Student Presentations

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate – Ph.D., Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Reilly Milburn, Andrew Mann, Erin Flowers, Alexis Heitzmann, Ben Montet, George Zhou

Ever Elusive Exospheres: 3 Non-Detections of H-alpha Transits for Young Systems

Of the approximately 5,000 confirmed exoplanets, there is an apparent dearth of intermediate sized planets that orbit close to their host stars. This Neptunian Desert could be explained by rapid photoevaporative mass-loss early in the lives of exoplanets with short orbital periods. We can probe these photoevaporative processes by measuring the transit at wavelengths where the escaping material should be opaque (e.g., Lyman-alpha, H-alpha, He-10830). Using high resolution telluric-corrected spectra taken during transit, we find no significant transit signal in H-alpha for the young planets HD63433 b, DS Tuc A b, and HIP67522 b. We confirm this by testing our method on several photospheric lines less impacted by stellar variability. This suite of non-detections around young planets could be due to ionization of the exosphere, strong stellar variability overwhelming a transit signal, or weaker-than-expected photoevaporative mass-loss.

Mentor: Andrew Mann, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
Appalachian State University
Graduate – Masters, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Samuel DeMay, Roshani Silwal, Amy Gall, Anthony Calamai

Spectroscopy of Highly Charged Ions for Astrophysical and Fundamental Physics Applications

Plasma conditions seen in astrophysical plasmas such as in the solar corona can be reproduced and probed in a laboratory environment with an electron beam ion trap (EBIT). The recent launch of telescopes sensitive in the infra-red (IR) region highlights the need for spectral data in this region to improve models. In an effort to extend the spectroscopic measurements with an EBIT to the near-IR region, we perform test measurements at the EBIT facility at the Center for Astrophysics (CfA) | Harvard & Smithsonian. The test setup consisted of a photomultiplier tube (PMT), focusing lenses, and a narrow band filter. Well-known emission from Ar ions in the visible region was measured to better understand the challenges created by the hot electron gun and warm surfaces within the EBIT, and to explore the timing capabilities and photon detection efficiency of the PMT. Here, we present the experimental efforts and preliminary results which are the first step in our plans to measure the atomic lifetimes.

Mentor: Roshani Silwal, Appalachian State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate – Junior, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Abigail Dunnigan, Sheila Kannappan, Derrick Carr, David Stark, Zack Hutchens, Mugdha Polimera, and the RESOLVE team

Using Nearest Neighbors to Explore the Evolution of Galaxy Nuggets

Galaxy evolution is driven by interactions and mergers between galaxies, which can be quantified in different ways at the scale of immediate environments. In this project we use nearest neighbor distances. Nearest neighbors provide insight on specific stages of galaxy evolution. I analyzed galaxies in an early stage of evolution called nuggets. Nuggets are highly compact galaxies, with much smaller radii given their masses compared to “normal” galaxies. They can be divided into three separate classes, which are newborn, aging, and dead nuggets. Newborn nuggets are formed through events involving intense gas inflows and have high rates of star formation, while dead nuggets have ceased star formation. Studying the nearest neighbors of nugget galaxies can help us determine whether their nearest neighbor distances are consistent or not with their formation and evolutionary futures. Using the REsolved Spectroscopy Of a Local VolumE (RESOLVE) survey with nearest neighbors identified by a KD-Tree algorithm and a nugget sample classified by environmental, structural, and star formation features, we study their nearest neighbor distance distributions. Through visualization and statistical tests such as the Mann-Whitney U Test, we find evidence that newborn nuggets are the products of recent mergers, as indicated by a deficit of close-by nearest neighbors compared to the general survey population and aging and dead nuggets. We also explore possible reasons for apparently normal nearest neighbor distance distributions of aging and dead nuggets.

Mentor: Sheila Kannappan, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
Duke University
Undergraduate – Senior, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Mike Keohane

GW Event Research Tool

Gravitational wave (GW) events are ripples in space caused by the acceleration of massive objects such as mergers of black holes and neutron stars. They have been detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). For each event, LIGO records the direction, magnitude, and frequency of these waves by using huge 4-km long detectors. The Gravitational Wave Open Science Center (GWOSC) has aggregated data from all GW observatories including both LIGO and Virgo.

I have created a module where users can upload files from GWOSC in order to study these events. They are able to adjust sliders to match the generated model to the plots and estimate the parameters of the event. The first iteration of this module strictly plotted the magnitude of the wave (strain) vs time. We found that these 2d strain vs time plots only represented the large events clearly while struggling to distinguish the noise from the wave for weaker events. We therefore plotted a frequency vs time plot with color representing the magnitude just as on the GWOSC website. These graphs are more expressive and able to show events clearly that were not able to be distinguished in the strain domain. We found that we could eliminate noise in the strain vs time plots by just integrating over just the visible event segment in the frequency domain.

We added that feature by allowing users to set bounds on the frequency model then extract and integrate the data in the region to be displayed in the strain domain. This segmented integration allows educators and researchers alike to study these GW events even if the event is weak. Also, with the parameters estimated by the module, users are able to make new independent measures of Hubble’s constant.

Mentor: Dan Reichart, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate – Ph.D., Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Mackenna L. Wood, Andrew Mann, Reilly Milburn, Jonathan Bush, Pa Chia Thao

The Age of the Carina Stellar Association

Young stellar associations – groups of stars which all formed at the same time and place – are important tools for studying the formation and evolution of stars and planets. By studying “benchmark” associations with known ages, astronomers can compare the properties of stars at different ages and determine how they change over time.

The Carina association is a nearby, young stellar association with an uncertain age. Previous age measurements for it have spanned 13-45 Myr, nearly a factor of 4. As Carina contains numerous stars with circumstellar disks – an early stage in stellar evolution – as well as potential planet-hosts, determining its age more precisely has strong implications for the timescales of both star and planet formation.

In this study, we measure the age of the association using the Lithium Depletion Boundary method, the most accurate and precise age-measurement method for young associations. By measuring Li abundance in low-mass members of the association and comparing it to several stellar evolutionary models, we find that the association is 41 ± 3 Myr old, with most of the uncertainty due to differences between models. We confirm our measured LDB age using the full Li sequence, and a mixture-model fit to stellar isochrones. The final age is consistent with the nearby Tucana-Horologium and Columba associations, raising the possibility that all groups have a common origin.

Mentor: Andrew Mann, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NASA Internship Award at NASA Headquarters – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Recent Graduate (BS), Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Teresa Purello

NASA Communications and Public Engagement – Partnership Metrics

My project with NASA’s Office of Communications focused on analyzing current engagement metrics from NASA’s partnerships as well as creating a uniform way of collecting and assessing metrics from partners in the future. NASA partners with brands, organizations, and celebrities to help get the public more involved with NASA missions. One of NASA’s goals for their communications is to reach untapped audiences and to continue to diversify their audience. The goal of my work was to help create a clearer picture of the audiences currently reached and how current and new partnerships can be used to reach new audiences. This involved researching the Paperwork Reduction Act to better understand the regulations surrounding collecting demographic data from audiences. I drafted a form that can be sent to partners to get more information on their audience and what their goals are for the partnership. Having this information will make NASA’s partnerships more impactful. For collecting current engagement metrics, I created a spreadsheet template that made gathering data faster; this was useful during the James Webb Telescope first image release when partners were posting multiple times across different social media platforms. There were also in-person engagements such as the images being shown in Times Square, Piccadilly, and at a Coldplay concert that I tracked using the spreadsheet. I used Cision and Sprinklr to look at engagements with social media posts and news articles. I also collected metrics on engagement with NASA’s two San Diego Comic Con panels and the booth. This was the first iteration of the booth on the Artemis missions and the data collected can be used when planning future appearances of the booth. My project helped to improve metrics collection methods and provided insight on how NASA can more effectively use partners to reach new audiences.

Mentor: Maureen O’Brien, NASA Headquarters

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Caleb Keaveney, Gary Lackmann

Modeling the Dynamics and Evolution of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot (GRS) is a high-pressure anticyclone positioned in an easterly jet stream between the planet’s South Equatorial Belt and South Tropical Zone. Consistent observations of the GRS date back to the 1870s, with observations of a similar feature recorded as early as the 1600s, making it the oldest known discrete atmospheric phenomenon in the universe. It is also the largest; at its recorded peak in the late 1800s, the GRS spanned 15-20% of Jupiter’s local circumference. However, spacecraft and telescope observations reveal the GRS is shrinking at an exponential rate, such that the storm is only slightly larger than Earth today. This evolution is well-documented, but not well-understood. Here, we use numerical simulations via the Explicit Planetary Isentropic Coordinate (EPIC) general circulation model to study a GRS-like vortex and its behavior in a model Jovian atmosphere, in pursuit of understanding the forces modulating the size of the vortex. Our simulations have produced an anticyclonic vortex that replicates numerous dynamical and morphological characteristics of the real GRS, including its wind and vorticity structure, its westward drift, and its dynamical size. This nominal vortex decays in size and strength at an exponential rate, with its dynamical circulation evolving from Voyager-era to present-day observations over a period of 5-6 Earth months. The vorticity anomaly associated with this model storm persists for at least 1200 Jupiter days (~1.5 Earth years). Presently, we are conducting simulations of interactions between this nominal vortex and smaller vortices, investigating whether these interactions have a sustaining, destructive, or negligible impact on the size and strength of the GRS. Preliminary modeling results suggest these interactions have little impact, despite recent Juno satellite observations of morphological changes in the GRS resulting from such interactions. However, long-term simulations are necessary and currently being pursued to confirm this result.

Mentor: Gary Lackmann, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate – Junior, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Logan Selph, Daniel Reichart, Vladimir Kouprianov, Joshua Haislip

Development of Different Skynet Systems for Astronomy Education and Gravitational Wave Research

Over the course of the summer and my fall semester, my Space Grant project focused on two main goals: to prepare our telescopes for 2023 VIRGO/LIGO gravitational run, and to develop tools for use by students and scientists alike in Skynet’s afterglow image editing software. Work on the former began in the summer of 2022, where I assisted in repairing and upgrading telescopes at our site in Chile, which had not been touched since before the COVID-19  outbreak in 2020. Following this trip we have been focused on testing the Campaign Manager software responsible for automatically scheduling observations of gravitational wave event candidates, which will be fully operational by the time the gravitational run happens in March 2023. These observations will be crucial in measuring the inclination of optical GW events, which is necessary to derive and confirm Hubble’s constant from gravitational waves. During my extra time, provided by gaps in testing and delays in VIRGO/LIGO operation, I have been able to work on a couple of extra projects focused on developing tools for afterglow. The first of these two projects aimed to help fix the problem of broken columns and hot/cold pixels in the images being created by some of our telescopes. The resulting pixel-by-pixel algorithm has seen great success in both accuracy and speed, and we are currently developing a systems paper to accompany its integration into afterglow. Second, we began work on a color scaling algorithm that would allow students to scale the colors in images taken by our radio telescope (or any other radio telescope) to the colors they would see if their eyes worked in that part of the spectrum. This tool is working, and, following testing, will be added to afterglow to accompany the radio astronomy segment of MWU courses taught at Universities across America.

Mentor: Daniel Reichart, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Elon University
Undergraduate – Senior, Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Thomas Vivona, Richardson C. T., Polimera M. S., Kannappan S. J., Wels J.

