Nearing an end...

So I received an email today from Jan-Erik telling me that he had finished reading my thesis. Tomorrow I will go and we will discuss the changes he has suggested and possibly move forward even deeper into the project. Again, my project is determining electron temperature distributions within Titan's lower ionosphere. Well, with the results that I have gotten, I have decided that I want to take a bold step and see if it is possible to start making predictions of electron temperatures. If that works, then that will go a long way in helping to explain the processes that control the temperatures in this region. It is a long shot, but those are what I like. Being able to find the connections and draw conclusions that most do not expect is a wonderful thing. In any case, we will find out tomorrow what his thoughts are. After that, I will set up a final presentation and then my master's work here at Uppsala will be finished. The only thing that will remain after my presentation will be to run around,dot my i's and cross my t's so as to ensure there will be no problem transitioning to the next step, whatever that may be. Just in time for the next round of PhD position announcements. Because of my personal matter, I was unable to secure myself a position last year. Oh well,if at first you do not succeed, try, try again.

After a long absence, a welcome return

Hej alla!

After an unfortunate and personal leave of absence, I have returned to finish my master's work. The people here in the physics department were extremely understanding especially given the circumstances of my "disappearance". Now that everything has come to a close in that area, I can focus wholly on my studies. Of course, my return to Sweden was a bit cold. I left Mississippi at 20 plus and landed in Sweden at 20 below. It took a while but I have adjusted well enough. Now that my thesis is written, I have to wait eagerly for the comments from my supervisor (just a bit scared), and in the meantime prepare for my presentation. Then my master's work will be finished. I have also been practicing some Swedish in my free time. It will make the jokes funny if I can understand what is being said. Now it is time to do some more reading and prepare for tomorrow, another day doing what I enjoy most, trying to understand the universe I am a part of. Hej då.

Results...?

So as you know, I have been working hard at my master's thesis. Well, recently, there was a break through...I think. I found a dependence of electron temperature on RAM angle (the angle between the Cassini spacecraft and the ram point on Titan). It is quite linear and it exists for a certain range covering most of Titan. You can see this below:

If you look at the plot on the top right, you will see the linear dependence from about 40 to 130 degrees ram angle. This was an interesting result. Many more plots were made to attempt and reject this but it seems to show up in most of them. Now this is where it gets a little more interesting. While making all these other plots, I seem to have stumbled upon information that confirms the work of two others that are also working on Titan data, mainly that there is a 'hump' in density around 1050km and that density and temperature have an inverse relationship. The positive note from this is that my data gathering methods are correct and that this phenomenon isn't due to me biasing the data  or making plots of the wrong thing. So...yay me! But now I have a few more things to this week to attempt to investigate this result and see if anything can explain this phenomena. So one hurdle past, another lays before me. Oh well, that is science...always more to do.

In other news, I found four more PhD positions to apply for in Stockholm so that brings the total that I will apply for to eight. So far two are finished, I am waiting on one recommendation letter to complete two more and then these other four are not due until the beginning of next month. Which reminds me, I need to ask one of my references to remove specific information from the recommendation he wrote so that I can use it to apply for these new positions that I have found.So if we were to number the positions that I am applying for (by way of due date) and then place them in order of preference, you would get:
1 3 2 5 6 7 8 4.

Now that shouldn't make too much sense, but more or less means I want to stay in Uppsala...if they will have me. For any that are thinking of applying against me...good luck, but don't try too hard, I really want the position. :)

Anyway, I have enough work to last me until the end of June and the longer I wait, the more I will have to do later. Have a good day and see you around Ångstrom.