TITLE: Optical/x-ray survey for quasars
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Jack Baldwin
We seek an REU summer student to assist in the analysis
of optical-passband images
of fields that are also being observed with the Chandra X-ray satellite.
The immediate aim
is to identify a new, complete sample of quasars and active galactic
nuclei, selected on the
basis of their strong x-ray emission. This is expected to include many
highly reddened objects
that have been left out of previous surveys. The optical data are being
taken with the NOAO
4m telescopes and will enable us to find x-ray/optical flux ratios
and to determine the optical
morphology of the candidate objects. The long-term goal (beyond the
scope of the present project)
is to use quasars to study the early evolution of galaxies. The REU
student would learn how to us
the IRAF data analysis system to reduce data that already have been
taken with the NOAO
Mosaic imagers, and would get an overview of the current status of
studies of quasars and
active galactic nuclei.
TITLE: Dynamics of Stars in the Milky Way Galaxy
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Tim Beers
The REU student would be working with Timothy Beers
on a project involving the study
of orbital properties for a large sample of non-kinematically selected
stars of the halo and
thick-disk populations. A recent compilation of data from the literature
has produced a sample
of N~1200 stars with full space motions, and this summer they will
add another 2000-3000 stars
with similar data from the HK survey of Beers and colleagues.
The completed sample of N~4000
stars will be used for extensive studies of numerous kinematic properties
which shed light on the
formation and evolution of the Milky Way, and other large spirals like
it.
TITLE: Extragalactic Objects with Power-Law Colors in the MSU-WIRO
Survey
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Ed Loh
About 5% of the objects in the MSU-Wyoming
survey have power-law colors. As yet these
objects have no explanation. These objects may be a type of non-stellar
emission from the centers
of galaxies. These may be the blend of two galaxies at different redshifts.
The project is to analyze
the Hubble Deep Field discover whether such objects are seen in that
much deeper sample.
NUCLEAR PHYSICS
TITLE: Borromean Nuclei
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Vladimir Zelevinsky and Dr. Alexander Volya
"Borromean" is the class of quantum systems with
the following interesting property.
The system consists of few subsystems. There is an attraction
between any two subsystems but
not sufficiently strong in order to bind them. However the system as
a whole is bound. A perturbation
removing the coupling of any subsystem with the rest immediately
breakes the entire system. The
system exists only as a result of collective interaction. The rare
isotope of lithium-11 (3 protons
+ 8 neutrons) considered as a three-body system (a core of lithium-9
bound with two extra
neutrons) is perhaps the best studied example of Borromean nuclei;
another object of this type
is the less studied system ``proton + neutron + Lambda-hyperon". Since
the attraction between the
two neutrons in lithium-11 is a necessary element of the total
binding, it is expected that the neutrons
are to be correlated. One can hope to observe such correlations
in reactions breaking the nucleus.
We suggest to study possible neutron-neutron correlations in
coordinates and momentum by analyzing
the wave function of the Borromean system. Some knowledge of quantum
mechanics is desirable.
Necessary computing skills hopefully will be acquired in the process
of work.
TITLE: Sweeper Magnet Focal Plane Detector
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Michael Thoennessen
Currently a state of the art focal plane detector
is being deveveloped instrument the new
four-tesla sweeper magnet at the NSCL. This detector will consist
of two Cathode-
Readout-Drift Chambers (CRDC's,) for particle tracking, a multi-sampling
Frisch Grided
ionization counter for energy loss measurements, and two plastic scintillation
detectors
for energy determination. We invite a highly motivated student to participate
in all
aspects of this project. Responsibilities would include programming,
subsystems design,
construction, component integration and testing. No previous experience
is necessary, only the
desire to learn and to be an active participant in this detector's
development.
TITLE: Germanium Detectors for Nuclear Structure Studies
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Thomas Glasmacher
We use liquid-nitrogen cooled high-purity Germanium
detectors to detect photons emitted from
nuclei in order to study the structure of exotic nuclei. In the
last two years we have assembled an
array of 32-fold segmented germanium detector, which allows in addition
to measuring the photons'
energies the reconstruction of their interaction-points in the germanium
crystal. We invite a student
to participate in tests of this new photon spectrometer at the NSCL
and in a first experiment at Argonne
National Laboratory. Working knowledge of C is required and familiarity
with a UNIX scripting
language (such as Tcl/Tk) is desired.
