[MAAPT] Spring 2005 meeting program
Leon Hsu
lhsu at umn.edu
Mon Apr 25 18:33:11 CDT 2005
The program for the MAAPT Spring 2005 meeting is below. Driving
directions and lodging information are also included. See also
http://www.maapt.org/programs/MAAPT_Program05Spring.html and
http://www.maapt.org/programs/MAAPT_Program0Spring.rtf
for better formatted copies. Hope to see you at the meeting this
Saturday!
Leon
MAAPT SPRING Meeting 2005
APRIL 30, BETHEL UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL
This MAAPT meeting will be held in room AC246 of the Academic Center
(AC), Bethel University, St. Paul, Minnesota. A campus map, driving
directions to Bethel University, and a list of local hotels can be
found at http://www.bethel.edu/special-events/campus_map.htm.
The Academic Center is building #2 on the campus map. Attendees should
park in the West Parking Lot (#6 on the map), enter the Community Life
Center (building #1) and go up the main stairway into the adjoining
Academic Center building. Signs will be posted inside the buildings.
The regular lunch will be $5 per person, but is limited to the first 24
people to buy tickets from Steven Ratliff at the meeting. The Bethel
physics department has kindly picked up half the cost to keep the price
down for meeting attendees. There is a grill and sandwich shop and
Caribou Coffee next door so if necessary, one could buy lunch there and
bring it into the room where the lunch and business meeting will be
held.
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MAAPT PROGRAM
7:30 – 8:00 Coffee and Registration
8:00 – 8:20 Modeling movement of electric charges within dielectric
materials
Erik Dahlman and Brian Beecken, Bethel University
8:20 – 8:40 Optimization of the genetic algorithm for ultrafast pulse
shaping
Anastasiya S. Vershenya, Hamline University
8:40 – 9:00 Sonoluminescence studies at Hamline University
Christopher Visker, Hamline University
9:00 – 9:20 Implementation, Analysis, and Assessment of On-Line
Teaching Evaluations
Jerry L. Artz, Andrew R. Rundquist, Hamline University.
9:20 – 9:40 Modern Physics at Hamline University
Andy Rundquist, Hamline University
9:40 – 10:00 A new twist in the double slit experiment and Rayleigh
Criterion on
resolution
R. C. Misra, Warren Menough, and Mukti Aryal, Minnesota State
University, Mankato
10:00 – 10:30 Coffee Break and poster session
Variations in the Correlation Coefficients of SiO Masers
Amanda Hyde and Gordon McIntosh, University of Minnesota, Morris
Using Autocorrelation Functions to Examine the Pumping of Silicon
Monoxide Masers
Bill Cox and Gordon McIntosh, University of Minnesota, Morris
10:30 – 10:50 CCD Photometry of the Open Cluster NGC 7789*
Jessica L. Windschitl, Saint Mary's University
10:50 – 11:10 Introductory physics through inquiry-based labs
Brian Batell and Bradley McCoy, University of Minnesota, Twin
Cities
11:10 – 11:30 Applications of Radial Distribution Functions to
Biological Systems
Josh Jacobson and Brendan Johnston, Gustavus Adolphus College
11:30 – 11:50 Is more really better? The connection between student
success in
introductory physics and the number of demonstrations.
Brian Andersson, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
11:50 – 12:10 Using AC Magnetic Susceptometry to Probe Exchange
Anisotropy in
Antiferromagnetic/Ferromagnetic Bilayers
Richard A. Thomas, David Caven, and E. Dan Dahlberg, University of
Minnesota
12:10 – 12:20 Update on the Minnesota Planetarium
Parke Kunkle, President, Minnesota Planetarium Society
12:20 – 1:30 Lunch and Business Meeting
MAAPT PROGRAM ABSTRACTS
SPRING Meeting 2005
APRIL 30, BETHEL UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL
Modeling movement of electric charges within dielectric materials
Erik Dahlman and Brian Beecken, Bethel University
An algorithm modeling the motion of electrons and holes within
dielectric materials under bombardment by high-energy electrons has
been developed. The three-step cyclical algorithm calculates the number
densities of both electrons and holes, then the electric field and
finally the current density at incremental positions within the
dielectric. The algorithm is relevant to spacecraft discharging because
it utilizes two earlier algorithms to create a dosage profile for
energy deposited by incident electrons.
Optimization of the genetic algorithm for ultrafast pulse shaping
Anastasiya S. Vershenya, Hamline University
Sponsored by Andy Rundquist
The idea of the genetic algorithm, which models natural selection, has
never been customized for the study of ultrafast pulse shaping. Through
application of the algorithm to ultrafast pulses, we will maximize
signal levels for a simple case of nonlinear optimization. By
increasing the ratio of blue to red light through algorithm controlled
voltage variations, we can converge to the shortest possible pulse and
derive best input parameters and methods of evaluation in ultrafast
context.
Sonoluminescence studies at Hamline University
Christopher Visker, Hamline University
Sponsored by Andy Rundquist
Sonoluminescence (SL) is a phenomenon in which short light pulses are
produced by acoustically trapping an air bubble in a liquid filled
resonance chamber. Sonic pressure places a large force on the bubble,
causing it to collapse on itself. The bubble then expands and contracts
in a time scale measured in picoseconds. As the bubble contracts, it
begins to emit photons. This phenomenon can be inexpensively produced
in any modern physics laboratory with standard equipment.
Implementation, Analysis, and Assessment of On-Line Teaching Evaluations
Jerry L. Artz, Andrew R. Rundquist, Hamline University.
