Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Questioning Reality: The Progressive Development Of Modern Physics, Joshua Lancman

STEM Month

Humanity has a tendency to divide time. The past is distinct from the present which is entirely separate from the future. In supposedly 20-20 vision history is neatly divided into different sections, distinct eras with sharp lines between them. What is present and in the future is always modern. What is past is something else with another name.

Yet time is not divided so neatly. We know this living through it: years and decades blend into one another in a non-uniform progression. To divide human history into separate eras is a necessary simplification, as it helps to ascribe order onto …

Maximizing Legged Accelerations: A Matter Of Force, Time, And Gravity, Lance Brooks

Applied Physiology and Wellness Theses and Dissertations

Sprint running accelerations require runners to apply surface forces that: support body weight by pushing downward, accelerate the body horizontally by pushing backward, and align the direction of the push with the body’s mass center to maintain balance and posture, which imposes an upper limit on the average forward acceleration force equal to the average gravitational force (1.0 G) acting on the runner. This expectation arises from the mechanical constraints imposed by the need to generate sufficient vertical force to support body weight against gravity while simultaneously producing horizontal force to accelerate forward and aligning the push through the center …

Constraints On Solar Axions Using The Profile Likelihood Ratio Method With The Supercdms Experiments, Shilun Liu

Physics Theses and Dissertations

Dark matter plays an essential role in understanding modern physics and particles beyond the Standard Model. Evidence suggests that dark matter accounts for approximately 85% of the universe’s matter, and 26.8% of its mass-energy composition. Key candidates for dark matter include unidentified subatomic particles like Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and axions. The Super Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (SuperCDMS) employs direct detection methods to identify these elusive particles using cryogenic technologies. Su- perCDMS Soudan is the latest completed CDMS experiment in Minnesota, in preparation for the next phase experiments of SuperCDMS SNOLAB in Sudbury, Canada. At SNOLAB, the Cryogenic Underground …

Tuning Electronic Transport And Magnetic Properties Of Layered Magnetic Materials, Md Rafique Un Nabi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Two-dimensional magnetic materials (2DMMs) have gained significant interest due to their potential for novel physical phenomena and device applications. Mn2-xZnxSb, with its tunable magnetic properties and stable tetragonal layered structure, offers a rich platform for exploring these phenomena. The introduction of Zn into the Mn2Sb lattice efficiently tunes magnetic and electronic properties, making it a compelling candidate for high-performance spintronic devices. With this motivation, we synthesized Mn2-xZnxSb (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) single crystals using a flux method. Mn2Sb exhibits ferrimagnetic order below 550 K with antiparallel spins aligned along the c-axis for two Mn magnetic sublattice Mn(I) and Mn(II), …

2024 Spring Term Sls261/Phy206 Syllabus, Gustavo Machado Monteiro

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Representation Theory And Its Applications In Physics, Max Varverakis

Master's Theses

Representation theory, which encodes the elements of a group as linear operators on a vector space, has far-reaching implications in physics. Fundamental results in quantum physics emerge directly from the representations describing physical symmetries. We first examine the connections between specific representations and the principles of quantum mechanics. Then, we shift our focus to the braid group, which describes the algebraic structure of braids. We apply representations of the braid group to physical systems in order to investigate quasiparticles known as anyons. Finally, we obtain governing equations of anyonic systems to highlight the differences between braiding statistics and conventional Bose-Einstein/Fermi-Dirac …

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.

