Astronomy and Astro-Physics
Prof. Andrea Ghez
Dark Matter and Black Holes
Program 1 is a study of the motion of stars at the
center of our Galaxy aimed at understanding the
environment around a supermassive black hole.
There are several possible projects within this
program. One would involve fitting the orbits of
stars to search for additional forms of dark matter
surrounding the central supermassive black hole,
using data collected at the W. M. Keck 10-meter
telescopes. Another would involve analysis of the
colors of stars using data collected with the Hubble
Space Telescope, Keck, and Gemini in order to
understand how the stars in close proximity to the
central black hole might have formed.
Prof. Andrea Ghez
Neutrino Detection
Program 2 is a study of young stars aimed at
understanding the formation and evolution of stars
like our Sun. Again there are several possible
projects. One would include fitting orbits to derive
dynamical masses and thereby test theories of
stellar evolution. Another would analyze images to
investigate what conditions might prevent the
formation of a planetary system such as our own.
Prof. Mike Jura
SIRTF (The Space Infrared Telescope Facility)
In August 2003, the Space InfraRed Telescope
Facility (SIRTF) was successfully launched from
Cape Canaveral. We are now receiving excellent
data from this satellite, and any REU student would
be participating in the reduction and analysis of data
for programs studying Solar System like
environments around nearby stars.
Professors Mark Morris and Mike Rich
Infrared Investigation of Stellar Populations
in Nearby Galactic Nuclei, M31 and M32
The dense central concentrations of stars in the
Andromeda Galaxy, M31, and the nearby companion
dwarf elliptical galaxy, M32, are prominent in the
near- and mid-infrared parts of the spectrum
because of the dominance of the luminosity by cool
giant and supergiant stars. Mass-losing stars on the
asymptotic giant branch are particularly bright in the
mid-infrared (5 - 25 microns) because of thermal
emission by the dust, which forms, in their
outflowing winds. The student undertaking this
project will utilize existing infrared data from some
combination of the following telescopes -- the Keck
Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, the
Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Gemini
Observatory -- to Characterize the populations of red
giant and supergiant stars, and, by comparison with
the light at shorter wavelengths, to draw inferences
about the age of the population.
Prof. Michael Rich
Work with images and spectra from the
Galaxy Evolution Explorer Satellite
This research program gives access to the
proprietary database of GALEX, which is undertaking
a series of sky surveys in the ultraviolet. Science
projects include the analysis of low resolution
ultraviolet spectra of star-forming galaxies and
quasars at modest redshifts. A range of projects
connected with the analysis of ultraviolet images of
star-forming galaxies and of galaxies in the Sloan
Digital Sky Survey is possible. GALEX has a huge
1.2-degree diameter imaging field of view. Some of
the deep field images reach AB=26.5, nearly the
depth of the Hubble Deep Field.
Condensed Matter Physics
Prof. Stuart Brown
NMR Techniques
In our laboratory we study the physical properties of
correlated electron systems using pulsed NMR
techniques. Materials that we work on include high
temperature superconductors and organic
conductors. In both of these cases, the ground state
can be tuned in the laboratory by changing the
carrier density or by applying high pressure. For
example, small changes in pressure could change a
superconductor to an insulating antiferromagnet.
NMR is sensitive to these changes through the
hyperfine coupling to the electronic spins. The REU
student will participate in probe development for a
new cryostat and magnet, and measurements using
the new hardware.
Prof. Hongwen Jiang
Fabricate and Characterize Semiconductor
Quantum-dot Structures
The REU student will join the postdocs and graduate
students in the group to fabricate and characterize
of semiconductor quantum-dot structures for
developing of electron spin based quantum
information processor.
