We are studying the effects of Nuclear Fermi Beta Decay. Beta decay occurs when a proton in the nucleus of an atom decays to a neutron or a neutron decays to a proton. Protons and neutrons are in the class of particles known as “baryons”, as they each consist of three quarks, one of the most fundamental types of particles in our universe. They are both made of two types of quarks, “up” quarks, and “down” quarks. Neutrons consist of two down quarks and one up quark, while protons consist of one down quark and two up quarks. Beta decay specifically takes place when an up quark in a proton decays to a down quark, turning a proton into a neutron, or a down quark in a neutron decays to an up quark, turning a neutron into a proton. Our project studies the radial wave function overlap of these two particles. Particles have wave functions associated with them that describe the probability of measuring them in any given state. The overlap that we study is between the wave functions of the proton and neutron in the nucleus of the atom, as this overlap describes how Beta decay occurs. Particles have an intrinsic quantity known as isospin, which is very often conserved in particle interactions, but is not an exact symmetry. We analytically calculate how isospin symmetry breaking influences beta decay. Studying beta decay is useful for understanding solar radiation and energy, as the sun’s fusion reaction causes protons to decay into a shower of particles which are detectable from Earth. However, we are more interested in beta decay for its applications to testing the validity of assumptions of the standard model of particle physics.

In recent decades, researchers have begun to learn about exoplanets, which are planets that orbit a star outside of our solar system. Exoplanets are very diverse in their properties, for example, their masses, periods, radii, average temperature, and average densities. They also show a variety of elements and molecules in their atmospheres. One of the ways that we use to analyze the composition of their atmospheres is by using transmission spectroscopy. In our research group we are interested in learning whether there are any trends between the physical and orbital properties of the exoplanets, the host stars, and the atmospheric composition of the exoplanets. Our study centers on exoplanets with up to 3.5-days orbits and radii between 1 to 2 times the radius of Jupiter, the so called “hot Jupiters”. The Habitable Zone Gallery is a website which provides information about planetary parameters and how much time each planet spends in its stars habitable zone. The habitable zone is the region in which exoplanets can be found where they have the ability to hold liquid water on their surface. This region is a specific range of circumstellar distance from the host star depending on the host star. We will present the results of this study, utilizing data from the Habitable Zone Gallery, Astrophysics Data System for published data on each exoplanet, and NASA Exoplanet data archive for additional information. We have focused on studying the wavelength range from 3000 to 17000 Å, which is where absorption by sodium, potassium, and water can be found. Any trends between physical, orbital and atmospheric properties will be useful for future selection of targets.

In recent years, gravitational waves have yielded insights across many fields, from the expansion of the universe and black hole populations to the origin of heavy elements and nuclear physics. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatories (LIGO) are michelson-type interferometers formed by two, 4-kilometer-long arms with suspended test masses (mirrors) at the ends. The test masses reflect high-power lasers to be combined at the intersection of the two arms and create an interference pattern, which is sensitive to gravitational waves passing through the interferometer. For a stable interference pattern, the test masses must be oriented precisely; the low frequency orienting of the test masses is done using optical levers (OpLevs). They consist of optics that launch light from a diode laser which reflects off the test mass and hit a quadrant photodiode, which measures the tip and twist of the test mass as a function of beam spot displacement. However, this measurement has elevated noise at low frequencies, limiting its accuracy. The reduction of this noise by a factor of 10-100, would allow for a more accurate orienting of the test mass. The source of noise is likely to be found in the fiber optics connected to the launching telescope. To isolate this noise I recreated parts of the LIGO OpLev setup with a level of positional noise well below LIGO's current OpLev noise at 0.1 Hz (below a nanometer per square root hertz). To achieve noise at this level I have designed a low noise pre-amplifier, improved the physical stability of the setup, and analyzed data to identify the noise sources. With this reduced noise setup we plan to search for the source of LIGO's OPLEV low frequency noise. Reduced noise would increase the uptime of the observatories thus increasing the number of gravitational wave detections.

From a materials design perspective, phosphates offer nearly limitless possibilities for various applications, chelating agents, synthetic replacements for bone and teeth, phosphors, detergents, and fertilisers. As a consequence of its thermal and chemical properties, Barium Hydrogen Phosphate (BaHPO₄) plays an important role in catalytic chemistry, industrial paint manufacturing, and ink-related charge direction. Because hydrogen and hydrogen bonds significantly affect these properties, studying proton mechanisms such as proton diffusive motions and jumps is critical to developing a comprehensive understanding pf the compound, allowing further determination of potential applications. Here, we utilise incoherent Quasi-Elastic Neutron Scattering (QENS). QENS is a useful technique to determine diffusive motions in the 10^-12 to 10^-9 second time range at length scales from 3Å to 60Å, which apply to hydrogen ion diffusion and hydrogenous species. Protons have a substantial neutron cross section, which subsequently enchances the associated QENS signal, and permits studies for low-proton systems such as BaHPO₄. The QENS investigation was conducted using 7 discrete temperatures ranging from 293 to 572 Kelvin, while subsequent fitting and analysis revealed the diffusion coefficient as a function of temperature. Obtained results for BaHPO₄ were compared to Monetite (CaHPO₄). In addition to QENS, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) provided support by giving insight to the surface topography of the sample. Structural and topographic results were compared with similar studies of other relevant phosphates.

