University of Oklahoma SPS Chapter
Recent Forum Posts [All]
On
Feb 6,
Jason Kimura posted
Re: OU SPS Valentine's Party!
On
Feb 4,
Mary Hogan posted
Meet & Greet with Dr. Gregory Earle from UT at Dallas
On
Feb 4,
Mary Hogan posted
OU SPS Valentine's Party!
Members
Austin Burkett
Bruce Mason
Bryce Callies
Daniel Wilson
Dave Donnelly
Dustin Clouse
Mary Hogan
Contact Information
President: Mary Hogan
Vice Pres.: Bryce Callies
Treasurer: Daniel Wilson
Secretary: Mitchell Greer
Publicist: Leah Trafford
Webmistress: Ashley Atkins
Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy
The University of Oklahoma
440 W. Brooks St.
Norman, OK 73019
Visit our webpage for specific contact info: http://www.ou.edu/student/spsweb/
Here at OU, SPS conducts most of its activities in Nielsen Hall, home to the Physics Department. We hold multiple events throughout each semester. In the past, events have included outreach and education at elementary schools (our SeeS program), movie nights, tutoring, holiday parties, outings, and projects. We also participate in the campus-wide Big Event each year to provide volunteer services to the Oklahoma City area.
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Upcoming Events:
OU SPS Valentine's Party!
Thursday, Feb. 11th, 2010 from Noon to 2pm in the student lounge (303).
Come make your own Valentine's Bag from the supplies in the lounge up through the date of the party. We'll then host a Valentine's exchange during the party so you can share candy and cards with all of your fellow physics friends. Please bring enough valentines to share on the day of the party so that no one gets left out.
We will be providing punch, candy, and board games!
Feb. 11th: Spitzer Space Telescope Observations of Sulfur and Neon Abundances in Extragalactic H II Regions
Presentation by: Reginald Dufour from Rice University.
Abstract:
I will discuss the results of recent observations of the infrared spectra of H II regions in the spiral galaxies M33 & M83 and the irregular galaxy NGC 6822 made with the IRS on the Spitzer Space Telescope. These observations were the first measurements of the infrared emission lines of Ne+ and S+3 in the HII regions - enabling improved determinations of the abundances of the primary nucleosynthesis elements neon and sulphur in the ISM of three quite different systems. We analyzed our results, which also include measurements of Ne+2 and S+2, using photoionization models of H II regions with a variety of input stellar spectral energy distributions (SEDs) and discovered that the supergiant atmospheres of Pauldrach et al. track the ionization variations best. The resulting averaged Ne/S ratios determined for the ISM of the three galaxies were higher than the (controversial) solar value, as well as values predicted by stellar nucleosynthesis and galactic chemical evolution models. I then compare our results to other studies of Ne and S in Galactic and extragalactic H II regions and conclude with a discussion of potential future advancements in H II region abundance determination problems afforded by the upcoming infrared astronomy missions SOFIA and JWST.
Meet & Greet with Dr. Gregory Earle from UT at Dallas
Thursday, Feb. 18th
Noon - 1:30 pm in the student lounge (303)
Colloquium presentation will be at 4pm in room 170.
Dr. Gregory Earle will be coming from the University of Texas at Dallas to meet with our undergraduate physics students before his colloquium presentation on "Small Satellite Solutions to Problems in Near--Earth Space Science" later in the day. Don't miss this opportunity to meet him before the colloquium and ask questions about the subject!
Pop and Pizza will be provided.
