Volume 11, Number 3, July-August 2003

General News

On Saturday, June 21, 2003, the NASA CONNECT program, "Data Analysis and Measurement: Having a Solar Blast!," received a regional Emmy award in the Children/Youth Program category. 

In the program students learn how NASA researchers study the Sun.  They learn how satellite technology plays a pivotal role in helping NASA researchers under-stand the Sun-Earth connection. Students learn about three current satellites that monitor the Sun: SOHO, ACE, and IMAGE.  They also receive  information about RHESSI, a satellite that studies solar flares.

Dr. Michelle Larson, formerly of the University of California at Berkeley, now Deputy Director of the Montana Space Grant Consortium, was featured in the program.

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Awards Honors and New Positions

On August 7^th, Dr. Michelle Larson returned to MSU Physics, beginning her new position as Deputy Director of the Montana Space Grant Consortium.

Dr. Yuri Stepanenko joined the group of Aleks Rebane as a postdoctoral fellow.

Loren Acton has been appointed to a one-year term on the Board of Directors of the Associated Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).  AURA manages the National Solar Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, and Gemini Observatories for NSF and the Space Telescope Science Institute for NASA.

The Council of the AAS has appointed Piet Martens Associate Editor of ApJ Letters from Jun. 1, 2003 to Dec. 31, 2006.

Jonathan Cirtain has been awarded a Fellowship from the NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program, offering full support for three academic years.

Jason Scott has been awarded an SPD Student Fellowship which funded their participation in the SPD meeting.

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Invited And Contributed Talks

"Geomagnetic Event Observation Network by Students - GEONS", Michelle B.  Larson, William A. Hiscock and Nahide Craig (UC Berkeley), AAPT meeting, Madison, WI, Aug. 2-6.

 "Antibody-antigen interactions and atomic force microscopy: Another approach to single  molecule detection", Recep Avci, 8th International Meeting on Hole Burning, Single Molecule, and Related Spectroscopies, Bozeman, Jul. 27-31.

 "Antibody-antigen interactions and atomic force microscopy: Application to collagen from extant and extinct avian samples", Recep Avci, 8th International Meeting on Hole Burning, Single Molecule, and Related Spectroscopies, Bozeman, Jul. 27-31.

 "Data Inversion for the Multi-Order Solar Extreme  Ultraviolet Spectrograph", Charles Kankelborg, SPIE 2003 conference, San Diego, CA.

 "SADE: the Starspot and Dynamo Explorer", Piet Martens, Space Research Organization of the Netherlands in Utrecht, June 13th.

 "The Role of Magnetic Reconnection in the Formation of Transequatorial Loops", Piet Martens, presented an invited review at the June AAS/SPD meeting.

 "Strong two-photon absorption in new porphyrins with asymmetrical meso-substitution", by  M. Drobizhev, A. Karotki, M. Kruk, F. Meng, E. Nickel,A. Rebane, C. W. Spangler, 2003 Annual Meeting of SPIE in San Diego, CA, Aug. 3 - 8.

"Cooperative enhancement of two- and three-photon absorption in dendrimers and their underlying coherent domain structure", M. Drobizhev, A. Karotki, Y. Dzenis, A. Rebane, Z. Suo, C. W. Spangler, was given by Z.Suo, 2003 Annual Meeting of SPIE in San Diego, CA, Aug. 3 - 8.

"Using MeV ion backscattering/channeling and MC simulations to characterize the composition and structure of buried metal-metal interfaces",  R. J. Smith, C. V. Ramana, B. -S Choi, A. A. Saleh, N. R. Shivaparan and V. Shutthanandan  Appl. Surf. Sci. 219 (2003) 28-39.

 “Thermal Stability of Thin Ti Films on Al Single Crystal Surfaces”,  C.V. Ramana, Bum Sik Choi, R.J. Smith, R. Hutchison, S. P. Stuk, Byoung Suk Park, Adli A. Saleh, Dong Ryul Jeon,  J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A21(4), 1326 (2003).

 "Neutron Star Thermal Evolutions", Sachiko Tsuruta, Neutron Star Workshop, Kyoto University, May.