TITLE: Search for the Quark Gluon Plasma
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Gary Westfall
A few microseconds after the Big Bang, the universe
existed as a plasma of deconfined quarks and
gluons (quark gluon plasma, QGP). The Relativistic Heavy Ion
Collider (RHIC) has produced colliding
beams of gold nuclei that can recreate the early universe (on a small
scale, of course). The Solenoidal
Tracker at RHIC (STAR) is a detector that can study these collisions
in detail and extract information
about the QGP. We are focusing on observables such the balance function
that can be elated directly to
this unique form of matter. We will use data from last summer's
first run of STAR to address the issue of
the observation of the QGP.
TITLE: Development of a high-resolution detector array (HiRA)
for the use of nuclear science studies.
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Betty Tsang
Research Objective: The goal of the project is the
development of a detection array, which
will be used in research in the upcoming Coupled-Cyclotron Facility
at the National
Superconducting Cyclotron laboratory. Funding of the project ($509,000)
has been
provided by the National Science Foundation and Michigan State University.
The array will
be used in various experiments to study the nature of nuclear collisions
with rare and stable
nuclides. Some of the planned experiments aim to provide further understanding
to the origin
of elements as well as the nature of astronomical objects such as the
neutron stars.
(e.g. See and experimental proposal at http://www.nscl.msu.edu/%7Eminiball/proposal_bnew.pdf)
Research Methodology: The project can be subdivided
into many smaller units suitable
for undergraduate students to participate. For example, one aspect
of the project involves
testing various components of the detection array. In particular, the
properties of the scintillation
crystals, a major component of the detection array, which detect and
identify charged particles
(debris from the nuclear collisions) will be studied systematically.
Tests will be designed, analysis
will be done, and assessments of further needed studies will be made.
In the past, such study
with REU students have led to publication in nuclear physics journals.
[Nuclear Instrument and Methods, A456 (2001) 290]
http://www.elsevier.nl/gej-ng/10/33/34/97/24/35/article.pdf
Prototype poster: http://www.nscl.msu.edu/~miniball/poster/poster.htm
TITLE: Development of a cryogenic solid hydrogen target for studies
of nuclei far
from stability relevant to astrophysical processes
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Bill Lynch
Research Objective -- The goal of the project is
the development of a frozen hydrogen target
which will be used in research in the upcoming Coupled-Cyclotron Facility
at the National
Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory. The target will be used
in various experiments to
study the properties of very unstable nuclei that are believed to be
created in explosive
environments on the surface of binary neutron stars.
Research Methodology -- The cryogenic hydrogen
target will be completed and tested.
The target is essentially a wedge of frozen hydrogen at around -260
C. Of major importance
for experiments is a good understanding of the uniformity of the target.
This is one of the areas
where an undergraduate student can play a major role. We will be setting
up and performing
tests of the position sensitivity of the density of hydrogen in the
cell using radioactive sources
and particle detectors. This will be a very dynamic project where
there will be potential for new
design work, as test results are analyzed. After the completion of
the target, capable students are
often invited to participate in the experiment.
A slide show can be found at : http:://www.nscl.msu.edu/~tsang/DNP2000Target/frame1.htm
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
TITLE: Seeing is Believing: Mapping-Out Surfaces with
Scanning Probe Microscopy
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Stuart Tessmer
Nearly twenty years ago, physicists at IBM invented
the first scanning probe microscope
(SPM) -- ushering in a new era for the study of surfaces. By
monitoring the electrical or mechanical
interactions between the surface of a material and a sharp tip,
SPM's can produce amazing pictures.
For example, it is possible to directly "see" the individual atoms
that make up the material. In addition,
these microscopes can be used as local probes of the electronic properties
with incredible sensitivity.
We use SPM's to probe the physics of electronic interactions in semiconductors
and superconductors.
During the summer, we will refine and test a sample preparation apparatus.
Working with this system
to prepare electrical contacts, and then testing the quality of these
contacts would make a well-defined
(and hopefully enjoyable) REU project.
TITLE: Mesoscopic Physics
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Norman Birge
Mesoscopic physics is the study of samples with
dimensions of order one micrometer or less.
