Undergraduate Physics Research
CMU Physics Department - Spring 2016 to Spring 2018
I conducted radio astronomy research with Professor Jeffrey Peterson at Carnegie Mellon University. Through research, I have learned to tackle various tasks, accomplish goals in collaborative groups and countless life skills. Professor Peterson has pushed me to grow and learn independently by giving me tasks that were difficult, but achievable.
The main focus of my research was to model and simulate antennas. I specifically worked on a 21 cm radio antenna, simulating different sized ground planes to see how it effects the antenna pattern.
The main focus of my research was to model and simulate antennas. I specifically worked on a 21 cm radio antenna, simulating different sized ground planes to see how it effects the antenna pattern.
PRIZM High Impedance Antenna
Below are some pictures that show the actual antenna and a few of the antennas that I have modeled using FEKO electromagnetic software. For more technical details on my project, there is a poster that I completed in the Spring of 2017 that I link to here and a poster that I completed in the Spring of 2018 that's linked to here.
21 cm volcano smoke antenna.
21 cm volcano smoke antenna.
Model of 21 cm antenna.
Example of one of the models of the volcano smoke antenna with a 7×7 ground plane and 50 m radials
Current pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 7×7 m ground plane and 50 m radials at 40 MHz.
Current pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 7×7 m ground plane and 50 m radials at 250 MHz.
Antenna pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 7x7m ground plane and 50 m radials at 40 MHz.
Antenna pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 7x7m ground plane and 50 m radials at 40 MHz.
Antenna pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 7x7m ground plane and 50 m radials at 250 MHz.
Example of the impedance (magnitude & phase) results from the simulated antenna with a 7×7 m ground plane and 50 m radials.
Example of the impedance (real & imaginary) results from the simulated antenna with a 7×7 m ground plane and 50 m radials.
Example of the antenna pattern results from the simulated antenna with a 7×7 m ground plane and 50 m radials.
Example of another of the volcano smoke antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials.
Current pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials at 40 MHz.
Current pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials at 250 MHz.
Current pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials at 40 MHz.
Antenna pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials at 156.667 MHz.
Antenna pattern (dBs) of the simulated antenna with a 3.5 m circular, 1 m serrated edge ground plane and 50 m radials at 250 MHz.
Summer 2017
Along with running various simulations, I assisted in constructing a 12-foot annealing oven during the Summer of 2017. The oven was used to treat aluminum in order to treat ribs that were used as a template for an array of satellite dishes that will be used to detect fast radio bursts. I learned how to weld, plasma cut, and use other methods to manipulate metal. I also acted as a lab assistant, assembling circuit boards and completing a variety of other tasks.
Preparing for assembling the oven.
Plasma cut steel used as a template for an array of satellite dishes.
Assembling the oven with insulation.
Assembling the oven with insulation.
Laying ceramic brick for the oven.
Series of relays to control the temperature of the oven.
Summer 2016 – May 2017
I mainly worked on simulating the high impedance antenna, testing different ground planes with different materials. I also learned how to use EAGLE, which is a schematic design program. I worked for a small bit on designing and assembling radio frequency circuit boards that were used as a base board for antenna disks that receive signals for hydrogen intensity mapping and real-time analysis. I also simulated a variety of different antenna shapes and satellites.