Astrophysics & Physics of Living Systems Talks

Throughout the summer 2025 BYU REU I worked with Dr. Eric Hintz to research one star—TIC 284468136—that was part of the Robotic Optical Transient Search Experiment (ROTSE) and had been classified as a delta Scuti variable star. Initially Dr. Hintz and I approached the research with the assumption that we were going to learn more characteristics of this delta Scuti star. However, as more data was collected and analysis performed, we began to see patterns that fit the characteristics of an eclipsing binary system rather than a variable star. Some examples of these patterns were a split diagram when comparing observed and calculated occurrences of maximum light, and a sodium doublet continually occurring in the optical spectroscopic data. Many methods for data collection and analysis were used throughout the research. I collected and analyzed data at the Orson Pratt Observatory on BYU campus using the 12” telescope and Image Reduction and Analysis Facility program (IRAF) in order to gain up to date data on the stellar system. I also utilized AstroImageJ (AIJ) to find the Heliocentric Julian Date and maximum flux values—two values that were needed to analyze the times of maximum light during the pulsations. We also utilized data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to identify the precision of period occurrence within the system. Dr. Hintz and I concluded that the target TIC 284468136 was exhibiting eclipsing binary behavior in its light curve, temperature, and spectroscopic data results.

We started by looking at whether Hydrogen Number Densities were a more latitudinal structure at around 2 Re to 4 Re. We found it was more temporal rather than latitudinal. This led to us thinking about what could be causing the fluctuations we saw in our time series plots. We've been looking at correlations between solar rotations, ozone levels, water vapor levels, and HO2 levels. I've used mostly python in order to make plots, techniques like interpolation and time series plots. Still haven't found a precise factor, but what we think is that there is a multitude of factors that are driving this variability of hydrogen.

The analysis of network-like patterns in nature has shown major success in relating preexisting river network patterns to climatic conditions. The surface of Mars is scattered with evidence of intricate ancient river valley systems. These patterns are a result of precipitation and ground water erosion over millions of years. As the network erodes over time, it expands into the landscape, slowly giving rise to the network of river patterns we see today. These patterns carved into rock are a record of the water flow. We will use a data driven simulation to analyze Martian river valley networks to gain insight into the climatic conditions in which they formed. We will calculate a characteristic value from the branching pattern analysis for a select number of networks that will indicate the degree to which groundwater influenced the network's creation. This will allow us to expand the current knowledge of climate information during potentially habitable times and inform the broader community as well as astrobiologists in the search for Earth analogs of potential lifeforms on Mars.

Solar storms occur when the Earth’s magnetic field is bombarded with plasma ejected from the Sun’s surface, causing various space weather phenomena. The threats posed by space weather are severe, ranging from satellite signal interference to unpredictable spacecraft trajectories. Each of these examples are specifically because of a solar storm’s impacts on the plasmasphere. The plasmasphere is a torus-shaped reservoir of cold, dense plasma surrounding the Earth’s equator situated above the atmosphere. When a solar storm ensues, the reaction of Earth’s magnetic field drains most of the plasmasphere’s mass away. The plasmasphere is refilled by plasma once the storm subsides, but the refilling process involves many complex interactions and thus remains poorly understood. Our research aims to determine what processes dominate the plasmasphere and when by analyzing a hydrodynamic model of the plasmasphere. Numerical experiments of the plasmasphere’s composition, density, location, and temperature have been conducted with the model, revealing what conditions impact what characteristics of refilling. We attempt to explain these causal relationships with physical phenomena, ultimately enhancing our understanding of plasmasphere refilling and its impacts on space weather.

This project examines the effects of mass segregation and retrograde fraction on simulated eccentric nuclear disks (ENDs). ENDs are very difficult to observe directly, so we simulate data with realistic initial conditions using a software package called Rebound. We are specifically interested in how these properties affect the tidal disruption rates of stars.

Protons trapped in Earth’s inner radiation belt descend to low altitudes over the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA), where they can interact with and possibly damage satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO). Building upon the work of Bregou et al. 2022 and Adams et al. 2025, NOAA POES and EUMETSAT MetOp satellites are used to examine the long-term variability of proton flux in the SAA in comparison with F10.7 s.f.u. data. This reveals an anticorrelation between proton flux and the 11-solar cycle and Centennial Gleissberg Cycle (CGC), resulting in a current decrease in flux following the October 2024 solar maximum. Deviations from expected altitude-dependent trends are examined through both visual and quantitative comparisons between satellites and are determined not to indicate severe inaccuracies in readings. Normalizations of the MetOp dataset are made in order to enhance continuity from past POES measurements, and to continue the study for at least another decade following the June 2025 suspension of POES data collection.