To: Physics and Astronomy students (sophomores, juniors, and seniors)
Date: September 9, 2009
From: Joel Weisberg
Re: Ideas for Special Projects (Physics or Astronomy 356) and Independent Studies (Physics or Astronomy 291 or 391).

Fall term is a good time to engage in research projects, and it’s not too early to start them sophomore year. We highly recommend that you do one, as do most students who have tried them. If you take one, you will learn something about actually doing Physics and Astronomy research, which will help guide you in decisions about “life after Carleton.” To lure you, we list numerous suitable projects below. The descriptions here are very brief; talk to us to us to explore more fully those projects that interest you and to be sure that we have not already promised a particular project to someone else.

Please note that these are offered only on S/Cr/NC basis since it is very difficult to assign grades to independent and cooperative projects. Special projects are for 2 to 3 credits and you will need to complete a special project form that will get deposited with the registrar. Independent studies can be 1 to 6 credits, and again you need to complete a special form. You can pick up a copy from Mary Drew, Olin 331 or get one online under the Physics and Astronomy Department web page >> Student Resources >>Forms.

Nelson Christensen

Special Projects in Physics

I am looking for new students (frosh, sophomore or junior) to conduct research on gravitational radiation detection. This is in association with the Laser Interferometric Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). The goal would be to start research work now, and possibly continue through the summer of 2010. A summer stipend would be available for the summer work. Research during the year could be done for academic credit. Trips to the LIGO observatories are a possibility. Stop by and talk to Nelson about both of these projects.

1. Applying advanced numerical statistical and data analysis techniques for extracting gravity wave signals from coalescing compact (neutron stars or black holes) objects. We will be analyzing LIGO data and looking for these events. Programming experience is desired. We can learn the general relativity and statistics as we go.

2. Analyzing LIGO data and signals from environmental monitors (seismometers, magnetic field monitors, microphones, etc) in order to identify sources of noise in the detector. We will try to distinguish what could be real events, and what could be glitches or noise.

3. Carleton is participating in an effort to study the suitability of building a gravitational wave detector 1 to 2 km underground. We will study the geological and environmental data from the Deep Underground Science and Engineering Lab, in Homestake, South Dakota. The goal will be to determine the suitability of this location for a new generation of detectors. Trips to South Dakota may occur in the summer in order to acquire data.

Melissa Eblen-Zayas

Special Project in Physics

I have several ongoing research projects that involve experimental work related to the growth and characterization of a variety of fascinating materials. Anyone, including first-year students, is welcome to talk with me about getting involved. No previous experience is needed; the only pre-requisites are curiosity, enthusiasm for doing hands-on work, and patience for the unexpected. Here are the projects currently underway in my lab:

• Exploring colossal magnetoresistive (CMR) materials. These correlated electron materials exhibit a variety of interesting electronic and magnetic properties, including a huge resistance change in response to applied magnetic fields. We’ll be exploring the relationship between the composition of the materials and the CMR response.
• Sputtering thin films. A couple of years ago, two students working with me built a high vacuum sputtering system for growth of thin films. Some calibration of growth parameters remains to be done, and then we can try to grow a variety of samples, ranging from metallic films for contacts to more complex magnetic multilayer samples.
• Metallic flux growth. This versatile growth technique can be used to produce beautiful single crystals of materials ranging from semiconductors to exotic intermetallic compounds, which we can then characterize.

Additionally, I’m looking for someone who is interested in a short term project, or who has teaching interests, to help me develop and test a new lab for Physics 151 that will explore the breakdown of classical physics in describing beta particles moving at relativistic speeds.

Dwight Luhman

Special Project in Physics

I am in the process of setting up a laboratory for low temperature physics at Carleton with the ultimate goal of studying the unusual properties of liquid helium at temperatures near 1 Kelvin. In my experiments I study the properties of very thin films of liquid helium—approximately a nanometer in thickness—in disordered environments.

I am looking for students with an enthusiasm for hands-on experimental physics. In general no prior coursework is required, but for Project #1 some knowledge of electronics is required. A possibility exists for continuing the work through the summer of 2010.

Project #1: In order to study the properties of thin liquid helium films, I measure the frequency of very sensitive detectors. In this project I am looking for someone to design and build circuitry to “lock-in” on the high frequency signal originating from the detector. The circuit will need to be stable to at least 1 part in 10⁷ and also track changes in the frequency.

