexander, Coleman Bubar

Senior Project

Large space structures are necessary for space advancement. However, construction is difficult with the current methods; SkyForge is a robot intended for orbital assembly. The robot will walk on and build the structure by utilizing the end effectors to grasp and position parts.

Skyforge—Autonomous Robot For On-Orbit Assembly Of Space Structures, Kate Keeler, Garrett Farnham, Logan Trier, Ainsley West

Senior Project

As interest in deep space exploration and satellite communications increases around the world, the need for large orbital structures such as space stations, solar fields, and telescopes increases in parallel. Current methods include monolithic modular assembly, expanding deployable structures or requiring Extra-Vehicular Activities, all of which are costly and highly specialized. This paper proposes a form of robotic on-orbit assembly for structures beyond the size constraints of the launch vehicle. The SkyForge system consists of a launch capsule containing construction materials and a pair of tripedal robots, identical in form and task. These robots would autonomously locomote on, and assemble …

Developing A Multi-Band Gnss Remote Sensing Station To Measure Precipitable Water Vapor For Flash Flood Nowcasting, Madison Gleydura

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Flash flood nowcasting in Central and Southern Appalachia is particularly challenging due to steep terrain, narrow valleys, highly localized rainfall patterns, and limited measurement coverage. Traditional remote sensing methods, such as Doppler radar and microwave radiometry, suffer from reduced resolution at long range and signal blockage by mountains. GNSS-meteorology offers an established alternative for measuring precipitable water vapor and is currently integrated into several numerical weather models. Recent research demonstrates that commercial-grade GNSS receivers can produce tropospheric products comparable to those from geodetic-grade equipment. The gaps in mountain coverage can be addressed by developing a low-cost, self-contained embedded system that …

Thermal Vacuum Technical Report, Taiye Ibukun Fatima Ougundare, Ryan Bade

Senior Project

This system enables ground-based testing of components prior to space deployment. It replicates key Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) conditions, including both pressure and temperature. The chamber reduces pressure from atmospheric conditions (~760 Torr) to ~7.6 × 10⁻⁶ Torr. The thermal vacuum system achieves temperatures ranging from −60 °C to +125 °C for realistic environmental simulation.

Skyforge: Payload Isolation, Denzel Ezekiel, Brayden Gogis

Senior Project

As humanity looks to expand its reach into space, there is an increasing need for large space structures. The existence of these structures would enable large-scale infrastructure for further exploration and long-term habitation of humans beyond earth. However, creating such large structures in space is extremely challenging. Extreme environmental conditions (temperature, vacuum, microgravity) make construction and material handling difficult. Manual construction is dangerous and expensive; it is unrealistic for astronauts to complete this work. The “SkyForge” project, inspired by “Skyworker” (2003), attempts to make large space structure construction possible. SkyForge is envisioned as a fully autonomous construction robot designed for …

Information Theory Analysis Of The Solar Wind Magnetic Structures For Space Weather Prediction, Katherine Holland

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Forecasting space weather at Earth is highly complicated, because of the limited measurements of the dynamic processes in the Sun that span multiple temporal, spatial, and energy-scales. The solar wind is a highly structured, multi-scale, evolving plasma and consists of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), stream interaction regions (SIRs), expanding flux tubes (Borovsky, 2008), and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) discontinuities and fluctuations. The aim of this research is to improve our understanding of the evolution and dissipation of different scale-size solar wind magnetic structures as they move from the Sun-Earth Lagrange point 1 (L1) to Earth's bow shock and, ultimately, to …

Assembly And Testing Of A De-202 Closed-Cycle Cryostat, Chris Maguire

SPARK Symposium Presentations

Closed-cycle cryostats, such as the Advanced Research Systems DE-202 model are commonly used in laboratories as they provide long-term, low-cost, low-maintenance operation. We will outline the assembly, testing processes, and benchmarking experiments associated with the setup of this instrumental accessory. Further, a technical manual was written for future students and faculty in undergraduate research. Assembly involved constructing a custom frame, and integrating vacuum, water, gas, and electrical systems. Testing confirmed the system did not leak gas. Thermal response was recorded during cooling and heating phases to verify functionality; a base temperature of 7.5 K was achieved in 65 minutes, surpassing …

A Coupled Fractional Thermistor System Demonstrating Existence, Uniqueness, And Simulation Results With Two-Point Boundary Conditions, Yahia Awad, Angela Khattar, Hussein Fakih, Sami Hammoud, Karim Amin

