Mike Doogue -- Microwave Multiphoton Transitions Driven by Frequency Swept Pulses

Advisor: Professor Conover

Throughout the year Mike will continue his summer research and experiments on dynamical processes in the interaction of strong microwave electric field pulses with Rydberg (highly excited) atoms. His past work has focused on the construction of a pulse shaping, frequency swept (chirped) microwave source to be used in future experiments. The goal of the project is to study different coherent control algorithms for manipulating chemical reactions. Experiments designed to study these algorithms typically use pulsed lasers. The disadvantage of these experiments lies in difficulties associated with measuring and controlling the shape of the light pulses used in the experiments. Mike will work with Rydberg atoms in a regime where experiments done at microwave frequencies are near perfect analogs with experiments that are done with lasers. The advantage of this approach is that microwaves can be more easily manipulated and their waveforms can be measured with great precision.

Ed Lionberger -- Theoretical Studies of Rydberg Wave Packets

Advisor: Professor Bluhm

Rydberg wave packets are formed when a short laser pulse coherently excites a superposition of highly excited states in an atom. The motion of a Rydberg wave packet initially follows the motion of a classical charged particle in a Coulomb field. However, after several cycles quantum interference effects cause the wave packet to collapse and to undergo a series of fractional and full revivals. Ed is studying the behavior and evolution of Rydberg wave packets of hydrogen. Wave packets consisting of even or odd n states can be formed using two lasers with a certain phase relation to excite the wave packet. Ed is studying the evolution and revival structure of even and odd wave packets (also sometimes called Schrodinger cat states) and comparing them with the behavior of the fractional revivals.

Nick Maumenee ('98J) -- Effects of Greenhouse Gases on Earth's Climate

Advisor: Professor Fleming

Nick is investigating the effects on the earth's climate of the rising amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Using new climate data, Nick is exploring how these changes in weather patterns effect the common person in today's society.

Mark Sinclair -- Studies of Variable Stars

Advisor: Professor Campbell

Variable stars are stars that change in brightness. These are commonly very young stars or very old stars that are dying. In cooperation with the The American Association of Variable Stars Observers (AAVSO), Mark is planning to observe one or more of the over 28,000 stars known to be variable. He plans to start with the star rho Cas and move on from there. His findings will be charted and sent back to the AAVSO to be processed and archived.