Astr/Phys 3210: Talk Topics -- Spring 2011

28 Apr 2011 -- Talks on External Galaxies and Cosmology:

Below are possible topics along with an article to help define the topic and start your research (some topics have been selected by another [student], so you'll have to choose another topic). The Sci-Am special editions are available on BBoard under "Course Docs". Use these to get a broad understanding of your topic.

Remember, use more than just this starter article! Search for related articles to clarify, express dissenting opinions, and flesh out your presentation. Do more research for your chosen topic at Mercury, Scientific American, American Scientist, Nature, Science, Physics Today

See Tips on Talks and Learning and Using PowerPoint Well

  1. NASA's WMAP satellite continues to improve the latest cosmology!
  2. "The first stars, as seen by supercomputers," Physics Today, Apr 2011
  3. "US astronomy community sets plan to fit tight times" (decadal plan prioritizes projects), Physics Today, Oct 2010
  4. "The highest-energy cosmic rays may be iron nuclei," Physics Today, May 2010
  5. "Underground detector yields tantalizing hint of dark matter," Physics Today, Feb 2010
  6. "Gamma-ray telescopes show origins of cosmic rays," Physics Today, Jan 2010
  7. "The Ghostliest Galaxies," Bothun, 1998, Scientific American presents "Magnificent Cosmos," pp. 80-83
  8. Gamma-Ray Bursts: "The Brightest Explosions in the Universe," Gehrels, Piro & Leonard, 2007, Scientific American reports "Black Holes," pp. 68-73
  9. "Colossal Galactic Explosions," Veilleux, Cecil & Bland-Hawthorn, 2007, Scientific American reports "Black Holes," pp. 50-57 (also Barger, pp. 58-65)
  10. "Cosmic Rays at the Energy Frontier," Cronin, Gaisser & Swordy, 1998, Scientific American presents "Magnificent Cosmos," pp. 61-67
  11. "The First Stars in the Universe," Larson & Bromm, 2002, Scientific American special edition "The Once and Future Cosmos," pp. 4-11
  12. Dark Matter: is it MACHO? (http://wwwmacho.mcmaster.ca/)
  13. Dark Matter: is it WIMPy? (Cline, Scientific American, March 2003, p.51, see me for scanned JPEG files?)
  14. Dark Matter: Does it Really Exist? (Modified Newtonian Dynamics: Milgrom, Aug 2002 Scientific American)
  15. What is Dark Energy: Cosmological Constant or Quintessence? (two articles in 2002 Scientific American special edition "The Once and Future Cosmos," pp. 30-39 and pp. 40-49)
  16. Gravity Waves & LIGO: "Ripples in Space-Time," Gibbs, 2002, Scientific American special edition "The Once and Future Cosmos," pp. 88-97
  17. "Fate of Life in the Universe," Krauss & Starkman, 2002, Scientific American special edition "The Once and Future Cosmos," pp. 50-57
  18. Wormholes: "How to Build a Time Machine," Davies, 2007, Scientific American reports "Black Holes," pp. 28-33
  19. "Detecting Massive Neutrinos," Kearns, Kajita, & Totsuka, 2003 Sceintific American special edition "The Edge of Physics," pp. 68-75
  20. "The First Few Micro-Seconds," Riordan & Zajc, 2006, Scientific American "Extreme Physics II," pp. 2-9
  21. "The Asymmetry Between Matter and Anti-Matter," Quinn & Witherell, 2003 Scientific American special edition "The Edge of Physics," pp. 60-67
  22. Choose your own (consult with Andy).

17 Mar 2011 -- Talks on Stars and the Milky Way Galaxy:

Below are possible topics along with an article to help define the topic and start your research (some topics have been selected by another [student], so you'll have to choose another topic). The Sci-Am special editions are available on BBoard under "Course Docs". Use these to get a broad understanding of your topic.