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

This paper studies a coupled system of Caputo fractional differential equations of orders $\alpha, \beta\in(1,2]$, subject to two-point boundary conditions. The model incorporates nonlinear nonlocal integral terms that capture the memory-dependent interactions between thermal and electrical dynamics in thermistor materials. We rigorously establish existence via Schaefer’s fixed-point theorem and uniqueness through Banach’s contraction principle in a Banach space of continuous and continuously differentiable functions. Additionally, we analyze Ulam–Hyers stability to quantify solution sensitivity to initial perturbations. A numerical example highlights the effects of fractional orders and nonlocal feedback on system behavior. This work generalizes classical thermistor models and provides a …

Building The Erau Solar Telescope: Advancing Heliophysics Research And Education Through Optical Innovation, Erin Abraham, Sarah Hoover, Skylar G. Butler, Margret Stanley, Gwynlyn Hannah

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

The new Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Solar Telescope represents a campus-wide collaboration to design and install a high-resolution solar observatory. The ERAU solar telescope, aiming for first light by Summer 2026, will integrate research-grade instrumentation, student training opportunities, and expand public engagement with the ERAU observatory. The telescope is housed within a 2.3-meter refurbished dome structure whose electrical and structural systems are being upgraded to support automated dome rotation and environmental stabilization. The optical design features a multi-element lens and mirror assembly optimized for a 1° field of view. The optical assembly includes a downport centered in the dome that …

Physics Alumni Newsletter Spring 2026, Terry Goforth

Physics Alumni Newsletter

Physics Alumni Newsletter

The Physics Alumni Newsletter is produced by the SWOSU Physics Department.

Our Engineering Physics students are recruited in fields such as electronics, aerospace, mechanical engineering, petroleum engineering and software engineering. Graduates also have careers in meteorology, architecture, education and more.

Guitar Amplifier Directivity, Rachel C. Edelman, Brian E. Anderson, Samuel D. Bellows, Timothy W. Leishman

Directivity

No abstract provided.

In Situ Observations Of Thermal Ions In Perturbed Ionospheres: Techniques And Results, Magdalina Louise Moses

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Prediction and mitigation of space weather events are active research topics that require knowledge of the physics governing the ionosphere. Sounding rockets can be used to make in situ observations. The Lynch Rocket Lab created the Petite-Ion-Probe (PIP), a small retarding potential analyzer, to measure thermal ion parameters (i.e., ion density and temperature). A PIP's raw data consists of a series of measured anode currents as a function of screen bias voltages, called IV curves. PIPs can be integrated onto a sounding rocket’s main payload and/or be deployed from the rocket on small platforms called ``PIP-Bobs''. Note that as the …

Explainable Physics-Based Constraints On Reinforcement Learning For Accelerator Optimization, Jonathan Colen, Malachi Schram, Kishansingh Rajput, Armen Kasparian

Data Science Faculty Publications

We present a reinforcement learning (RL) framework for optimizing particle accelerator experiments that builds explainable physics-based constraints on agent behavior. The goal is to increase transparency and trust by letting users verify that the agent’s decision-making process incorporates suitable physics. Our algorithm uses a learnable surrogate function for physical observables, such as energy, and uses them to fine-tune how actions are chosen. This surrogate can be represented by a neural network or by an interpretable sparse dictionary model. We test our algorithm on a range of particle accelerator optimization environments designed to emulate the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility at …

Utilizing Computer Modeling To Optimize Electric Fields Within Xenon Time Projection Chambers, Miles Meloni

Honors Theses

XENONnT is a physics experiment designed with the goal of detecting dark matter particles. The detector is a time projection chamber; a series of charged electrodes creates an electric field, surrounding a central body filled with liquid and gaseous xenon. Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), positioned on either end of the chamber, serve to detect light signals. We seek to minimize the root mean square of the electric field norms experienced by the PMTs. This quantity corresponds to the variance in the electric field observed by the PMTs. Establishing a consistent electric field is important to maintaining these sensitive components. The electric …

Preliminary Observations From The Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (Real) Satellite Mission, Evzen Selvon, Robyn Millan

Wetterhahn Science Symposium Posters

The Relativistic Electron Atmospheric Loss (REAL) spacecraft (launched in July 2025) is a 3U cubesat designed to measure the precise energies (1 keV – 2MeV) and pitch angles of electrons entering the Earth’s ionosphere. The mission involves Dartmouth, BU, JHUAPL, MSU, and NASA. REAL carries three particle sensors measuring low, medium, and high energies. This work is focused on the ElectroStatic Analyzer (ESA) instrument, designed to measure lower energy electrons (1-40 keV) in the directions parallel and perpendicular to the Earth’s magnetic field. This research aims to identify notable events observed by the REAL spacecraft for future analysis.

