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Spin plays a key role in the determination of the properties of fundamental particles and their interactions. The spin structure of the proton is one of the most challenging open puzzles in Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). It was believed that the proton spin was carried by the spin of its three valence quarks. However, The results of the EMC (European Muon Collaboration) experiments in 1987 suggested that the quark intrinsic spin contributes, ∆Σ = 0.12 ± 0.09 ± 0.14 of the proton spin setting off the proton spin crisis. ”Where is the rest of the proton spin is coming from?” remains a major challenge to our understanding of the structure of the proton. The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) delivers the highest energy polarized proton-proton collisions at a center of mass energy up to 510 GeV and provides a unique opportunity to study quark and gluon spin structure of the proton and the QCD dynamics at high energy scale. The production of W −(+) bosons in polarized proton-proton collisions provides an ideal tool to study the spin-flavor structure of the proton sea quark distributions profiting from the parity-violating nature of the weak interactions. W −(+) bosons are produced in u ̄ + d (d ̄ + u) annihilation and can be detected through their leptonic decay mode. The STAR experiment can detect charged leptons e−(+) at mid and forward rapidity regions. In this analysis, the measurement of the longitudinal single-spin asymmetries at forward rapidity for W boson production will be presented based on the data sample collected in 2013 (RUN-13) corresponding to an integrated luminosity 220 pb−1 with an average beam polarization ∼ 56%. / Physics

Astounding evidence for invisible "dark" matter has been found from galaxy clusters, cosmic and stellar gas motion, gravitational lensing studies, cosmic microwave background analysis, and large scale galaxy surveys. Although all studies indicate that there is a dominant presence of non-luminous matter in the universe (about 22 percent of the total energy density with 5 times more dark matter than baryonic matter), its identity and its "direct" detection (through non-gravitational effects) has not yet been achieved. Dark matter in the form of massive, weakly interacting particles (WIMPs) could be detected through their collisions with target nuclei. This requires detectors to be sensitive to very low-energy (less than 100 keV) nuclear recoils with very low expected rates (a few interactions per year per ton of target). Reducing the background in a direct dark matter detector is the biggest challenge. A detector capable of seeing such low-energy nuclear recoils is difficult to build because of the necessary size and the radio- and chemical- purity. Therefore it is imperative to first construct small-scale prototypes to develop the necessary technology and systems, before attempting to deploy large-scale detectors in underground laboratories. Our collaboration, the DarkSide Collaboration, utilizes argon in two-phase time projection chambers (TPCs). We have designed, built, and commissioned DarkSide-10, a 10 kg prototype detector, and are designing and building DarkSide-50, a 50 kg dark matter detector. The present work is an account of my contribution to these efforts. The two-phase argon TPC technology allows powerful discrimination between dark matter nuclear recoils and background events. Presented here are simulations, designs, and analyses involving the electroluminescence in the gas phase from extracted ionization charge for both DarkSide-10 and DarkSide-50. This work involves the design of the HHV systems, including field cages, that are responsible for producing the electric fields that drift, accelerate, and extract ionization electrons. Detecting the ionization electrons is an essential element of the background discrimination and gives event location using position reconstruction. Based on using COMSOL multiphysics software, the TPC electric fields were simulated. For DarkSide-10 the maximum radial displacement a drifting electron would undergo was found to be 0.2 mm and 1 mm for DarkSide-50. Using the electroluminescence signal from an optical Monte Carlo, position reconstruction in these two-phase argon TPCs was studied. Using principal component analysis paired with a multidimensional fit, position reconstruction resolution for DarkSide-10 was found to be less than 0.5 cm and less than 2.5 cm for DarkSide-50 for events occurring near the walls. DarkSide-10 is fully built and has gone through several campaigns of operation and upgrading both at Princeton University and in an underground laboratory (Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Assergi, Italy). Key DarkSide two-phase argon TPC technologies, such as a successful HHV system, have been demonstrated. Specific studies from DarkSide-10 data including analysis of the field homogeneity and the field dependence on the electroluminescence signal are reported here. / Physics