Remember, use more than just this starter article! Search for related articles to clarify, express dissenting opinions, and flesh out your presentation. Do more research for your chosen topic at Mercury, Scientific American, American Scientist, Nature, Science, Physics Today

See Tips on Talks and Learning and Using PowerPoint Well

  1. Searching for Exoplanets with NASA's KEPLER space telescope
  2. "Overluminous supernovae push the Chandrasekhar limit," Physics Today May 2010
  3. "Fountains of Youth: Early Days in the Life of a Star," T. Ray, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 12-17
  4. "Companions to Young Stars," A.Boss, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 18-25
  5. "The Discovery of Brown Dwarfs," G. Basri, Scientific American, 2004 special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 26-33
  6. "When Stars Collide ," M. Shara, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 50-57
  7. "X-Ray Binaries," E. van den Heuvel & J. van Paradijs, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 58-67
  8. "Magnetars," C. Kouvelioutou, R.C. Duncan, & C. Thompson, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 68-75
  9. "Super-Soft X-Ray Stars and Supernovae ," P. Kahabka, E. van den Heuvel & S. Rappaport, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 76-83
  10. "Binary Neutron Stars," T. Piran, 2004, Scientific American special edition "The Secret Lives of Stars," pp. 84-91
  11. "Our Growing, Breathing Galaxy," B. Wakker & P. Richter, 2004, Scientific American special edition "Mysteries of the Milky Way," pp. 7-16
  12. "Does a Companion Star to Sun Cause Earth's Periodic Mass Extinctions?," L. Yarris, 1987, Berkeley Lab Science Beat, http://www.lbl.gov/Science-Articles/Archive/extinctions-nemesis.html
  13. Choose your own (consult with Andy).

17 Feb 2011 -- Talks on the Solar System:

Below are possible topics along with an article to help define the topic and start your research (some topics have been selected by another [student], so you'll have to choose another topic). The Sci-Am special editions are available on BBoard under "Course Docs". Use these to get a broad understanding of your topic.

Remember, use more than just this starter article! Search for related articles to clarify, express dissenting opinions, and flesh out your presentation. Do more research for your chosen topic at Mercury, Scientific American, American Scientist, Nature, Science, Physics Today

See Tips on Talks and Learning and Using PowerPoint Well

  1. Earth: "Magnetic field reconnection: A first-principles perspective," Physics Today, June 2010
  2. Saturn: "Explaining the two-toned nature of Iapetus," Physics Today, Feb 2010
  3. Saturn's moon Hyperion:
  4. Saturn's moon Enceladus:
  5. Recent discoveries from NASA's MESSENGER
  6. Pluto's Atmosphere and New Horizons: "The Recent Expansion of Pluto's Atmosphere," J.L. Elliot et al., Nature 10 July 2003, 424, 165-168 *
  7. Galileo's Drop into Jupiter: "The Galileo Mission to Jupiter and Its Moons," T.V. Johnson, Scientific American, 22 Dec 2003, 54-63 *
  8. Captured Moons: "The (Jupiter) Satellite Page," S. Sheppard, http://www.dtm.ciw.edu/users/sheppard/satellites/
  9. Volcanism on Satellites: "Galileo at Io: Results from High Resolution Imaging," A.S. McEwan et al., Science 19 May 2000, 288, 1193-1198 *
  10. Impacts on Earth and the Moon: "NASA Near Earth Object Program Office", http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/programs_office.cfm
  11. The Greenhouse Effect on Earth, Mars and Venus, Nick Strobel, Bakersfield College
  12. Recent discoveries from ESA's Venus Express
  13. Mercury: "Mercury Unveiled", Jeffrey G. Taylor (1997)
  14. Orbits and Space Navigation: "Basics of Space Flight", NASA's JPL
  15. Some other topic that interests you... please confirm it with Andy at least a week before the talk is scheduled.

* I have copies of many of these articles -- ask for them if you are interested, or get them from the Ogg Science Library.

Last Updated: Jan 2011 || Contact: Andy Layden || Back to BGSU Physics & Astronomy