In measuring the intensity fluctuations of light passing through a turbulent cloud, it is hoped to get an idea of how particle concentrations vary over time. Previous experiments have shown that the distribution of particles is not Poissonian. In our experiment, we confirm this result and in the process create an experimental setup that may be used for pursuing the correlation function that governs how finding a particle may influence the probability of finding another nearby.

My project attempts to use Hydrogen Stark Broadening as a method to calculate electron density in air. While creating a high energy pulsed electric discharge, I use a grating spectrometer to measure this Hydrogen Stark Broadening that occurs in the hydrogen present in atmospheric levels. This data is compared against the calibrated resolution of the spectrometer and comparisons of this data are then made to Hydrogen Stark Broadening that has been tabulated against electron densities.

The solid states of materials and their properties in this phase are of considerable importance when developing solid-state electronics including computer components and lasers. In this particular study, the Monte Carlo statistical simulation method is being employed to specifically analyze the {111} surface of a diamond-cubic crystal structure, identical to that of diamond and silicon: an important semiconductor.

This examination of {111} crystal surfaces utilizes the Metropolis algorithm and is based upon a solid-on-solid crystal model modified to account for the complex surface structure. The two major properties of interest in this study are the roughening and preroughening transitions. Roughening is commonly found in similar simulations of such surfaces, but the preroughening transition for this surface has been openly disputed in contemporary literature. Ultimately, simulation results will be considered against analytical predictions to confirm or deny the existence of the preroughening transition. Regardless of the conclusion, completion of this research will produce further useful knowledge about the dynamics and structure of diamond-cubic crystals’ {111} surfaces.

This project studies how particles (aluminum nitrate and polystyrene spheres) ranging in size from less than half a micron to several microns in diameter are guided through hollow fiber optic fibers. By analyzing the particle’s velocity dependence on size, distance into the fiber, and the power of the laser, the findings allow for the calculation of the optical forces guiding and accelerating the particles. Also covered are the methods for measuring the velocities of the particles, and how this technique has the ability to determine the size distribution of particles in mist produced by a nebulizer.

Relativistic Configuration Interaction Calculations have been done for the (d+s)**s p J=1 states of Fe V ion, and hyperfine constants and Lande g-values, along with the f-values to the ground state have been obtained. Properly accounting for the spacing in the (d+s)**3 p levels is important to getting accurate results. For Fe V, comparison is made to the recent opacity project results.

We analyze the efficiency of simulated annealing in protein folding simulations. For this we simulate polyalanine molecules at several chain lengths. Our efficiency considerations focus on the number of updates to reach first time a complete helical conformation.

Laser-Fiber Guidance of particles is used to construct deposited structures in the micron regime. I measured the deposition accuracy of particles guided through these fibers and deposited onto a substrate. An experimental setup was used to capture direct images of the deposited particles.