Examining and Presenting Cycles in Temperature Logs from the Vulcan Diffractometer

Abstract

As scientific facilities produce more and more data, it is the job of scientists to parse through and present the data in clear, well-formatted, and accurate mediums in order to apply this information to future projects. This was the primary goal when processing the Spallation Neutron Source’s challenge data for the VULCAN diffractometer. The diffractometer generates high-intensity neutron pulses towards a material and the changes in temperature over time are recorded. This information can reveal the molecular structure of the material as well as their behavior under certain conditions and duress. As the material was rapidly heated and cooled, we examine the change in temperature, eliminate stagnant data, and divide information into cycles. Doing so provides insight into the composition and behavior of the material, as well as the diffractometer’s process.