Using Cloudy Simulations to Evaluate WISE Photometry as a Dwarf AGN Diagnostic

Detecting dwarf AGN hosting intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) is key to understanding black hole – galaxy coevolution on a wide range of scales. IR photometry has been successful in identifying AGN using the W1, W2 and W3 bands from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), but remains limited in the context of dwarf galaxies. We can use Cloudy simulations of dwarf galaxy AGN to test how well WISE color-color diagrams can detect dwarf AGN. In our simulations, we adjust column density (NH), hydrogen density (nH), ionization parameter (U), metallicity (Z), AGN fraction (fAGN), and black hole mass (MBH). Our preliminary results from simulated dwarf AGN plotted on W1-W2 vs. W2-W3 diagram fall in the theoretical AGN region when NH ≈ 20.0 cm-3, nH ≈ 2.0 cm-3, and Z ≈ 0.2-0.4 Z☉ which are reasonable characteristics for a dwarf galaxy. However, our simulations also require fAGN ≈ 1.0, which is highly unlikely given dwarfs are ubiquitously star forming, meaning dwarf AGN with fAGN < 1.0 often get misclassified as star forming galaxies. While assuming the physical parameters above, our simulations are in broad agreement with dwarf AGN samples found using mid-IR color-cut criteria, and X-ray and optical/near-IR observations with Chandra and HST. However, we do not have agreement with observations having W2-W3 < 3.0 and W1-W2  > 0.5 on the WISE diagram, which is a region occupied by other AGN catalogs. Our goal is to expand the range of the simulations to find results that encompass more of the theoretical AGN region and provide unique constraints on the physical conditions within those galaxies, which represents progress in understanding the hosts of IMBHs.

Mentor: Chris Richardson, Elon University

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Forsyth Technical Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Alia Wang, Nathan McPherson

Antiseptic Compounds from Trees in Papua New Guinea Revealed by High Resolution Mass Spectrometry

The Chambri People, also known as the “crocodile people” in Papua New Guinea, practice an annual coming of age ceremony called the “scaring of maturity” that involves leaders of this ethnic group making long incisions in the skin of participants, typically teenagers, to create crocodile-like patterns. This cherished ritual has ancestral significance as it is believed to teach the participants how to deal with personal and familial challenges they may encounter in adulthood.  

Despite the risk of infection from open wounds, the Chambri people have developed an antiseptic balm made from the sap of the tree Campnosperma brevipetiolatum that has allowed this practice to endure successfully for generations. The sap was provided by the local healer of the Chambri people to Amy Greeson and her team from Natural Discoveries Inc. and then gifted to Forsyth Technical Community College (FTCC). The sap’s organic compounds were extracted and analyzed at FTCC’s molecular and analytical lab via Agilent’s Quantitative Time-of-Flight (Q-Tof) high-resolution mass spectrometer. The results highlight that the tree sap contains antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory compounds. These compounds may explain the antiseptic properties of the sap used by the Chambri people. Through continued analyses of the molecules of the C. brevipetiolatum tree sap, it may be possible for scientists to synthetically make the active ingredients that may be applied to prevent infections in other types of open wounds.

Mentor: Jason Gagliano, Tandeka Boko, Forsyth Technical Community College

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Garrett Goudas

Effects of UV Radiation on Genetically Altered HA1 Yeast

Ultraviolet rays let off by the sun are dangerous because they can cause damage to the skin and eyes and can increase the risk of skin cancer. This type of radiation is partially blocked by the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere, although some of it still reaches the earth’s surface. This project’s purpose is to better understand the effects of UV radiation on mutation rates of organisms. On April 1, 2023, genetically altered HA1 yeast will be sent up into the upper atmosphere on a weather balloon to be exposed to UV radiation. HA1 yeast have a mutation in an enzyme that plays a role in the AMP pathway which results in a red coloration in their colonies. Yeast that accumulate further mutations in AMP pathway enzymes lose the red coloration and revert to white, thereby providing a simple way to quantify mutation rates in these organisms. Cultures of yeast will be stored in different locations, inside the payload, outside uncovered, and outside but covered with a UV-blocking device. After the payload is recovered, the yeast will be cultured to assess the mutating effect from UV exposure in the upper atmosphere during the flight. We expect to see a greater proportion of white colonies produced from the exposed cultures indicating that even brief exposure to UV in the upper atmosphere leads to a measurable increase in genetic mutations.

Mentor: Denise Williams, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute

North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Biological Sciences
Author(s): Blake Horton, Joseph Tolsma, Jacob Torres, Jeff Richards, Imara Perera, Colleen Doherty

Observation of Simulated Microgravity on the Circadian Clock in Arabidopsis thaliana

For future spaceflight, it is important to understand plant growth and response to altered gravity. In microgravity fluid dynamics is disrupted and biochemical processes that depend on diffusion may be disrupted. The circadian clock regulates the plant’s biochemical and molecular activities, so they are coordinated with the 24h daily cycle. The circadian clock is a tightly connected molecular network dependent on precise diffusion and kinetics for its function. Therefore, we wanted to ask the question: does reduced gravity affect the circadian clock?

To examine the effect of microgravity on the circadian clock, we used a random positioning machine (RPM) to simulate microgravity. Plants were harvested from the RPM every 2 hours for 48 hours to observe the genetic response of core clock genes to simulated microgravity. Two complete replicates were harvested.

RNA isolated from the shoot tissue at each time point for transcriptional analysis to observe the effect of microgravity on the core circadian clock genes and downstream clock-regulated targets. This time-course will be a comprehensive observation of plant response to the abiotic stress of microgravity over time, and will be useful for understanding these responses for future long term space travel.

Mentor: Colleen Doherty, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Cleveland Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): John Pasour

Viability of Selected Freshwater Microorganisms for Spaceborne Air Filtration

Although heavily explored for the purposes of biofuel production, and climate change abatement, the Algal Photobioreactor is underexplored as a potential air-purification system in environments such as those on the I.S.S. By examining the effects of a lighting situation like that on the I.S.S. on the algae’s photosynthetic activity, we aim to determine whether any of the selected organisms or combination of them are viable for an alternative or supplemental air purification device that could see practical use in Earth’s sphere of influence. 

For the experiment, a Grow-Lamp was situated over a pair of test tube racks, sixteen test tubes (8 samples and 8 backup tubes) were placed in the racks. Their PH was monitored on a daily basis with the lamp on a 12 hour on-12 hour off interval for a week. The samples were then replaced, and then observed for another week. This time with a 45 minute on, 45 minute off interval to reflect the conditions on the ISS. I found that the average increase per day in PH with the intermittent samples was about varied between the different organisms. with Chlorella, Anabaena, and the combinations that included them showing the most promising increases.

Mentor: Brian Summey, Cleveland Community College

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
South Piedmont Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Cassidy Holloway, Brenna Cafferty, Ryan Johnson

The Impact of Human Interaction on Surrounding Biodiversity

Within the realm of ecology, a growing area of interest is how humans are impacting the local organisms and how they interact with each other. It is shown that wildlife in urban areas is constantly threatened by hazards, such as deforestation, habitat loss, and contaminated water. Union County, North Carolina, where South Piedmont Community College is located, has seen a steady increase in urbanization with over 150,000 residents in the last 30 years. The rapid onset of urbanization in Union County and surrounding areas may cause an increase in negative side effects for both humans and wildlife. Due to this increasing population, we set up six trail cameras to gauge the impact of humans on the wildlife in the surrounding area. Trail cameras are used in a variety of ways, most notably in research to observe data on wildlife in their natural habitat with little interference by capturing images when motion is detected. We rearranged the trail cameras in hopes of optimizing the potential for observing wildlife. Data collection started February of 2023, and will continue through the end of March 2023. We will continue to retrieve the footage every two weeks. When comparing our data with the initial data from last spring, we hypothesize that there will be a decreased population of animals like deer, birds, and foxes around campus. The aim of this data will be to help inform the public of how urbanization is affecting the local wildlife in hopes of encouraging further conservation efforts in the area and to protect biodiversity.

Mentor: Nickolas Davros, South Piedmont Community College

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Davidson-Davie Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Rachel K. Wilson, Juan F. Morales Aguirre

Antibacterial Properties of Endophytic Fungi Cultured in Nutrient Supplemented Lunar and Mars Simulants

The evolution of antibiotic resistant bacteria is a growing global concern and poses a threat to human health on Earth and during space flight. Endophytic fungi and their natural products provide potential sources for new antibiotics. Previous examination of organic extracts from endophytic fungi isolated from vegetation on the campus of Davidson-Davie Community College have shown antimicrobial effects in agar-well diffusion assays. As a novel experiment, we isolated endophytic fungi from local flora and grew them in semi-solid fermentation cultures comprised of 16.5 g of Lunar or Mars regolith simulants supplemented with either 10mL of potato or Sabouraud dextrose agar in 120mL jars. Supplemented simulants were subjected to organic extraction using ethyl acetate and stored in methanol for well-diffusion bioassays.  Extracts will be examined and the antimicrobial effects against both gram positive and gram negative bacteria will be reported. Potential applications regarding the search for new antibiotics within the context of the planned return to the Moon and future exploration of Mars will be addressed.

Mentor: Joseph W. Felts, Davidson-Davie Community College

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
South Piedmont Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Kylie May

Do Restaurants Have Profit or Truth On The Menu?

DNA barcoding is a method of species identification that uses a small section of DNA from a specific gene or genes obtained from a sample. This technique utilizes sequences of DNA and compares them to a reference library to identify the sample species. Since the  price of high-quality fish has been increasing due to inflation, wanting to get what you pay for and enjoying the food is what people are looking for. Thus, our driving question is whether restaurants accurately portray the fish they sell or focus on a higher profit margin via fish substitution.  Multiple sources have stated that substitution in fish is a possibility in a restaurant setting from mislabeling or substitution within North Carolina. Using a DNA Barcoding kit from BioRad, we will prepare raw fish samples, perform PCR amplification, and gel electrophoresis to isolate the DNA from each sample for sequencing. Our samples will be obtained from four restaurants within the Monroe, Matthews area of North Carolina, three kinds of fish, Thunnini (Tuna), Salmo (Salmon), and Seriola (Yellowtail). Our results will determine if the samples are being accurately advertised. The end goal is to determine if restaurants are truthful in what they sell to buyers in the local market.

Mentor: Nickolas Davros, South Piedmont Community College

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
Duke University
Undergraduate – Sophomore, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Evan Yee

The Combined Effect of Radiation and Microgravity on Cardiomyocyte Survival

Ion radiation and microgravity situations are both environmental stressors that biological systems encounter in space. Although astronaut health has been studied in many other facets, the combined effects of radiation and microgravity on cardiovascular function is still not yet fully understood. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of gamma radiation and microgravity on oxidative stress and cell viability in the model cells of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes, believed to be non-dividing. These cells were placed in a microgravity rotating wall bioreactor spun at 10 RPM for 180 hours with microbeads and irradiated with 10Gy. The viability of each group was assayed through the MTT assay. The media of each group was assayed for reactive oxygen species, which is associated with increased risk in damage to cell DNA and RNA, with the ROS Glo H2O2 Assay. From the MTT assay, the absorbance of the non-irradiated standard-gravity controls was 0.21275 ±0.123820923, the non-irradiated microgravity cells was 0.16425 ±0.115053248, the radiation-only group was 0.51055 ±0.339461127, and the combined stressors group was 0.342466667 ±0.182726714. Control wells without cells had an absorbance of 0.049066667 ±0.00474478. Similarly, ROS species in cell media for the three cell groups that experienced space environmental stressors was greater than that for the control cells. These results convey how the environmental stressors of spaceflight can invoke cardiovascular injury and non-dividing cell damage.

