December Blog Post: Quasars

    I love it when scientists discover something unusual in nature. They have no idea what it is, and then over decades of research, evidence builds, and scientists grow to understand what's going on. My favorite example? Quasars. Astronomers first knew they had a mystery on their hands in the nineteen-sixties (1960s) when they turned the first radio telescopes to the sky. They detected the radio waves streaming off the Sun, the Milky Way and a few stars, but they also turned up bizarre objects they couldn't explain.

    These objects were small and incredibly bright. They named them quasi-stellar-objects or "quasars", and then began to argue about what might be causing them. The first was found to be moving away at more than a third the speed of light. But was it really? Maybe we were seeing the distortion of gravity from a black hole, or could it be the white hole end of a wormhole. And If it was that fast, then it was really, really far... 4 billion light years away. And it generating as much energy as an entire galaxy with a hundred billion stars. What could do this?

    Here's where Astronomers got creative. Maybe quasars weren't really that bright, and it was our understanding of the size and expansion of the Universe that was wrong.
Then in the 1980s, astronomers started to agree on the active galaxy theory as the source of quasars. That, in fact, several different kinds of objects: quasars, blazars and radio galaxies were all the same thing, just seen from different angles. We now know that all galaxies have supermassive black holes at their centers; some billions of times the mass of the Sun. When material gets too close, it forms an accretion disk around the black hole. 

   It heats up to millions of degrees, blasting out an enormous amount of radiation. The magnetic environment around the black hole forms twin jets of material which flow out into space for millions of light-years. This is an AGN, an active galactic nucleus. When the jets are perpendicular to our view, we see a radio galaxy. If they're at an angle, we see a quasar.
In 10 billion years or so, when the Milky way collides with Andromeda, our supermassive black hole may roar to life as a quasar, consuming all this new material.

Gravitational Lensing

        So far, I have had an amazing Thanksgiving break (without the college applications, of course), but that did not stop me from learning more about the mysteries of our universe. In this amazing VSauce video, I learn about gravitational lensing, which is a phenomenon that occurs around massive objects. When astronomers refer to lensing, they are talking about an effect called gravitational lensing. Normal lenses such as the ones in a magnifying glass or a pair of spectacles work by bending light rays that pass through them in a process known as refraction, in order to focus the light somewhere (such as in your eye).

        Gravitational lensing works in an analogous way and is an effect of Einstein's theory of general relativity – simply put, mass bends light. The gravitational field of a massive object will extend far into space, and cause light rays passing close to that object (and thus through its gravitational field) to be bent and refocused somewhere else. The more massive the object, the stronger its gravitational field and hence the greater the bending of light rays - just like using denser materials to make optical lenses results in a greater amount of refraction. An illustration:

Blog 11: EQ

Content

1.)   Review this.  Confirm by stating "I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ."

- I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

2.)  Review the following EQs and

• ·     Tell us if each meets the rule of three.
•       Tell why they do or don't.

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

-  This meets the rule of three since it asks for the most important factor. This phrasing is really good because it requires the student to be very comprehensive, which the 1st rule asks for (depth of research). It also takes a stance by being on the healthy weight loss side.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

-  This EQ meets the rule of three since it is very specific in wording, as well as requiring comprehensive knowledge of the subject. Also, it is not a yes/no question.  
c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

- This EQ does not meet the rule of three. This is because it is not specific with the term "satisfies". Satisfaction can be very different for every person, so this would have to be narrowed down.

 d.  How can an anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

- This meets the rule of three because not only is it specific with chronic pain, but also because there are many answers. This allows for breadth and depth of research. Also, although the answers could include facts, it argues the point of treating the patient.

3.)  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.  The senior team will be meeting with students shortly for EQ revision and approval; you are expected to bring your research notebook to that meeting with your EQ draft written inside in pencil.

- What is the best solution for detecting gravitational waves?

