Dark matter is crucial to the structure of our universe, but its existence has not yet been definitively proven. The search for dark matter can be facilitated by using a network of atomic clocks onboard 32 GPS satellites. Each atomic clock would experience shifts in timing as thin walls of dark matter sweep across the network. Taking advantage of 20 years of publicly-available GPS timing data, I will search for potential dark matter events, estimating speeds of dark matter walls and direction of travel.

Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that originate from outer space, capable of damaging electronics. In particular, these can cause permanent damage in the form of hard errors in image sensors. This study aimed to measure the cosmic-ray-induced hard error generation rate in complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors across Northern Colorado. The rate of hard error generation was compared to measured atmospheric and geographic parameters to find correlations between cosmic ray flux and measured parameters. Multiple linear regression analysis is being used to isolate correlations. A model will then be constructed to compare cosmic ray flux to hard error generation and find what variables most strongly correlate with this flux. This talk will discuss the methods in further detail, along with preliminary results. As CMOS sensors become more widely used, especially in observational astronomy, knowing about how cosmic rays affect them is integral to minimizing hard error generation in observations.

We present the results of experimental efforts to study ocean convection properties on icy moons like Europa and Enceladus to ultimately help determine if these celestial bodies can host biological life. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to calculate the speed of fluid in rotating convection tank experiments. To test the accuracy of this PIV system, we conduct fluid spin up experiments and compare measurements with well-known theoretical calculations. Changing experimental parameters and comparing error values helps calibrate the PIV system to produce accurate velocity data. Data analysis from spin up trials shows that our system is accurate to within less than five percent error with optimal lighting. However, insufficient lighting can make data inaccurate, particularly when conducting thermal convection trials relevant to icy moon ocean convection. Therefore, continued work on this project aims to improve settings within our custom PIV system so that it can be applied to study icy moon ocean dynamics.

Particles of light (photons), confined in small cavities etched into silicon carbide, can be used to transport information as they move. Additional control over the process is provided by adding 'color centers', defects in the silicon carbide, which can absorb and emit the photons as they travel. This presentation will review our group's investigations into perfect quantum state transfer (QST) across coupled-cavity emitter arrays (CCAs), providing a comprehensive description of how this transfer is disturbed due to alterations in the physical and geometric attributes of the system. Our group deployed an examination of direct diagonalization and Monte Carlo algorithms to develop a set of descriptive diagrams plotting the fidelity of state transfer as a function of time. Furthermore, our group has analyzed these plots in the engineering and development of an additional Monte Carlo simulation to provide an encompassing solution to the time evolution inverse eigenvalue problem associated with Jaynes-Cummings-Hubbard Hamiltonian. We will also report on a geometry found using this Monte Carlo that provides for near-perfect quantum state transfer in the presence of emitters, as well as ongoing efforts to understand the behaviors of this geometry and how it may be replicated in additional geometries. Finally, it is the combination of these efforts that our group has sought to expand upon existing descriptions for QST across CCAs, limited in scope to investigations of cavity-only and limited-length cavity-emitter systems, whilst providing a robust platform for future experimental realizations of CCAs.