Mentor: Dawn Bowles, Duke University Health

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Wake Technical Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Mohammed Amaan Hussain

Data Analysis for Piedmont Health

Students perform various data analyses for Piedmont Health, a multi-county federal health care provider. Using Excel, students will analyze and curate data for various applications, such as tracking costs, analyzing cost drivers, identifying patient demographic trends, identifying disease trends and more.

Mentor: Anne Magnuson, Wake Technical Community College

2022-2023 NC Sea/Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Graduate – Masters, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Allie Best, Ray Danner

Predicting Habitat Availability of Swamp Sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) in Hyde County, NC: Integrating Habitat Needs into Sea Level Rise Models

Tidal marshes along the coast of North Carolina are experiencing an average relative sea level rise (SLR) of 3.63 mm/yr (NOAA 2021) that is and continues to present significant threats for the environment (Covi et al. 2021). Saltmarshes provide crucial habitats for many coastal species in at least one part of their life cycle but remain one of the most degraded ecosystems worldwide (ACJV 2019). One coastal species of conservation concern that may be affected by SLR is the Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana). The Swamp Sparrow has three subspecies: Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow (M. g. nigrescens), and two interior subspecies (the southern Swamp Sparrow, M. g. georgiana and the northern swamp sparrow, M. g. ericrypta). The Coastal Plain Swamp Sparrow is listed as a taxon of highest priority for conservation by the Salt Marsh Bird Conservation Plan (ACJV 2019). An understanding of their winter habitat needs and changes in those habitats in response to SLR would allow targeted conservation planning. We are investigating the impacts posed by SLR using Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) and two vegetation indices (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index [NDVI] and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index [SAVI]) on known home ranges of Swamp Sparrows at selected study sites in Hyde County, NC. We determined home range size using previously collected radio telemetry data from 2008 – 2010; average home range size (n=49) is 1.69 ha. Using Worldview-2 imagery from 2008 – 2010, SLAMM will model habitat change with projected SLR estimates at our study sites for years 2025, 2050, and 2100. We are comparing our 2008 – 2010 models with present data to assess what changes have already occurred and verify model validity. We will use the vegetation indices to assess resource availability within home ranges to assess productivity and estimate how much productivity may be lost due to SLR.

Mentor: Ray Danner, University of North Carolina at Wilmington

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Western Piedmont Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Cadence Davis

White Creek 2023 Field Study

White Creek is considered by the Division of Water Resources and the Lake James Environmental Association to be one of only two impaired streams flowing into Lake James. The concern for this stream lies in the consistently low macro-invertebrate data and increased sedimentation over the last 5 years. The stream has a history of severe wildfires from a lack of controlled burns, and my previous research on White Creek credited wildfires as the main source of impairment. This year’s research is a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the White Creek watershed in its entirety. I am assessing the forestry in and out of burn zones, monitoring invasives, and identifying areas damaging the stream’s stability. Traversing along White Creek has revealed many sediment deposits and damaged stream banks which have all been recorded on a digital map. I have also noted habitat, ancient floodplains, terraces, and potential wetlands.

The largest sources of sedimentation observed were in the creek itself. Upstream, small undercut banks extend for more than one thousand feet, noticeably increasing turbidity. Downstream, straight, fast-moving sections followed by sinuous channels are causing clay banks to erode. By the time the creek enters Lake James, water flow is limited by layers of sediment in the stream bed. Areas recently harvested for timber are possible contributors to this, but regardless, sedimentation would worsen if harvesting were to continue. The data collected supports previous research that White Creek’s forestry is imbalanced; areas either burnt too hot in recent years or were covered in flammable shrubbery. Evidence of channelization and logging from the late 1800s have also permanently affected terrain. Recommendations for restoration include the implementation of beaver dam analogs along some sediment filled terraces, and areas found with weak stream banks should be widened or strengthened as soon as possible.

Mentor: Jessica Howells, Stacey Johnson, and Lee Kiser, Wake Technical Community College and the Lake James Environmental Association

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Western Piedmont Community College
Community College, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Gillian Freeze, Emma Whisnant

Population Dynamics of American Ginseng in the Piedmont Region of NC

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is a herbaceous perennial plant native to deciduous forests in eastern North America. It has been extensively grown and marketed in this area since the 18th century for its pharmacological components known as “ginsenosides.” Due to its popularity and the widespread destruction of its habitat, populations of ginseng have progressively disappeared across its native range. Today, native populations are primarily found in North America’s mountainous Appalachian and Ozark regions. The population of ginseng we have discovered lies in the Piedmont region of North Carolina.

By performing a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the habitat of this particular population of ginseng, we have gained insight into the companion organisms and environmental conditions that might be promoting its growth. We studied over 100 individual plants, with ~40% producing fruit. The majority of these plants were found on a northeast-facing slope in a Dry-Mesic Basic Oak-Hickory Forest with a soil pH of 6.3 and a canopy of mature oak and tulip trees. Our findings support previous data which suggests ginseng thrives best in full-shaded woodland environments underneath deciduous hardwoods such as sugar maples, tulip poplars, black walnut, or oak. This plant is also found to grow predominantly on north or northeast-facing slopes and favors rich soil, with an optimal pH range of around 5.0 to 6.0, both of which were conditions present at our location.

A focus of continued study is the genetic diversity of this ginseng population given its tendency to self-pollinate and rely on gravity as a means of seed dispersal. In order to best preserve and continuously study this ginseng population, steps should be taken to protect the surrounding land and regulate the presence of invasive species and poachers that could disrupt its growth.

Mentor: Jessica Howells and Stacey Johnson, Wake Technical Community College

2022-2023 MSI STEM Bridge Scholar
Winston-Salem State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Sadie White, Rafael Loureiro

Tilling and Its Effect on Martian Regolith-Based Crop Growth

Historically studies looking at crop growth in Martian regolith have been focused on the growth in the simulant itself alongside new innovations. But what if the answer to aiding us in our journey to growing sustainable crops in space began more than 10,000 years ago? The nutrient deficient regolith is a clear illustration of why additional supports will be needed to make not only visual growth, but a viable crop a reality. Due to the many complexities of growing on such a challenging medium, many in the field are shifting their attention to hydroponics in an effort to try and come to an end goal in a more fiscally responsible way and in a shorter time. But the issue at hand is that so much is unknown about regolith and the effect it has on the physiology of plants, and even the make-up of the substrate itself. In this study we used a technique proven effective time and time again in traditional agriculture and see the effect it has on Martian regolith. Overall, in the trays regardless of specimen type we see that the presence of Rhizobium leguminosarum leads to increased growth. However, as our data will show, the bacteria prefer a low oxygen environment so when tilling is present biomass will be smaller and growth will be less. This effect is easily distinguishable in the pea plants, however in the radish plants there is no quantifiable difference. This project was important because this is just the first step of many. A considerable amount of research has been published on regolith, either lunar and Martian, and different techniques used to measure growth of crops. But this is one of the first to look at the effects of a traditional agricultural technique as it relates to crop growth in Martian regolith.

Mentor: Rafael Loureiro, Winston-Salem State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
Winston-Salem State University
Undergraduate – Junior, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Sydney Wharton, Michelle Bruno-Garcia, Sadie White, Taylor Johnson

Evaluation of the Effects of Crop Transferability Stress on Radish Plants Cultivated in Lunar Highlands Regolith

The transferability of crops from hydroponics to regolith-based systems is a topic of interest in space agriculture. Hydroponic systems offer controlled growing conditions but can be costly and less sustainable in the long term. Proper research has never been conducted utilizing regolith as the receiving substrate. To better understand the stress physiology behind the acclimation process of crops transferred into regolith, the authors have chosen Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus)as their test crop. Over 30 days, radish plants were grown under controlled environmental conditions for the first ten days in hydroponics and then transferred to Lunar Highlands regolith (UCF Exolith Lab). During both cultivation stages, temperature (Celsius) and relative humidity (%RH) data were collected every hour during the light and dark periods to provide hourly vapor pressure deficit (VPD, in kPa) data; carbon dioxide concentrations(μmol-1) were also measured hourly; air velocity (m s⁻¹) was also measured once daily, as well as, light intensity (PPFD μmol m⁻² s⁻¹) at canopy level. Each production cycle was divided into three growth cycles (10 days each – the first 10 in hydroponics). Between each growth cycle, the samples were measured (plant height, crown diameter) every two days, and at the end of each growth cycle, leaf area (cm2), stomatal conductance (mmol m⁻² s⁻¹), PAR, SFM, RFM, SDM, and RDM data was also collected. From the root and the fresh shoot mass, 100 mg will be sampled for targeted phytohormone data collection using LC-MS.

Transferred plants have shown increased Auxin (IAA) and Abscisic Acid (ABA) levels compared to their non-transferred controls (ANOVA p=0.02). Elevated Auxin levels may have been the cause of the observed pithiness (possibly due to rapid elongation), indicating high-stress conditions affecting the xylem parenchyma cells. Follow-up studies are necessary to continue exploring crop transferability’s feasibility from hydroponics to Lunar regolith.

Mentor: Rafael Loureiro, Winston-Salem State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
Winston-Salem State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Biological Sciences
Author(s): Taylor S. Johnson, Kira Lanier, Rafael Loureiro

Evaluation of the Physiology and Root Morphology of Crops Grown in Lunar and Martian Regolith Exposed to Lunar and Martian Simulated Gravity

Regolith-based agriculture (RBA) may serve as a less resource and time-intensive alternative to bio-regenerative food systems. In this context, the study aimed to understand the effects of partial gravity on lunar and Martian RBA systems to more realistically assess the combination of these two factors on full-term crops and microgreen physiology. Clinostats (Eisco Scientific – BIO244) were calibrated to the specific gravities of the moon and Mars which provided a partial gravity environment for the plants. Regolith simulants (LHS-1, MGS-1) obtained from Exolith Lab served as the substrates for this experiment. The seeds utilized in this experiment were peas (Pisum sativum), chickpeas (Cicer arietinum), peppers (Capsicum annum), and lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Seeds were planted in tubes and the tubes were affixed to the clinostats for 14 days in controlled environment conditions with daily watering (5mL) and a 16 light/8 dark photoperiod. Measurements and analyses included germination rate, growth rate (edible and total biomass), and phytohormone levels. Analytical instruments included contrast-fluorescence microscopes (Amscope 40X-15X) for root samples and LC-MS (ThermoScientific Orbitrap ID-X Tribrid) for metabolite analysis. All plants displayed phytohormone production increases which were significantly higher than the Earth gravity control groups (ANOVA/Tukey – p=0.002). These results corroborate our hypothesis that adding a partial gravity variable to RBA must be integrated into future studies to provide a full analytical view of the physiology of the crops which are destined to be exposed to both gravitational and substrate-based stressors.

Mentor: Rafael Loureiro, Winston-Salem State University

University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Undergraduate-Senior, Biological Sciences
Author(s): B. Jenkins, A.M. Hughes, K. Swinson, A. Settle, M. Osareh, T. Shymanovich, J.Z. Kiss

Phenotypic responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to approximated microgravity: a GWAS Analysis

The future of extended space-travel hinges on our ability to provide astronauts with renewable sources of food, water and oxygen. All of these necessities are provided by plants; however, the microgravity of space is a stressful growing environment for plants, which can result in reduced growth and crop productivity. To ensure greater productivity of plants grown in space, we must identify specific lines that exhibit a mitigated stress response to atypical gravity. In this study, we assayed the phenotypic responses of 74 ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana after one week of growth on a two-dimensional clinostat to identify those lines that were most resistant and most susceptible to the stress of unusual gravity. The phenotypic responses (root growth, shoot growth, number and length of lateral roots, and root hair number and density) were compared to those of the same lines grown statically. The lines with the greatest and least divergence of the difference between control and experimental results, as compared to the differences in the other lines were identified as those most and least resistant to gravitropic stress. Most of the analyzed ecotypes exhibited a similar reduction in growth, but several were identified as having a deviating response, and were identified as being more and less effected by gravitropic responses.

