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Physics and Astronomy Chair: Thomas F. Boggess
Professors: David R. Andersen (Electrical and Computer Engineering/Physics and Astronomy), Thomas F. Boggess (Physics and Astronomy/Electrical and Computer Engineering), Michael E. Flatté, Louis A. Frank (Carver/James A. Van Allen Professor of Physics), John A. Goree, Donald A. Gurnett (Carver/James A. Van Allen Professor of Physics), Richard Hichwa (Radiology/Physics and Astronomy), Paul D. Kleiber (Harriet B. and Harold S. Brady Professor of Laser Physics), Craig A. Kletzing, William H. Klink (Physics and Astronomy/Mathematics), Karl E. Lonngren (Electrical and Computer Engineering/Physics and Astronomy), Mark T. Madsen (Radiology/Physics and Astronomy), Usha Mallik, Robert L. Merlino, Yannick Meurice, Robert L. Mutel, Yasar Onel, Gerald L. Payne, Wayne N. Polyzou, Mary Hall Reno, Vincent G.J. Rodgers, John W. Schweitzer, Jack D. Scudder, Frederick N. Skiff, Arthur L. Smirl (Physics and Astronomy/Electrical and Computer Engineering, Lowell Battershell Chair in Laser Engineering), Steven R. Spangler
Professors emeriti: Raymon T. Carpenter, Nicola D'Angelo, George Knorr, Edward R. McCliment, John S. Neff, Edwin Norbeck
Associate professors: Kenneth G. Gayley, Philip Kaaret, Charles R. Newsom
Assistant professors: William Daughton, Cornelia C. Lang, John P. Prineas, Craig Pryor, Markus Wohlgenannt
Undergraduate degrees: B.A., B.S. in Physics, Astronomy; B.S. in Applied Physics
Undergraduate nondegree programs: Minor in Physics, Astronomy
Graduate degrees: M.S. in Physics, Astronomy; Ph.D. in Physics (including specialization in Astronomy)
Web site: http://www.physics.uiowa.edu The Department of Physics and Astronomy provides comprehensive and rigorous instruction in all basic aspects of its subjects. It also provides research facilities and guidance in selected specialties for advanced individual scholarly work.
Total departmental enrollment is approximately 1,700 each semester of the academic year and 150 during the summer session. All courses and advanced laboratories are taught by faculty members. Faculty members also supervise associated laboratories taught by graduate students.
Beyond the elementary level, typical course enrollment is 15-20; there is ample opportunity for individual work. Special introductory courses are offered for majors in physics and astronomy and for others with special interest in these subjects. There are about 80 undergraduate majors, half of whom are honors students, and 60 graduate students in physics or astronomy.
About 70 percent of graduates with bachelor's degrees pursue advanced study. Others find positions in government and industrial laboratories and in secondary school teaching. Some use their training as the basis for careers in other fields.
Graduates with an M.S. or Ph.D. in physics or astronomy have opportunities for employment in universities, colleges, and research laboratories in government and industry.
Undergraduate Programs The department offers a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Arts, and an undergraduate minor in physics and in astronomy. It also offers a double major in physics and astronomy and a Bachelor of Science in applied physics. Bachelor of Science in Physics The Bachelor of Science in physics requires 60 s.h. in the major. It provides preparation for careers in industry, employment in research laboratories, and graduate study in physics and related sciences. The B.S. in physics requires the following courses or their equivalents. Students satisfy the following mathematics and laboratory requirements as well as the "Other Required Courses." The department encourages students to do additional work.
MATHEMATICS
| |
|
| 22M:027
Introduction to Linear Algebra |
4 s.h. |
| or |
|
22M:047
Linear Algebra and Differential Equations for Scientists |
3
s.h. |
| |
|
| 22M:028
Calculus III |
4 s.h. |
| or |
|
| 22M:048 Vector Calculus for Scientists |
3 s.h. |
LABORATORY
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
Students who choose 029:128 as one of their two required laboratory courses are advised to take it before they take 029:132.