Circumbinary planets, those that orbit two stars, are a unique challenge for traditional ideas of planetary habitability. Due to orbital considerations and different stellar properties for the two host stars, these planets receive sunlight that continuously varies in time and as a function of wavelength. These changes could result in time-dependent changes to atmospheric composition and climate. Earlier theoretical studies of circumbinary planets indicate that there is likely a habitable zone where liquid water could exist on these planets, and that climate variations may not be extreme. However, these models did not take into account the effects of atmospheric photochemical reactions, which can alter planetary composition, including the abundance of greenhouse gases, and so also the climate as well. We have developed a new time-dependent coupled photochemical-climate model which allows for exploration of these effects. Here we describe the model, validate it against prior results, and present initial results on the impact of photochemistry in binary star systems.

Where does our thought come originated? Why and how do humans think? These are the fundamental questions about our being, our existence, yet we have not formulated a clear answer to them. The purpose of this literature review is to give a general audience a contemporary explanation about the science of consciousness, using the lens of biology, physics, and mathematics. Thanks to MRI technology, progress in neuroscience has allowed us to understand the structure and function of the brain. Neuroscientists have come up with empirical models to analyze brain cells. Neuroscientist Christof Koch and biologist Francis Crick’s research attempted to pinpoint the neuronal correlates of consciousness-the anatomical structures that give rise to our thoughts. On the other hand, the Integrated Information Theory (IIT) proposed by neuroscientist Giulio Tononi attempts to bridge experience with physical systems, postulating that degrees of consciousness vary in different physical systems. Through the lens of physics, the development of quantum theory has not only led scientists to explore the fundamental biophysics but also has allowed them to ask whether quantum behavior exists in the brain. While Penrose and Hameroff had an unprecedented discussion about the possible quantum phenomenon in the retina and the microtubule, the exact location of the quantum phenomenon is still under debate. Nevertheless, the hypothesis that quantum behavior exists in the brain is becoming better acknowledged. However, one of the most exciting debates is the computable property of consciousness. Through the lens of mathematics, my research will give a stronger overview of the hypothesis involved. 

Since the discovery of extrasolar planets (planets orbiting another star) in the early 1990’s, more than 4,000 exoplanets have been confirmed to exist by January 2020 according to the NASA Exoplanet Archive. We are searching for trends between exoplanets’ atmospheric compositions and their physical and orbital properties. To do so, we gather and analyze numerous publications of transmission spectroscopy data on the atmospheres of these planets. The focus parameter space of each search we conduct is expanded incrementally throughout the research process. This expansion requires remaking plots and reanalyzing data, which is a step that has the potential to be simplified. Another problem was needing to input data that would later be used for representation manually. This allowed for the possibility of errors in the data. We also were not able to easily represent all the aspects of the exoplanets we desired to in our graphs and plots, such as stellar type and atmospheric absorption of elements. In order to accomplish these tasks in a more effective and efficient way, the team is automating the data collection, expansion, and representation processes through developing computer programs that are used alongside database queries. This includes developing code that will reduce the amount of human interaction with the data aggregation and representation steps. We will present the improvements introduced with the SQL Server database to store our large data intake and query relationships between planetary properties. Python code is used in SQL Server Management Studio to visually represent these relationships in plots and graphs. This makes for a more efficient pipeline from information intake to representation, which can then be used for planetary analysis. These results will be included in the Habitable Zone Gallery, making it accessible for the community of researchers who wish to use the information as well.

Just as the Schrodinger equation is the pivotal theoretical tool for analyzing atomic systems, the application of light front dynamics to derive light front wave functions provides a powerful point of leverage for analyzing the structure of hadrons. The governing theory for hadronic systems (systems composed of quarks and gluons) is Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), and the expression of this theory in light front variables presents a mathematically-convenient format. In this project we construct a light front Hamiltonian for a 2-parton hadronic system and solve the resulting differential equation to derive a basis of light front wave functions (LFWFs) representing the corresponding bound states. We subsequently modify the Hamiltonian to include terms characterizing effects such as momentum transfer, and attempt to solve the resulting system non-perturbatively. The ultimate goal is to apply our LFWFs to analyze structures in problems important to nuclear physics, such as deep inelastic scattering.