Mentor: John Z. Kiss, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Undergraduate – Senior, Physics
Author(s): Katherine Swinson, Ariel M. Hughes, John Z. Kiss

Effects of Full Spectrum Light and Randomized Gravity on Arabidopsis thaliana 

Because plants will provide the oxygen, food and water that will make long-term space travel possible, it is critical that we identify how plants are adversely affected by gravitational conditions that diverge from those of Earth. In order to investigate how gravitropic stress affects plant growth, experiments must be conducted in altered gravity environments. As space aboard the ISS is limited, many of these experiments investigating plant growth in atypical gravity are conducted on Earth using microgravity approximating devices. One such device used to investigate the effects of altered gravity conditions is an RPM (Random Positioning Machine). RPMs continuously rotate growing seedlings in three dimensions while maintaining a light source that remains static in relation to those seedlings. This experiment investigated the root and shoot phototropic response of three wildtype (COL, WS, and LER) seedlings grown in full spectrum light for one week inside of an RPM and compared them to those grown in static gravity. Previously, similar experiments have been conducted using a RPM and red and blue light, however, these results will help us understand how plants respond to altered gravity when grown in white light.

Mentor: John Z Kiss, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Chia-Hung Lin, Shih-Chun Lin, Liang C. Chu

A Low-overhead Dynamic Formation Method for LEO Satellite Swarm Using Imperfect CSI

In 6G systems, non-terrestrial networks (NTNs) are poised to address the limitations of terrestrial systems, particularly in unserved or underserved areas, by providing infrastructure with mobility that enhances reliability, availability, and responsiveness. Among various types of mobile infrastructures, low earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications have the potential to offer extended coverage that supports numerous devices simultaneously with low latency. Consequently, LEO satellite communications attract significant attention from academia, government, and industry. The dynamic formation problem must be solved to form a swarm connecting to the ground station with the most appropriate satellites to achieve LEO satellite communication systems with higher throughput. Existing solutions use computationally demanding methods to solve the NP-hard problem and cannot be employed for satellite communication systems with short coherence time. Furthermore, precise channel state information (CSI) between the ground station and all candidate satellites is required for formation designs, resulting in significant signaling overheads. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose a learning-based dynamic formation method for real-time dynamic formation capability. Our approach uses coarse CSI (i.e., imperfect CSI) as initial inputs and provides valuable guidelines as priorities to access specific satellites for fine-grained CSI (i.e., precise CSI). The prediction results are validated using a small-scale brute force method to determine the final formation. Our intensive simulation results suggest that the proposed method can aid current LEO satellite communications by providing real-time formation results, particularly in low-transmit power regions. Specifically, the proposed method can achieve 90% of full capacity with only 32% signaling overhead to build high-throughput LEO satellite communications.

Mentor: Shih-Chun Lin, North Carolina State University

NASA Internship Award at NASA Johnson Space Center – Summer 2022
Fayetteville State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Nathan Couch

Enhanced UI/UX for NASA’s Valkyrie Humanoid Robot

This summer’s internship work had the goal of adding functionality to and enhancing user experience with the Valkyrie Unity 2020 VR interface based on feedback from VR team operators and the goals of the UI/UX team lead. Previously, options were available for changing camera view within the interface, but it hasn’t been entirely clear what these options do and their effect isn’t immediately noticeable making the experience harder to grasp for non-experienced operators. Additionally, menu interaction has been limited exclusively to an operator wearing a VR headset. As a result of the first project, many new camera options have been added that aim to clearly represent their functionality, and the effects of each option are visible in real-time. This not only creates an easier experience for newer operators, but also gives experienced operators more options to make task completion quicker with less time lost interacting with menus. The added Zoom dial and Azimuth dial allow for the operator to control the zoom and rotation of the camera in real time with inputs from the controllers that can be customized with sensitivity sliders as opposed to the original sliders that did not update the view until triggered. The added reset view button allows for the operator to quickly return the camera to default position which was a direct request of operators due to frustration getting to origin position. And finally, the added save view buttons allow the operator to save camera positions they want to quickly return to, even further reducing lost time in menu interaction. As a result of the second project, operators are no longer exclusively limited to VR headsets and can control the VR interface menu directly from a computer or with the option of loading it to a tablet to allow for optional assistance to the main Valkyrie operator as needed. Each new feature has been implemented utilizing Unity’s new input manager allowing for easier integration in future configurations. Instead of being limited to specific VR hardware, current and future options can now be easily swapped in as a result of the new Unity 2020 interface being worked on by the UI team, which now is also available to use directly on a computer or even on a tablet. In total, all the newly added features aim to give the operator a better experience, and provide even more options to the team when arranging feature showcase demos.

Mentor: Sambit Bhattacharya, Fayetteville State University

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Central Piedmont Community College
Community College, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Brian Peacock, David Arnett, Amy Edwards, Dannia Ruiz Mata

Campus Compass

Navigating ever-changing college campuses is a problem for incoming and returning students. Partially due to this, over three-thousand classes were dropped between the first day and the 10% date during Fall semester of 2022 at CPCC. Helping students navigate campus would reduce stress, save time, and improve attendance.

Based on a student survey, a mobile application was found to be the most effective solution. Our group designed a prototype that will help people navigate one of our six college campuses, including locating points of interest such as classrooms, food, nearest parking lots, vending machines, and wheelchair-accessible routes; as well as a security feature. Also including an AR-enhanced 360-degree view of how to navigate the campus.

In the attempt to find a suitable system to access precise location data indoors, it was found that the standard GPS was unsuitable for indoor navigation due to attenuation and multi-path propagation, so alternate Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) needed to be utilized. Additionally, compared to Wi-fi or Bluetooth-based positioning, integrating a map developed using data from augmented reality was more feasible.  From the plethora of possible indoor positioning systems, we will be testing positioning using visual markers, a detailed map, a navigation graph, and augmented reality.

In the future, the goal is to have the application and systems we use widely available on our campus as well as on campuses around the world, allowing people to navigate their colleges and universities easily. Additional indoor positioning methods will be implemented in the future to further the accuracy of our navigation system.

Mentor: Tony Stanford Jr., Central Piedmont Community College

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Mitchell Community College
Community College, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Justin Goodrich

Vision-Based Landing System for Parachute Payloads

This project presents a computer vision/convolutional neural network (CNN) based obstacle avoidance system for a parachute payload. To be tested during the North Carolina Space Grant High altitude Balloon Competition. The system utilizes an onboard, downward-facing camera, to analyze frames with an image segmentation model. Once a given frame has been selected, the system simply chooses a direction with the most open land, utilizing servo motors to guide its parachute. The model is trained on augmented data in order to simulate several flight conditions such as elevation, orientation, and different seasons. The system’s implementation will be discussed in detail,including the CNN model’s architecture, training process, and integration with the payload’s control system. The effectiveness of our landing system is to be examined after the launch on March 31, 2023

CNN-based Image Segmentation of aerial photographs has a variety of use cases in industries such as agriculture, construction, and real estate development. By using deep learning based systems to analyze aerial photographs instead of manual labor or more traditional, less robust, computer vision approaches, organizations can save time and money while achieving more accurate results.

There appears to be a scarcity of documented instances where aerial image segmentation has been applied. The North Carolina Space Grant High altitude Balloon Competition provides the perfect opportunity to not only document the use of aerial image segmentation but also to analyze the effectiveness of model predictions on hardware with limited capabilities.

Mentor: Tony Briceno, Mitchell Community College

NASA Internship Award at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory – Summer 2022
Fayetteville State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Jonathan Soltren

Scout Craft for Autonomous Space Exploration

This autonomous spacecraft could be broken up into two agents. The first agent is the mother craft, the second is the daughter craft. The mother craft would be doing the bulk of computing as well as data gathering. The daughter craft would do an initial scouting mission to find points of scientific interest and send them back to the mother craft. The mother craft would use this initial scouting data to create a plan to gather even more data on these points of interest. The mother craft does this by using the enterprise executive planner.  

Most of my work was on developing the daughter craft node for the purposes of simulation. Developing the daughter craft node required some important details. This was the flow of its purpose. First a message is sent by the mother craft to separate the daughter craft and launch it ahead of the mother craft. The daughter craft the moves into position and runs a set of diagnostics checks. As it approaches the target an onboard camera is pointed at the target and takes 3 images. These images are then analyzed to document scientific points of interest. These points are documented in a csv file and exported along with the 3 raw images. This ends the task of the daughter craft, and she can continue onward into space. 

The daughter craft code was written in python using the ROS (Robot Operating System) set of libraries and functionality. For the virtual simulation the basilisk open-source software was used. There were a few assumptions made when creating the daughter craft node for the sake of simulation. First the daughter craft was already separated and flying along the same trajectory ahead of the mother craft. This could be changed of course as the trajectories were hard coded. Second, the daughter craft did not have the ability to analyze images. The images were analyzed beforehand by a separate function and set in a csv file. While writing the code for the daughter craft node there was a steep learning curve. I had joined an ongoing project and it required me to go through the already existing code of the mother craft so that I could have a grasp on how the mother craft interacted with itself and how I could make the mother craft interact with the new daughter craft.  

Mentor:

NASA Internship Award at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center – Summer 2022
University of North Carolina at Wilmington
Undergraduate – Senior, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Niall McKinnon

Applications of Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave LiDAR for Lunar Terrain Navigation and Mapping

As we expand our presence on the Moon, reliable navigation and terrain mapping will be essential for complex operations. Initially developed for the automotive industry, frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR scanners have great potential to enable these projects. In addition to generating a detailed map of its environment, FMCW sensors can measure their orientation and velocity relative to their immediate surroundings. This allows robust positional data to be obtained without external references such as GPS. This project aimed to develop navigation software based entirely around an FMCW sensor, integrated into an autonomous rover. Frequent tests were conducted at Marshall Space Flight Center’s Lunar Surface Training Ground, an analog Lunar environment. This project demonstrated that with the aid of robust software, FMCW sensors allow independent surface operations and can provide detailed surface maps for subsequent missions. This was successfully demonstrated via a separate vehicle utilizing a pre-made map generated by the FMCW-equipped rover.

Mentor: Michael Zanetti, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Community College, Computer Science and Engineering
Author(s): Daniel Adam Ward

The Use of Artificial Intelligence In High Altitude Balloon Flight Path and Landing Predictions

The goal of this research is to determine the potential of an artificial Intelligence in the prediction of the flight path and landing zone of high-altitude balloons.

This will be done by first creating a predictive model to act as a baseline for the artificial Intelligence and testing that model with recovered high-altitude balloons flight data. Once this baseline model has been established, research into various learning algorithms used in artificial intelligence will begin. Each potential learning algorithm will be considered until there are some potentially viable algorithms.

The predicted result of this project is that a viable algorithm will be found that will serve an artificial intelligence in the prediction of the flight path and landing zone of high-altitude balloons. If the results of this research are positive, then the use of artificial intelligence could aid in ensuring the safe flight of high altitude balloons.