Lesson 1 Reflection

1. Positive Statement
What are you most proud of in your Lesson 1 Presentation and why?
- I am most proud of the fact that everyone understood my presentation and that I explained it to them in simple terms. Usually people would get turned off by the mention of astrophysics, but I feel that I was able to engage and interest the audience.

2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 1 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 1 component contract.
- The contract had never stated a maximum time specifically, so although I had my contract in front of me during the presentation, I overlooked the time. I went 10 minutes 40 seconds according to the timer. I feel that technically I should have an AP since I missed one part of the rubric, but I believe that my presentation was really good in terms of content. I thought that I deserved an AE on my presentation but an AP on the time criteria. Because of this, I believe a P should balance both sides.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 1?
- During my Lesson 1, I was so engrossed in my topic and I got feedback that everyone understand my points even though it is an esoteric topic. I covered all the points I had to speak about as well as make it funny and interesting for the audience. One student jokingly said that I should try to become the new physics teacher!

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 1?

- If I had a time machine, I would time myself more accurately since I went over the time limit. This is because it did not say 10 minute maximum specifically on the rubric, so I overlooked that part. I also would try to close my presentation much faster.

White Holes: An Impossible Possibility

        As I study more and more about black holes, I come across more weird yet amazing phenomenon that could happen. One such irregularity I came across is the possibility of white holes. Almost a century ago, Einstein wrote down a set of equations that (as far as we know) describe how gravity works. When you play around with them, you discover that the equations allow you to construct objects which are so dense that light cannot escape from them - black holes. 

        Black holes are thus theoretically possible - they work in the equations. We also think black holes exist in the real world - they can form when huge stars die and collapse under their own gravity, and astronomers have found a lot of funny things in the sky that are almost certain to be black holes.

        A white hole is a little different. Imagine you watch some stuff fall into a black hole and disappear. Now suppose you play the movie backwards - you'll see a bunch of stuff come flying out of the "black hole". Since it turns out that Einstein's equations don't care about which direction you play the movie (whether time goes forward or backward), this must work in the equations too. This is called a "white hole", the time-reversed version of a black hole. This video explains this phenomenon more in detail.

Blog 8: Research and Working EQ

1.) What is your working EQ?
- What is the best solution for detecting gravitational waves?

2.) What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.

• Gravitational waves should be able to be detected by interferometers spaced throughout the Earth, such as LIGO and LISA.

3.)  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ?
- The most important source I have used so far has been the Giancoli Physics Textbook. This is because of the way it simplifies complex physics phenomenon such as black holes. It is very easy to use yet still very powerful. Mrs. Pittman recommended it to me for use, and I have been happy so far.
It told me of some ways scientists detect gravitational waves such as through interferometers like LIGO.

4.)  Who is your mentor, or where are you doing mentorship, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?
- My mentor is Dr. Bela Szilagyi and what we do is simulate what happens when two binary black holes collide and model the gravitational waves that occur. This relates to my working EQ since it concerns detecting gravitational waves, and from what we have being doing, they are detected through interferometers.

Blog 7: Independent Component 1 Approval

To get your idea approved now, please answer the following questions:

1.)  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

      Currently, the work that I have been doing with my mentor (simulating black hole collisions) is very intensive. Because of the rigor of the work, I would like to continue my mentorship for 30 more hours as my independent component 1. I have also been thinking about taking a physics course at CalPoly, but I doubt they will still accept students and I will have to get advice from Mrs. Pittman. 

       At my mentorship, I will continue to use their supercomputer cluster to create my own simulations from my own variables. By doing this, I will get some data and convert them into animations on ParaView for a visual illustration of what the numbers really mean. This is what I plan to do for my independent component.

2.) Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

To meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence, I will record in detail each step (on my hours log) that I take in creating the simulations as well as create an animation that I will be able to share with others. The animation will be proof of the work I put into it as well as show off what I have been doing.

3.)  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

Continuing my mentorship will help me explore black holes and gravitational waves more since the simulation will show the different wave interaction between two neutron stars. The animations will also show how the black holes are merged and how they rotate around one another before they collide.