Analysis And Computation Of Constrained Sparse Coding On Emerging Non-Von Neumann Devices, Kyle Henke

Mathematics & Statistics ETDs

This dissertation seeks to understand how different formulations of the neurally inspired Locally Competitive Algorithm (LCA) represent and solve optimization problems. By studying these networks mathematically through the lens of dynamical and gradient systems, the goal is to discern how neural computations converge and link this knowledge to theoretical neuroscience and artificial intelligence (AI). Both classical computers and advanced emerging hardware are employed in this study. The contributions of this work include:

1. Theoretical Work: A comprehensive convergence analysis for networks using both generic Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU) and Rectified Sigmoid activation functions. Exploration of techniques to address the binary …

Going Down An Incline With Chatgpt, Corey R. Sissons

Student Research Symposium

In our Large Language Model (LLM) research, examining ChatGPT 4, we devised a physics problem involving an object descending an inclined plane. Through variations in terminology such as "rolling," "sliding," "solid sphere," "hollow sphere," "wooden ramp," "no-slip ramp," and more, we sought to evaluate LLM responses for different scenarios. Our analysis aimed to discern whether the LLM’s answers exhibited expertise in the field of physics. This experiment sheds light on LLM’s ability to give accurate and precise physics answers as well as variation in responses to nuanced changes in problem formulation. This provides valuable insights into its proficiency and potential …

Time Resolved X-Ray Spectroscopy Of Highly Charged Ar, Nd, And Pr, Timothy Burke

All Dissertations

Highly Charged Ions (HCIs) may be considered ideal mini-laboratory in which one can study the physics of matter and light in an environment of high internal electric field that can not be recreated with standard lab equipment. The remaining electron(s) exist in the extremely large electric field of the nucleus and therefore measurements of electronic transitions in these systems provide stringent tests of our understanding of physics in extreme conditions. Quantum electrodynamics (QED) despite being a powerful theory exhibits large discrepancies for systems under extreme conditions. The work here investigates the atomic properties within non-Maxwellian plasmas. The HCI plasmas studied …

Experimental Analyses Of Emission Lines In The Uv/Vis/Nir Range For Astrophysically-Important Elements: From The Iron Group To R-Process Elements, Brynna Neff

All Dissertations

Analysis of astrophysical phenomena requires an understanding of the electronic

structure and transition probabilities of the elements present in that environment,

yet there are still many charge states of heavy elements whose electronic

structures and spectroscopic properties are not yet well understood. To address this,

we investigated the spectroscopic properties of three different elements through an

analysis of spectra collected from three different experimental apparatuses.

In order to better understand the spectroscopic properties of Ni I and II, we

analyzed spectra collected from the Compact Toroidal Hybrid (CTH) apparatus at

Auburn University. In this experiment, a nickel sample was inserted …

The Search For Photonuclear Interactions Of Muons Utilizing Test Beam Data At The Large Hadron Collider, Miranda M. Williams

2024 Spring Honors Capstone Projects

The ATLAS Detector is one of four different types of detectors within the Large Hadron Collider and is used to study the fundamental theories of the universe. Within the ATLAS experiment, beams of known composition and energies – otherwise known as “test beams” – are one of the many methods used to study specific physical phenomena. In this study, a test beam of muons with an energy of 160 GeV was analyzed to search for evidence of photonuclear interactions. This necessitated analyzing and filtering over 50,000 total events using specific parameters that would indicate such an event had occurred. To …

High Powered Rocket Modification, Joshua Gage

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

Rocketry has always been a fun challenge for me. Since not only was I able to learn something new every time I did it, but I was able to do something with my hands as well. One area that has been very challenging for me is how to put a tracker onto a rocket that has no electronics bay. And studying for the L2 Certification tests. And this poster shows my thoughts and process I did to pass my L2 Certification Flight.

Igniting Passion:​ A Detailed Journey Through Rocketry Course Activities, Krish M. Patel, Hannah Caycedo, Joshua Gage, Josi Maness, Kevin Park, Mufeng Shen

SACAD: John Heinrichs Scholarly and Creative Activity Days

This course is a semester-long adventure in rocketry, led by Dr. Paul Adams. It covers everything about building and flying rockets, starting from the basics to more advanced rocketry. Students learn how to build rockets and use equipment used I payload systems like and altimeter and a GPS. We also learned about the importance of safety involved with building and launching rockets.