Mentor: Lucas McGuire, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
Appalachian State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Ethan Barber

An Initial Study of Seven Months of Size Number Concentration Data on Atmospheric Aerosols in Boone, NC

Atmospheric aerosols, which are produced both by human activities as well as by organic sources, play a large role in Earth’s overall energy budget. The direct effects of atmospheric aerosols are due to the scattering and absorption of solar radiation or light. There are also indirect effects of aerosols by how certain aerosols can act as seeds for cloud droplets. These aerosol cloud droplets can alter the participation, lifetime, and reflectivity of clouds. The extent to which atmospheric aerosols directly and indirectly affect the Earth’s energy budget is one of the biggest uncertainties for future global temperature modeling. A Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer or SMPS is one useful instrument that is used to quantify the number of aerosols in a sample at a particle size. At the Appalachian Atmospheric Interdisciplinary Research site (AppalAIR), an SMPS has been continuously running and taking measurements for the past seven months. Currently size number concentration data is being analyzed as an input to Mie theory. Due to the continuous running of the particle sizer, it is possible to see weekly and seasonal variability of aerosol particle size. Size number concentration plots from data produced by the SMPS will be evaluated in a closure study to determine the effectiveness of models in predicting aerosol optical properties, which affect the direct and indirect effect of atmospheric aerosols on the Earth’s solar energy budget.

Mentor: James Sherman, Appalachian State University

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
Appalachian State University
Graduate – Masters, Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Matthew Allen, Dr. James Sherman

Newest-generation Handheld Sunphotometer for Validation of Satellite-Measured Aerosol Optical Depth and Air Quality Studies by Citizen Scientists

Aerosol optical depth (AOD), a key aerosol property used in climate models and air quality studies, is primarily measured by satellite-based instruments such as NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and NASA’s Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR). These satellite-based measurements, however, have higher uncertainties over complex, mountainous terrain. Due to these geographically-dependent uncertainties, it is imperative to validate the satellite data with measurements from ground-based instruments such as NASA’s Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET), but spatial coverage over mountainous terrain within the United States and Africa is limited. Networks of inexpensive handheld sunphotometers have the unique potential to complement AERONET and increase the spatial coverage of AOD measurements, but the usefulness of these measurements is heavily dependent on instrument design, adequate calibration, and characterization of instrument performance against AERONET. Dr. James Sherman’s research group at Appalachian State University previously developed handheld microcontroller-based sunphotometers, utilizing filtered photodiodes, which were deployed to Botswana in 2018 for Citizen Scientist AOD measurements. These instruments demonstrated excellent agreement with AERONET-measured AOD and stable long-term calibration but were restricted by issues related to time synchronization, data transmission, reliability, and ease of use. I have designed and implemented software and hardware solutions to address these issues including a new GPS module to better synchronize the instrument’s time and a new measurement protocol to optimize data acquisition. In addition, I have built upon previous students’ work to improve the instrument’s troubleshooting simplicity and to develop an improved housing to accommodate the instrument’s new hardware components. After rigorous assessment and characterization against Appalachian State’s AERONET data, our newest-generation handheld sunphotometer displays excellent agreement with AERONET’s “ground truth” measurements as well as greatly improved functionality, reliability, and ease of use.

Mentor: James Sherman, Appalachian State University

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Pitt Community College
Community College, Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Garrett L. Freeman, Addison K. Hudson, Christian A. Knobel, Brian E. Gray

Sedimentology and Staratigraphy of the Flanner Beach formation (Middle Pleistocene) in Beaufort County, NC

The Flanner Beach Formation (Middle Pleistocene) was deposited approximately 200,000 ybp during a sea level high stand in east-central North Carolina.  Previous work indicated that it is divided into three members: 1) lower Hills Point Member composed of mud deposited in a well-protected, low salinity, lagoonal or river-estuary environment; 2) the upper Mauls Point Member composed of mixed sands and muds deposited in a more open lagoonal environment, and 3) an Unnamed Member composed of sand deposited in an outer lagoonal environment.  The Flanner Beach Fm. unconformably overlies pre-Flanner Beach Fm. fluvial sands and sandstones deposited approximately 700,000 ybp.

The previous work involved measuring/describing sections, formally naming the Hills Point Mbr. (type section), but focused largely on faunal ecology.  This project takes the previous work of the type section and expands exposed sections to the southwest and concentrates more on sedimentology and internal stratigraphy. 

This project involved looking at exposures in a different way by: measuring additional exposures; taking continuous core samples; describing sediments/units; obtaining bulk samples for grain size analysis; and systematic sampling for analysis by: sediment/unit descriptions, gamma ray logging, magnetic susceptibility response, and elemental analysis for chemostratigraphy. 

The findings of this investigation include:  1) thinning of the Hills Point Mbr. to the southwest; 2) dividing the Mauls Point Mbr. into three distinct units; and 3) identifying the Unnamed Mbr. farther westward than previously found.

Mentor: Brian E. Gray, Pitt Community College

NASA Internship Award at NASA DEVELOP – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Recent Graduate (Masters), Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Deirdre An, Anne Britton, Charlie Nixon, Seamus Geralty

Evaluating Rock Pool Hydroperiod Fluctuation using Climate Variables to Inform Habitat Monitoring and Protection in the Western Sonoran Desert

Ephemeral freshwater rock pools, known as tinajas, have great biologic and cultural importance as sources of surface water in the western Sonoran Desert (WSD). Tinaja flooding and drying cycles, known as hydroperiods, vary based on meteorologic and climatologic conditions; however, a lack of extensive research relating climatic impacts to tinajas puts these critical ecosystems further at risk. National Park Service (NPS) and the University of Arizona monitor the physical and ecological condition of tinajas in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument (OPCNM), AZ, using resource-intensive strategies: in situ trail cameras and direct measurements. To aid monitoring efforts, the NASA DEVELOP team aimed to incorporate remote sensing into NPS strategies by analyzing spatiotemporal climate data and tinaja hydroperiods in OPCNM between 1979–2022. Using Aqua and Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS), University of Idaho Gridded Surface Meteorological Dataset (gridMET), and OpenET data, the team generated climatology maps and time series for OPCNM. The team compared these data to daily in situ hydroperiod observations from the University of Arizona between 2019–2022. Climate maps and time series showed increases in temperature and solar radiation (p<0.05), while analyses of in situ data showed correlations of hydroperiods with precipitation and evapotranspiration. End products identified high-risk tinajas and demonstrated that Earth observations can successfully be correlated with in situ hydroperiod observations. These results will support NPS efforts to prioritize water resource management and inform protocols driving the conservation of tinajas in OPCNM.

Mentor: Douglas Rao, NCEI

North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Ajmal Rasheeda Satheesh, Bethany Sutherland, Sabin Kasparoglu, Nicholas Meskhidze, and Markus D. Petters

Particle Turbulent Mass Flux Retrievals Through Novel Remote Sensing Methodology

Active sensors such as lidars and radars can retrieve information on vertical velocity, aerosol extinction, and backscatter with a spatial and temporal resolution of about 50 m and 30 seconds, respectively. In this study, we report the application of a vertically pointing coherent Doppler Lidar (DL) and the University of Wisconsin High Spectral Resolution Lidar (UW-HSRL) for inferring aerosol vertical turbulent mass fluxes at different altitudes within the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) throughout the day. Aerosol number size distributions and mass fluxes at 12 m height above ground were measured using Printed Optical Particle Spectrometer (POPS) and a 3-D sonic anemometer. The field studies were conducted at the DOE ARM SGP site in Oklahoma in 2020 and at La Porte, Texas, during the TRacking Aerosol Convection interactions ExpeRiment (TRACER) in 2022. In this presentation, aerosol vertical turbulent mass fluxes at different heights within the PBL are compared with near-ground measurements for different relative humidity (RH) conditions. Preliminary analysis at the SGP site shows the DL mass fluxes in a range of -0.5 and 0.5 µg m-2 s-1 in the surface layer during mid-day, with upward fluxes occurring more often than downward fluxes. In addition to estimates of the aerosol mass flux, aerosol depolarization ratios reported by HSRL are used for inferring chemical proxies of aerosols. This study will also test the feasibility of using vertical flux profiles as a parameter to estimate the mixing layer height (MLH) as compared to using radiosondes and other techniques such as using a Haar wavelet covariance transform on airborne backscatter lidar data.

Mentor: Nicholas Meskhidze, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 NC Sea/Space Grant Graduate Research Fellow
Wake Forest University
Graduate – Ph.D., Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Nicholas K. Corak, Matthew Barnes, Lauren Lowman

Capturing Vegetation Regrowth Dynamics After Prescribed Fire in North Carolina’s Piedmont and Coastal Plains

Prescribed fire is a tool used by land managers in fire adapted ecosystems as a means to reduce potential fuel for wildfires from excessive biomass, preserve habitats, and foster natural ecological growth cycles. However, there is a gap in understanding how prescribed fire influences the dynamics of succession and recovery in the humid, fire-adapted ecosystems of the southeastern United States. We use leaf area index (LAI) to measure changes in vegetation density in the humid, fire-adapted ecosystems of North Carolina’s Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions. We have collected ground-based measurements of LAI at monthly to quarterly intervals since March 2021 using a LICOR 2200C Plant Canopy Analyzer. In forests and longleaf pine savannas, we measure both understory and overstory regrowth. Ground observations of LAI are compared to remotely sensed values from  the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) at 500 m spatial resolution. In order to derive a higher resolution LAI product for managed lands, we use MODIS and Landsat-8 spectral reflectance data within a machine learning algorithm to estimate changes in LAI at 30 m spatial resolution. Initial results demonstrate that ground and remotely-sensed observations capture seasonal cycles of LAI including abrupt changes in vegetation density after fire. However, we find that remote sensing overestimates LAI in tall canopies compared to ground observations and underestimates LAI in grasslands. Our results demonstrate how  subgrid-scale  heterogeneity in vegetation adds uncertainty to estimates of vegetation regrowth patterns from satellite observations in fire-affected ecosystems.

Mentor: Lauren Lowman, Wake Forest University

2020-2021 Graduate Research Fellow
North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Bethany Sutherland, Nicholas Meskhidze, Sharon Burton, Johnathan Hair, Chris Hostetler, Richard Ferrare

Application of High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL)-based methods for estimating PM2.5 during the DISCOVER-AQ and KORUS-AQ campaigns

Particles with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) have severe adverse effects on human health (contributing to millions of premature deaths yearly) and affect the climate through changes to the radiation budget. The health and climate impacts depend not only on the amount of PM2.5 but on their chemical makeup as well. Despite the established value of monitoring PM2.5, doing so remotely remains challenging. In Meskhidze et al. (2021) two new methods for estimating surface PM2.5 concentration and speciation were developed. These methods utilize HSRL retrieved extinction and derived aerosol types (Burton et al. 2012) in combination with CATCH (Dawson et al. 2017) derived aerosol type specific chemical composition to inform PM2.5 estimates. In the first method, referred to as Model-HSRL-CH, PM2.5 and aerosol chemical speciation are calculated by starting with regional or global model estimates and iteratively updating the solution using the HSRL-derived aerosol extinction and types. In the second method, HSRL-CH, PM2.5 and speciation are calculated using HSRL-derived aerosol extinction and types and CATCH-derived chemical composition for each aerosol type.

Results using these methodologies on data from the DISCOVER-AQ BWC campaign (US east coast, 2011) and the KORUS-AQ campaign (Korea, 2016) are presented. When compared to PM2.5 measured at surface stations, the Model-HSRL-CH and HSRL-CH methods had mean absolute error 28-41% and 33-36% lower than the raw model outputs respectively.