OTHER REQUIRED COURSES
| 029:115 Intermediate Mechanics |
3 s.h. |
Two of these:
| 029:119 Introduction to Astrophysics I |
3 s.h. |
| 029:120 Introduction to Astrophysics II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:128 Electronics (may not be repeated) |
4 s.h. |
| 029:184 Optical Signal Processing |
3 s.h. |
| 029:192 Elementary Particles and Nuclear Physics |
3 s.h. |
| 029:193 Introductory Solid State Physics |
3 s.h. |
Undergraduate majors who plan to pursue graduate study are advised to go as far as they can beyond the minimum requirements, including further work in mathematics. In planning this work, they should keep in mind the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences maximum hours rule: students earning a B.A. or B.S. may apply no more than 50 s.h. from one department to the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation, whether or not the course work is accepted toward major requirements; students who earn more than 50 s.h. from one department may use the additional semester hours to satisfy major requirements (if the department accepts them), and the grades they earn become part of their grade-point average; they cannot apply the additional semester hours to the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation.
Students earning both a B.S. in physics and a B.S. in astronomy from the Department of Physics and Astronomy may apply more than 50 s.h. from that department to the 120 s.h. needed for graduation, but they must earn a minimum of 56 s.h. in course work taken outside the department.
Bachelor of Arts in Physics The Bachelor of Arts in physics requires 48 s.h. in the major. It is designed for students who wish to gain knowledge of physics but do not plan a research-oriented career in physics. The program is appropriate for those planning careers in medicine, law, science-related administration, business, technical writing, or secondary-school science teaching; see Science Education (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the Catalog. The B.A. requires fewer physics courses than the B.S. and provides for a wider choice of electives.
The B.A. requires the following courses or their equivalents. The department encourages students to do additional work.
| 029:115 Intermediate Mechanics |
3 s.h. |
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 029:129 Electricity and Magnetism I |
3 s.h. |
| Additional science course work in a thematic area as |
|
| approved by the student's advisor or the course work |
|
| required for teacher licensure |
12 s.h. |
Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics The Bachelor of Science in applied physics requires 60-83 s.h. in the major. It is intended primarily for students interested in a broad program of study in physics combined with a significant concentration of courses in an applied field that has immediate application to industry. The degree provides a foundation for a wide range of employment opportunities in high-technology industries, including research and development, product design and testing, sales, and quality control. It also is designed to include exposure to physics sufficient to allow the student to continue with graduate studies in either physics or astronomy. The program offers four areas of concentration: optics, solid-state electronics, computer science, and medical physics. A student also may design a customized concentration area in close consultation with his or her advisor, and with departmental approval.
An essential component of each concentration is successful completion of a one-semester industrial internship or practicum experience in a research laboratory (an applied physics thesis is required for the latter option). This requirement may result in the need for a ninth semester to fulfill all requirements.
Because of this, the Four-Year Graduation Plan is not available for the B.S. in applied physics. Well-prepared students will be able to complete the degree in four years. Students should work closely with their advisors on a graduation plan.
The B.S. in applied physics requires the following courses. Students are encouraged to take additional course work. Advisors can suggest electives that will enrich programs and help students prepare for graduate work.
COMMON REQUIREMENTS In addition to satisfying mathematics requirements (see listings under Bachelor of Science in Physics), students must successfully complete the following courses or their equivalents.