 "Confronting Neutron Star Thermal Evolution Theories with New Observations", Sachiko Tsuruta, IAU Symposium 218, Sydney, Australia, Jul. 3.

 "Shock Models for Fe Lines from Some Active Galactic Nuclei", Sachiko Tsuruta, Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge Univ., UK, Aug. 13.

 "Geometric Phase in Two-Level Atomic Systems", Mingzhen Tian, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

 "Spectral Diffusion in Erbium-Doped Transient Spectral Hole Burning Materials", Yongchen Sun, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

 "Power Budget Analysis of Image-Plane Storage in Spectral Hole Burning Materials", Randy Babbitt, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

 "Optical Coherent Transient High Bandwidth Arbitrary Waveform Generation and Pulse Shaping", Zeb Barber, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

 "Optical Dephasing by Disorder Modes in Yttrium Orthosilcate (YSO) Doped with Eu3+", Roger Macfarlane, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

 Locating the Electronic States of Rare-Earth Ions Relative to Host Band States for the Development of Photon-Gated Hole Burning Materials", Charles Thiel, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

"Antibody-Antigen Interactions and Atomic Force Microscopy: Another Approach to Single Molecule Detection", Recep Avci, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

"Electron-Phonon Coupling in Selectively-Excited Two-Photon Transition: Role of Molecular Symmetry", Mikhail Drobizhev, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

"External Cavity Diode Laser Pumped Intra-Cavity Second Harmonic Generation at 580nm and 589nm", Kevin Repasky, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

"Highly Efficient True-Time Delay Echoes", Hongyan Li, Hole Burning Conference Single Molecule Conference,  Jul. 26-31.

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Proposals Submitted

"Space Science Education and Professional Development at Salish Kootenai College and Flathead Reservation Schools", NSF, Piet Martens and Co-I Timothy Olson (Salish Kootenai College).

Proposals Funded

"Optical Image Furnace", NSF, $142,723, John Neumeier.

Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO), NSF,  subcontract with the National Solar Observatory (NSO), $ 270,000, Piet Martens, May 1, 2003 to Dec. 31, 2004.

Starting Student Space Hardware Programs II, workshop grant, NASA, $ 9,000, Bill Hiscock.

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Colloquia

"X-rays from our Galaxy and its Neighbors", Bill Priedhorsky, Los Alamos National Lab., Jul. 7.

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Seminars

REU Seminars:
"High Sensitivity Capacitance-Based Quartz Dilatometer for Measuring Thermal Expansion at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory", John Macaluso, Stockton State College, Advisor: John Neumeier, Aug. 14.

"AES Analysis of High Temperature CrN Oxidation for the Purpose of Developing a Metallic SOFC interconnect", Tristan Butterfield, Notre Dame, Advisor: Richard Smith, Aug. 14.

"ES Depth Profile Studies of CrN/AlN Superlattice Structure", River Hutchison, Harvey Mudd College, Advisor: Richard Smith, Aug. 14.

"Investigations into Porphyrins using Fluorescence Spectroscopy", Jennifer Foster, SUNY Genesco, Advisor: Alex Rebane, Aug. 14.

"EPR Analysis and comparison of manganese doped lithium niobate and lithium tantalate", Robert Petersen, Montana State University, Advisor: Galina Malovichko, Aug. 14.

"Ferromagnetic manganese oxides for use in magnetic refrigeration", Joshua Garbe, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, Advisor: John Neumeier, Aug. 14.

"Ghetto Mars Rover", Megan Miller, Stanford University, Advisor: Recep Avci, Aug. 14.

"DC conductivity measurements of KTP crystals," Luke Galli, Colorado College, Advisor: Hugo Schmidt, Aug. 14.

"Dielectric Spectroscopy Classification of KTP Crystals for Optical Application", Marshall Swearingen, Colorado State, Advisor: Hugo Schmidt, Aug. 14.

"Relating the Physical Characteristics of Active Regions to Solar Flares", Michael Hahn, Aug. 6.

"Solar Active Region 8210", Bryan Hurlbutt, Aug. 6.