Mentor: Nicholas Meskhidze, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Undergraduate – Senior, Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Stephen Lail

Tracing the Fate of Phosphorus During Seafloor Weathering Under Varying Oxygenated Conditions

Phosphorus is a critical nutrient in biogeochemical cycles, being utilized in bone structure, DNA,

and the ATP of cells. In the modern environment, bioavailable phosphorus is delivered to seawater mainly through continental weathering. In contrast, seafloor weathering is considered a significant sink of bioavailable phosphorus due to the precipitation of iron-oxide minerals, which scavenge bioavailable phosphorus. However, during the Archean, exposure of continental crust above sea-level is considered minimal and that a source of phosphorus to the marine biosphere remains uncertain.

On early Earth, oxygen dissolved within the oceans was negligible from the lack of photosynthetic life. If there was no to very little oxygen present, then iron-oxide minerals would

not form, effectively preventing the scavenging of bioavailable phosphorus liberated during

seafloor weathering. We tested this hypothesis by performing an experimental study that mimics

weathering of oceanic crust under a range of oxygenation conditions representative of early and

modern Earth to evaluate the fate of phosphorus. We used a novel 29Si tracer in our experiments to measure the amount of silicate mineral dissolution in the system. For our simulated seafloor we used olivine as it is a common mineral in oceanic crust. By quantifying  olivine dissolution with the measured amount of dissolved phosphorus with reaction progress, we determine whether phosphorus is liberated into solution or adsorbed onto the iron-oxides. These results have important implications for our understanding of the phosphorus cycle on   early Earth and the habitability of water-rich exoplanets.

Mentor: Drew Syverson, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Forsyth Technical Community College
Community College, Earth/Environmental Sciences, Technology and Engineering
Author(s): Jose Martinez Contreras, Asael Medina Galvan, Johnny Chinchilla Pinto

Temperature Effect on American Tree Sparrow Breeding Patterns

The Sparrow Research Team began by debating the issue of how climate change affects animals’ capacity for reproduction. We reviewed several scholarly articles depicting an overall decline in the bird population of  North America. One study showed a net decrease of 29% since 1970. This finding led us to the study of avian breeding periods. The decline could be accredited to climate affecting the sex distribution of the bird population, whereby warmer temperatures breed female birds and colder temperatures breed male birds. Temperature can influence bird behavioral mating patterns, disturbing stable breeding cycles. If males aren’t being born, then an overabundance of female populations could decrease their population. Utilizing collected temperature and bird population data to run a linear regression, we utilized statistical analyses to investigate if there is a negative correlation between warmer temperatures and American Tree Sparrow populations. We conclude there was a mild negative correlation and that a 50-year time reference is not enough time to  determine temperature affecting sex ratios

Mentor: Amanda Davis, Tandeka Boko, Forsyth Technical Community College

Career Internship Awards at Collier Aerospace Corporation – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): JD Shropshire, Olivia Scott, Jackson Corigliano

Structural Analysis and Optimization at Collier Aerospace

At Collier Aerospace, we use HyperX® as a means to meet the sizing and optimization needs of each individual customer. Using HyperX, we can determine the margins of safety for spacecrafts, aircrafts, race cars, boats, and even bicycles and find ways to make them safer, lighter, more cost effective, and manufacturable for our customers. HyperX can be used in all aspects of design from the initial ideation and trade study phase up through preliminary design all the way to critical design and safety certification. The software HyperX, which was developed by Collier Aerospace, works by taking the resulting forces and moments from a finite element model and applies the necessary calculations for each element to determine the margin of safety at each location. The software can use a wide variety of failure methods for both composite and metallic materials including maximum principal strain, Von Mises, crimping, and local panel buckling. These provide the customer with a more complete view of the potential failure modes for their project and how to avoid them. HyperX can also engage in trade space by easily swapping out materials or concepts to quickly and easily determine the effects of these changes. A wide variety of composite and metallic configurations can be used such as solid laminate and honeycomb sandwich for composite and sheet and orthogrid for metallics and stiffened panels which can be used by both. By specifying various ranges for structural sizing, HyperX can sort through hundreds of thousands of concepts on a structure and select the optimal one to provide you with a safe and lightweight solution. Using HyperX, companies can revolutionize their sizing and optimization needs.

Mentor: James Ainsworth, Collier Aerospace

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Ryan Lynch, Sumedh Beknalkar

Helical Screw Drive Propulsion Testing Rig and Terrain Identification Neural Network

Helically driven terrestrial vehicles have been utilized for their unique multi-terrain capabilities since the 1860s. Shown to be an effective method of propulsion in environments ranging from muddy marshes to arctic tundras, and everything in-between, the dynamics of a helical drive are complex and deeply rooted in terramechanics, making it difficult to model. This research details the design and construction of an experimental testing rig used to validate a dynamic model of helical drives as a propulsion mechanism currently in development by NC State University’s Intelligent Structures and Systems Research Lab and Engineering Mechanics and Space Systems Lab (iSSRL and EMSSL), as well as to build a dataset to be used later to train a neural network to identify the terrain the helical drives are traversing. The testing rig measures roughly 8 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 2 feet tall. Two helical drive units sit inside of the testing rig and are connected in such a way that their movement relative to the testing rig is fixed in one direction, allowing for travel in the longitudinal and vertical directions. The two helical drives are constrained via a system of gears and belts such that they rotate opposite one another at equal angular velocities. Data is collected via a rotational encoder attached to the motor, two linear encoders that measure longitudinal and vertical displacement, and a Pixie data acquisition system that records the outputs of these encoders, as well as the voltage and current being provided to the motor. Measurements of the soil are also taken to record information such as the moisture content and average grain size of the substrate. Building a dataset with this experimental testing rig has only just begun, but a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network architecture has been built and is ready to be trained on the dataset that is generated during testing in the experimental testing rig.

Mentor: Matthew Bryant, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Undergraduate Research Scholar
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Junior, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Abigail Wucherer

Modeling Evaluating the Feasibility of ISAM

The future of space technology advancement assumes the underdeveloped capabilities of advanced On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing. Additive manufacturing is critical for the creation of parts, spares, and supplies to carry out missions in a cost and time-effective manner. The innovation of Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication allows the printing of metal parts in a microgravity environment and could streamline and simplify systems for hardware creation and installation in LEO. Reliably printed large diverse volumes are characterized in this project by MATLAB’s NSGA II multi-objective genetic algorithm and objective function solver with two approaches- first considering the advantages and disadvantages of individual parts and secondly project level evaluations. The first approach- with inputs pertinent to individual part evaluations- delivers the optimized Pareto Frontier for inputs of operating time and feed rate. This suggests reasonable solutions indicating the feasibility of additive manufacturing in space showcasing converging regions of low cost, performance, and probability of failure, a more diverse region of varying performance and failure for a given cost, and again a converging region of high cost, performance, and probability of failure. The second project-level approach- with inputs of part quantity for a given project and the date- evaluates how a project’s size and timeliness may be more or less advantageous to carry out utilizing ISAM over traditional manufacturing methods and sending payloads to space. This approach quantifies cost savings, time savings, and differences in the likelihood of ISAM project success over on-ground additive manufacturing. Both individual part evaluations and project-level considerations suggest greater technological innovation will be necessary to leverage EBF3 as a greater ISAM initiative. Functions for cost, performance, and risk of additive manufacturing in space developed throughout this project allow for future development to most accurately reflect the variable inputs specific to future technological developments.

Mentor: Mark Pankow, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
Duke University
Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Ian K. Eldridge-Allegra, Tsz Yeung (Harry) Xu, Kai M. Kruger Bastos, Earl H. Dowell

Computational Study of Transonic Buffet’s Sensitivity to Reynolds Number and Wind Tunnel Wall Effects

A common problem in both aircraft and turbomachinery applications is the avoidance and prevention of low-frequency oscillations that may excite structural frequencies and cause inefficiency, uncontrollability, and even destructive failure. Transonic buffet is a flow-field instability, and occurs when the angle-of-attack of a wing or airfoil is high enough for a shockwave to develop on the upper surface. At particular flight conditions, this shock oscillates, interacting with the boundary layer on the surface of the airfoil and the separated flow downstream to form a self-sustained limit cycle oscillation. Although the prediction and prevention of buffet is critical since it limits the flight envelope of aircraft, our understanding of the mechanism driving it is incomplete.

In this study, we look at trends in buffet behavior with respect to Reynolds number (in this case, a function of flight altitude). We approach this problem by simulating the flow field with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), solving the Reynolds-Averaged form of the Navier-Stokes equations. Our results show a strong dependence of the oscillation amplitude on Reynolds number, while the oscillation frequency and mean lift are nearly independent of it.

We also explore the impact of wind tunnel walls on buffet; understanding the wind tunnel wall effects may help to contextualize discrepancies between different experimental datasets and their applicability to real-world flight conditions. We observe the presence of two fluid modes, with one whose frequency depends on the wind tunnel height, and with both having amplitudes dependent on the height. The impact of these two modes is that the accuracy of buffet prediction does not improve monotonically with wind-tunnel height as one might expect.

Mentor: Earl Dowell, Duke University

NASA Internship Award at NASA Glenn Research Center – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Andrew Gantt

Modeling and Propulsion Systems Intern

The project I was involved in over the summer was related to the design, testing, and verification of a rotor component model. This component model was to be used in various simulations and the characteristics of the model needed to change on a case by case basis. To do this, MATLAB was used to create an input script where initial values and key characteristics of a specific propeller could be saved. Doing this allowed for the model to be used for multiple propellers without the need to change the simulink file itself. Instead, multiple MATLAB scripts could be created for each individual rotor being tested.

The first step in the design process was a literature review which involved reading NASA documents pertaining to the key equations of motion needed for an accurate rotor simulation. Because the designed rotor needed to include propeller flapping coefficients, further documentation was studied on how to incorporate flapping coefficients into equations of torque, thrust, and shaft power. The equations of motion created were then compared to more simplified equations to ensure no errors were made when constructing them in MATLAB. The equations were then put into Simulink where the component model was created.

As a result of this research , a rotor model was created which met the specifications requested by my head of department. Furthermore, the rotor component model was found to be capable of accurately representing a high inertia rotor for hybrid rotorcraft experimental simulations. The verified design was then documented and an extensive report was written on how it was constructed.

Mentor: Jonathan Litt, NASA Glenn Research Center

Duke University
Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Luisa Piccolo Serafim, Earl Dowell

Nonlinear Aeroelastic Model in High-Speed Flow

One of the aerospace field’s ultimate interests is supersonic and hypersonic technologies, and many researchers are currently working to improve how to assess and model dynamic responses in such extreme flight conditions. However, it takes time and high computational power to perform the required analysis and reach satisfactory conclusions for projects in this field, especially in the early stages of development. Moreover, performing measurements for high-speed conditions requires a massive infrastructure that is not easily available. Unlike most traditional formulations, nonlinearities become a relevant portion of the fluid-solid-thermal interaction in high-speed flows and need to be considered when evaluating these flow regimes. The present study aims to provide a better approach to modeling supersonic and hypersonic flows under complex geometries and allow the aerospace community to achieve results faster and more efficiently. One question that this research explores is the possibility to solve this problem by using a linear approach that can consider the nonlinearities that high-speed flows present. So far, the Linear Piston Theory is the classical aerodynamic model implemented by researchers in aeroelastic models in supersonic flows and, because it is a local implementation, it is limited to a particular range of supersonic Mach numbers. By using the Full Potential Aerodynamic Theory, this study has been able to expand the use of the nonlinear aeroelastic model for Mach numbers outside the limited range of the Linear Piston Theory, especially near transonic flows, which are still a challenge in the field. Besides exploring a non-local theory for aerodynamic implementation, this research will consider the effect of the viscous boundary layer on the nonlinear aeroelastic model and assess the impact of this component on the dynamic response of panels.