| 029:115 Intermediate Mechanics |
3 s.h. |
| 029:129 Electricity and Magnetism I |
3 s.h. |
| 029:140 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics I |
3 s.h. |
COMPUTER SCIENCE CONCENTRATION
| 22C:016 Computer Science I: Fundamentals |
4 s.h. |
| 22C:021 Computer Science II: Data Structures |
4 s.h. |
| 029:130 Electricity and Magnetism II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 22C:022 Object-Oriented Software Development |
4 s.h. |
| 22C:060 Computer Organization |
3 s.h. |
| Two additional 100-level computer science courses |
|
OPTICS CONCENTRATION
| 029:130 Electricity and Magnetism II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
Two of these:
| 029:184 Optical Signal Processing |
3 s.h. |
| 029:193 Introductory Solid State Physics |
3 s.h. |
SOLID-STATE ELECTRONICS CONCENTRATION
| 029:193 Introductory Solid State Physics |
3 s.h. |
| 055:032 Introduction to Digital Design |
3 s.h. |
| 057:017 Computers in Engineering |
3 s.h. |
| 057:018 Principles of Electronic Instrumentation |
4 s.h. |
| 059:006 Engineering Problem Solving II |
3 s.h. |
| 059:008 Engineering Fundamentals II: Electrical Circuits |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 029:130 Electricity and Magnetism II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:141 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics II |
3 s.h. |
MEDICAL PHYSICS CONCENTRATION
| 004:141 Organic Chemistry Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 171:161 Introduction to Biostatistics |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 029:105 Special Topics in Physics (physics of the body) |
3 s.h. |
| 029:130 Electricity and Magnetism II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:141 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics II |
3 s.h. |
| Two additional advanced biological sciences courses |
|
Bachelor of Science in Astronomy The Bachelor of Science in astronomy requires 64 s.h. in the major. It provides a balanced and integrated program of astronomy, mathematics, and physics courses that prepare students for advanced study in astronomy or astrophysics. It also serves as an interesting choice of major for a liberal arts and sciences education. The B.S. in astronomy requires the following courses or their equivalents.
MATHEMATICS
| 22M:047 Linear Algebra and Differential Equations for Scientists |
3 s.h. |
| 22M:048 Vector Calculus for Scientists |
3 s.h. |
OTHER REQUIRED COURSES
| 029:115 Intermediate Mechanics |
3 s.h. |
| *029:137 Astronomical Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
| 029:140 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics I |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
| 029:141 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics II |
3 s.h. |
*Classes are offered alternate years. Students are responsible for registering for these classes when they are available.
Undergraduate majors who plan to pursue graduate study are advised to go as far as they can beyond the minimum requirements listed above, by taking one or more of the courses listed below. In planning this work, they should keep in mind the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences maximum hours rule: students earning a B.A. or B.S. may apply no more than 50 s.h. from one department to the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation, whether or not the course work is accepted toward major requirements; students who earn more than 50 s.h. from one department may use the additional semester hours to satisfy major requirements (if the department accepts them), and the grades they earn become part of their grade-point average; but they cannot apply the additional semester hours to the minimum 120 s.h. required for graduation.
Students earning both a B.S. in physics and a B.S. in astronomy from the Department of Physics and Astronomy may apply more than 50 s.h. from that department to the 120 s.h. needed for graduation, but they must earn a minimum of 56 s.h. in course work taken outside the department.
| 029:141 Introduction to Quantum Mechanics II |
3 s.h. |
| 029:192 Elementary Particles and Nuclear Physics |
3 s.h. |
Bachelor of Arts in Astronomy The Bachelor of Arts in astronomy requires 52 s.h. in the major. It is designed for students who wish to gain considerable knowledge of astronomy but who do not plan a research-oriented career in the field. The B.A. is appropriate for those planning careers in secondary school science teaching or science-related administration; see Science Education (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences) in the Catalog. It also is appropriate for those preparing for professional school. The B.A. requires fewer physics and mathematics courses than the B.S., and thus provides for a wider choice of electives. The B.A. in astronomy requires the following courses or their equivalents.