4.) Update your Senior Project Hours log.

It has been updated.

Neutron Star Mergers

       As I continue to learn more and more about black holes, I like to also visualize how they are formed. One way black holes could be formed is called a “merger”, where two heavy objects spiral around each other until they merge and form a black hole. This supercomputer simulation shows one of the most violent events in the universe: a pair of neutron stars colliding, merging and forming a black hole. A neutron star is the compressed core left behind when a star explodes as a supernova. The video is a computer simulation from NASA of what would happen. The amazing part is that this entire phenomenon happens in less than 10 milliseconds! Instead of just reading about them abstractly, these sort of videos really help me picture black holes. 

Blog 6: Second Interview Preparation

1.) Who is your mentor and where do they work?

- My mentor is Dr. Bela Szilagyi who works at the Astrophysics and Astronomy Department at Caltech,

2.) What five questions will you ask them about their background?

I will ask the following five questions:

1. What university did you attend for both undergraduate and graduate and what was your intended major?
2. Does your family background have an interest in science? Did they support your endeavor? 
3. What inspired you to pursue this field?
4. How did you come to know about SpEC?
5. Do you love your work or does it feel like a job?

Blog 5: Mentorship and Research Reflection

1.) Mentorship question: Describe your experience in how you found your mentorship?  If you haven't found one yet, describe your experience so far in the search of a mentor.

- The way I first contacted my mentor was in the beginning of summer. I wanted to study physics, so I decided to look at Caltech professors (since Caltech was world renowned for its emphasis on physics). I then looked at the list of professors and found Dr. Bela Szilagyi. He studied Black Hole Collisions and Numerical Relativity, the former being a great interest of mine. So I emailed him, and he called me after. After I explained what I wanted to do, it was OK to come to Caltech everyday during the summer.

2.) Research question: What has been your most important article you have read so far and why?

- The most important article I have read so far has been the Giancoli Physics Textbook. This is because of the way it simplifies complex physics phenomenon such as black holes. It is very easy to use yet still very powerful. Mrs. Pittman recommended it to me for use, and I have been happy so far.

Detectors LISA and LIGO

At my mentorship, we try to simulate binary black hole collisions. When these binary black hole systems spiral around each other, (theoretically) gravitational waves are produced. Because science has yet to produce solid evidence on the existence of these waves, different forms of detectors have been planned to find them. LIGO is an example of an interferometer that already exists in the United States, but to yield more precise results, interferometers are being planned in space. LISA is one such space-detector to be created in the near future. At my mentorship, I was trying to comprehend what LISA would do and found this awesome video. It is an accurate representation of what LISA would be. LISA’s creation would indeed be a great asset for physics!

Here is a picture of LIGO (existing):

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1.)  Who do you plan to interview? Why?

For my first interview, I plan on interviewing Dr. Bela Szilagyi who mentored me in the summer at Caltech. Dr. Szilagyi is one of the foremost authorities on black hole simulations and is actively involved in creating the code and algorithm to do so. I am interviewing him because not only will he provide invaluable information, but also will have good connections with other scientists (who I could interview later).

2.)  You have to ask 5 questions. What additional questions do you plan to ask?

I will first ask the following required questions:

1. I’m interested in studying astrophysics. What can you tell me about it?
2. From your perspective, what could I study that would be significant?
3. Who else would you recommend I talk to?
4. What kinds of places or activities do you recommend I do for the mentorship component?
5. What books should I read in this field?

Then, I will ask these additional questions:

1. What first drew you to astrophysics?
2. Why is it important that we study astrophysics and the universe in general?
3. Why did you specialize in black hole simulations?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Working EQ

1.) List your topic here:
Astrophysics

2.) Write a question that helps to focus your research this month.
What is the best solution for detecting gravitational waves?
- I feel like this question may be too broad, but I figured that it would be a good place to start as I narrow my Essential Question over time.