Mentor: Earl Dowell, Duke University

Duke University
Undergraduate – Freshman, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Sanjeev Chauhan, Ian Eldridge-Allegra and Earl Dowell

Evaluating the Feasibility of Euler Equations for Simulating Buffet in Transonic Flow

This research explores the phenomenon of buffet in transonic flow using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Buffet is an instability characterized by an oscillating shock on the surface of an airfoil, resulting in oscillating forces on the structure. Understanding buffet is crucial in designing and operating aircraft, as it can cause structural damage and reduce performance. The Navier-Stokes equations are commonly used to investigate buffet but can be computationally intensive. Many investigators approach the problem with higher fidelity large-eddy simulations or detached-eddy simulations, but even unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-stokes simulations can be prohibitively expensive for early analysis. This research will assess the effectiveness of the Euler equations as a less computationally intensive alternative to Unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) for simulating buffet. The simulations outlined in the study use the Euler equations and investigated the impact of angle of attack, mesh density, and timestep size and their effects on the oscillating lift’s amplitude and frequency behavior. The results of this study will provide valuable insight into the impact of viscosity on buffet onset and insights into buffet’s dependence on viscosity and boundary layer effects.

Mentor: Earl Dowell, Duke University

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate – Ph.D., Physical Sciences
Author(s): Cullen Walsh, Jason P. Maliza, Sarah C. Sutton, John M. Papanikolas, James F. Cahoon

The Effects of Structure on the Electronic and Optical Properties of Nanoscale Semiconductors

As materials in electronics and photonics continue to shrink, nano- and micro-scale structures begin to have an outsized impact on the electronic properties. Studies have found that depending on the material, the structure, and the fabrication process, the electronic and optical properties of a material can change in unexpected ways. Despite all this, structural features are often commingled in experiments, obscuring their individual effects. To overcome this, we use a technique known as pump-probe microscopy to isolate and study individual structural features in nanoscale materials and ascertain their effects on the electronic and optical properties. In this work we focus on MoSe2, which is a semiconductor with a layered structure, meaning it has weak interactions between atomic layers. This allows for easy layer-by-layer removal down to a single atomic layer, making this material useful in flexible and wearable electronics. The problem is, we still do not fully understand how changes in thickness and local structure affect this material. To address this, we use our experimental setup to isolate the center of MoSe2 nanoflakes, excluding edges and defects, and determine how the electronic properties change going from 20- to 100-layers in thickness. We also characterize the optical properties and observe that the material effectively traps light at varying thicknesses. This makes MoSe2 a potentially useful platform for nanoscale lasers. Using this newfound understanding of the thickness dependence of the electronic and optical properties at the center of MoSe2 nanoflakes, we can in the future compare these results to those at the edges of flakes, which have been shown to catalyze hydrogen fuel production. Overall, by better understanding the impact these structural features have on this material, our work allows for its future structural optimization when used in new or improved optoelectronics and photocatalytic device architectures.

Mentor: James Cahoon, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

NASA Internship Award at NASA Glenn Research Center – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Junior, Physical Sciences
Author(s): Hayden White, Jack Qiao

Differential Dynamic Microscopy

How can researchers perform many soft matter experiments in space-limited environments using the least amount of equipment possible? The issue that these experiments often have is that they often require the use of bulky, specialized microscopic equipment. The proposed solution to this problem is to virtually emulate these different forms of microscopy using differential dynamic microscopy. Differential dynamic microscopy is a novel technique that performs Fourier-domain analysis on video data captured from a traditional optical microscope. This analysis allows optical microscopes and software to obtain the same results that specialized microscopic equipment would provide. To demonstrate the merit of differential dynamic microscopy, a program that implements it was designed and created in Python. The primary role of this framework was to emulate dynamic light scattering, a form of microscopy used to characterize polymer or non-Newtonian systems. The program was then tested using microscope data provided by the University of Edinburgh to see if it gives the same results, within tolerance, as a traditional dynamic light scattering setup. The project’s conclusion showed that the program performed within expectations. It proved its merit as a viable replacement for a physical dynamic light scattering setup, with the groundwork laid for additional testing of different types of microscopies.

Mentor: Suman Sinha Ray, NASA Glenn Research Center

2022-2023 Community College Undergraduate Research Cohort
Wake Technical Community College
Undergraduate – Sophomore, Physical Sciences
Author(s): Jianna Evans, Dr. Bhoj Gautam, Dr. Narasimhan Sujatha, Dr. Daniel Autrey

Effect of  Laser Wavelength on Raman Features of Ti3C2Tx MXene

We employed X-Ray Diffraction and  studied the effect of chemical etching Ti3AlC2.Using Raman Spectroscopy we investigated the effect of laser wavelength  on Raman features of Ti3C2TX. We observed the low angle X-ray peak at 5.64 degrees when Ti3AlC2  was etched with hydrofluoric (HF) acid and strong  photoluminescence background when excited with a 532 nm laser.

Mentor: Narasimhan Sujatha, Wake Technical Community College

Career Internship Award at Collier Aerospace Corporation – Summer 2022
North Carolina State University
Undergraduate – Senior, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Olivia Scott

The Study of Structural Optimization

A discussion of the intricacies of structural analysis and weight optimization of aerospace structures using Collier Aerospace’s HyperX software.

Mentor: Kelly Smith, Collier Aerospace

NASA Internship Award at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center – Summer 2022
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Undergraduate – Junior, Physical Sciences
Author(s): Sterling Adams

Atmospheric Modeling for Predicting Flight Conditions of the Mars Science Helicopter in Martian Atmosphere

The Mars Science Helicopter will be capable of conducting science investigations independent of a lander by carrying and deploying science payloads or assisting rovers and orbiters by scouting sites. The Mars Science Helicopter will allow greater access to science on Mars, by increasing the range that can be explored, adding harsher terrain to areas that can be explored, and diversifying the types of science that can be done. Due to the Martian atmosphere being approximately 100 times thinner than Earth’s, factors specific to landing sites and altitude such as density, pressure, temperature, and wind speed are some that must be understood in order to plan for the Mars Science Helicopter flying-to-charging scenarios. Future landing site predictions at Potential Landing Site 1 and Potential Landing Site 2 are vital to provide risk assessment and ensure successful operation of the Mars Science Helicopter. This project creates a versatile predictive model of Martian atmosphere, acquired through Python and Fortran 90 Programming and modeled utilizing 400+ data visualizations. Despite significant changes in elevation, Potential Landing Site 1 and Potential Landing Site 2 were quite similar in predicted temperature. Pressure, density, and horizontal wind speed can be predicted to be greater at Potential Landing Site 2. Both potential landing sites allow for the maneuvering of the Mars Science Helicopter around complex and diverse terrain with low risk of incident, confirming the potential of the landing sites for the Mars Science Helicopter.

Mentor: Hannah Dromiack, NASA Ames Research Center

NASA Internship Award at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center – Summer 2022
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Recent Graduate (BS), Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Alex South

Using Virtual and Augmented Reality To Enhance Decision-Making

Informed and accurate decision making is an integral part of any endeavor, especially when dealing with the massive scale and complexity of NASA missions. Aiding in this critical decision-making process for design engineers is a main goal of the Human Factors Engineering (HFE) group at Marshall Space Flight Center. This research project explored how “virtual reality” (VR) and “augmented reality” (AR) technologies could be used to reduce costs, save time and inform critical decision making. Initially, the project was focused on the analysis of an early Mars Transit Habitat design for proper usability and possible shortcomings. However, it soon became clear that the same visual tools being used for design analysis could also be applied to critical decisions being made by center leaders and other design groups on site. The project branched out into the use of 3D visualization technologies to create more efficient and informed communication in addition to design analysis. These new use cases promoted the development of an explanatory video showcasing the capabilities of the Human Factors Engineering group’s unique VR/AR technology to any group at the center that may be able to benefit from it. If used correctly, VR/AR technology has the potential to increase development efficiency, reduce engineering errors and create more informed decisions for the entire aerospace industry.

Mentor: Tanya Andrews, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Graduate – Ph.D., Astronomy/Astrophysics
Author(s): Pa Chia Thao, Andrew Mann, Peter Gao, Aaron Rizzuto

Planetary Origins: Probing the Atmosphere of a 17 Million Year Old Hot Jupiter, HIP 67522b

Transmission spectroscopy measurements of exoplanets have advanced our understanding of the atmospheres of transiting planets. However, these observations provide limited direct information about how their atmospheres form or evolve, as most well-characterized systems are old or of unknown age. It is essential to study the atmospheres of young (less than 1 gigayear) planets because they provide a better probe of their natal environment, which could be used to constrain a planet’s evolution and migration history. HIP 67522b is a gas giant planet with a radius of 10 Earth radii and an orbital period of 7 days. The host star is a member of the 17 million year old Scorpius Centaurus OB Association — making it the youngest hot Jupiter discovered to date. By combining ground-based photometric observations and space-based observations (TESS, Spitzer, JWST), we can construct HIP 67522b’s transmission spectrum from 0.5 to 5 micrometers. I will present the preliminary findings of this project, including the initial results from the first cycle of JWST observations, the atmospheric composition of a newly born planet, and what it can reveal about its formation location and the processes that give rise to gas giant planets.

Mentor: Andrew Mann, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Author(s): Nicholas Mazzoleni

Toward the Design and Testing of More Compliant Exoskeletons for the Prevention of Astronaut Muscle Atrophy in Microgravity Environments

The effects of microgravity in space can cause serious musculoskeletal problems for astronauts, including decreased muscle mass, decreased muscle functional capacity, increased muscle fatigue, and muscle fiber necrosis. One solution to this problem is to use robotic exoskeletons (either while in space, or upon returning from space) to help astronauts keep or gain back important muscle functions. However, current robotic exoskeleton technology consists of rigid actuators that are often inefficient, unwieldy, unable to conform to a specific wearer, and sometimes even dangerous to the wearer. In recent years, fluidic artificial muscles (FAMs), also known as McKibben muscles, have emerged as a soft and suitable alternative for robotic exoskeletons. In our research group, we use a bioinspired FAM actuation strategy known as variable recruitment, in which individual FAMs are placed in a bundle and divided into separate motor units (MUs) that can be activated sequentially and independently based on required load. This strategy allows for more variable compliance and for greater efficiency. Because of the many different ways a variable recruitment bundle can be designed in both hardware and software, a powerful tool is needed to allow for cost-effective rapid prototyping and design. Traditionally, in previous research, these strategies/configurations have been explored either through simulation or through experiments. In the simulation approach, a variety of robotic systems with different parameters can be tested; however, due to the limitations of current FAM models and other critical modeling assumptions, it is difficult to validate these results in hardware. With a hardware approach, control schemes and configurations can be validated, but only for the hardware that has been specifically constructed for the experiment. To bridge the gap between the modeling and experimental approaches to this problem, we have developed an impedance-based hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) dynamic load emulator. In this approach, the emulator would allow for variable recruitment strategies and control schemes for different robotic limbs by emulating the load that these limbs would exert on a variable recruitment bundle during a specific motion. Using the HIL approach instead of building the hardware itself will allow for a faster design process and better designs for soft robotic exoskeletons, and these exoskeletons can subsequently be used to keep astronauts experiencing prolonged microgravity environments strong and healthy.

