Session N05: Deep Learning and Education II

Between GR and a black box: Recent progress toward a hyper-empirical source localization algorithm for twenty-first-century gravitational wave astronomy

Currently, parameter estimation schemes in gravitational wave astronomy fall into one of two wildly divergent categories: matched filtering algorithms which rely on resource-intensive numerical modeling of full (strong curvature) general relativity or deep learning neural networks which rely on black box model training. The situation is only slightly improved for source localization algorithms, in which the parameters of interest are only the source angles of the gravitational wave, but which must run extremely quickly in order to allow electromagnetic follow-up as close as possible to the time of merger. In this talk, I will argue that a third alternative is to relax the framework of full general relativity used in matched filtering algorithms without losing control (and understanding) of the algorithm as in deep learning models. After a brief overview of the current state of the art in source localization algorithms -- both matched filter and neural network -- I will fill in some of the details of the hyper-empirical strategy suggested above. By building on my previous work using a combination of empirical signal modeling, physical intuition, and fast and powerful numerical methods, I will outline a novel approach to source localization that offers the potential to run as quickly as neural networks while maintaining full control over built-in assumptions (and therefore likely failure modes).   

Muon Detection in a Cave: Experiential Learning and Cross-Disciplinary Exploration

In 2024 Raccoon Mountain Caverns was donated to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga to be used as a multi-disciplinary classroom and research laboratory. This semester, students from an upper-level undergraduate experimental physics course took a series of measurements inside the cave system with a muon detector that is normally reserved for a teaching lab. The students measured the muon flux at various locations inside the cave and compared it to the expected results based on the underground depth. We will give an overview of the entire project, discuss the opportunities for experiential learning and interdisciplinary research with colleagues outside our department, and propose refinements of the experimental setup and future research topics to investigate in the cave.   

Improving Introductory Physics Labs for Life Science Students at Brigham Young University

Traditional labs, aimed at reinforcing lecture content, have shown limited educational impact. Instead, physics labs should focus on helping students develop experimentation skills. Brigham Young University (BYU) has made this change to their mechanics introductory physics lab for life science students. Student lab notebooks and reports were coded to analyze students' modeling practices and inform teaching assistant preparation. Results show student growth in using mathematical and theoretical reasoning reflected in increased correct predictions. However, students misrepresenting how they reasoned in lab and having less discussion of results with less scaffolding can also be seen.   

Alpha on a Budget: Lowering the Barrier to Entry in Radiation Instrumentation

In recent years the availability of low-cost Geiger-Müller (GM) detectors has greatly increased, resulting in a variety of radiation detection instruments available at a price-point that is friendly to hobbyists and educators. While GM detectors are suitable for detection of gamma, x-ray, and some beta radiation, access to alpha particle detection is still limited by the high cost of specialized instrumentation, restricting hands-on experimentation and research in educational and hobbyist settings. This project demonstrates a practical, low-cost approach to high-sensitivity radiation detection by modifying a commercially available Geiger counter frequently marketed as the MOESAPU/BOSEAN FS-5000 

This presentation will discuss the YAPR: a custom instrument created through the integration of a Soviet SBT-11A pancake GM tube and customized firmware into the FS-5000 housing. Comparative tests using standard sources measured the performance of the stock and modified detectors. Additionally, the YAPR was also compared to a professional-grade instrument, an Eberline HP-210 pancake GM detector. The YAPR demonstrated greatly improved sensitivity, response time, and overall particle detection capabilities as compared to the FS-5000. Initial tests of the YAPR’s detection efficiency suggest similar performance for qualitative characterization when compared to the HP-210. 

The resulting device delivers alpha detection at roughly one-third the price of the lowest cost alpha detector on the market. The presentation will provide the results of initial detector testing, as well as discuss our work toward developing modification procedures to empower students, educators, and citizen scientists to reproduce this work and build their own advanced detectors.

Our goal is to lower the barrier to entry for advanced radiation detection and provide a framework for extending these modifications to broader applications, ultimately making powerful instrumentation more accessible across the physics community.   

Water Bending Take 2: Crucial Experiments and Theory

At SESAPS 24 I presented a challenge: Find experiments that allow us to determine the main reason a thin stream of water bends near an electric charge! I will now present some of the main experiments pinpointing the microscopic reason behind this phenomenon. These experiments can all be (and have been) carried out at standard undergraduate (or even high school) physics laboratories. The experiments lead to the definite, but potentially controversial, conclusion that the polar nature of the water molecule is NOT the dominant cause, contrary to commonly held beliefs. Rather, I advocate that triboelectric charging is the main culprit. These conclusions are supported by a few simple conceptual and theoretical arguments. If time allows, I will introduce the intriguing behavior of non-polar liquids near an electric charge.