PNACP Spring Conference 2015
Western Washington University
APRIL 10-11
THURSDAY APRIL 9 SPEAKER’S DINNER
Chuckanut Manor Restaurant
630pm
3056 Chuckanut Drive Bow, WA (360) 766-6191
FRIDAY APRIL 10: Viking Union 462
900am
Krisinda Plenkovich
Director for Education and Community Services at SPIE, the
international society for optics and photonics and a member of the
Global International Year of Light Steering Committee
International Year of Light
Abstract: The United Nations General Assembly declared 2015 the International Year of
Light and Light-based Technologies. Light has revolutionized medicine, opened up international
communication via the Internet and offers potential solutions for many of today’s biggest global
challenges. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to share with the world the impact that that
light has on life and the future.
930am
Dr. Joe Shaw
Montana State University
International Year of Light
Lord Rayleigh is well known in the physics community for his explanation of the blue sky. In
tribute to his contributions to optics, this talk reviews the life of John William Strutt (3rd
Baron Rayleigh), known to us as “Lord Rayleigh,” and shows that Rayleigh scattering
explains the color of the sky in both sunlight and moonlight. We also learn about the bluesky Rayleigh’s son, Robert Strutt (4th Baron Rayleigh), who explained how the night sky can
appear green. Into this historical and photographic narrative will be woven threads of my
own research involving atmospheric scattering, all-sky polarization imaging, and
measurements of the Aurora Borealis (“Northern Lights”). The talk incorporates numerous
photographs that illustrate both the science and beauty of optics in nature.
1030am
Warren Buck
Chancellor Emeritus
University of Washington Bothell
James Gerhart Lecture
The Rare Opportunity to Build a New Physics Program - from scratch
Abstract: The growth of University of Washington Bothell has generated many
opportunities in STEM areas of study in a very short time. This stunning growth has
fostered an environment that can host a physics program that not only services STEM and
other areas but also gives a new physics program legs to stand on its own. This talk will
highlight that growth and provide questions as to the many different trajectories such a new
program could take with student and faculty success squarely in mind.
1130am
Erin Hill
University of Washington Bothell
What Do Students Learn in Introductory Physics Labs?
Abstract: When this question was asked of the University of Washington Bothell
physics instructors, the unanimous answer was “Not much.” The labs had been built
around decades old “fill-in-the-blanks” with little to no explanation of the
corresponding physics concepts. The primary concern from the instructors was that
students didn’t seem to be thinking about and engaging with the physics, tools, and
materials. After formulating pros and cons of the original system, and receiving
mostly negative feedback from students about the labs, the physics faculty were
asked “what do we want our students to learn in physics labs?” This solicited
multiple, rich answers: constructing and linking physics concepts; writing and
communication; play - opportunities to “fail” and learn from failure; learning
different approaches to and representations of physics material; working with and
understanding different measurement theories, tools, and techniques; and
discovering that learning and using science is collaborative. These goals led to new
outcomes and experiences that could be assessed throughout the introductory
physics lab series. This talk will provide examples of how the new learning goals
were - and are - being realized at UW Bothell, and how others can re-design their
labs for deeper learning.
1200-130pm
130pm
Lunch Board Meeting
Mark Weislogel
Portland State University
Fluid Physics and Stuff aboard the International Space Station...
Abstract: Giant capillary fluidic phenomena are possible in the low-g environments of
orbiting spacecraft. The ISS is an excellent platform within which to observe such
phenomena in an entertaining and enlightening way. Terrestrial methods to study such
phenomena, such as drop towers, are closer and perhaps more accessible than you think,
with unique opportunities to interest and educate students in the physical science
disciplines. A review of activities currently in progress on ISS are reviewed before
introducing the motivations behind low-gravity experimentation with broad coverage of
fluids applications from fuel tanks, to life support systems, to water balloons and coffee
cups.
200pm
Mats Sellen
University of Illinois
IOLab, Clickers, and Bears - Oh My: The Uneasy Courtship of Education,
Technology, and Business
Abstract:The Department of Physics at the University of Illinois has been ground zero for
the development of several innovative educational technologies: The i>clicker student
response system emerged about a decade ago; the smartPhysics framework for flipping the
classroom a few years after that, and most recently IOLab – a wireless data acquisition
system enabling students to do labs anywhere. These technologies have all proven effective
at engaging students with their course content, yet each went through a long and difficult
birth. In this talk I will outline our past research and development efforts, and will discuss
ways that IOLab might change the way we engage students in the future.
245pm
Melissa Rice
Western Washington University
"Mars through the eyes of the rovers: Imaging spectroscopy with NASA's
Opportunity and Curiosity missions"
Abstract: The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover landed on Mars two years ago, and
the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been actively exploring Mars for nearly eleven
years. Both rovers have spectroscopic imaging capabilities with their mast-mounted
cameras, which can help constrain the iron mineralogy and distribution of hydrated
materials on the surface. Here I will present an overview of the instrumentation, technique,
and major results from the cameras on both missions. I will also discuss plans for imaging
science on NASA’s next rover, which will launch in 2020.
