Bulletin of the American Physical Society
79th Annual Meeting of the APS Southeastern Section
Volume 57, Number 16
Wednesday–Saturday, November 14–17, 2012; Tallahassee, Florida
Session EB: Undergraduate Talks |
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Chair: Mary Ellen Zvanut, University of Alabama at Birmingham Room: DoubleTree Salon AB |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 3:45PM - 3:57PM |
EB.00001: Computational Tools for Exploring Cosmology Keenan Stone, Jacob Moldenhauer, Larry Engelhardt, Ezekiel Shuler We describe a set of interactive simulations built for fitting cosmological models to experimental data sets. Current versions allow users to generate personalized dark energy based models (e.g. LCDM) while providing means of both visual and numerical comparison to observational results from various surveys. Additionally, we present progress towards the development of new programs that enable testing of a more general spectrum of models. These will feature minimization routines and improved interface to complement existing functionality, with aspiration that they may be found useful to researchers and educators alike. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 3:57PM - 4:09PM |
EB.00002: Observability of Neutrinos from Failed Supernovae and Black Hole-Neutron Star Mergers Jason Liang, Halston Lim, Kate Scholberg Neutrino astronomy is an indispensable tool for studying astrophysical phenomena such as failed supernovae (fSN) and black hole-neutron star mergers (BHNSM) and would allow for the observation of black hole and short-period GRB formation. We conducted a comprehensive study of the observability of neutrinos from fSN and BHNSM in future and proposed detectors that incorporates realistic detector responses. SNOwGLoBES, event calculation software that takes into account fluxes, cross sections, detector smearing, and post-smearing efficiencies, was utilized. For fSN and BHNSM, we determined the flux of each neutrino flavor and calculated the observed neutrino spectrum in various detectors as a function of distance. Additionally, for the fSN we generated time dependent models of the neutrino signal up until black hole formation. Our results indicate that observation of neutrinos from fSN and BHNSM in the galactic neighborhood is very feasible. In addition, the neutrino signals are distinguishable from the signal produced by typical SN, which has future implications for the study of the origin of high energy astrophysical neutrinos. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 4:09PM - 4:21PM |
EB.00003: Investigating Failed Supernovae and Black Hole-Neutron Star Mergers Using Neutron Signals Halston Lim, Jason Liang, Kate Scholberg Failed supernovae (fSN) and black hole-neutron star mergers (BHNSM) are unique high energy astrophysical events that can be studied in novel ways through their copious neutrino emissions. Using SNOwGLoBES, we were able to calculate the observed neutrino spectrum of fSN and BHNSM in various detectors, including Super-Kamiokande and LBNE. We analyzed the sensitivity of the observed neutrino spectrum to the source emission parameters and determined how flavor tagging influenced this sensitivity. Our results show that it is possible to discriminate between the average energies of electron and antielectron neutrinos from the observed neutrino signal, which sheds light on nucleosynthesis processes within fSN and BHNSM. We also found that in both the water Cherenkov detector Super-Kamiokande and the proposed liquid argon detector LBNE, the fSN neutronization burst produces a peak in the neutrino event rates after applying directional cuts (for water only) and event tagging, demonstrating the viability of using neutrinos to study the internal processes of fSN. Our assessment of tagging methods and determination of the promise for neutrino detectors for observing fSN and BHNSM will aid physicists in future neutrino astrophysics experiments. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 4:21PM - 4:33PM |
EB.00004: Generation of Electricity from the Wind Draft of Cars Harish Pudukodu We developed a theoretical turbine power output model dependent on automobile speed and turbine distance from cars. Analysis of the data from experimental field tests with rush hour traffic, controlled single-car testing, and CFD modeling showed that our turbines generated electricity, but did not support our theoretical model, which assumed laminar flow and spherical cars. Our study represents a creative implementation of wind power that may have significant economic/environmental implications for the future of renewable energy. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 4:33PM - 4:45PM |
EB.00005: Minimum-Bias Studies Using the Energy Scan Data from the Fermilab Tevatron Collider David Wilson, Craig Group, Rick Field We report on an analysis of the minimum-bias event data (that is, events with the least selective trigger criteria) taken at the Tevatron collider at Fermilab, in particular an energy scan recording collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 0.3, 0.9, and 1.96 TeV. This data set represents a rare chance to analyze the energy dependence of several minimum-bias observables; for example, the pseudorapidity ($dN/d\eta$) distribution. We present the results of a comparison of these observables with the PYTHIA Monte Carlo simulation. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 4:45PM - 4:57PM |
EB.00006: Studies of Silicon Photomultipliers for their use in the Mu2e Experiment at Fermilab Alyssa Henderson, Craig Group, Yuri Oksuzian, Paul Rubinov Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs), a relatively novel technology, are able to detect single photons and convert them into electrical signals when used within a proper voltage range. In order to learn more about SiPMs for their use in the Mu2e experiment, we find a few characteristics of the SiPM at the Silicon Detector facility at Fermilab. We connected several SiPMs, one at a time, to a Keithely 2400 Sourcemeter that was programmed to vary the voltage automatically. In this way, we were able to apply our desired voltage range and the sourcemeter provided the corresponding current. We also conducted these experiments with the SiPMs in a dark chamber, which we used to control the temperature of the environment. We applied a voltage and measured the corresponding current at four temperatures and measured three characteristics: breakdown voltage, the operating voltage range, and the resistor value at each, as well as how they vary with temperature, time, and between two brands. [Preview Abstract] |
Thursday, November 15, 2012 4:57PM - 5:09PM |
EB.00007: Molecular and Atomic Hydrogen Cloud Correlations in the Interstellar Medium of the Galaxy Ward Howard, Steven Gibson, Christopher Brunt, Christian Jolly A key question in Galactic astrophysics is how the cold, relatively dense clouds that form new stars are assembled from the warmer, more diffuse interstellar medium (ISM). We are investigating the relationship between neutral atomic hydrogen (HI) and molecular hydrogen (H2) gas to find where molecules may be actively forming in cooling clouds prior to star formation. We use HI 21cm-line self-absorption (HISA) to identify the coldest atomic gas that is most likely associated with forming molecules, and we use carbon monoxide (CO) 2.6mm line emission as a proxy for H2, which does not have suitable ground-state transitions for direct mapping. We have measured the fraction of HISA with CO emission and CO with HISA in a variety of different Galactic plane survey data sets. We see a stronger correspondence of HISA and CO in the inner parts of the Galaxy, and a weaker correspondence elsewhere. However, this trend may arise from chance alignments of unrelated clouds being more likely in the inner Galaxy rather than true physical correlation. [Preview Abstract] |
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