Below you will find pages that utilize the taxonomy term “Astronomy”
2018 Edition
Markov Chain Monte Carlo Testing of Cosmological Constant and the Limits of Cosmography with the Union2.1 Supernova Compilation
Hanxuan Kuang
Astronomy Physics
Previous studies have shown that the cosmic expansion is accelerating despite the gravitational attraction between matter, caused by a mysterious source of energy denoted as dark energy. A cosmographic test of whether it exists in the form of a cosmological constant or more general dark energy was performed with Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithms using the SCP Union2.1 supernova compilation. By fitting polynomials to Hubble series expansions, the Hubble Constant (H0), the deceleration parameter (q0), and the jerk parameter (j0) can be estimated … This study focuses on the effects of MCMC algorithms and model-building uncertainty the dependence of results based on fitting functions used.
2013 Edition
Classifying Blue Stars
Samantha Scibelli
Astronomy Physics
I’ve lived in the small town of Burnt Hills, New York for all of my life. Starting at a young age I developed a love for science. In my spare time I would polish rocks in my rock tumbler. I spent hours digging around my gravel driveway trying to pick out the quartz among the limestone. I also enjoyed analyzing fingerprints with my toy forensic kit. At one point I actually wanted to become a forensic anthropologist (the show Bones was a favorite of mine).
2013 Edition
Modeling SuperNova Radiation
Brian Cho
Astronomy Physics
Ever since Galactic Cosmic Rays were detected by Victor Hess 100 years ago (Hess 1912), their origin has been a mystery; what stellar object is powerful enough to accelerate particles into TeV energy ranges, and how does it release so much of them? Galactic Cosmic Rays are capable of releasing high energy X-rays and gamma rays, with energies up to GeV, as they travel through the interstellar medium. By studying the spectral patterns of the emitted X-rays and gamma rays, we can gain insight into the nature of the Cosmic rays themselves.
2010 Edition
Analyzing the Clustering of Point Sources in the 74 MHz VLSS
John Capodilupo
Astronomy Physics
Looking up at night, it is easy to get lost in the grandeur of the view. Space seems infinite and the myriad stars inspire a multitude of feelings. Ever since I can remember, I wanted to understand the great mysteries of the universe first getting excited via buzz words like “black holes” and “curved space time.” Such fascinating ideas easily captivated my childhood curiosity . . . My interest started to become more tangible in elementary school when the school’s librarian recommended me to read Stepehen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time.
2010 Edition
Application of Semi-major Axis Length Analysis to the Determination of Temperature and Surface Composition of Solar System Objects in Various Stages of Solar Evolution
Tejas Navaratna
Astronomy Physics
From the very beginning of civilization, humans have pondered their future through innumerable myths and legends. Through the times of the ancient Greeks’ tales, with their stories of oracles prophesying the ruin of empires, and the Middle Ages, with seers like Nostradamus appearing to peek into the future, the idea of an ultimate destiny has become an obsession for many. Only nowadays do we have the scientific tools coupled with ultra-fast processing power necessary to make a well-substantiated picture of the distant future of the Solar System, which seems harbor large uncertainties for this planet.