Searching For Optimal Protocols On The Xxz Model On The Square Lattice: An Introduction, Grace Ferrell

WWU Honors College Senior Projects

This paper offers a brief introduction to optimal protocols for variational quantum algorithms on the XXZ model on the square lattice, aimed at introducing the subfield to undergraduate students interested in theoretical quantum computing, especially those involved in similar research projects. I’ve tried to minimize jargon to make it more accessible to student researchers, but it still requires some math background. By simulating the most efficient ways to reach the ground state, future researchers can find patterns that could shed light on how to run large simulations on quantum computers.

Historical Trends In The Astronomy, Math, And Physics Section Of The Virginia Academy Of Science, Joseph D. Rudmin

Virginia Journal of Science

A brief history of the Astronomy, Math, and Physics section of the Virginia Academy of Science is presented, noting trends in participation and content.

Boat Wake Attenuation Through Artificial Vegetation - A Case Study From Peche Island, Jamie Kathryn Lilly

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of nature-based solutions and engineering ideas has sparked interest in the value of vegetated shorelines for protecting against erosion. However, there is a lack of field data, and more research is needed to understand how effective vegetation is in reducing the impact of wind waves and boat wakes. The difference in period between wind waves and boat wakes suggests that they may be attenuated differently, requiring further study to determine the optimal management design. The purpose of this study is to quantify the ability of artificial vegetation to attenuate boat wakes and calculate the drag coefficient for model …

Questioning Reality: The Progressive Development Of Modern Physics, Joshua Lancman

STEM for Success Showcase

Humanity has a tendency to divide time. The past is distinct from the present which is entirely separate from the future. In supposedly 20-20 vision history is neatly divided into different sections, distinct eras with sharp lines between them. What is present and in the future is always modern. What is past is something else with another name.

Yet time is not divided so neatly. We know this living through it: years and decades blend into one another in a non-uniform progression. To divide human history into separate eras is a necessary simplification, as it helps to ascribe order onto …

Quantum Logic Control And Precision Measurements Of Molecular Ions In A Ring Trap: An Approach For Testing Fundamental Symmetries, Yan Zhou, Joshua O. Island, Matt Grau

Physics Faculty Publications

This paper presents an experimental platform designed to facilitate quantum logic control of polar molecular ions in a segmented ring ion trap, paving the way for precision measurements. This approach focuses on achieving near-unity state preparation and detection, as well as long spin-precession coherence. A distinctive aspect lies in separating state preparation and detection conducted in a static frame from parity-selective spin precession in a rotating frame. Moreover, the method is designed to support spatially and temporally coincident measurements on multiple ions prepared in states with different sensitivity to the new physics of interest. This provides powerful techniques to probe …

Field, Frequency, And Temperature Dependencies Of The Surface Resistance Of Nitrogen Diffused Niobium Superconducting Radio Frequency Cavities, P. Dhakal, B. D. Khanal, A. Gurevich, G. Ciovati

Physics Faculty Publications

We investigate the rf performance of several single-cell superconducting radio-frequency cavities subjected to low temperature heat treatment in nitrogen environment. The cavities were treated at temperature 120–165 °C for an extended period of time (24–48 h) either in high vacuum or in a low partial pressure of ultrapure nitrogen. The improvement in 𝑄0 with a 𝑄 rise was observed when nitrogen gas was injected at ∼300 °C during the cavity cooldown from 800 °C and held at 165 °C, without any degradation in accelerating gradient over the baseline performance. The treatment was applied to several elliptical cavities with frequency ranging …

Diffusion Model Approach To Simulating Electron-Proton Scattering Events, Peter Devlin, Jian-Wei Qiu, Felix Ringer, Nobuo Sato

Physics Faculty Publications

Generative artificial intelligence is a fast-growing area of research offering various avenues for exploration in high-energy nuclear physics. In this work, we explore the use of generative models for simulating electron-proton collisions relevant to experiments like the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility and the future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). These experiments play a critical role in advancing our understanding of nucleons and nuclei in terms of quark and gluon degrees of freedom. The use of generative models for simulating collider events faces several challenges such as the sparsity of the data, the presence of global or eventwide constraints, and steeply falling …