"Force-free fields and Fluxons", Blane McCracken, Aug. 6.

"Stellar Dynamos: A Parameter Space Study", Andres Munoz, Aug. 6.

"Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels", Karen Wilson, Aug. 6.

"Vacuum Ultraviolet for the MOSES Experiment", Brandon Anderson, Aug. 5.

Rel/Astro Seminar:
"X-rays from our Galaxy and its Neighbors", Bill Priedhorsky, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Jul. 7.

Solar:
"SADE, the Starspot and Dynamo Explorer", Piet Martens, Jul. 8.

"The Dutch Open Telescope and Chromospheric Waves",  Rob Rutten, Utrecht University, Jul. 15.

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Conferences and Other Travel

Michelle Larson attended the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) meeting from Aug 2- 6 in Madison, Wisconsin.  At meeting she also served on two AAPT committees, the Astronomy committee and the World Year of Physics 2005 committee.

Brian Larsen attended the 2 week Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling (CISM) summer school in Boston, MA.

Hirotoshi Tereshita  attended the "Boulder School for Condensed matter and materials Physics", supported by NSF, Jun. 30-Jul. 25,  Boulder, CO.  He also visited Intense Pulsed Neutron Source in Argonne National Laboratory for powder neutron experiments, Aug. 12-20.

Sachiko Tsuruta  collaborated on various problems involving neutron stars, AGN and Pop III stars with various colleagues at Tokyo University, and the Institute for Space and Astronomical Science, May 12-22.  Sachiko participated in a workshop on Population Three Stars and worked on collaboration with Markus Teter and G. Pavlov on problems of pulsars at Penn State Univ., May 27-Jun. 5.  She also participated in IAU general Assembly in Sydney, Australia, July 10-18.  July 29-Aug 19 she was at the University of Cambridge, UK, for collaboration with A. Fabian and M. Rees' groups on problems of AGNs and Pop III stars.

Dick Smith, Sarah Vogt traveled to Richland, WA to discuss research planning with scientists at PNNL, Aug. 20-21.

Louis Rubbo and Jeff Crowder attended the "Graduate Summer School on General Relativistic Hydrodynamics" hosted by the Penn State Center for Gravitational Wave Physics.  The school took place on the campus of the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC from July 20 to August 1

Stephane Regnier traveled to Wailea, HI, for SHINE meeting, Jul. 6-13.

 Alan Craig traveled to Chicago, IL, on cooperative proposal opportunities; Washington, DC, to attend a DARPA workshop; and San Diego, CA,  Jul. 7-16.

 Keith Gilmore and Johnathan Holroyd conducted research at Brookhaven National Labs in Upton, NY, Jul. 8-17.

 Aleks Rebane attended a Quantum Optics workshop in Grand Targee, WY, Jul. 8-11.

 Jack Dostal attended the Summer Meeting of AAPT in Madison, WI, Aug. 4-7.

 Dax Levandoske, Justin Whisenhunt, Aaron Hall, and Jesse Parker participated in an Air Force sponsored "Students Hands-On Training" in Boulder, CO, Jul. 9-13.

 Recep Avci and Fernando Teran Arce traveled to Baltimore, MD, for ORN Review Program, Jul. 13-18.

 Dana Longcope attended a IAU general meeting in Sydney, Australia, Jul. 13-28. On Aug. 4-10 he traveled to Washington, DC, for a MURI 3 year review.

 John Getty attended a Labview training course in Denver, CO, Jul. 13-20.  On Aug. 2-8 John traveled to Denver, CO, for the X-Ray conference.

 Bennett Link attended a workshop and collaborated with colleagues in Los Alamos National Labs, Jul. 14-Aug.16.

 Bill Hiscock traveled to the Johnson Space Center for meetings with JSC and DoD personnel, seeking launch opportunities for student-built satellites., Jul. 16-17.

 Yves Idzerda participated in a Physical Science Proposal Study Panel at the Advanced Light Source in Berkeley, CA, Jul. 17-20.  Yves Idzerda traveled to Seattle, WA, to discuss collaborations and present a condensed matter seminar at the University of Washington, Jul. 28-Aug. 1.  He also traveled on Aug. 3-19 to Washington, DC, for NSF-EPSCoR/DARPA SPINS workshop and collaboration at NRL.

