Graduate Study in

Physics and Astronomy at Rice University

Astronomy and AstrophysicsDufour, Hartigan, Johns-Krull, Oberlack

Observational astrophysicists at Rice use infrared, optical and ultraviolet instruments on ground-based and space telescopes to study young stars and their collimated supersonic jets, the physics of emission nebulae, and the properties of starburst galaxies .

Wolf-Rayet shell nebula, NGC 6888, ejected from an old massive star [Dufour, HST image] .

Molecular (red) and atomic (blue and green) shock waves in a collimated outflow from a massive young star [Hartigan, HST image].

Astronomy and Astrophysics Baring, Fossati, Liang, I. Smith

Members of the High-Energy Astrophysics group are involved in theoretical models and space-based experiments relating to compact objects, including gamma ray bursters, pulsars, and active galactic nuclei. A Chandra X-ray image of the

Crab Nebula in the vicinity of the pulsar. Photo: NASA/CXC/SAO.

Artist conception of an accretion disk

Space PhysicsChan, Hill, Levy, Reiff, Toffoletto, Wolf

Auroral Image(L. Frank Univ. of Iowa)

Rice’s space physicists investigate how the solar wind affects magnetized plasmas around the Earth during solar storms. Rice scientists are also analyzing the first spacecraft images of the Earth’s magnetosphere.

Satellite Image of the Earth’s Plasmasphere (C. J. Pollock and J.-M. Jahn, SW Research Institute)

Space PhysicsCloutier, Hill, Wolf

Several members of the Space Physics group study magnetospheres and ionospheres around other planets, such as Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

A “visible” manifestation of mass loading (in ultraviolet light) is Jupiter’s aurora (Note the magnetic “footprint” of Io.)[HST Image courtesy NASA & J.

Clarke]

The Io plasma torus is centrifugally unstable (like an inside-out Rayleigh-Taylor instability).

Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Dunning, Hulet, Killian, Lindsay, K. SmithThe department has a diverse and active program in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. Research areas include ultracold trapped atoms and Bose-Einstein condensation.The figure shows a schematic diagram of the magnetic trap used to produce Bose-Einstein condensation of lithium atoms. The two lower figures are actual images of the trapped atoms. The cenral peak in the rightmost image is the Bose-Einstein condensate.

Atomic, Molecular and Optical PhysicsDunning, Hulet, Killian, Lindsay, K. Smith

Combined position and time-of-flight distribution of ions produced by160 eV electron impact on CF4.

Phase space for high-n Rydberg atom subject to as series of uninductional and alternating kicks.

Nuclear and Particle PhysicsBonner, Corcoran, Duck, Llope, Miettinen, Padley, Platner, Roberts, Stevenson, Yepes

The High Energy and Nuclear Physics groups work closely together in a wide range of experiments. Equipment is built in Bonner lab and is sent to accelerator laboratories around the US and the World. The STAR (Solenoidal Tracker At

RHIC) detector is used to study matter at extreme conditions produced in Nuclei Nuclei interactions. Rice has made important contributions in hardware and software.

Nuclear and Particle PhysicsBonner, Corcoran, Duck, Llope, Miettinen, Padley, Platner, Roberts, Stevenson, Yepes

When it comes online, the Large Hadron Collider accelerator will be the world’s highest energy facility. Several members of the group are helping to build triggering components of the detector.

The D0 experiment at Fermilab was one of the detectors that simultaneously discovered the top quark. Several members of the group have been involved in major upgrade to the detector.

Surface and Condensed Matter Physics Dunning, Hannon, Natelson,

Nordlander, Rau, Rimberg, Si

Electron micrograph of a single-electron transistor (SET) that is strongly coupled to a quantum dot.

The Surface and Condensed Matter Physics group covers diverse areas including strongly correlated electrons, mesoscopic physics, magnetism, superconductivity, and surface physics.

Surface and Condensed Matter Physics

Dunning, Hannon, Natelson, Nordlander, Rau, Rimberg, Si

The Theoretical group is actively involved in studying many-body effects in solids, molecules, and atoms. The techniques use new types of algorithms that can be executed efficiently on computers with parallel architecture. Fermi surface of

Vandium Oxide

Surface and Condensed Matter Physics

Dunning, Hannon, Natelson, Nordlander, Rau, Rimberg, Si

Arrival position distribution of Br ions produced by electron transfer in K(55p)/CH2Br2 collisions.

Probability density distribution ||2 for Xe (15f) Rydberg atoms near a metal surface.

BiophysicsHuang

Examples of neutron diffraction patterns

The Biophysics group works on a new type of peptide antibiotics that act on cell membranes rather than proteins. The group has invented new ways of studying supramolecular structures formed by peptides in membranes using optical, X-ray and neutron techniques.

BiophysicsHuang

Barrel-stave model

(alamethicin)

Toroidal (wormhole) model

(magainin)

By using the techniques developed at Rice, the Biophysics group has been able to detect two types of pores formed by antimicrobial peptides.

Rice Campus

Rice University is situated three miles from downtown Houston, nestled amidst a beautiful residential neighborhood, art museums, a world famous medical center, a city park and the Houston city zoo.

City of Houston

A multifaceted international city, Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S. and home to a diverse blend of ethnic groups and cultures. It’s a center for the visual and performing arts, and international business hub, and home to the U.S. space program.

For Further Information Contact:

Chair of the Graduate Admissions CommitteeDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, MS 61Rice UniversityP.O. Box 1892Houston, TX 77251-1892Phone: 713-348-4938

Website: http://www.physics.rice.edu

or

http://www.rice.eduSEM Micrograph of the Rice shield fabricated on a GaAs substrate.