Analytic Solutions Of The Dglap Evolution And Theoretical Uncertainties, A. Simonelli

Physics Faculty Publications

The energy dependence for the singlet sector of Parton Distributions Functions (PDFs) is described by an entangled pair of ordinary linear differential equations. Although there are no exact analytic solutions, it is possible to provide approximated results depending on the assumptions and the methodology adopted. These results differ in their sub-leading, neglected terms and ultimately they are associated with different treatments of the theoretical uncertainties. In this work, a novel analytic approach in Mellin space is presented and a new methodology for obtaining closed and exponentiated analytic solutions is devised. Different results for the DGLAP evolution at Next-Leading-Order are compared, …

Towards Unpolarized Gpds From Pseudo-Distributions, Hervé Dutrieux, Robert G. Edwards, Colin Egerer, Joseph Karpie, Christopher Monahan, Kostas Orginos, Anatoly Radyushkin, David Richards, Eloy Romero, Savvas Zafeiropoulos

Physics Faculty Publications

We present an exploration of the unpolarized isovector proton generalized parton distributions (GPDs) H^u−d(x, ξ, t) and E^u−d(x, ξ, t) in the pseudo-distribution formalism using distillation. Taking advantage of the large kinematic coverage made possible by this approach, we present results on the moments of GPDs up to the order x³ — including their skewness dependence — at a pion mass m_π = 358 MeV and a lattice spacing a = 0.094 fm.

An Exploration Of Misconceptions In Introductory Physics, Christopher Mattthew Wheatley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The study of student misconceptions about physics concepts has long been an important area of inquiry in physics education research (PER). The research discussed in this dissertation builds upon the developments in PER by exploring the prevalence of consistently held undergraduate student misconceptions in introductory calculus-based physics. This thesis explores the nature of student misconceptions, mistakes, and naive answering patterns in both introductory undergraduate Newtonian mechanics and electromagnetism by applying a network analytic technique called module analysis to student responses to different concept inventories from institutions of various levels of incoming physics preparation. Each study applying these methods also demonstrates …

Artificial Intelligence For The Electron Ion Collider (Ai4eic), C. Allaire, R. Ammendola, E.-C. Aschenauer, M. Balandat, M. Battaglieri, J. Bernauer, M. Bondì, N. Branson, T. Britton, A. Butter, I. Chahrour, P. Chatagnon, E. Cisbani, E. W. Cline, S. Dash, C. Dean, W. Deconinck, A. Deshpande, M. Diefenthaler, R. Ent, C. Fanelli, M. Finger, M. Finger Jr., E. Fol, S. Furletov, Y. Gao, J. Giroux, N. C. Gunawardhana Waduge, O. Hassan, P. L. Hegde, R. J. Hernandez-Pinto, A. Hiller Blin, T. Horn, J. Huang, A. Jalotra, D. Jayakodige, B. Joo, M. Junaid, N. Kalantarians, P. Karande, B. Kriesten, R. Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, Y. Li, M. Lin, F. Liu, S. Liuti, G. Matousek, M. Mceneaney, D. Mcspadden, T. Menzo, T. Miceli, V. Mikuni, R. Montgomery, B. Nachman, R. R. Nair, J. Niestroy, S. A. Ochoa Oregon, J. Oleniacz, J. D. Osborn, C. Paudel, C. Pecar, C. Peng, G. N. Perdue, W. Phelps, M. L. Purschke, H. Rajendran, K. Rajput, Y. Ren, D. F. Renteria-Estrada, D. Richford, B. J. Roy, D. Roy, A. Saini, N. Sato, T. Satogata, G. Sborlini, M. Schram, D. Shih, J. Singh, R. Singh, A. Siodmok, J. Stevens, P. Stone, L. Suarez, K. Suresh, A. -N. Tawfik, F. Torales Acosta, N. Tran, R. Trotta, F. J. Twagirayezu, R. Tyson, S. Volkova, A. Vossen, E. Walter, D. Whiteson, M. Williams, S. Wu, N. Zachariou, P. Zurita

