Sonya Hansen
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Research Mentor(s): Timothy Chupp
Co-Presenter: Sasha, Bacon
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Physics / LSA
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 2 – 11am – 11:50am
Room: League Ballroom
Authors:
Presenter: 26
Abstract
Quarks are the fundamental particles that make up protons and neutrons. Because there is a greater amount of matter than antimatter, an undiscovered force that acts on quarks must produce this asymmetry. This force between quarks expresses itself as the electric dipole moment of the neutron, first measured in 1950 by Smith, Purcell, and Ramsey at the Oak Ridge Reactor. Because the neutron interacts strongly with magnetic fields, several highly precise magnetometers must be used. Therefore, this project aims to quantify the extent to which the magnetometers interfere with each other and influence each other’s readings. To make the necessary observations, 2 different kinds of magnetometers, an operating Fluxgate magnetometer on a QuSpin magnetometer with an optically pumped magnetometer are placed in a cylinder of magnetic shielding. Data will be collected from both types of magnetometers simultaneously. They will be placed into a cylindrical shield to prevent as much background noise as possible, and the QuSpin magnetometer will be running. When data collection on this magnetometer is started, the Fluxgate will be turned off and on to see the changes that this creates in the measurements. It is predicted that distance will play a role, so multiple trials with different distances between the two instruments will be conducted and analyzed. A quantization of the impact of the Fluxgate magnetometer on the QuSpin would show how the magnetometers need to be oriented so they will not interfere with each other in further study of the neutron.
Interdisciplinary, Physical Sciences