Mentor: Matthew Bryant, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Graduate Research Fellow
North Carolina State University
Graduate – Ph.D., Biological Sciences
Author(s): Aurora Toennisson, Gioia Salamido, Imara Perera

Evaluating Spaceflight-Isolated Bacteria for Plant Growth Promotion

Plants will be an essential part of biological life support systems to recycle waste, supplement nutrition, and bring psychological benefits for crews on long duration space missions. Beneficial microbes, such as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), could help reduce plant stress and improve nutrient extraction from extraterrestrial substrates, such as lunar regolith. For my project, I evaluated six strains of bacteria isolated from plant roots and substrate of plants grown in the Veggie system on the International Space Station. I grew Arabidopsis plants in agar media and lunar regolith simulant with various concentrations of phosphate. Despite the fact that 5 of these 6 bacteria were shown to solubilize phosphate in vitro, they had limited effect in promoting plant growth under low phosphorus conditions. Plant growth promotion was observed for several strains of bacteria in replete fertilizer agar media and in lunar regolith simulant with complete fertilizer added. These results suggest that beneficial microbe properties tested in vitro may not be a good predictor of growth promotion under low phosphorus conditions in planta.

Mentor: Imara Perera, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
North Carolina State University
Author(s):  Tajah Trapier, Christopher Mori, Marcus Behel, Gabriel Chenevert, William Kelso, Bennett Petzold, Alex Pendergast, Robert Williamson, Xingjian Li, Dr. John Muth

Development of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle for Application in Hydrographic Surveying

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) serve an important role in the maintenance and surveying of aquatic environments such as oceans, seas, and lakes. With increased interest in ocean and space exploration as well as marine military operations, the need for vehicles that can navigate aquatic environments without human intervention has risen dramatically. AUVs demonstrate the unique capability to navigate and interact with marine environments without a human operator. This enables flexibility in how information related to hydrographic surveying can be conducted. The nature of AUVs makes them useful in performing operations in marine environments that would prove difficult for humans such as ocean cleanup, search and rescue, and exploration of bodies of water on celestial objects. For AUVs to successfully navigate and interact with their environment they require the following: locomotion, sensing, controls, reasoning, and communication. Designing and developing platforms with the following attributes and the ability to successfully and autonomously perform underwater missions has been a great challenge in the robotics industry.

AquaPack Robotics demonstrates an autonomous vehicle that can navigate in marine environments, SeaWolf VIII. SeaWolf VIII is an AUV that utilizes a Java-based architecture to enable communication between its computer and subsystems. Its controls rely on a custom control board that utilizes quaternion-derived orientation. Navigation of SeaWolf VIII is reliant on acoustic signal and visual processing. Acoustic signal processing is performed with a custom platform that utilizes an FPGA, hydrophones, and single-channel PCBs that filter and amplify frequencies within a specified range. Image processing is performed with a robust OpenCV framework to detect and identify foreign objects. We further demonstrate the vehicle’s ability to interact with its environment through the development of a torpedo system reliant on an actuator mechanism and platform which releases markers via electromagnetism.

Mentor: John Muth, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Author(s): Sean McClanahan, Aaron Langhorne, Parker Pschorr, John Smith, Darrick Romana, Stewart Spain, Noah Tesh, Lucas Pereira, Meghan Fragomeni, Jacob Barker

Design and Testing of a High-Power Rocket and Payload for the 2023 Nasa Student Launch Initiative

The 2022-2023 49er Rocketry Team has set an ambitious mission to design, build, test, and launch a high-power rocket that can carry the payload to an altitude of 4,200 ft. The payload is called SIGHT which stands for Self-leveling Image Generator with High-efficiency Transceiver, where the team aims to design, build, and test a system that can autonomously deploy and complete tasks upon landing.

The payload team’s primary objective is to develop a system that can capture images of the rocket’s surroundings, change the horizontal direction of the camera, alter camera filter modes to modify subsequent images, rotate, or apply filters to previously captured images, and clear captured images of filters. All of these tasks will be broadcast to the system using radio frequency (RF) signals that will include a call sign and commands indicating the necessary actions to be completed.

The RF commands will be transmitted using Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) transmission on the 2-meter amateur radio band between 144.9-145.1 MHz. Upon receiving the RF commands, the payload will capture an image, perform any necessary filtering or rotation, timestamp and save each photo, and await further instructions.

To accomplish these tasks, the payload team will utilize cutting-edge technologies such as RF signal processing, image processing, and autonomous control systems. The team will also face challenges such as designing a system that can withstand the harsh conditions of rocket launch and landing while also meeting the stringent size, weight, and power requirements.

Overall, the 49er Rocketry Team’s mission is an impressive undertaking that showcases the team’s innovative spirit and determination. By successfully designing and launching a high-power rocket and payload system capable of autonomous task completion, the team will make significant contributions to the field of aerospace engineering and inspire future generations of engineers and rocket scientists.

Mentor: Arun Vishnu Suresh Babu, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Author(s): Billy Ray Pait, Xander Amores, Sydney Allen, Ed Hernandez

UNC-Pembroke Rocket Team

The University of North Carolina Rocket Team was selected as a participant in NASA’s Undergraduate Student Launch Initiative (USLI) inaugural Lift-Off Division. The Lift-Off Division offers teams that have never attended USLI the opportunity to build and launch a high-powered rocket at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center to gain experience and prepare for full participation in USLI. Teams in the Lift-Off division need only build and launch a high-power rocket and have the option to attempt the payload challenge if they wish. 

The UNCP team has built the Hyperloc 835, a high-power rocket kit from LOC-Precision. The rocket is propelled by a J250W DMS motor from Aerotech with a predicted apogee of 3,400 feet. Onboard avionics include primary and secondary flight computers on dedicated circuits, a separately powered tracking system and an electronic parachute release system. The primary flight computer is an Altrus Metrum Easy Mega and is set to deploy a reefed main parachute at apogee. The secondary flight computer is an Altrus Metrum Easy Mini and is set to deploy the reefed main parachute 0.5 seconds after apogee. Both systems are powered by independent 7.4v LiPo batteries. Each deployment charge consists of 1.5g of 4F black powder. At 500 ft, two Jolly logic chute release systems arranged in series will fully deploy the main parachute. A Featherweight GPS tracking system is incorporated allowing for quick location and recovery of the rocket.

Mentor: Steven Singletary, University of North Carolina at Pembroke

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Author(s): Felix Braun, Amin Alqashash, Jacob Brown, Zebulon Duvall, Victor Kremer, Christopher Lowe, Charlie O’Brien, Manuel Melgoza Rodriguez

UNC Charlotte Autonomous Lunar Mining Rover Enhancements

The 2023 NASA Lunabotics Competition challenges universities from across the nation to design and manufacture an autonomous mining rover capable of traversing, mining utmost icy regolith beneath granular material, and depositing said material into the receiving hopper. Each university then competes by operating the mining rover within an Artemis Arena, where autonomous capabilities and quantity of icy regolith simulant deposited determine the majority of the score and final placement.

The current team has adopted the previous teams rover, including the autonomous mining and depositing systems; the primary focus of this team is achieving full autonomy through integrating autonomous operations. This is accomplished through developing localization, trilateration, mapping, and path-following functions.

Baselining autonomous features provided the data necessary to gauge functionality and determine vital design improvements. Data analytics identified factors hindering optimal autonomous mining: lack of torque, high drum friction, and suboptimal algorithms. Major adverse autonomous depositing factors include payload spillage from the drum and conveyor systems, and undeposited payload.

To make the improvements in the targeted areas, the team is modifying gear ratios to increase torque, implementing double sealed bearings and Rulon pads to reduce friction between drums, and altering the autonomous mining function to increase collection of icy regolith. For depositing improvements, the team is redesigning autonomy functions to raise the drum at an optimal level, rotate the drum in stages for a reliable deposit onto the conveyor system, as well as upgrading the conveyor system to minimize spillage.

Implementation of autonomous traversing and improvements of autonomous mining and depositing are vital to ensuring competition success. System evaluation testing and optimization is currently ongoing. The team is proud of their accomplishments and looking forward to the opportunity to showcase at the competition.

Mentor: Aidan Browne, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Author(s): Phillip Smith, Gaetano Edwards, Luke Gutman, Samuel Crane, Varshit Rayapalli

IEEE Southeast Conference Hardware Challenge

Gold Rush Robotics from UNC Charlotte competes in the IEEE Southeastcon Hardware Competition. Each year we are given a new set of objectives and must create a robot to autonomously complete said tasks.

This year, our main challenge was to collect cylinders and rubber ducks from random parts of the game field and then stack them in a specific order by being able to determine their color. Additionally, we had secondary tasks such as depositing chips in a place depending on color randomization and flipping a light switch to end the match.

To successfully create a robot to solve these challenges we have multiple subsystems such as the drivetrain, intake, cylinder orienteer, duck orienteer, chip depositor, and the stacking device. Students from all disciplines are brought together to make our hardware, software, and electrical systems properly come together to create a robot to solve game challenges.

Mentor: Sam Shue, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
North Carolina State University
Author(s): Blake Monkus, Mitchell Files, Chris Beyrent, Alex Dutterer, Issac Trost, John Wright, Hailey Schmidt

Fixed-Wing Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Air Drop Delivery

The Aerial Robotics Club at NC State is an undergraduate engineering student group that designs and builds custom unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to complete a variety of challenges. The focus of the project is to compete in the AUVSI Student Unmanned Aerial Systems (SUAS) international competition. The mission tasks include autonomous flight, image recognition, and airdrop delivery. The club develops technologies across a range of engineering fields including aerospace, electrical, computer science, etc. in order to meet the challenges presented by building and operating unmanned aircraft. In addition to designing and manufacturing practical systems, the club fields extensive testing programs to adequately assess the performance of its aircraft and support systems.

The Aerial Robotics Club’s primary research and competition aircraft, Akela 3, is a fixed-wing airplane designed to carry a large payload while remaining light, compact, and maneuverable. The main payload systems are an open source Pixhawk 2 flight controller, Intel NUC flight computer, GoPro camera, and arduino-controlled airdrop system. Akela 3 is capable of safely dropping multiple payloads to designated targets using parachutes. The systems for autonomous control of the aircraft are paired with a RadioMaster TX16S MAX transmitter and ImmersionRC Ghost receiver for manual flight. Autonomous control is handled using the ground control station software, Mission Planner.

This research has wide applications in the aerospace industry and in government functions such as surveillance, communications, air delivery, and autonomous recognition. The club’s ultimate goal is to advance the state of UAV technology with innovation and collaboration to succeed in the SUAS competition.

Mentor: Felix Ewere, North Carolina State University

2022-2023 Team Experience and Competition Award
North Carolina State University
Author(s): Hanna McDaniel, Franklin Rice, Shaan Stephen, J.W. Mason

2023 NASA Student Launch Competition

The High Powered Rocketry Team at NC State is part of the 2022-2023 NASA Student Launch Initiative. This year the team was tasked with designing, building, testing, and launching a rocket to reach a self declared altitude of 4500 feet to be recovered in Under 90 seconds and deliver a payload safely to landing.

The payload challenge consists of a camera system capable of rotating 180 degrees, adding image filters, and capturing clear images of the landing site. The commands of what to do to modify the images or rotate the camera will be sent by NASA over radio frequency transmissions. For this challenge the team created SOCS, the Surrounding Optics and Camera System, which consists of four cameras placed between the fins to ensure upright orientation. One camera system is then selected with an inertial measurement unit to complete the commands received from antennas mounted on the side of the rocket.

Due to a manufacturing error, 10 days before departing for competition, our rocket exploded on the pad destroying the payload and our fin system. Before competition, the team worked tirelessly to reconstruct the payload and removable fin assembly for launch. The rocket launched on April 15th to an altitude of 4200 feet and the payload functioned nominally.