Physics
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/141108
2024-03-28T14:58:48ZEvaluating an interactive undergraduate cosmology curriculum
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/214143
Evaluating an interactive undergraduate cosmology curriculum
White, Aaron David
Advances in cosmology over the last several decades have radically changed our
understanding of the Universe. These discoveries offer a unique opportunity to connect
and deeply engage students with authentic, rigorous scientific experiences and learning.
We examine a curriculum designed around this premise, the Big Ideas in Cosmology,
to assess its effectiveness in helping students understand core cosmological concepts, and
what influences it has on their attitudes toward science. Over two semesters, we field-tested
the curriculum in upper division, general education cosmology courses at a state
university in California [N ~ 80]. Pre- and post-instruction surveys (multiple-choice and
open-ended) were administered, aimed at examining student’s content understanding, and
how that understanding had shifted by the conclusion of the semester. Topics addressed
included the structure, composition, and evolution of the universe, particularly examining
students’ reasoning and their understanding of “how we know” the details in question. An
assessment of students’ attitudes and beliefs about physics (CLASS) was also
administered pre and post. We find after completing a course using these Big Idea
modules, students’ responses to questions about fundamental cosmology topics are more
correct and complete than at the beginning of the semester, especially in topics such as
dark matter and dark energy. We also find that students’ attitudes align more with experts
in the categories of problem solving sophistication and applied conceptual understanding
after using Big Ideas.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZA search and discovery of Ultra Compact Dwarf Galaxies
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/214116
A search and discovery of Ultra Compact Dwarf Galaxies
Lego, Russell George
A search for an uncommon class of compact stellar systems called Ultra Compact Dwarf
Galaxies was carried out. Using data in the visual wavelength band from the Sloan Digital
Sky Survey and in the infrared band from UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey, a small subset
of potential candidates to spectroscopically confirm was conceived. A proposal for one
night of study using the 4-meter Mayall Telescope was submitted and accepted. The
observation run was carried out under severe wind conditions that resulted in only enough
time for 2 targets to be observed. Spectra were extracted and redshifits were obtained for
both targets. The inferred distance associated with each target’s radial velocity confirmed
their small physical size as being part of the UCD class. In this paper I present the work
involved in the process from the conception of the idea to start the search to the observation
run and analysis thereafter.
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZReduction pipeline for robotic telescope observations of gravitational waves electromagnetic counterparts and other transients
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/214090
Reduction pipeline for robotic telescope observations of gravitational waves electromagnetic counterparts and other transients
Gokul dass, Priyadarshini
Gravitational waves (GW) are produced by the merger of two compact objects.
Observations and analysis of gravitational waves and their electromagnetic counterparts
produced in space will help in studying the compact objects and regions
of space where strong gravitational field are produced and General Relativity is at
play with an unprecedented level of detail. Thanks to the early detection of GW
by the LIGO/VIRGO experiments we now know that some of them are connected
with the Gamma-ray Bursts (GRB) class of fast astronomical transients. The goal
of this project is to create a reduction pipeline for processing the optical images
obtained using the RCT (Robotically-Controlled Telescope) at Kitt Peak and the
Virgin Island Robotic Telescope (VIRT) RCT and VIRT take images of the night
sky autonomously, responding quickly to the discovery of the GRBs (within few
minutes). Studying these images will provide a deeper understanding of GRBs and
correlation with the GW emitter. Based on the RCT data, a reduction pipeline
will be coded to get the final processed science image in real time. Calibration
and science images obtained from RCT/VIRT can be processed using the reduction
pipeline to get the median of bias and flat images and this processed flat image is
further normalized to get a detector response function. Finally, these data can be
used to get the final science processed image. The pipeline will be used to automatically
analyze the data without any human interaction on RCT/VIRT and will
allow immediate data analysis within a few minutes of the GW/GRB discovery,
enabling further and more detailed observations from other facilities (e.g. optical
spectroscopy, deeper optical/NIR imaging).
2019-01-01T00:00:00ZCommissioning a spectrograph for the Leuschner 30-inch telescope
http://hdl.handle.net/10211.3/214084
Commissioning a spectrograph for the Leuschner 30-inch telescope
Dijeau, Audrey Frances
This thesis details the commissioning of the Shelyak Instruments Littrow High Resolution
Spectrograph (LHIRES III) for use on the Leuschner 30-inch telescope in
Lafayette, California. The commissioning of this new instrument included the installation
of a Starlight Xpress “Ultrastar” imaging and guiding camera, and an
SBIG ST-8300 CCD Camera on the unit. Installation of the device was completed
in May 2019, and the commissioning of the device was completed in June 2019. Additionally,
this thesis contains a guide and demonstration of how to use the device
and how to reduce spectra using IRA.F.
2019-01-01T00:00:00Z