Engineering Physics Commons^™

Developing A Workforce To Build A Star On Earth, Vola Andrianarijaona, Angelina Castillo, Sean Walters

Campus Research Month

This study is meant to help understand why fusion has remained "30 years away" for decades and why that may finally be changing.We see nuclear fusion not merely as a physics phenomenon, but as a complex engineering challenge requiring coordination across different disciplines, including physics, materials science, electrical and mechanical engineering, systems engineering, robotics, and computer science, etc. Indeed, nuclear fusion is not just about "making atoms fuse"—it's about controlling, powering, measuring, and stabilizing one of the most extreme environments humans have ever built. Advances in superconducting magnets, new materials are bringing fusion closer to reality than ever before, and …

Gravity Compensation, Carter Glover, Siyuan Zhou

Senior Project

This project focused on the design, analysis, and testing of an air-bearing gravity compensation testbed intended to simulate reduced-friction motion for space-related applications. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to evaluate airflow characteristics, pressure distribution, and bearing performance under various operating conditions. The design was refined to improve load support, stability, and airflow efficiency while maintaining manufacturability. Experimental testing and simulation results were compared to assess system performance and validate design assumptions. The completed testbed demonstrates the feasibility of using air bearings to create a low-friction environment suitable for motion testing and gravity compensation studies.

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.

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.

Geometry Of Almost-Conserved Quantities In Symplectic Maps: Approximate Invariants In Nonlinear Accelerator Systems, T. Zolkin, S. Nagaitsev, I. Morozov, S. Kladov

Physics Faculty Publications

We present a perturbative method for constructing approximate invariants of motion directly from the equations of discrete-time symplectic systems. This framework offers a natural nonlinear extension of the classic Courant-Snyder (CS) theory for systems with 1 degree of freedom—a foundational cornerstone in accelerator physics now spanning seven decades and historically focused on linear phenomena. The original CS formalism emerged under conditions where nonlinearities were weak, design goals favored linear motion, and analytical tools—such as the Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser theory—had not yet been fully developed. While various normal-form methods have been proposed to treat near-integrable dynamics, the approach introduced here stands out for …

Development Of Thermal Joints For Conduction-Cooling Applications, J. Lewis, G. Ciovati

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

In support of the development of conduction-cooled superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) niobium cavities for use in continuous-wave linear accelerators, an experimental study of thermal contact resistance was performed on bolted joints using high-purity niobium, aluminium, and copper along with Apiezon N grease and indium foil as interfacial materials. The geometry of each joint investigated aims at replicating the design adopted in conduction-cooled SRF cavities currently under development at Jefferson Lab. The materials' thermal conductivity and the joints' thermal resistance were measured in the temperature range of 3.5 - 10 K. The results showed that the low thermal contact resistance of 2-4 …

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.

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 …