Physical Sciences

PSL's extensive experience in design and construction is particularly suited to experiments and research in the physical sciences. Experiments in this area often require large, complex, one-of-a-kind instruments. The unique nature of each project requires sound knowledge of the fundamentals of science and engineering, such as that possessed by PSL employees. PSL has successfully completed numerous challenging projects in this field.

Samples of PSL Projects in the Physical Sciences

WHAM Telescope

In 1995 PSL built the WHAM telescope for the UW-Madison Space Physics Program. The telescope is designed to map the density and motion of ionized hydrogen in the galaxy. Because it is significantly larger than the previous telescope, WHAM was able to map the entire northern hemisphere within three years. PSL designed and built the siderostat -- which includes the light-collection casing, the mechanics and electronics for rotation, and the software allowing the siderostat to interact with the control panel. The siderostat stands almost 4.3m (14 feet) high and has a mass of about 5 tons. The siderostat rotates around the vertical and horizontal axes, allowing the telescope to map north to south and from horizon to horizon across the sky.

After operation at Pine Bluff, Wisconsin for nearly a year of testing and software development, WHAM was moved on November 19, 1996 to Kitt Peak, Arizona. After the H-alpha survey, which mapped for the first time the distribution and radial velocities of the ionized interstellar hydrogen across the sky, WHAM began more comprehensive studies of selected portions of the sky (based on what is seen in the survey). These studies (lasting several years) involved observations of even fainter emission lines from trace ions, such as S⁺ and N⁺, to probe the physical conditions in the gas (e.g., temperatures and ionization states).

The recent status of WHAM and research conducted with it was described in an email by Ron Reynolds (reproduced on this web site by his permission). A proposal by the UW Astronomy Department to move WHAM to Siding Spring Observatory in Australia (to reach portions of the southern sky not accessible from the Kitt Peak location) has been funded by the National Science Foundation. WHAM will return to Wisconsin for maintenance, upgrade & preparation before shipping to Australia.

Visit the WHAM web site at the UW Madison Astronomy Dept.

Madison Symmetric Torus

PSL collaborated in the design and construction of the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) for the UW Physics Department's Plasma Group. The donut-shaped toroidal vacuum vessel creates a magnetic field to hold the super hot plasma (the state of matter beyond gaseous consisting of ions and electrons). If the plasma can be made hot enough and dense enough, nuclear fusion reactions can occur. There are currently several kinds of toroidal devices seeking to produce controlled fusion reactions. MST operates mainly as a device for plasma research. PSL continues to work with the Plasma Physics group providing diagnostic analysis and instrumentation upgrades of MST.

Visit the MST web site.