NASA Ames Mars General Circulation Model

Weber State University has teamed with the NASA Ames GCM group to compute atmospheric models of Mars. These models have been used to provide information for spacecraft landing sites as well as fundamental science. Researchers are currently using the model to probe the possible conditions on early Mars.

Interfaces for Parallel Computing Environments

High-performance computing is becoming ever-present in science and industry. The availability of low cost components and simplified interfaces allow more applications to take advantage of the increased performance. Weber State University is developing custom interface designs and database storage solutions for the Xgrid computational cluster on campus. This system will allow for simplified access to the cluster, and provide a streamlined interface for a wide variety of customized parallel and distributed computing problems.

Public Science Presentations

Science is only effective when it reaches an interested audience. The Ott Planetarium specializes in communicating science to the general public, recruiting the next generation of scientists and engineers. Using state-of-the-art digital theater projection, cutting edge results in science can be taken straight to the people who pay for them!

The Virtual Planetary Laboratory

The VPL is an interdisciplinary project funded by the NASA Astrobiology Institute to support the next generation of planet-finding telescopes. The VPL combines computer models of atmospheric chemistry, climate, and geological processes to model how planets respond to various astrophysical conditions, such as planetary composition, distance from the central star, etc. Weber State University is developing an online data analysis and visualization suite that provides community users with a platform for simulating what Earth-like planets might look like orbiting another star.

Weber State Eclipsing Binary Project

Project WEB performs a comprehensive analysis of a large astrophysical database in a hunt for binary star systems that may contain planetary mass companions. WEB searches the database containing over eight years of observations of thousands of stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud for the telltale signature of eclipsing binary stars. Once identified, the custom software hunts for perturbations in the observations that indicate a companion orbiting the system. This technique can potentially detect planet-mass companions, and, when successful, will be the first detection of planets outside our galaxy.

Geospatial & Environmental Applied Research (GEAR) Lab

The GEAR Lab’s main function is to provide faculty and students with the computer hardware and software needed to teach and perform research in applied quantitative and statistical modeling methods related to geospatial problems. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional visualization techniques are used to demonstrate geospatial modeling methods and how best to effectively communicate scientific results to a broader audience. The GEAR Lab supports geospatial analysis and numerical modeling courses and undergraduate research in areas such as multi-hazard assessments along the Wasatch Front, groundwater recharge studies in the Weber Basin, and analysis of the geomorphology of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes in southwestern Utah.