Project #2: To create a disordered environment for thin helium films, I need a surface with roughness features on the nanometer scale. Thermally deposited calcium fluoride provides such a surface. This project involves setting up and calibrating a thermal deposition system for calcium fluoride. After the deposition system is calibrated, we will create and characterize various calcium fluoride surfaces in an effort to further understand their growth properties. We will use a technique called atomic force microscopy (AFM) to image the surfaces. AFM uses a very small cantilever tip to measure surface features at the nanometer scale. Statistical methods will be used to analyze the images.

Liz McDowell

Special Project in Physics

My research in biophysics applies the tools of physics to biological questions. In particular, I am interested in how the physical structure and motion of RNA molecules leads to their functions in the cell. “Riboswitches” are sequences of RNA that control gene expression in response to binding small molecules. I am working with colleagues at the University of Michigan to characterize the structure-function relationship of the PreQ₁ riboswitch. Students who are familiar with basic biology and/or biochemistry would be ideal collaborators on this project.

Two aspects of this research project that would benefit from student research are:

1. Using modeling, bioinformatics, and simulation software to predict the structure and dynamics of the PreQ₁ riboswitch, and

2. Designing and preparing PreQ₁ riboswitch molecules to experimentally test structure and dynamics using single-molecule fluorescence.

The second aspect of the project could involve travel to Ann Arbor to use a state-of-the-art single-molecule microscope at the University of Michigan. Please let me know if you would like more details or are interested in working on either aspect of this project.

Arjendu Pattanayak

Special Project in Physics

I have several research projects ongoing, trying to understand the broad behavior of quantum nonlinear systems, and exploring in particular issues such as decoherence, and the difference between quantum and classical systems. The work is both analytical and computational, and I could get students going with few assumptions about their background. I prefer working with juniors (or seniors) but several first-year and sophomore students contributed significantly as well. I do like a long-term commitment -- for at least 2 terms. There will be summer research positions available as well. Some of my research is conducted with off-campus colleagues (Brazil, Canada, and Germany for example) and collaborative visits are a strong possibility, as well as travel to conferences at the appropriate time. More information is on my research web page at http://www.people.carleton.edu/~apattana/Research

Bill Titus

Special Project in Physics

Project 1. For the past several years, I’ve been working on a research project that attempts to create a probabilistic, theoretical framework to determine physical properties of a gravitational anomaly embedded in the earth by analyzing data determined from measurements of the combined gravitational field of the earth and the anomaly. This theoretical work has primarily been in two dimensions and I would like to start to extend the analysis to three dimensions. I’m looking for a student with well-developed analytical skills and an interest in computational work. This is a two-term commitment that could evolve into a summer internship. The project would begin winter term and is open to all students in any discipline who have taken introductory physics as well as Math 211. Some background in geology would be a plus.

Project 2. This project involves studying quantum mechanical scattering from an inverted, quadratic potential well, both from classical and relativistic standpoints. This is a one or two-term commitment and is open to all students who have taken Physics 336 (Quantum Mechanics I).

Joel Weisberg

Special Project in Astrophysics

Pulsar Research at Carleton

Pulsars are rapidly spinning (up to 700 times per second!) neutron stars that are born in supernovas. My students, colleagues, and I use the giant radiotelecopes in Arecibo, PR, Green Bank, WV, and Parkes, Australia for a variety of pulsar projects. This year’s new students will spend the school year and hopefully the summer studying pulsars primarily at Carleton, with the possibility of a trip to the giant Arecibo radiotelescope. You would join Emily Petroff ’12 and Joe Swiggum ’10, who worked with me last year on similar projects, including a month in Australia. We are studying the properties of pulsars in an effort to understand the underlying emission mechanism; measuring the density, turbulence, and magnetization of the interstellar medium by watching its effects on pulsar signals; and studying Einstein's General Theory of Relativity by carefully observing the orbit and pulseshape of a binary pulsar. The projects involve the use of unix, fortran, IDL, and C programs to plan the observations and to analyze the data we collect on these objects. For this year’s students, I request a full calendar year minimum commitment (including summer research at Carleton); preferably longer. Astrophysics I or II is a suggested prerequisite but we can be flexible. We would start fall term by studying pulsars in general and learning the various software; then slowly ramping up through the year to more and more sophisticated analyses of pulsar data and the possible trip to Arecibo observatory. Expressions of interest should be sent soon. Sorry, but seniors are not eligible due to the summer 2009 component of the project.

John Weiss

Special Project in Astrophysics