How do we make such samples, and why are they interesting? They
are interesting because electrons
in metals maintain their quantum-mechanical phase coherence over a
distance of a few micrometers at
low temperature. This leads to all sorts of interesting experimental
observations in sub-micrometer
samples, whether they are normal metals, superconductors, or ferromagnets.
We make the samples
in our clean room (the Keck Microfabrication Facility) using electron-beam
lithography and other
processing techniques. This summer an REU student could help
us incorporate oxidation as a
processing step in our thermal evaporator. Then we can make tunnel
junctions, which have all sorts
of uses in electronic devices. If we get that far, the student
will also learn microfabrication techniques
as well as how to make electrical measurements of very small structures.
TITLE: THREE PROJECTS IN COMPUTATIONAL MATERIALS SCIENCE
SUPERVISOR: Prof. P.M. Duxbury
I. CRITICAL CURRENT IN SUPERCONDUCTORS. The critical current
in high temperature
superconductors is limited by their grain boundaries, which act as
weak links. In this project an
REU student will work with two graduate students and I to analyse a
computational model for the
crtitical current of polycrystalline high temperature superconductors.
The REU student will use our
existing codes to calculate results as a function of the grain
topology and grain boundary critical
currents.
II. MODELING OF DISCHARGE THROUGH CERAMICS .
Polycrystalline ceramics such as Zinc Oxide are used as varistors in
a variety of high power
applications. The non-linear behavior of these materials is controlled
by their grain boundaries.
An REU student will work with a graduate student and I, and will use
existing codes to study
the onset of discharge as a function of the grain morphology and grain
boundary properties.
III. DIFFUSION THROUGH NANOCOMPOSITES.
Atomic sized discs inhibit the diffusion of molecules, such as oxygen
and water, through
polymer membranes. This is important in a wide variety of applications
from packaging to paint.
In this study an REU student will use existing codes to analyse the
effect of a variety of disc
morphologies on diffusion through membranes. The student will work
with a postdoc and I.
TITLE: Fluctuations in quantum and classical systems
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Mark Dykman
Fluctuations are at the root of many physical
phenomena, from diffusion in crystals to
protein folding, nucleation in phase transitions, chemical reactions,
and just emission of light.
In all these phenomena it would be advantageous to control the fluctuation
probability by
applying an external force. The problem of fluctuations in driven systems
has therefore attracted
much attention in diverse contexts, a recent application being stochastic
resonance. The possibility
of controlling fluctuations relies on understanding the dynamics of
a system during fluctuations.
Counterintuitively, this dynamics is quite regular, although fluctuations
happen at random. We
propose a theoretical project on investigating the dynamics of quantum
and classical fluctuations
It will involve both an analytical approach and simulations of quantum
and classical random
processes on the computer.
ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS
TITLE: Evolution of parton distribution functions
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Dan Stump and Wu-Ki Tung
Partons are the internal parts of the proton and
neutron -- quarks and gluons. In this project we
will study the internal structure of the nucleon, and how it changes
(evolves) as a function of the
momentum transfer of the probe. Also, we are using new data to fit
the parton distributions, and
a student can help to study the agreement between theory and experimental
results.
TITLE: Physics with the ATLAS Detector at the LHC
SUPERVISOR: Prof. Joey Huston
Calorimeter modules for the ATLAS experiment at
the Large Hadron Collider will be instrumented
and tested prior to being shipped to CERN. The physics environment
at the LHC will be explored
and various algorithms for the reconstruction of jets will be investigated
using the Pythia and Herwig
Monte Carlo programs and an ATLAS detector simulation program.
CHEMICAL PHYSICS
TITLE: Biological and Materials Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
SUPERVISOR: Prof. David Weliky (Department of Chemistry)
A large part of our research program focuses on
the development and application of solid
state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to biological questions.
This exciting
new application of solid state NMR involves a wide variety of NMR techniques
as well as
chemical and biochemical synthesis and sample preparation. Our main
project is studies of
peptide-induced membrane fusion with an ultimate goal of understanding
viral/host cell membrane
fusion. We also have a separate area of research in high temperature
NMR of novel selenophosphate
materials. In this area, our goal is to use NMR to elucidate high-temperature
reaction mechanisms.
This is a particularly exciting time in our laboratory because of the
recent acquisition of two new
solid state NMR spectrometers.