330pm
Kyle Fornash
University of Indiana Southeast
Ideas for Teaching Environmental Physics
Two environmental science courses, one for non-science majors and a second for junior
level physics majors have been taught annually by the physics department at Indiana
University Southeast for about 12 years. The courses focus on energy (fossil fuels,
conversion process, 1st and 2nd law of thermodynamics, renewable energy) but include
brief presentations of other topics such as climate change and risk assessment. The
introductory course familiarizes students with many important conceptual principles of
introductory physics. Recently it has become one of three core courses that make up a
certificate in sustainability available on our campus. My talk will discuss the contents of
both courses and suggest a few interesting resources and ideas that can be used to teach
these kinds of courses.
400pm
Chris Buttenhoff
Portland State University
Isotopic constraints on the decadal trends of global methane emissions favor
increasing fossil fuel emissions over recent decades
Abstract Despite concerted effort in recent years to understand the changing budget of
atmospheric methane (CH4) there remains considerable uncertainty on the trends and
magnitudes of individual methane sources over decadal scales. Using new measurements of
atmospheric methane isotopes from an archive of air sampled at Cape Meares Oregon
(45°N, 124°W) combined with existing data we performed a time-dependent retrieval of
methane fluxes spanning nearly twenty-five years. The inversion was able to reproduce CH4
and δ13C successfully at nearly every site. δD data was well-simulated by δ13C-optimized
emissions up until year 2000, after which the simulated δD significantly exceeded measured
data. The inversion estimates a ~30 Tg CH4 increase in fugitive fossil fuel emissions since
1985 with the highest growth rate occuring after year 2000. This result is consistent with
some bottom-up estimates but is not consistent with recent estimates based on
atmospheric ethane and other inverse studies. The model also estimates an overall decrease
in biomass burning emissions since 1985 with most of the decrease attributed to C3
vegetation. These results are robust over 40 sensitivity tests. If the inversion is forced using
a fugitive fossil fuel scenario consistent with recent ethane measurements, emissions from
waste (e.g. landfills) greatly exceed estimates from bottom-up inventories suggesting this
scenario is not consistent with methane isotope data.
800pm Banquet Lecture
Travis Metcalfe
Space Science Institute
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO
Cracking the Diamond Star and Other Adventures
Abstract: The history of astronomy suggests that observations and theory often take turns
advancing our understanding of the Universe. A decade ago seismology of stars was a well
established technique in theory, but there were relatively few advances because
suitable observations of pulsating stars were extremely difficult to obtain. For a variety of
reasons the observational situation was more favorable for white dwarf stars, the compact
end-states of stars like our own Sun. I will tell the story of how an international team of
astronomers discovered the first crystallized white dwarf star, and popularized it as a
"diamond in the sky". The observations and analysis methods that contributed to this
discovery have improved dramatically over the past decade, in particular after the launch of
NASA's Kepler space telescope. I will conclude by highlighting the recent discovery of the
oldest system of Earth-sized planets in our Galaxy and describe how stellar seismology
contributed to its characterization, with implications for the likelihood of extraterrestrial
life.
SATURDAY April 11: Viking Union 462
930am
Darci Snowden
Central Washington University
Understanding the Structure and Energetics of Titan's Upper Atmosphere
Abstract An optically thick haze dominates Titan’s atmosphere, shielding the surface from
view. Over the past 10 years, Cassini has directly observed the very upper regions of Titan’s
atmosphere with a suite of instruments. One of the most surprising discoveries is that the
production of the complex organic haze appears to begin at the high altitudes observed by
Cassini. This part of the atmosphere is not well understood on any planet and significant
questions remain about the competing influences of the Sun, the charged particles and
electrodynamic fields in Titan’s space environment, and atmospheric waves. Ultimately,
studying this region will not only helps us understand Titan’s atmosphere but about the
atmospheres of early Earth and present day Mars and Venus.
In this talk I'll give a brief introduction to Saturn's largest moon Titan. Then I'll describe
how I use computer models and data from Cassini to understand how Titan's space
environment affects the structure, energetics, and chemistry of Titan's upper atmosphere.
1000am
Matt Hedman
University of Idaho
"What's going on around Saturn? Exploring Planetary Rings"
Abstract: Saturn's rings are among the most beautiful structures in the Solar System, but
planetary rings are not just pretty ornaments on the giant planets. They are also powerful
tools that can help address a wide variety of questions in planetary science and
astrophysics. Here, I will describe how certain ring features can preserve records of the
outer solar system's recent impact history.
1030am
Scott Fisher
University of Oregon
A Proposed Mid-Infrared Study of the Rocky Exoplanet 55 Cancri e
The 55 Cancri binary star system has five confirmed exoplanets orbiting the sun-like G8V
star, 55 Cnc A. The rocky innermost planet, 55 Cnc e, orbits its parent star at 0.01 AU, and is
known as a “Super Earth” since it has a mass of approximately eight Earth masses. As a
result of its proximity to its parent star, it is proposed that 55 Cnc e is being vaporized by a
strong stellar wind and extreme temperature gradients across the face of the planet. A
possible consequence of this slow vaporization is a toroid of photo-evaporated planetary
material being formed in situ as the planet orbits the star.
