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Bertschinger |
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Craig |
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Komp |
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Marolf |
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Pullin |
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Saulson |
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Schutz |
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Shoemaker |
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Taylor |
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Tobochnik |
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Weiss |
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POSTER ABSTRACTS
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Presenting Author: Neil Ashby
Institution:
Dept. of
Physics Abstract Title: Relativity in the Global Positioning System Body The Global Positioning System (GPS) provides a superb opportunity to discuss special and general relativity in an elementary way, as there are many relativistic effects that can be related to a few fundamental principles with simple arguments. The principles needed include the first and second postulates of special relativity, particularly the constancy of the speed of light c, and the weak principle of equivalence. Thought experiments using the constancy of c lead directly to the relativity of simultaneity, the first-order Doppler effect, time dilation, and the Sagnac effect. Then the principle of equivalence leads to the gravitational effect on clock frequencies. In the GPS all these effects are large. Also, GPS data from many receivers is widely available on the world-wide-web, and can be downloaded and analyzed by anyone with sufficient patience to develop his or her own software. This provides opportunities for nontrivial projects, as well as for new applications to be developed and tested.
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Presenting Author: John Belcher
Institution:
Kavli
Center for Astrophysics and Space Research Abstract Title: Visualizing Gravitational Radiation: Can Dynamic Line Integral Convolution Help?
Body Line integral convolution (LIC) is a technique introduced by Cabral and Leedom (1993) for visualizing the spatial structure of two dimensional vector fields at a resolution close to the resolution of the display. Sundquist (2003) has developed a way to extend LIC visualization to time dependent vector fields (DLIC). In particular, he has used the DLIC technique to make movies of electromagnetic electric dipole radiation that show the details of the time dependent structure of that radiation in the near, intermediate, and far zone, at a resolution close to the resolution of the display. Examples of these DLICs can be found on the web through links at http://jlearn.mit.edu. The purpose of this poster is to acquaint the GR community with the existence of this technique, to show examples of it, and to solicit input as to whether this technique can be used to visualize gravitational radiation.
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Presenting Author: Steven Carlip
Institution:
UC Davis Abstract Title: General Relativity in a "Physics for Nonscientists" Course Body UC Davis offers a "Topics in Physics for Nonscientists" course with an emphasis that changes from year to year. I describe an attempt to teach general relativity, using Thorne's Black Holes and Time Warps as a text and assigning a final essay rather than an exam. The goal was for students to learn both some qualitative features of general relativity -- what does it mean that spacetime is "four dimensional" and "curved," what is the principle of equivalence, what is an event horizon, how might we detect gravitational waves, etc. -- and something about how theoretical physics works -- how physicists approach new questions, what kinds of patterns we look for, how we view the "aesthetics" of physics, what roles experiment and theory play, etc.
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Presenting Author: Soumya Chakravarti
Institution:
California State Polytech. University Pomona Abstract Title: Ten Weeks with Uncle Albert Body I present an outline of a course on GR being designed for seniors and juniors of my department, keeping in mind their varied backgrounds and abilities. The course will have a multi-layered and multi-level structure, incorporating in-class lectures and discussions, reading assignments, online research, and individual computational projects. I shall seek ideas and input from participants at the AAPT workshop.
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Presenting Author: Wolfgang Christian
Institution:
Department of Physics
Additional
Mario Belloni,
Davidson College Abstract Title: Open Source Physics Curriculum Material for Teaching Relativity
Body
There are many reasons to create computer-based material for
relativity. Special and general relativity are full of
(apparent) paradoxes, and, like quantum mechanics, captivate
students’ interest in physics. Because relativity focuses
on abstract concepts, visualization is especially valuable.
This poster will report on the development of new Open
Source Physics (OSP) simulations and curricular material
created for the exploration of relativity. Examples,
including the gravitational red shift and the trajectories
of particles and light rays in the vicinity of non-spinning
and spinning black holes, will be available on CD. OSP is an
NSF-funded curriculum development project that is developing
and distributing a code library, programs, and examples of
computer-based interactive curricular material. The OSP
code library, documentation, and sample curricular material
can be downloaded from
http://www.opensourcephysics.org/apps/gr/index.html.
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Presenting Author: Tevian Dray
Institution:
Oregon
State University Abstract Title: The Geometry of Special Relativity Body The Lorentz transformations at the heart of special relativity are just hyperbolic rotations. We outline here how to use "hyperbolic triangle trig" to solve problems in special relativity. |
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Presenting Author: David M Harrison
Institution:
Dept. of
Physics, Univ. of Toronto Abstract Title: A Voluntary Straitjacket: Teaching General Relativity without Mathematics Body In 1975 Bohm remarked that “Our mathematical procedures seem to obscure our intuitive and imaginative understanding.” For the past few decades I have been exploring ways to discuss General Relativity with undergraduate students without using any mathematics whatsoever. Instead, I have used pictures, words, analogies, and anything else I could think of. These discussions have been with both Physics majors and non-science liberal arts students. As is common, although I believe many of my students have learned a great deal, I have certainly learned much more by forcing myself to re-think this topic in a non-mathematical way.
