Projects
I am interested in the potential of string theory to inform low-energy physics, particularly in the arena of cosmology and particle physics.
Superpotentials from Singular Divisors
A crucial task for type IIB string theory phenomenology is to determine the superpotential. In this work, we determined a new sufficient condition for instantons on singular divisors to contribute to the superpotential. This condition led us to examples of superpotentials that resum into modular functions, suggesting the existence of a new duality.
PQ Axiverse
with Mehmet Demirtas, Cody Long, Liam McAllister, and Jakob Moritz (hep-th/2112.04503)
Axions are hypothetical particles that constitute a candidate for dark matter. They were first proposed in order to solve the strong CP problem---a hierarchy problem in fundamental physics. One general feature of string theory is that it features axions ubiquitously. In this project, we showed that in compactifications of type IIB string theory, in the geometric regime, the axions that appear really do solve the strong CP problem. We also compared our axion models to known dark matter and astrophysical bounds.
Merging the Weak Gravity and Distance Conjectures using BPS Extremal Black Holes
with Irene Valenzuela (hep-th/2004.10768)
The Swampland program aims to determine what features an effective low energy particle physics theory must have in order to be compatible with quantum gravity. In this project, we focus on a particular such feature, wherein in the most extreme limits of a theory, gravity tells you that an infinite tower of light states must appear in the theory. We use our knowledge about extremal black holes to help crystallize how a certain class of theories and particles must behave in these asymptotic limits.
Pulse Dynamics in Lasers with Saturable Absorbers
with Bernd Krauskopf and Neil Broderick (download here)
In this thesis, I simulated the complex dynamics of a mode-locked laser propagating through an optical fiber circuit. I analyzed the dynamics of these laser pulses, investigating quantities such as pulse distortion through the lens of non-linear dynamical systems.
Dark Matter Corrections to the Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Muon
with David Griffiths (download here)
The muon's magnetic moment is a measure of the torque it feels in the presence of a magnetic field. The theoretical value is in tension with the measured value at roughly the 3σ level. In this thesis, I explored various "new physics" mechanisms to resolve this discrepancy.
Analysis of Methods to Excite Head-Tail Motion Within the Cornell Electron Storage Ring
with Mike Billing (download here)
In this summer project, I wrote a computer simulation of a particular electron bunch instability within the storage ring in Cornell's synchrotron. Using the relevant plasma physics equations, I was able to observe a hypothesized instability called "head-tail motion" in the simulated signal.
Estimating the parameters of a population of coalescing
compact binaries
with Larry Price and Viven Raymond (download here)
As the LIGO observatory continues to detect gravitational waves (at the time of this project, they hadn't detected any!), there will be a need to use the LIGO data to glean information about the distribution of black hole and neutron star binaries. In this project, I created a prototype of a Bayesian inference pipeline to estimate such parameters.