| 029:115 Intermediate Mechanics |
3 s.h. |
| 029:132 Intermediate Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
| 029:137 Astronomical Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
One of these:
One of these:
| 029:129 Electricity and Magnetism I (requires vector calculus as prerequisite) |
3 s.h. |
Double Major in Physics and Astronomy Students working toward a double major in physics and astronomy must earn a minimum of 56 s.h. in course work outside physics and astronomy. Students interested in a double major should consult with their advisors. See "Two or More Majors or Minors" in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Student Academic Handbook. Four-Year Graduation Plan The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the University's Four-Year Graduation Plan. (Courses in the major are those required to complete the major; they may be offered by departments other than the major department.) B.A. in Astronomy Before the third semester begins: math through calculus I and II, physics I and II, and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation Before the fifth semester begins: physics III and IV, at least one more course in the major, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the seventh semester begins: three more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the eighth semester begins: nine courses in the major
During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate
B.S. in Astronomy Before the third semester begins: calculus I and II, physics II, and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation Before the fifth semester begins: math through vector calculus, physics III and IV, linear algebra, two other courses in the major, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the seventh semester begins: four more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the eighth semester begins: three more courses in the major
During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate
B.A. and B.S. in Physics Before the third semester begins: calculus II, physics II, and at least one-quarter of the semester hours required for graduation Before the fifth semester begins: physics III and IV, linear algebra and differential equations, vector calculus, up to two more courses in the major, and at least one-half of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the seventh semester begins: two to four more courses in the major and at least three-quarters of the semester hours required for graduation
Before the eighth semester begins: two or three more courses in the major
During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining course work in the major, all remaining General Education courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate
Honors Junior and senior physics and astronomy majors who are members of the University of Iowa Honors Program may take 6-8 s.h. of 029:099 Honors Seminar and conduct an investigation with the guidance of a faculty member as part of their programs for the B.A. or B.S. with honors in physics, applied physics, or astronomy. They must present a written research report (honors thesis) and describe the results of the research at a departmental seminar. Membership in the University of Iowa Honors Program requires that students maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information).
Minor in Physics A minor in physics requires 15 s.h. in physics, including 12 s.h. taken at The University of Iowa. The 12 s.h. must be chosen from 029:029 (prerequisites: 029:027 and 029:028, or 029:081 and 029:082), 029:030, and 100-level physics courses. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 for all work in the minor. There is no minor offered in applied physics.
Minor in Astronomy A minor in astronomy requires 15 s.h. in astronomy and physics courses, including 12 s.h. of upper-level course work and 12 s.h. taken at The University of Iowa. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 for all work in the minor. The upper-level work must include 6 s.h. chosen from the following.
| 029:137 Astronomical Laboratory |
3 s.h. |
The remaining course work may be chosen from any 100-level astronomy or physics courses.
Graduate Programs The department offers a Master of Science and a Doctor of Philosophy in physics, and a Master of Science in astronomy. Students who wish to pursue a program in astronomy beyond the M.S. may qualify for a Ph.D. in physics with a specialization and dissertation in astronomy or astrophysics. An M.S. is not prerequisite to a Ph.D. All graduate students who intend to pursue a Ph.D. in physics must pass the qualifying exam (see "Doctor of Philosophy in Physics").
Each entering graduate student is assigned a faculty advisor, who assists in preparing a plan of study and in guiding the student's progress.
The Department of Physics and Astronomy participates in an interdisciplinary doctoral program, the Program in Applied Mathematical and Computational Sciences (see Graduate College in the Catalog).
Master of Science in Physics The Master of Science in physics requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit. It is offered with thesis, or critical essay, or by examination. The M.S. with thesis requires a thesis based on an original experimental or theoretical investigation by the student. The M.S. with critical essay requires a critical essay on the literature of a particular area of physics. The M.S. may be a terminal degree or a step toward a Ph.D. In either case, the final examination is oral, conducted by a committee of three faculty members.
Students in the M.S. with thesis program earn the required 30 s.h. of graduate credit in courses numbered 170 or above, with at least 15 s.h. at the 200 level, a g.p.a. of at least 3.00, and a thesis based on an original experimental or theoretical investigation by the student. No more than 6 of the 30 s.h. may be earned in 029:220 Individual Critical Study or 029:281 Research: Physics. No more than one-third of the graduate program may be taken in related scientific fields other than physics and mathematics (e.g., chemistry, astronomy, geology, engineering).
Students in the M.S. with critical essay program earn the required 30 s.h. of graduate credit in courses numbered 170 or above, with at least 15 s.h. at the 200 level, a g.p.a. of at least 3.00, an independent study of the literature on a chosen topic, and preparation of a critical essay on that topic. No more than 4 of the 30 s.h. may be earned in 029:220 Individual Critical Study or 029:281 Research: Physics. No more than one-third of the graduate program may be taken in related scientific fields other than physics and mathematics (e.g., chemistry, astronomy, geology, engineering).
