Bulletin of the American Physical Society
Joint Spring 2011 Meeting of the New England Sections of the APS and the AAPT
Volume 56, Number 2
Friday–Saturday, April 8–9, 2011; Lowell, Massachusetts
Session F4: Environment, Astronomy, Theory |
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Chair: Aram Karakashian, UMass Lowell Room: Olney Science Center 0-115 |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:00AM - 8:12AM |
F4.00001: Possible impact of global warming and ocean acidification on underwater sound in northern oceans: another perfect storm David Browning The greatest ocean pH change, which will result in lower low frequency sound attenuation, is predicted for higher latitudes. Here shallow sound channel axies exist, allowing the impact on sound to be seen sooner and also more extensively since the principal propagation paths will be near the surface. However, at the same time, higher wind speeds and greater ice breakup,as well as increased ship traffic, could result in higher noise levels. Marine mammals in this environment may have, on one hand, improving communication conditions but also the possibility of increased background noise. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:12AM - 8:24AM |
F4.00002: The impact of tropical ocean on Arctic climate Constantin Andronache Climate variations at high latitudes are dependent on the perturbations of sea - ice extent, snow cover over continents, sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies, and predominant atmospheric circulation patterns. In this study we report on possible links between sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTA) in the tropical global ocean and various oceanic regions in the Arctic. We use the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) observed SST, the data from NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis project and statistical techniques to detect possible connections between various parts of the global ocean. We show that SSTA have notable correlations between: 1) Tropical Atlantic and North East Atlantic, impacting climate in Scandinavia; 2) East equatorial Pacific (NINO 3.4 area) and North West Pacific, impacting climate in Alaska; and 3) Tropical Indian Ocean and northern latitudes (with impact on Scandinavian and Canadian climate). Our analysis confirms earlier reports based on statistical analysis and model simulations showing a connection between the tropical ocean and the climate at higher latitudes. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:24AM - 8:36AM |
F4.00003: CO2 - The Canary in the Energy Efficiency Coal Mine Peter Somssich While much of the discussion surrounding CO2 is focused on its role as a GHG (green house gas) and its affect on Climate Change, CO2 can also be viewed as an indicator for reductions in fossil fuel use and increased energy efficiency. Much as the canary in a mine was used to warn miners of unsafe health conditions in a mine, CO2 can be seen as allowing us to effectively track progress towards energy efficiency and sustainability. Such an effort can best be achieved by either a Carbon Tax or a Cap and Trade system which was highly effective as part of the 1992 Clean Air Act, contributing to a significant reduction of SO2 and acid rain. A similar attempt has been made using the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to reduce carbon emissions. The mechanisms of how this treaty was intended to work will be explained, and examples will be given, both in the USA and Europe, of how the protocol was used to reduce energy consumption and energy dependence, while also reducing CO2 emissions. Regardless of how strong an impact CO2 reduction may have for Climate Change issues, a reduction of CO2 is guaranteed to produce energy benefits, monetary benefits and can even enhance national security. For all of these reasons, we need the CO2 canary. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:36AM - 8:48AM |
F4.00004: Shaping the Brown Dwarf Desert: Constraints from Turbulent Peter Jumper, Robert Fisher The brown dwarf desert is the term used to describe the notable absence of brown dwarfs within about 5 AU from the central main- sequence star in binary brown dwarf-stellar systems. Previous work by other researchers has focused on a dynamical mechanism as the origin of the desert; namely, that brown dwarfs formed within the desert will migrate into their central stars on a relatively short timescale of approximately 10 Myr. We will develop models of turbulent giant molecular cloud cores, which subsequently form a binary system containing a brown dwarf. We will assume that the brown dwarfs form via gravitational fragmentation from the parent core, as supported by recent observations. A key goal of this current research is to understand the role of the brown dwarf formation process in shaping the brown dwarf desert. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 8:48AM - 9:00AM |