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Presenting Author: Mark Haugan
Institution:
Department of Physics Abstract Title: Improving Undergraduates’ Readiness to Learn General Relativity
Body
In
thinking about the resources that undergraduate students’
could bring to a course on general relativity (GR), I will focus on a sound understanding of the special relativistic
physics and mathematics of dynamics and of spacetime
structure.
Bell, J.; 1987,
‘How to teach special relativity’ in Speakable and
unspeakable in quantum mechanics, Cambridge. |
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Presenting Author: Russell L. Herman
Institution:
UNC
Wilmington Abstract Title: Lessons on Teaching Undergraduate General Relativity and Differential Geometry Courses Body We describe the course content and lessons learned teaching simultaneously offered courses to undergraduate physics and mathematics majors. A subset of students took both courses. The general relativity course was offered in the physics curriculum and focused more on the physics with standard mathematics prerequisites. The differential geometry course aimed at the geometry of curves and surfaces ending with a study of Cartan's equations and applications to computing curvatures in general relativity.
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Presenting Author: Charles H. Holbrow
Institution: AAPT,
Abstract Title: AAPT Topical Workshops Body This poster describes how the American Association of Physics Teachers is adopting some Gordon Research Conference practices for workshops that AAPT is organizing to be of particular interest to physics faculty in universities and colleges. The poster also points out features of the AAPT workshops that are quite different from those of a GRC. The inaugural AAPT topical workshop is an intensive two-day consideration of "Teaching General Relativity to Undergraduates" at Syracuse University on July 20 and 21, 2006. Supported by LIGO, AAPT, The Center for Gravitational Wave Physics at Penn State, and by the Syracuse Department of Physics, this workshop is bringing together fifty faculty who either have been teaching or aspire to teach GR to undergraduates. The participants will share their wide range of views of how this can best be done, and they will develop three model syllabi - one to teach GR with its full mathematical apparatus; one in which the solutions to Einstein's equations are taken as given and their physical significance is explored in depth; and one to convey important concepts of GR to students who want only a general acquaintance with the subject.
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Presenting Author: Savitri V. Iyer
Institution: SUNY
Geneseo Abstract Title: General Relativity at SUNY Geneseo Body As in many undergraduate programs, the typical physics major at SUNY Geneseo graduates without much exposure to gravitational physics beyond Newton's law of gravitation and Kepler's laws. Students read about topics like black holes and cosmology mainly through popular expositions. In the last few years, however, we have seen a growing interest in and enthusiasm for learning more about gravity. This was clearly evident in an experimental course offering titled "GRAVITY: An Introduction to Einstein's General Relativity" in spring 2006. We will present some ideas for course organization and teaching techniques, and student responses to an end-of-semester feedback survey. We will also present our experience with involving undergraduates in research in general relativity at SUNY Geneseo.
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Presenting Author: Loretta Johnson
Institution: Kalamazoo
College Abstract Title: Experimental Tests of General Relativity: What Students Need to Know Body Experimental results and experimental apparatus are fantastic ways to connect an abstract theory like general relativity with the tangible and physical with which many students are interested and familiar. However, undergraduate students are likely not prepared to appreciate either results or apparatus without considerable assistance. Some textbooks may provide adequate explication. If the text does not, then either the professor will need to select some experiments to discuss in considerable detail, or the professor may assign learning about an experiment to each student and then allow the students to teach one another. Professors who choose to teach undergraduates about experiments must bear in mind that these students are likely to have surprisingly weak understandings of apparatus and surprisingly little experience and ability to interpret graphs. General relativity courses offer opportunities for faculty to introduce students to diverse apparatus and to enhance students’ abilities to read and interpret graphs.
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Presenting Author: Jean P. Krisch
Institution:
The
University of Michigan Abstract Title: GRavity in the Curriculum Body The poster to be presented at the GR Conference preceding the 2006 Summer Meeting in Syracuse presents details ofgravity in the physics curriculum at the University of Michigan. |
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Presenting Author: Shane L. Larson
Institution:
Penn
State University Abstract Title: Empowering Undergraduates with General Relativity: Stepping stones to build research skills
Body
While many
calculations in general relativity require intimate
knowledge of the theory, there are a large number of
problems which can be reduced to calculations which exploit
physics and skills that undergraduates possess or are in the
process of developing. These types of problems provide
excellent opportunities to reinforce early lessons in
fundamental physics by giving students an opportunity to
apply their knowledge and practice their skills against the
exciting backdrop of a modern and evolving branch of
physics. They also provide well defined problems for
exercising and developing skills useful in later research
endeavors (e.g., numerical programming). This poster
describes the elements of undergraduate training which we
have found can be tapped and applied to good effect in
undergraduate GR research projects. Several real life
examples which have led to publications in peer reviewed
research journals are described to illustrate the basic
philosophy we advocate. |
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Presenting Author: Dwight E. Neuenschwander
Institution:
Southern
Nazarene University Abstract Title: General Relativity Education at Southern Nazarene University, 1989-present
Body
On alternate
years since 1989, I have taught GR for physics majors at SNU.
