2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

lightning discharges, solar wind-magnetosphere coupling and
global MHD simulations, inner magnetosphere dynamics and
structure during magnetic storms and substorms, solar and heliospheric
energetic particle observations, space environment and
human space exploration, and physics and astronomy education
research. Facilities currently available to our graduate students
include:
Astronomy and Astrophysics Laboratory: Astrophysicists and
students work on a wide variety of topics, including the evolution
of white dwarf stars, simulations of cataclysmic variable systems,
astrophysical fluid dynamics, accretion phenomena, the physics
and evolution of active galactic nuclei and their jets, cosmology,
solar and stellar atmospheres, ultraviolet spectroscopy, and
astronomical instrumentation. The astrophysics group includes
professors working in a variety of different wavebands from the
radio to x-rays, including observations with the Hubble Space
Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Far-Ultraviolet
Spectroscopic Explorer satellite, as well as ground-based optical
and radio observatories. Members of the group are involved in the
development of instrumentation for the SuperNova Acceleration
Probe (SNAP) and in the CanariCam Science Team, a guaranteed-time
program on the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias, the
world’s largest optical telescope. Resources include Linux computers,
astronomical data reduction packages including IRAF,
AIPS and CIAO, the 0.9-m SARA telescope and the 0.8-m F.W.
Olin Telescope.
F.W. Olin 0.8-m Telescope: The 0.8-m automated telescope was
installed in the rooftop dome of the F.W. Olin Physical Sciences
Center in November 2007. Equipped with a large-format CCD
imaging system and a spectrograph, it will be available for student
and faculty projects as well as monthly public guest nights.
The observatory will be accessible by conventional on-site means
and remotely via the Internet.
SARA 0.9-m Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory:
Florida Tech is the administrative institution for the
Southeastern Association for Research in Astronomy (SARA).
See “Research” in the Institution Overview section of this catalog
for more information.
Geospace Physics Laboratory (GPL): This facility is a collection
of four major laboratories that host all of Florida Tech’s
space physicists, planetary scientists and their students’ research
projects. These labs are outlined below (GPL–A-D). In a joint
operation with UCLA of California, Florida Tech is hosting a 10site
meridional array of magnetometers along the east coast of the
United States (the MEASURE array) from Florida to southern
Canada. The array observations, and particle and field measurements
from various satellites are used for studying the geospace
environment during magnetic storms and substorms. We also
have joint operational custody (with the University of Florida)
of the International Center for Lightning Research and Testing
(ICLRT) that is located at Camp Blanding Army National Guard
Base near Starke, Florida, where airspace can be controlled for
rocket-triggering.
Lightning and Instrument Development Lab (GPL-A): A series
of recent theoretical breakthroughs and experimental detector
development by our team working at both this lab and the ICLRT
has led to the discovery of x-ray emission from lightning and
its possible central role in understanding the lightning plasma
processes. Exploring the implications of this discovery is one of
the main goals of this research lab. At the ICLRT, lightning is
144 Florida Tech
artificially triggered using small rockets trailing wires; in effect
telling the lightning when and where to strike. This allows
detailed observation and theoretical investigations to help us
better understand how terrestrial (and planetary) lightning works
and how to better protect our assets.
Cosmic Rays and Space Weather Lab (GPL-B): This lab uses a
network of workstations to study the energetic particle environment
in the solar system. Some of the particles are cosmic rays
from the galaxy, while some are produced by the sun during
solar flares. By studying these particles, we try to understand the
energetic phenomena in the galaxy or on the sun that affect the
radiation environment at Earth. Gaining such understanding is
one of our main goals to protect astronauts working space and
the electronic components on satellites. In addition, analysis of
the COSPIN experiment on Ulysses and several other spacecraft
datasets (Wind, SOHO, SAMPEX, ACE and RHESSI) in support
of investigating the energetic particles environment with the
solar system are conducted in this lab.
Visualization and MHD Simulation Lab (GPL-C): This lab
has state-of-the-art 3D visualization systems, video-processing
workstations and shared memory multiprocessor systems for use
in research and in the classroom. The systems use active and
passive 3D displays to illustrate a variety of 3-dimensional topics.
Some of the projects being pursued include classroom visuals
such as 3D rendering of the Solar System, our Galaxy, and the
Earth-Moon-Sun system. Scientific research in MHD modeling
of space weather simulations is also conducted using 3D rendering
as an analysis tool for studying the near-Earth space environment.
Researchers are also investigating some cognitive science
topics related to how the brain processes 3D imagery and how
this may affect educational techniques in the physical sciences.
Space Exploration Research Lab (GPL-D): This lab supports
a research program focused on enabling sustained human space
exploration and on the origin, distribution and future of life in
the universe. The lab includes imaging systems, optics, calibration
and test equipment, a large clean room, and other hardware
used to support the development of space instrumentation. It has
a high-performance computing system for modeling and simulation,
and a ground control system to receive data and send commands
to the International Space Station. Some of the labs activities
are housed in the new Space Life Sciences Laboratory at the
Kennedy Space Center, where atomic force and laser confocal
fluorescence microscopes optimized for bioimaging, small-animal
research hardware, and other equipment supports research into
the hazards associated with long-term human exposure to the
space environment, such as radiation damage, loss of bone mass,
muscle atrophy and cardiovascular de-conditioning.
Teaching and Research Assistantships
The department offers a number of teaching and research assistantships
each year. Teaching assistants participate in laboratory
instruction and/or assisting faculty in the preparation of teaching
materials and grading. Research assistants work on research
projects that are often related to their own master’s thesis or
doctoral dissertation investigations. Both types of assistantships
are awarded on a competitive basis, and provide graduate course
fee remission and a stipend for living expenses. To increase the
probability of receiving an assistantship, applicants are advised to
apply as early as possible in the academic year prior to requested
admission.