F4.00005: A Semi-Analytic Model of Type Ia Supernova Turbulent Deflagration Kevin Jumper, Robert Fisher The detonation mechanism of Type Ia supernovae, which are believed to originate from the detonation of a near-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf in a binary system, is not fully understood. Consequently, scientists must simulate their hypotheses to validate their models against observation. The deflagration phase, which occurs prior to detonation, determines many properties of the supernova. A successful deflagration model must describe both the evolution of the flame bubble and the nuclear energy release during the deflagration phase, which in turn governs the nucleosynthetic yield of both iron-peak and intermediate mass isotopes. We construct a semi-analytic model of burning within a flame bubble ignited at a single off-centered ignition point. We model the buoyant rise of the bubble upon a cold white dwarf background. The results of this model can be both verified and validated by comparison against observations and previous three- dimensional simulations, and help shed light on the essential physical processes involved during this complex phenomenon. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 9:00AM - 9:12AM |
F4.00006: Quaternion Quantum Mechanics Demystified Douglas Sweetser Quaternion quantum field theory is introduced. The goal is for every equation that plays a role in quantum field theory gets rewritten using real-valued quaternions. Like the correspondence principle before it, the method is simple and systematic: keep 4- vectors together, drop factors of i, keep the constants, but make the expression dimensionless if possible. The differences between classical, relativistic and quantum mechanics equations are based on their constants and form. There may be enough time to derive the Schrodinger and Klein-Gordon equations. More current information is available at http://visualphysics.org/preprints. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 9:12AM - 9:24AM |
F4.00007: Bell Test experiments explained without entanglement Jeffrey Boyd by Jeffrey H. Boyd. Jeffreyhboyd@gmail.com. John Bell proposed a test of what was called ``local realism.'' However that is a different view of reality than we hold. Bell incorrectly assumed the validity of wave particle dualism. According to our model waves are independent of particles; wave interference precedes the emission of a particle. This results in two conclusions. First the proposed inequalities that apply to ``local realism'' in Bell's theorem do not apply to this model. The alleged mathematics of ``local realism'' is therefore wrong. Second, we can explain the Bell Test experimental results (such as the experiments done at Innsbruck) without any need for entanglement, non-locality, or particle superposition. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 9:24AM - 9:36AM |
F4.00008: The Inverse Eigenvalue Problem in Quantum Mechanics Martin Wilner For a given observable A, its eigenvalues, eigenstates regarded as a basis, and any superposition of such eigenstates, two analytic methods are presented for constructing in closed form the matrix representation of an observable B of which the given superposition is an eigenstate. One method works directly from the eigenvalue condition, but solves first for the matrix elements of B and then for its eigenvalues. The other uses on the diagonal matrix representing A the inverse of the unitary transformation which would diagonalize B. For the two-level system two commuting matrices are obtained with different eigenvalue spectra. For the three-level system the inverse unitary transform yields a continuous infinity of non-commuting matrices, all with the same eigenvalue spectrum, whereas the other method yields a matrix which is none of these: it does not commute with any of them, and its eigenvalue spectrum is different from theirs. [Preview Abstract] |
Saturday, April 9, 2011 9:36AM - 9:48AM |
F4.00009: Charge and magnetic order in the frustrated Hubbard model at one-third filling Matthew Enjalran In material systems with localized electrons the Heisenberg model is a logical starting point to study the possible phases of matter. When the interactions are frustrated, the Heisenberg model (classical or quantum) exhibits a rich phase diagram with exotic correlated magnetic states, e.g., spin liquid, spin ice, and spin glass phases. When interactions between electrons are weaker, a localized moment description becomes insufficient and the Hubbard model, with charge and magnetic degrees of freedom, is more appropriate. Similar to the Heisenberg model, frustration enriches the the phase diagram of the Hubbard model. The interactions of itinerant electrons on a triangular lattice are frustrated, and this model is relevant to a number of experimental systems, most notably the organic charge transfer salts. We present preliminary results from mean-field theory calculations of the triangular lattice Hubbard model, where at one-third filling we observe a transition from a paramagnetic metal to a charge ordered antiferromagnet on a honeycomb sublattice at a critical interaction strength. We will also present results for the half-filled anisotropic model. [Preview Abstract] |
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