 Rong-Mei Chien traveled to Keystone, CO, for the 15th ACCGE and collaborate with other scientists, Jul. 18-26.

 Loren Acton, Louis Rubbo and Jeff Crowder attended a workshop on computer methods in General Relativistic Hydrodynamics held in Vancouver, BC, Jul. 19-Aug. 2.

 Galina Malovichko and Valentin Grachov attended the 45 Rocky Mountain Conference in Denver, CO, Jul 26-Aug. 1.

Michelle Larson traveled to Madison, WI, to attended the AAPT meeting, Jul. 28-Aug. 6.

Piet Martens participated in the VSO meeting in Boulder, CO, Jul. 29.

Charles Kankelborg and Mikhail Drobijev attended the annual SPIE meeting held in San Diego, CA, Aug. 1-9.

The 17th AIAA/USU Small Satellite Conference and MAIA Satellite Design Review held in Logan, UT, Aug 10-16, was attended by Mike Obland, Brian Larsen, Ian Barnes, James Armer, Jesse Parker, Aaron Hanson, and Ryalnd Boren.

Galina Malovichko, Valentyn Grachov, and Viktor Bratus attended an EPR Service Training Course in Boston, MA, Aug. 16-23.

David McKenzie and Jason Scott attended a Data Analysis Workshop in Boulder, CO, Aug. 18-21.

Michael Chase traveled to London, England, to assemble CCD's into housings, Aug. 22-Sep. 4.

Recep Avci and Robert Boyd attended a conference "Seeing at the Nanoscale" held in Santa Barbara, CA, Aug. 23-28.

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Alumni

 Anthony Roberts, BS '94, received his PhD in Physics from MIT, Spring '03.

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Publications

 None

Publications Submitted

"Local ferromagnetic order in hole-doped LaMnO3", Hirotoshi Terashita & J.J. Neumeier, submitted to Phys. Rev. B.

Publications Accepted

"A simple apparatus for illustration of magnetic hysteresis effects", C. E. Zaspel, A. B. Dahle, L. D. Given, and J. L. Weinert.

"Measurements of Flux Cancellation During Filament Formation", Paul Wood (REU 2000, summer visitor 2002) and Piet Martens, Solar Physics.

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Abstracts Submitted

None

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Community Outreach

Presentations made by Physics faculty as part of the "NASA@your library" exhibit at the Bozeman Public Library:
"NASA in Montana", Bill Hiscock, Aug. 6.
"Rocket Science in the Rockies", Charles Kankelborg, Aug. 13.
"Smash-It-Up Science", Randy Babbitt, Aug. 27.
"Flying in Space", Loren Acton, Aug. 27.
"Physics of Model Rocketry", Charles Kankelborg, for Civil Air Patrol meeting in Bozeman, Aug. 18.

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Thesis defense

"What is Electric Current?  An Investigation of Student Difficulties with the Ontology of Electric Current".

Thomas R. Brown, candidate for a Ph.D. Degree  in Physics,  July 10th.

Congratulations on a successful thesis defense!

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Poster Presentations

"XAS Determination of Growth Parameter Effects for PLD Grown Co_xTi_1-xO_2-δ Films", Alex Lussier, XAFS 12 Conference, Malmo, Sweden, Jun. 24.

"Magnetic order and polaron formation in hole-doped LaMnO3", Hirotoshi Terashita, J.J.Neumeier, J.F.Mitchell, the "Boulder School for Condensed matter and materials Physics",  Jun. 30-Jul. 25,  Boulder, CO.

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PHYSICS NEWSLETTER

Compiled & Edited by:Rose Waldon
Contributors:Faculty, Students, Staff, and Alumni
Web Version by Jeremy Gay
Comments and Requests should be directed to:
email:waldon@physics.montana.edu
Mail:  Rose Waldon, Physics Dept., Box 173840, MSU, Bozeman, MT  59717-3840

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