Education:
Ph.D. Physics, The University of Minnesota 1994
M.S. Physics, Michigan State University 1987
B.S. Physics, California State University, Sacramento 1985
For a full Curriculum Vitae , List of Publications, or List of Presentations.
Experiments:
Calculations/resutls related to the ITSAMS
Calculations/resutls retated to the ITS and the Forward detectors
A Large Ion Colider Experiment, is the only dedicated heavy ion Colider approved by CERN for the LHC. This experiment is designed to study matter at high energy densities. By increasing the energy density, either by increasing the temperature and/or the matter density, we expect to pass through a point where the description of matter can not be described as a bunch of protons , neutrons, pions , or other such "detectable" particles. At a sufficiently high energy density the quarks and gluons that make up these "detectable" particles can no longer be associated with a particular protons , neutrons , pions , or the like. At this point a new phase of matter, much like an atomic plasma, will exist. The new phase of matter is called a Quark Gluon Plasma. The LHC , by colliding heavier and more energetic nuclei than ever before, will be in a unique position of having a lower baryon density in it's mid-rapidity region. This is expected to make it easier to compare the measurements we will get from ALICE to theories which are much more difficult to solve with a nonzero baryon density. Here at OSU we are involved the design, construction, and testing of the inner most Silicon Drift Detectors, SDD, of ALICE's Inner Tracking System, ITS . In addition we are involved in the software simulation of ALICE with specific responsibilities regarding the ITS software development. ALICE Publications
JACEE, the Japanese American Cooperative Emulsion Experiment, is a series of experiments using large area, large acceptance emulsion chambers to measure the elemental and energy spectra of high energy cosmic rays. The energy spectra of all elements follows a power law. This power law behavior has a change in the power law index somewhere between about 1015 electron Volts (eV) and 1016 eV. This change in slope it though to be due to a change in the acceleration mechanism for the cosmic rays. By measuring the energy spectra for different elements JACEE is working towards improving our understanding of the acceleration mechanism of these very energetic cosmic rays. In addition, by gathering measurements of the interaction of these very energetic cosmic rays, JACEE is able to study nuclear interactions at energies not achievable with ground based accelerators. JACEE Publications
KLM, the Krakow-Louisiana-Minnesota, collaboration studies nuclear interactions using some of the highest energy heavy ion accelerators and nuclear emulsion stacks and chambers. By using nuclear emulsion stacks, KLM is able to make true 4p measurements of nuclear interactions. Every charged particle can be tracked through the emulsion. The only limitations are the very time consuming measurements necessary in the emulsion and the limitation that the interaction be with one of the constituents of the emulsion. In part to allow the use of a lead target, emulsion chambers have been used to analyses the forward going tracks from 158 GeV/nucleon lead-lead interactions. In addition a method has been developed where the time consuming measurements of tracks in these emulsion chambers has been automated. This has allowed a quick, accurate, and systematic analysis of the lead-lead interactions in emulsion chambers. KLM Publications
UHIC, the Ultra Heavy Ion Collector, is a series of experiments designed to measure the elemental production of nuclei from peripheral interactions of heavy ions interacting with other elements. This collaboration evolved out of a series of calibration experiments of detectors similar to those used on the HEAO 3 satellite HNE, Heavy Nuclei experiment, detector. These types of measurements are required in order to determine the elemental composition of ultra-heavy cosmic rays at the source of their acceleration. These types of cross sections are being compiled by the Space Physics Data System, Cosmic and Heliospheric Program along with cosmic ray abundance measurements. UHIC and HEAO Publications