Prerequisites include Special Relativity, the inertia
tensor, Poisson’s equation, partial derivatives. From the
Principle of Equivalence and Einstein’s interpretation of
gravity as curvature, with the introduction of tensors and
covariant derivatives we develop the Principle of General
Covariance, applied at once to the freely-falling particle.
We next develop Einstein’s Field Equations, derive the
Schwarzschild metric, and calculate the deflection of
starlight and precession of perihelia. We also explore the
Friedmann-Robertson-Walker
metric of cosmology. Today our GR program includes a
three-course sequence: Special Relativity, Black Holes
Seminar, and PHYS 4311-2, General Relativity. Local
research experience includes student-authored papers in AJP
and JURP. One SNU student holds an internship at Stanford
University this summer with Gravity Probe B. Another GR
teaching resource may be mentioned: articles published in
the SPS Observer by the Society of Physics Students. |
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Presenting Author: Louis J. Rubbo
Institution:
Penn
State University/Center for Gravitational Wave Physics Abstract Title: Hands-On Gravitational Wave Astronomy: Extracting astrophysical information from simulated signals
Body
Observational
astronomy stands at the threshold of an era where
gravitational wave detectors are a tool that regularly
contributes important information to the growing body of
astrophysical knowledge. Detectors such as LIGO and LISA
will probe different regimes of the gravitational wave
spectrum and observe sources that radiate at different
gravitational wavelengths. Unlike their cousins, traditional
electromagnetic telescopes, gravitational wave detectors are
not imaging instruments. How then does a gravitational wave
astronomer take the output from a detector and extract
astrophysical information about the emitting sources? In
this poster we introduce an activity in which students
extract astrophysical information from a simulated
gravitational wave signal. The process described mimics the
way true gravitational wave analysis will be handled by
using plots of a pure gravitational wave signal. The
students directly measure the properties of the simulated
signal, and use the measurements to evaluate standard
formulae for astrophysical source parameters. |
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Presenting Author: Roberto B Salgado
Institution:
Syracuse
University Abstract Title: New Ideas for Teaching Relativity: Space-Time Trigonometry
Body
We present the
foundations for a unified treatment of three planar
geometries used in physics: Euclidean space, Galilean
spacetime, and Minkowskian spacetime. Following I.M. Yaglom,
using techniques familiar from the analytic geometry and
trigonometry of Euclidean space, we develop the
corresponding analogues for Galilean and Minkowskian
spacetimes and suggest extensions to the constant-curvature
de-Sitter space-times. We comment on how this unified
treatment suggests a faithful visualization of tensors and
their algebra [consistent with the pictorial representations
in Schouten, Misner-Thorne-Wheeler, and Burke]. We feel that
this provides a new geometric framework for teaching
relativity. |
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Presenting Author: Donald T. Schnitzler
Institution:
Linfield
College Abstract Title: Time Dilation Merry-Go-Round
Body
Understanding
the twin paradox and resolving it thoroughly is an important
first step for students beginning the study of general
relativity. The complete presentation of this topic given
here is designed around a thought experiment that involves
an easily visualized acceleration and deceleration of one of
the twins relative to an inertial frame such that the twins
are at rest together in the same inertial frame at start and
finish. It shows the calculations of the time that has
passed for each twin according to the one remaining in the
inertial frame and according to the one who travels. Both
twins agree that the one who traveled is younger at finish.
Motional and gravitational time dilation effects interplay
to bring about this agreement. A merry-go-round whose
motion is governed by an explicit formula is used so that
values of velocity, acceleration, gravitational potential,
and proper time can be compared graphically at all places
throughout the trip. |
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Presenting Author: Slavomir Tuleja
Institution:
Gymnazium arm. gen. L. Svobodu Abstract Title: Orbits of particles and light around non-spinning and spinning black holes. Body An interactive JAVA program plots orbits of test particles and light flashes in the equatorial plane of a non-spinning (Schwarzschild) and a variable-spin (Kerr) black hole. The software displays either the time-development of an orbit or the entire orbit over extended time. In the latter case the orbit changes instantly and continuously as the operator varies initial conditions. For the spinning Kerr black hole, the display shows the ergosphere (in which no particle can remain at rest) as well as the outer horizon and inner (Cauchy) horizon. The operator can use alternative global coordinate systems appropriate to the given black hole: Schwarzschild, Boyer-Lindquist, Gullstrand-Panlevé, and Doran. The interactive time-dependent display complements the static, analytic presentation of textbooks.
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