Physics and Astronomy

Katherine Ballentine and Gregory Bee

Heat Loss in Strong Hall

Heat loss from Strong Hall is examined using data from an infrared thermometer taken under a variety of weather conditions. For example, we estimate the losses through the single pane windows of Strong Hall and through the double-pane windows of more modern buildings elsewhere on campus. The insulating properties of the two types of windows are compared. Our results are used to formulate recommendations for the possible renovation of Strong Hall.

Session A - 8:30 a.m. - Room 320.

Gregory Bee

Effects of Solar Wind Direction on Substorm Auroral Signatures

Solar activity drives a series of events and processes known as space weather. Solar wind is a steadily streaming outflow of material from the sun, which consists of ionized hydrogen and helium. Solar wind has the capacity to disrupt communication satellites along with many other negative impacts. Substorms are the most frequently occurring space weather activities. I identified the substorm events, determined their locations by checking their auroral signature and comparing the locations with the orientation of the incoming solar wind to study the effects of solar wind directions on substorms. This helps us better understand space weather, as well as model it appropriately.

Session B - 11 a.m. - Room 320.

Ira Sanborn

EMU's Radio Telescope -- Celestial Observations from Sherzer Hall

Radio telescopes are valuable in urban settings where the night sky is obscured by light pollution. A radio telescope is being built atop Sherzer Hall to replace the one damaged in a 1998 storm. A single telescope provides low to moderate resolution of celestial objects. However, when interferometrically paired with other radio telescopes, higher resolutions are achieved. We will discuss plans to link our telescope with those at local high schools and the necessary calculations required.

Session B - 11 a.m. - Room 352.

Patrick M. Spoutz

The Effects of Coronal Mass Ejections on Technology

Massive bursts of material ejected from the sun can cause a number of deleterious effects if and when they encounter the earth in their path. The National Space Weather Program is a multi-agency initiative to develop a system capable of formulating and disseminating reliable forecasts of solar events that may cause disruption or damage to vital commercial and defense assets. We will review the progress made toward a space weather forecast service and analyze the challenges that remain to be overcome.

Session C - 12:30 p.m. - Room 330.

Justin Charles Frahm

Sunspot Numbers and Their Relationship to Solar Extrema

Our sun goes through an 11-year cycle of visible sunspots in the photosphere, the visible "surface" of the sun. As the solar cycle progresses, the number of sunspots increases while their locations shift from higher to lower latitudes. Through sunspot counts and mapping, and by looking at historical trends, I will show the relationship between the sunspot number and other solar events, including surges, flares, loops and other solar extrema.

Group 2 - 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.- Room 310A/B .

Seo J. Oh

Energy and Momentum Conservation in a Surprising Collision Experiment

When a steel ball collides with a row of other steel balls that are touching one another, the ball at the end of the row is ejected with almost the same speed as the incident ball. However, when the first steel ball in the row is replaced with a magnetic ball, the ejected ball moves significantly faster than the incident ball. The laws of energy and momentum conservation are applied to analyze this surprising experiment.

Group 1 - 8:30 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. - Room 310A/B .

David Sitar

The San Petronio Meridian Line: Discovering the Length of the Year

Although many cultures had a notion of how long the year was, it was difficult to obtain an accurate value. Today most people take the length of the year for granted, without realizing how difficult it was to calculate. Great scientists and mathematicians wrestled with this problem for centuries. I will present the mathematics and historical context of the construction of the San Petronio meridian line that was used to get the first precise measurement of the year.

Group 2 - 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.- Room 310A/B .