This two-year project involved the introduction of a new, on-line
teaching evaluation that enables students to anonymously assess their
teachers and courses via computer. A pilot program, during fall 2003,
involved 14 faculty volunteers. Resulting in moderate to strong
success, the pilot program was then extended to include the entire
College of Liberal Arts of Hamline University during the spring and
fall of 2004. The evaluation instrument, student compliance, analysis
of data, and assessment will be discussed.
Modern Physics at Hamline University
Andy Rundquist, Hamline University
Restricted by resources from actually performing the "standard labs"
(like Millikan, Compton etc.) in our modern physics course, we require
a major report on one of the labs where the student must present the
software required for both collecting and analyzing data. We provide
the "data" to be analyzed. A major benefit is that students are spared
the pitfalls of actual data collection and can focus on data analysis,
something often incomplete in other projects.
A new twist in the double slit experiment and Rayleigh Criterion on
resolution
R. C. Misra, Warren Menough, and Mukti Aryal, Minnesota State
University, Mankato
We have studied the Rayleigh Criterion for the resolution of two
neighboring objects. Its 81% requirement on combined intensity is
translated to a center-to-center separation of 1.9s, where s is the
standard deviation of the “just” resolved Gaussians. To realize this
with a “variable” double slit on an optical bench, we attempted to
change d, center-to-center separation of the two slits, to obtain
“only” the equivalent single-slit diffraction. Results will be
presented.
CCD Photometry of the Open Cluster NGC 7789*
Jessica L. Windschitl, Saint Mary's University
Sponsored by Paul J. Nienaber
The rich and relatively nearby open cluster NGC 7789 has been chosen as
a potential standard (or fundamental) cluster. This presentation
details some broad-band photometry measurements of the cluster to
determine its fundamental parameters. Observations were made during
2004 June using the WIYN 0.9 m telescope. Reddening and metallicity
were determined from color-color diagrams. The distance modulus and
age were derived by applying the Yale-Yonsei isochrones.
*Part of the greater WIYN Open Cluster Study (WOCS), a collaboration
between the University of Wisconsin, Indiana University, Yale
University, and the National Optical Astronomical Observatory (NOAO),
and supported by NSF Grant AST-1039617 (REU).
Introductory physics through inquiry-based labs
Brian Batell and Bradley McCoy, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Typical introductory physics labs require students to follow a set of
instructions. We present an alternative method we have developed for
Honors students at the University of Minnesota. Students design all
aspects of their experiments from concept to conclusion. We will
discuss the benefits and limitations of these inquiry-based labs.
Applications of Radial Distribution Functions to Biological Systems
Josh Jacobson and Brendan Johnston, Gustavus Adolphus College
Sponsored by Paul Sauliner
Aggregations of Brine shrimp and Ostracods were analyzed to determine
the Radial Distribution Function of each species. Based on these Radial
Distribution Functions, the behavior of each species was analyzed
quantitatively allowing conclusions to be drawn about the behavior of
the individuals comprising the aggregation of each species.
Is more really better? The connection between student success in
introductory physics and the number of demonstrations.
Brian Andersson, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
Students often comment that they find lecture demonstrations
interesting. But, do these "interesting" demonstrations help students
understand physics, or are they just something cool to see? Using
readily available data, can we determine any connection linking the
number of lecture demonstrations used to student success? In this
talk, I will discuss my search for relationships between different
measures of student understanding and the use of standard lecture
demonstrations in large introductory physics classes.
Using AC Magnetic Susceptometry to Probe Exchange Anisotropy in
Antiferromagnetic/Ferromagnetic Bilayers
Richard A. Thomas, David Caven, and E. Dan Dahlberg, University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities
The direct exchange coupling between ferromagnetic and
antiferromagnetic layers can pin the ferromagnetic layer magnetization
in a certain direction; the most common manifestation of this effect,
known as exchange anisotropy, is a shift in the hysteresis loop. In
order to further explore this technologically important phenomenon, we
used AC susceptibility measurements to probe the strength of the
interactions between these layers and developed a simple model to
explain the results.
Update on the Minnesota Planetarium
Parke Kunkle, President, Minnesota Planetarium Society
The city of Minneapolis has now been granted bonding money for the new
Minnesota Planetarium. Where will it be located, what will it look
like, and what are the next steps?
Posters:
Variations in the Correlation Coefficients of SiO Masers
Amanda Hyde and Gordon McIntosh, University of Minnesota, Morris
Correlation coefficients of maser spectra can be used to determine
properties of the source. Over the past four years, the silicon
monoxide masers of Mira (v=1; J=1-0) and R Cassiopeia (v=1; J=1-0 and
v=2; J=1-0) have been monitored remotely via the Haystack Radio
Telescope in Westford, MA. The observations did not agree with the
expectations. The graphs show a complicated pattern indicating
possible periodicities and longer correlation times than expected.
Using Autocorrelation Functions to Examine the Pumping of Silicon
Monoxide Masers
Bill Cox and Gordon McIntosh, University of Minnesota, Morris
A current theory suggests that the predominant mechanism pumping
stellar silicon monoxide masers is periodic shocks through the region
in which the masers originate. To examine this theory, we have
measured the widths of maser features in spectra taken from the long
period variable stars Mira and R Cassiopeia. The width of a maser
feature is affected by the velocity field present in the originating
region, so the passage of the stellar shocks may be apparent due to a
disruption of the velocity field and a discontinuity in the maser
widths. In our spectra, the maser features are blended making it
impossible to determine the width of an individual feature. Instead,
an autocorrelation function is generated from each spectrum. An
autocorrelation function measures the correlation between points a
given width apart in the spectrum. Thus, the autocorrelation function
can be used to characterize the widths of all features in the spectrum.
Our data provide no evidence that would support the theory that
stellar shocks are the predominant pumping mechanism.
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