We conducted a feasibility study to determine the rate and of planetary vaporization
needed to detect a presumed “debris tail” from 55 Cnc e with CANARICAM, the mid-infrared
camera mounted on the earth’s largest optical/infrared telescope, the Gran Telescopio
Canarias (GTC). In our study, we analyzed the potential mid-IR excess of 55 Cnc A by
compiling and analyzing previous ground- and space-based flux measurements (e.g. 2Mass,
OSCIR, IRAS, Wise, Akari, and Spitzer). This archival data was compared to Ian J. M.
Crossfield’s absolutely calibrated model of 55 Cnc A (Crossfield, 2012). If a mid-IR excess is
confirmed at an amount capable of detection via CanariCam and the GTC, we will propose
the use of long-slit spectroscopy to determine the spectral features and properties of the
planetary composition of 55 Cnc e.
1130am
Maximillian Schlosshauer
University of Portland
"Optimizing Protective Quantum Measurements"
Measurement is at the heart of quantum mechanics. Conventional projective measurements
yield full information about an observable while maximally changing ("disturbing") the
quantum state. By contrast, so-called protective quantum measurements enable one to
measure expectation values on single quantum systems with an arbitrarily low probability
of disturbing the quantum state. Protective measurement provides an interesting
alternative to conventional ensemble state tomography and broadens our understanding of
measurement in quantum mechanics. In this theory talk, I will describe how a careful choice
of the coupling between system and apparatus allows one to reduce the unwanted
disturbance of the quantum state by many orders of magnitude compared to previous
proposals. This makes protective measurements much more powerful and may get us a step
closer to their experimental implementation. The work also illustrates how classic textbook
topics we teach to our students (such as Fourier transforms and perturbation theory) are
directly applicable in a research context.
1200am
Kevin Covey
Western Washington University
Shadows of Their Future Selves: Accretion & Obscuration in Young Stellar
Objects
Abstract: Accretion of circumstellar material drives the star formation process, and
interactions between a star and its circumstellar material can influence the site and process
of planet formation. I will present results from programs investigating the temporal
behavior of accretion and inner disk structures in the protostellar and pre-main sequence
phases. Coordinated, near-simultaneous optical and infrared spectroscopy of more than 100
T Tauri stars has enabled a new characterization of the accretion sensitivity of near-infrared
emission lines, and highlight challenges for inferring a self-consistent set of stellar
parameters across such a broad wavelength range, even at a single epoch. Multi-epoch,
multi-wavelength monitoring of protostars and pre-main sequence stars also reveals the
presence of structures near the star-disk interface which evolve on timescales as short as
hours, but can
persist for more than a year. I will conclude by highlighting opportunities to use upcoming
instruments and facilities to further improve our understanding of the dynamics of mass
accretion and star-disk interactions.
1230 am
Dr. Robert Gibbs
Eastern Washington University
Qualitative Problems for Introductory Physics
1240am
Toby Dittrich
Portland Community College
American Eclipse Project
Abstract On August 21, 2017 a total eclipse will hit the coast of Oregon between Lincoln
City and Newport at 1015am. The eclipse path of totality runs from Oregon through thirteen
states and the shadow leaves the continent in South Carolina just north of Charleston 2.5
hours later. It will be visible as a partial eclipse from the Canadian Arctic to Columbia. This
provides one of the most important STEM educational opportunities of the Century. This
talk will outline the broad educational outreach program being planned by the team
described on the website www.AmericanEclipseProject.org. The project involves NASA,
Oregon State University, Portland Community College, Oregon Museum of Science and
Industry (OMSI) and OPT Educational Foundation.
The Viking Union is the student union building on the map below marked VU.
BK=Bookstore, PA=Performing Arts, WL=Wilson Library, HH= Haggard Hall of
Science, OM= Old Main (Original Campus Building where Physics was in 1950),
EH= Eden’s Hall (Original Woman’s Dorm), Physics today is in
Communications Building off the map in the SW direction.
Parking Alert
Parking and transportation is terrible at Western. Here are
the best options:
Bus 90B leaves from the road in front of the hotel
(Lincoln at Lakeway) and will drop off at the Viking
Union. It leaves at 7:41 AM and arrives at 7:50 AM on
Friday. It costs $1.
For those commuting in for the day, they may park
at the Lincoln Creek Park & Ride (the old drive-in) and take
any of the busses that stop there. Cost is also $1. There
are several busses every hour. That same bus described
above leaves the P&R two minutes earlier, at 7:39.
For those who wish to park on campus, they will
need to buy a $10 permit from the parking office, and yes
they will probably be put in the gravel lots far from the
Union. They could take any of the many busses through
campus to get closer to the Viking Union; cost is
$1. Parking in the gravel lots is free on Saturday.
Another possibility is parking right at the Union (lot
6V) but using the pay station is $2 per hour and there is no
guarantee that there will be space. I would not
recommend it.