3.) Post the working bibliography (WB) on the right hand side of the blog and share it so anybody can view it.

Done.

Blog 2: Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:  

1.) (Know) Using google doc link a log of specific hours and a description of your duties.

Summer Mentorship Log

2.) What is the contact name & number of where you volunteered?    

 Dr. Bela Szilagyi

(626)-429-8424  

3.) (Need to know) What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?  List them. 

• Why is studying the cosmos important to us? (Devil’s advocate question)
•  How can we detect gravitational waves?
• What exactly happens in a black hole? Is it all theoretical?
•  How can we detect Hawking Radiation?
• Wouldn't noise from other black holes collision interfere with the desired results?
•  How can we be absolutely positive that gravitational waves exist?
•  Would funding cuts for science be detrimental to LISA?    

Interpretive:

4.) What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

        Over the course of this summer mentorship, I have worked around real scientists and post doctorates that are in love with physics and with what they do. I have gotten an exposure to people very passionate and hardworking. The most important thing that I gained from this is that I have become truly inspired and interested to study about gravitational waves and black holes. This strong interest in my topic is important because I would not want to be tired halfway through the year. I don’t think this topic will become boring for me since there are tons of things to discover and learn.

Applied:

5.) What is your senior project topic going to be?  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

         After spending 2 weeks in Caltech with Dr. Szilagyi and his colleagues, I have become increasingly motivated and fascinated with the universe and its mysteries, particularly black holes. Because of this, my senior project topic in general is Astrophysics. Since this topic is very broad, if I would have to narrow it down it would be: Binary Black Holes and Their Gravitational Waves. What made me stick to this topic was the wealth of information discovered by scientists, the support from my mentor, and my fascination. I have only touched the surface of this field and wish to work hard throughout the year.

Blog 1: 2-Hour Presentations

1.)      I viewed these presentations in the following order:

Alejandro Espinoza - Teaching Biology

Krystal Lam - Editorial Publishing

Analysa Gallegos - Criminology

Carlos Cerrillos - Information Technology

Patrick Montoya - Video Game Graphic Design

Brian Cabantug- Software Development

Nisa Legaspino - Public Defender

Vanessa Machuca - Microbiology

Angel Arredondo - Angioplasty

Regina Ongowarsito - Music Store Operation

Christine Navarro - Biochemistry (Biofuels)

Lara McConnaughey - Linguistics

Juan Munoz - Business (Corporate Leadership)

Allyana Salud - Nursing

Cheyenne Capener - Organic Architecture

Felicia Stears - Marine Biology

2.)       Some unanswered questions I have about the Senior Project include:

• What is the Individual Component?
• Why is the Essential Question limited/recommended to have only three answers? Can you have more?
• Does the topic that one chooses play a role in the grading process? Will more complicated topics have more weight?
• Will the workload for Senior Project be evenly spaced? Will some weeks have more work than others? How must one pace oneself?
• Why is above 90% not considered an AE in senior project?
• Will senior project work pile over normal course work? 

3.)      Based on the presentations I've experienced, I believe that the most important part of the senior project is the mentorship that the student receives in the summer and throughout the year. During the 2-hour presentations, I noticed that many students kept referring back to their mentors when talking about research. From this, I expect that most of my peers will rely on mentors for their information. Someone who could guide students through the difficulties and complications of their respective topics would be a great asset.

4.)       A potential topic for my Senior Project is neurophysics. I have always enjoyed studying the brain and particularly the connections between neuron synapses. I am familiar with this area of study since I have participated in several “brain bee” competitions. Another topic in science that I enjoy is physics, specifically quantum mechanics. I am considering combining these subjects together into one study (neurophysics) so that I would not only enjoy my topic, but also be knowledgeable about them.

5.)       I have found a research opportunity by one of my father’s colleagues, who is an expert on the neurophysics field and may be interested in me for an internship. I have met several scientists who may be also interested in me working at their labs. If not, I will apply to several other labs at nearby institutions for help.