The g2 nucleon spin-dependent structure function measured in electron deep inelastic scattering contains information beyond the simple parton model description of the nucleon. It provides insight into quark-gluon correlations and a path to access the confining local color force a struck quark experiences just as it is hit by the virtual photon due to the remnant di-quark. The quantity d2, a measure of this local color force, has its information encoded in an x2 weighted integral of a linear combination of spin structure functions g1 and g2 and thus is dominated by the valence-quark region at large momentum fraction x. To date, theoretical calculations and experimental measurements of the neutron d2 differ by about two standard deviations. Therefore, JLab experiment E06-014, performed in Hall A, made a precision measurement of this quantity. Double spin asymmetries and absolute cross-sections were measured in both DIS and resonance regions by scattering longitudinally polarized electrons at beam energies of 4.74 and 5.89 GeV from a longitudinally and transversely polarized 3He target. Results for the absolute cross-sections and spin structure functions on 3He will be presented in the dissertation, as well as results for the neutron d2 and extracted color forces. / Physics

Particle characterization is important to the aerospace field because particle ingestion in propulsion engines can lead to catastrophic failures. It has been shown laser based methodologies can determine size and concentration of spherical particles by using light extinction. However, when one moves to increasingly complex shapes one must take into consideration not only light extinction but multi angle light scattering. Cylindrical particles scatter light in a way that can be quantified by electromagnetic wave theory. This scattering distribution is directly related to the cylinders diameter and material properties, as well as the wavelength of the incident light. This project designed and implemented a rig that measures the scattering distribution of single static cylindrical particles. It was shown that the scattering distribution for cylinders can be measured and compared to computational expected values, especially in the forward scattering region. Future work in measuring the scattering distribution of increasingly complex geometries and in flow conditions is proposed. / Master of Engineering

This thesis presents the parallel version of Coliseum, the Air Force Research Laboratory plasma simulation framework. The parallel code was designed to run large simulations on the world fastest supercomputers as well as home mode clusters. Plasma simulations are extremely computationally intensive as they require tracking millions of particles and solving field equations over large domains. This new parallel version will allow Coliseum to run simulations of spacecraft-plasma interactions in domain large enough to reproduce space conditions. The parallel code ran on two of the world fastest supercomputers, the NASA JPL Cosmos supercomputer ranked 37th on the TOP500 list and Virginia Tech's System X, ranked 7th. DRACO, the Virginia Tech PIC module to Coliseum, was modified with parallel algorithms to create a full parallel PIC code. A parallel solver was added to DRACO. It uses a Gauss-Seidel method with SOR acceleration on a Red-Black checkerboard scheme. Timing results were obtained on JPL Cosmos supercomputer to determine the efficiency of the parallel code. Although the communication overhead limits the code's parallel efficiency, the speed up obtained greatly decreases the time required to run the simulations. A speed up of 51 was reached on 128 processors. The parallel code was also used to simulate the plume expansion of an ion thruster array composed of three NSTAR thrusters. Results showed that the multiple beams merge to form a single plume similar to the plume created by a single ion thruster. / Master of Science

This thesis describes the design a novel type of particle accelerator for charged particle therapy. The accelerator is called a non-scaling, Fixed Field Alternating Gradient (ns-FFAG) accelerator, and will accelerate both protons and carbon ions to energies required for clinical use. The work is undertaken as part of the PAMELA project. An existing design for a ns-FFAG is taken as a starting point and analysed in terms of its ability to suit the charged particle therapy application. It is found that this design is particularly sensitive to alignment errors and would be unable to accelerate protons and carbon ions at the proposed acceleration rate due to betatron resonance crossing phenomena. To overcome this issue, a new type of non-linear ns-FFAG is developed which avoids resonance crossing and meets the requirements provided by clinical considerations. Two accelerating rings are required, one for protons up to 250 MeV and fully stripped carbon ions to 68 MeV/u, the other to accelerate the carbon ions up to 400-430 MeV/u. Detailed studies are undertaken to show that this new type of accelerator is suitable for the application. An alignment accuracy of 50 micrometers will not have a detrimental effect on the beam and the dynamic aperture for most lattice configurations is found to be greater than 50 pi.mm.mrad normalised in both the horizontal and vertical plane. Verification of the simulation code used in the PAMELA lattice design is carried out using experimental results from EMMA, the world's first ns-FFAG for 10-20 MeV electrons built at Daresbury Laboratory, UK. Finally, it is shown that the described lattice can translate into realistic designs for the individual components of the accelerator. The integration of these components into the PAMELA facility is discussed.