Prof. Gary Williams
Dynamics of Water Droplets Floating above
Liquid Nitrogen
This would be a project to study in detail the
properties of water droplets floating above the
surface of liquid nitrogen. The droplets float on a
thin layer of the evaporating nitrogen gas, and are
stable for 10-20 seconds before they freeze and
drop through the surface. In preliminary studies we
have noted some unusual properties of the
dynamics of the droplets: they spin rapidly, but
move in a straight line across the nitrogen surface
with a velocity that seems to vary with the droplet
size. When two droplets collide they either repel or
move off in new directions, or they merge together.
We would like to gain an understanding of these
characteristics using video imaging and
microphotography.
Prof. Giovanni Zocchi
Nucleation of bubbles in DNA
The subject of DNA conformations has been under
scrutiny for half a century, since the discovery of the
double helix. One example is DNA melting. As the
temperature is raised, the DNA double helix starts to
melt into regions of single stranded (ss) loops
(“bubbles”), separated by ds segments. This is
essentially a system with two phases, as the
properties of ss and ds DNA are very different: the
former very flexible, the latter rather stiff. The
bubbles present many interesting questions, related
to nucleation thresholds, bubble growth,
fluctuations, and localization.
We have recently developed a new method to study
conformational transitions in DNA associated with
thermally induced melting. This ensemble technique
yields measurements of bubble lengths and the
statistical weight of intermediate states. For this
project we will combine such measurements with a
fluorescence method (fluorescence energy transfer:
FRET), which yields a local probe of conformation.
This may allow obtaining measurements of the
nucleation size of bubbles, and their mobility. We
will explore fluctuations of bubble size, and make
contact with some fundamental theoretical tenets
concerning the probability of loops.
High Energy Physics
Prof. Katsushi Arisaka
Ultra High Energy Cosmic Ray Experiment
The Particle astrophysics group at UCLA, led by Prof.
Katsushi Arisaka is actively involved in the Ultra High
Energy Cosmic Ray (UHECR) experiment, called
Pierre-Auger project (http://www.auger.org/). The
construction of the observatory in Argentina is
nearly complete, and we are entering the most
exciting time with enormous amount of high quality
data. An REU student could work on data analysis,
using modern computer languages and analysis
tools (such as C++/ROOT etc.). While so doing, a
student will be exposed to the latest development in
particle physics, astronomy and cosmology.
Plasma Physics and Accelerator Physics
Prof. Troy Carter
Ion temperature gradient driven turbulence in
LAPD
The student would perform help with a planned new
experiment on LAPD, using an ion beam to locally
heat the plasma and study perpendicular ion heat
transport and instabilities and turbulence driven by
ion temperature gradients. Possible activities include
modeling beam slowing down and energy transfer to
the background plasma, calculating growth rates for
the ion temperature gradient instability in LAPD, and
assisting in the construction of an ion beam source.
Prof. Walter Gekelman
Plasma Physics Experiments on Solar Flares
and Space Plasmas
This is an experimental REU project in plasma
physics. The research will be carried out with Prof.
Walter Gekelman and several of his research
associates. The experimental facility is the large
plasma device (LAPD) and several test plasma
devices. (See http://plasma.physics.ucla.edu/bapsf).
We will construct a solar flare simulator using an
electron beam source and pulsed electromagnets,
which will be configured to create a arc shaped
plasma. This plasma will be embedded in
magnetized background plasma. The experiment will
be diagnosed with probes which, measure plasma
density, potential and magnetic field as well as with
high-speed optical/digital cameras. The experimental
results will be compared to theory. The summer
research will consist of constructing probes, taking
data, analyzing it and using computer graphics to
make images and movies of the scientific results.
The project will be interspersed with lectures on
plasma devices and techniques, electronics and
relevant plasma physics theory.
Prof. Warren Mori
Miniaturing High Energy Accelerators Based
on Acceleration in Plasma Waves
The student would help in carrying out simulations
of plasma wakefield and laser wakefield
acceleration. The simulation models follow the selfconsistent trajectories of individual plasma particles.
The simulations will be carried out on our own 512
processor cluster. Possible activities include, running
simulations, developing diagnostic routines, and
analyzing data.