Students in the M.S. by examination program earn the required 30 s.h. of graduate credit with 18 s.h. in the core graduate courses 029:205, 029:212, 029:213, 029:214, 029:245, and 029:246, and the remaining 12 s.h. in courses numbered 170 or above. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.00 in the core graduate courses. No more than 4 of the 30 s.h. may be earned in 029:220 Individual Critical Study or 029:281 Research: Physics. No more than one-third of the graduate program may be taken in related scientific fields other than physics and mathematics (e.g., chemistry, astronomy, geology, engineering).
The student's plan of study should provide for as much advanced work as aptitude and previous preparation permit.
Master of Science in Astronomy The Master of Science in astronomy requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit. It is offered either with or without thesis. The M.S. may be a terminal degree or a step toward a Ph.D. in physics with specialization and a dissertation in astronomy or astrophysics. In either case the final examination is oral, conducted by a committee of three faculty members. Students in the M.S. with thesis program earn the required 30 s.h. in courses numbered 170 or above, with at least 15 s.h. at the 200 level, and a g.p.a. of at least 3.00. The 30 s.h. must include at least 6 s.h. chosen from 029:232, 029:233, 029:234, and 029:235. No more than 6 of the 30 s.h. may be earned in 029:220 and 029:282. Seminars do not count for credit toward the 30 s.h. requirement. Up to one-third of the course work may be in graduate courses in related fields, such as meteorology, geology, and electrical engineering; selection of such courses is encouraged.
Students in the M.S. nonthesis program earn 18 s.h. of the required 30 s.h. in the core graduate courses 029:205, 029:213, 029:214, 029:232, 029:233, 029:234, and 029:235. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 3.00 in the core graduate courses. No more than 4 s.h. may be earned in 029:220 and 029:282. Seminars do not count toward the required 30 s.h. Up to one-third of the course work may be in graduate courses in related fields, such as meteorology, geology, and electrical engineering; selection of such courses is encouraged.
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics The Doctor of Philosophy in physics requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Graduate students who wish to pursue a Ph.D. in physics must pass a qualifying examination in all principal areas of physics at the level of first-year graduate work. The examination, which may be repeated only once, is given each year before the beginning of the fall semester. Students must take the exam for the first time no later than the start of their third year of graduate study.
All Ph.D. students must take comprehensive examinations; participate in advanced seminars; do original research in experimental physics, theoretical physics, or astrophysics; and prepare and defend a written dissertation based on this work.
The program of study for the Ph.D. with a major in physics includes thorough course work in both classical and quantum physics for all students, whether their specialized research is to be in an experimental or a theoretical area.
Students must take at least 24 s.h. of 200-level courses in the department, excluding 029:220, 029:281, 029:282, and seminars. The following courses are required.
| 029:212 Statistical Mechanics I |
3 s.h. |
*Students who pass a written examination are exempt from the requirement to take 029:171-029:172 Mathematical Methods of Physics I-II.
Advanced mathematics, such as complex variables and tensor analysis, is used freely in these courses. An introduction is given in 029:171-029:172 Mathematical Methods of Physics I-II. The selection of less advanced course work depends on the adequacy of a student's preparation for graduate work; students' choice of more advanced and specialized courses depends on the direction in which their interests develop.
After a student has chosen a research specialty, he or she must submit a formal thesis proposal and defend the proposal in an oral comprehensive exam. The appropriate thesis advisor then becomes the candidate's general advisor and the chair of the comprehensive and final examination committee. The comprehensive exam must be taken before the beginning of the fourth year of graduate study.
Ph.D. candidates are not recommended for the degree until they have written the dissertation in proper form for formal publication and have submitted it for publication, with the approval of the research advisor, to a widely distributed, refereed scientific journal.