Ultrafine particles (UFPs) with diameters smaller than 100 nm are omnipresent in ambient air. They are important sources for fine particles produced through the agglomeration and/or vapor condensation. With their unique properties, UFPs have also been manufactured for industrial applications. But, from the toxicological and health perspective, ultrafine particles with high surface-to-volume ratios often have high bio-availability and toxicity. Many recent epidemiologic studies have evidence UFPs are highly relevant to human health and disease. In order to better investigate UFPs, better instrumentation and measurement techniques for UFPs are thus in need. The overall objective of this dissertation is to advance out current knowledge on UFPs generation and measurement. Accordingly, it has two major parts: (1) ultrafine particle generation for laboratory aerosol research via electrospray (ES), and (2) ultrafine particle measurement for ambient aerosol monitor and personal exposure study via the development of a cost-effective and compact electrical mobility particle sizer. In the first part, to provide monodisperse nanoparticles, a new single capillary electrospray with a soft X-ray photoionizer as a charge reduction scheme has been developed. The soft X-ray effects on electrospray operation, particle size distribution and particle charge reduction were evaluated. To generate ultrafine particles with sufficient mass concentration for exposure/toxicity study, a TSE twin-head electrospray (THES) was evaluated, as well. The configuration and operational variables of the studied THES has been optimized. Three different nanoparticle suspensions were sprayed to investigate material difference. In the second part, to develop a miniature electrical mobility based ultrafine particle sizer (mini e-UPS), a new mini-plate aerosol charger and a new mini-plate differential mobility analyzer (DMA) have been developed. The performances of mini-plate charger and mini-plate DMA were carefully evaluated for ultrafine particles, including intrinsic/extrinsic charging, extrinsic charge distribution, DMA sizing accuracy and DMA transfer function. A prototype mini e-UPS was then assembled and tested by laboratory generated aerosol. Also a constrained least square method was applied to recover the particle size distribution from the current measured by a mini Faraday Cage aerosol electrometer.

The theoretical and experimental investigation of the novel in-line CMOS image sensor was performed. This sensor is aimed to investigate particle size distribution, particle concentration and shape in hydraulic liquid in order to implement the proactive maintenance of hydraulic equipment. The existing instruments such as automatic particle counters and techniques are not sufficiently enough to address this task because of their restricted sensitivity, limit of concentration to be measured and they cannot determine particle shape. Other instruments cannot be used as inline sensors because they are not resistant to the arduous conditions such as high pressure and vibration. The novel mathematical model was proposed as it is not possible to use previously developed techniques based on using optical system and complicated algorithms. This model gives the output signal of the image sensor depending on the particle size, its distance from the light source (LED) and image sensor. Additionally, the model takes into account the limited exposure time and particle track simulation. The results of simulation based on the model are also performed in thesis. On the basis of the mathematical model the image processing algorithms were suggested in order to determine particle size even when this size is lower than pixel size. There are different approaches depending on the relation between the size of the particle and the pixel size. The approach to the volume of liquid sample estimation was suggested in order to address the problem of low accuracy of concentration measurement by the conventional automatic particle counters based on the single photodiode. Proposed technique makes corrections on the basis of particle velocity estimation. Approach to the accuracy estimation of the sensor was proposed and simulation results are shown. Generally, the accuracy of particle size and concentration measurement was considered. Ultimately, the experimental setup was used in order to test suggested techniques. The mathematical model was tested and the results showed sufficient correlation with the experiment. The zinc dust was used as a reference object as there are the particles within the range from 1 to 25 microns which is appropriate to check the sensitivity. The results of experiments using reference instrument showed the improved sensitivity and accuracy of volume measured compared to the reference one.