Enhanced Hydrophilicity And Self-Cleaning Properties Of Tio₂ Thin Films On Glass For Photovoltaic Applications: Influence Of Precursor Concentration And Light Irradiation, Fatma Refaat, Hany Hashem, Mohamed Mahmoud Gouda, Ibrahim Ahmed, Khaled Abdelwahed, Ahmed Bakr El Basaty

Trends in advanced sciences and technology

This study investigates the modification of glass substrates with TiO₂ thin films to enhance surface hydrophilicity and self-cleaning behavior. The films were deposited on glass by spin coating using different precursor concentrations, followed by thermal treatment. Structural and optical properties were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV–Vis spectroscopy, while surface wettability was evaluated through water contact angle measurements. XRD confirmed the formation of pure anatase TiO₂, while FTIR spectra verified the presence of Ti–O and Ti–O–Ti bonds. Wettability analysis showed that films prepared with the lowest precursor concentration exhibited the …

The Shms 11 Gev/C Spectrometer In Hall C At Jefferson Lab, S. Ali, A. Ahmidouch, G. R. Ambrose, A. Asaturyan, C. Ayerbe Gayoso, J. Benesch, V. Berdnikov, H. Bhatt, D. Bhetuwal, D. Biswas, P. Brindza, M. Bukhari, M. Burton, R. Carlini, M. Carmignotto, M. E. Christy, C. Cotton, J. Crafts, D. Day, S. Danagoulian, A. Dittmann, D. H. Dongwi, B. Duran, D. Dutta, R. Ent, H. Fenker, M. Fowler, D. Gaskell, A. Hamdi, N. Heinrich, W. Henry, N. Hlavin, T. Horn, G. M. Huber, Y. Ilieva, J. Jarrell, S. Jia, M. K. Jones, M. Junaid, M. L. Kabir, N. Kalantarians, A. Karki, S. J.D. Kay, C. E. Keppel, V. Kumar, S. Lassiter, W. B. Li, D. Mack, S. Malace, J. Mcmahan, A. Mkrtchyan, H. Mkrtchyan, P. Monaghan, C. Morean, P. Nadel-Turonski, G. Niculescu, M. I. Niculescu, A. Nadeeshani, E. Pooser, A. Ramos, J. Reinhold, B. Sawatzky, H. Szumila-Vance, V. Tadevosyan, R. L. Trotta, A. Usman, C. Yero, M. Yurov, S. Zhamkochyan, S. A. Wood, J. Zhang

Physics Faculty Publications

The Super High Momentum Spectrometer (SHMS) has been built for Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab). With a momentum capability reaching 11 GeV/c, the SHMS provides measurements of charged particles produced in electron-scattering experiments using the maximum available beam energy from the upgraded Jefferson Lab accelerator. The SHMS is an ion-optics magnetic spectrometer comprised of a series of new superconducting magnets which transport charged particles through an array of triggering, tracking, and particle-identification detectors that measure momentum, energy, angle and position in order to allow kinematic reconstruction of the events back to their origin at …

The Xpdirc Concept For Next-Generation Dirc Detectors, R. Dzhygadlo, J. Datta, K. Dehmelt, A. Deshpande, T. K. Hemmick, Md. I. Hossain, C. E. Hyde, Y. Ilieva, G. Kalicy, W. J. Llope, P. Nadel-Turonski, C. Schwarz, J. Schwiening, N. Shankman, J. Stevens, N. Wickramaarachchi, C. Woody

Physics Faculty Publications

The next-generation DIRC (xpDIRC) represents a novel detector geometry concept currently being developed for advanced particle identification systems in high-energy physics experiments. Building upon the high-performance DIRC (hpDIRC) designed for the ePIC detector at the Electron-Ion Collider, the xpDIRC introduces a hybrid optical architecture that combines enhanced focusing optics, a wide plate light guide, and a compact expansion volume. Comprehensive Geant4 simulations demonstrate that the xpDIRC hybrid geometry achieves state-of-the-art performance in π/K separation across the entire range of operation.

K-Long Facility At Jlab, Moskov Amaryan

Physics Faculty Publications

In this talk I present the outline of K-long Facility (KLF) at JLab [1]. It was approved by PAC48 in 2020 to run for 200 days of beamtime, equally divided between liquid hydrogen and deuterium targets, to measure dozens of hyperon states predicted by CQM and LQCD but not yet established. This facility also will allow to measure Kπ scattering in different channels to observe the so-called ᴷ scalar meson and measure its width and position with unprecedented accuracy. Finally, it will be shown that exotic baryons can be measured at this facility in formation reactions with a two-body final …