Financial Support Students qualified for graduate study are encouraged to apply for fellowships and assistantships. Contact the Department of Physics and Astronomy chair. Research, Facilities The department has an excellent library and a number of well-equipped laboratories and observatories, as well as a student computer cluster for which students can obtain accounts. Faculty, students, and staff access national supercomputers via the Internet. The central machine shop is fully equipped and staffed by skilled instrument makers and machinists, and there are electronics and machine shops for use by advanced students and research staff. Experimental research is conducted in astronomy (optical, radio, and X-ray), atomic and molecular physics, condensed matter physics, elementary particle physics, laser physics, medical physics, plasma physics, and space physics. Extensive facilities are available for construction of specialized research equipment and for data processing and analysis.
State-of-the-art semiconductor materials and devices are grown in two molecular beam epitaxy machines. Ultrafast laser techniques are developed and used to probe electron transport, energy relaxation, recombination, and spin dynamics in the novel nanostructures grown in these machines. Experiments also are conducted on laser-induced coherent phenomena and coherent control of charge carriers in semiconductor nanostructures. The experimental condensed matter program is closely coordinated with the condensed matter theory group.
Plasma physics is an active area of experimental and theoretical research. Laboratory experiments studying plasma processes of importance in various space and astrophysical plasmas are performed in a Q machine, including experiments on waves and instabilities in dusty plasmas. Additional laboratory and microgravity experiments with dusty plasmas include studies of Coulomb crystals, shocks, and complex fluids. Glow discharges for plasma processing applications are studied using laser diagnostics and numerical simulations. Wave propagation and plasma particle dynamics also are studied in collisionless plasmas through laboratory experiments. Laser techniques are developed for measuring plasma flow and following particle orbits. Plasma theory efforts include analytical and numerical investigations of magnetic reconnection and turbulence in space and astrophysical plasmas; collaboration with laboratory and space plasma experimental groups in strongly coupled dusty plasmas, waves, and instabilities; and free electron lasers and hydrodynamic turbulence.
State-of-the-art laser systems are available for high-resolution spectroscopic measurement and ultrafast studies of molecular structure, for collisional relaxation and nonlinear optical effects in atomic and molecular systems, and for plasma diagnostics.
Experimental research in elementary particle physics is carried out at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, CERN in Switzerland, and other international laboratories. The present generation of high-energy experiments has been designed to probe both the strong nuclear force and the weak interactions.
The department is well-equipped for research and instruction in observational astronomy. The primary optical instrument is a fully automated 15-inch telescope at a dark-sky site in Arizona. The telescope is equipped with CCD cameras and a variety of filters. There are 3-meter and 4.5-meter radio telescopes on the roof of Van Allen Hall, which are used for instruction and student research projects.
Research programs in galactic and extragalactic radio astronomy are carried out using the facilities of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, including the Very Large Array and the Very Long Baseline Array, one element of which is 10 miles north of campus. Current long-term research activities include studies of the center of the Milky Way galaxy; investigations of extragalactic radio sources; the formation of powerful winds in young, luminous stars; radio-wave scattering in the interstellar and interplanetary media; and interacting binary stars. A research program in X-ray astronomy has been established, and there is a laboratory for instrument development. Research topics in X-ray astronomy concentrate on observations of X-ray emission from black holes, using existing spacecraft.
Active theoretical research is carried on in astrophysics; atomic, molecular, and optical physics; condensed matter physics; elementary particle physics; laser physics; mathematical physics; nuclear physics; plasma physics; and space physics. An active mathematical physics seminar fosters the exchange of ideas between mathematics and physics.
The primary emphasis of Iowa's program in experimental and theoretical space physics is on studies of cosmic and heliospheric physics, magnetospheric physics, and magnetosphere-ionosphere interactions. Facilities are available for designing and constructing spaceflight instruments. Investigators in the department have flown instruments for studying plasmas, energetic charged particles, auroral images, plasma waves, and radio emissions on a wide variety of terrestrial and planetary spacecraft, including Pioneer 10 and 11, Dynamics Explorer, Voyager 1 and 2, Galileo, Polar, Cassini, and Mars Express.
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