Computer Science Faculty Publications

The Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a state-of-the-art facility for studying the strong force, is expected to begin commissioning its first experiments in 2028. This is an opportune time for artificial intelligence (AI) to be included from the start at this facility and in all phases that lead up to the experiments. The second annual workshop organized by the AI4EIC working group, which recently took place, centered on exploring all current and prospective application areas of AI for the EIC. This workshop is not only beneficial for the EIC, but also provides valuable insights for the newly established ePIC collaboration at EIC. …

Comparison Between Two Global Models Approaches For He + H2o Atmospheric Pressure Radio-Frequency Capacitive Discharges, Osama Ahmed Shabaek, Farouk Fahmi Elakshar, Osama Mohamed Yassin

Al-Azhar Bulletin of Science

In the present paper, we have proposed a chemical kinetic global model to simulate discharge systems with He, working gas, in the existence of different humidity levels. Comparing model results and simulation and experiment in literature establishes satisfaction of model results in qualitative and quantitative levels. The effect of varying model input parameters on densities of OH, H2O2, and HO2 has been investigated. Rising input power increases the yield of the system but raising it over 2W has a minor benefit. Keeping the gas temperature at 300 K has a negligible effect on yield of OH and H2O2 and small …

Student Performance In Modern Physics In An Active, Partially-Flipped Classroom, Scott Yarbrough

Physics Dissertations

The effectiveness of the flipped classroom and hybrid-flipped (partially flipped, partially lecture-based) method of instruction has been extensively studied for high school and introductory undergraduate physics courses, and it has been shown to increase student understanding and performance. However, few studies have been done for upper-level undergraduate courses, and even fewer have been done for virtual courses. In Spring 2021 and Fall 2023, a fully virtual, hybrid-flipped Modern Physics course was taught, primarily to a class of primarily juniors and seniors, with some sophomores. All were STEM majors. The same course, with a similar enrolment and demographic of students, was …

Progress In Physics: Twentieth Year Of Publication, Florentin Smarandache, Andreas Ries, Pierre Millette, Ebenezer Chifu

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The journal Progress in Physics was created in January 2005 on behalf of many influential scientists with whom we were in correspondence. The main reason was that publications in other journals were allowed only if the submitter was affiliated with a scientific institution or research organization. Given this situation, many working scientists finding themselves partially employed or unemployed, such as in between research grants, find themselves unable to publish their research results. Even e-print archives such as Cornell’s arXiv required scientific affiliation and still follow this policy.

Beyond Cryptic Equations: Reimagining Concepts In Physics Through Metaheuristics And Fantasy Stories Using Neutrosophic Venn Diagram, Victor Christianto, Florentin Smarandache

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Physics, the grand narrative of the universe, bas long been viewed as realm of cold, hard equations. But what if we looked beyond the formulas and considered a more imaginative origin for some of its concepts? This article explores the intriguing possibility that physics, and even cosmology, might share a surprising kinship with metaheuristics and fantastical fiction.

A Multi-Wavelength Determination Of The Total Luminosity And Star Formation Rate Of The Milky Way, Joshua L. Mascoop

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The star formation rate (SFR) of the Milky Way is poorly understood in comparison to the SFR of other galaxies. In order to better find the Galaxy's place in the universe, it is imperative to understand the star formation activity occurring within it. We characterize the Galactic \hii\ region luminosity function (LF) at multiple infrared and radio wavelengths using a sample of 797 first Galactic quadrant \hii regions compiled from the WISE Catalog of Galactic \hii Regions. This sample is statistically complete for all regions powered by single stars of type O9.5V and earlier.

We find that neither a single …