Engineering Physics Summer Internship-Predicting soil bulk density

The Air Force Institute of Technology is looking for 2024 candidates to participate in a paid summer internship for 10-12 weeks at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton, Ohio). This Internship is in the Engineering Physics Department, with the Center for Directed Energy. All applicants must be U.S Citizens and be able to pass a background check. 

Project Title: Predicting soil bulk density (rb) using multiple regression model for surface energy budgeting and computing optical turbulence structure function (Cn2) for DE applications

Project Description: Soil bulk density (rb) is an indispensable information quantifying any parameters in surface and subsurface profiling, any kind of geospatial quantification, ground-truth measurements, geospatial intelligence work, specially in area of conflicts, which require a fair amount of field and laboratory work. This is a labor intensive and time consuming. Predicting rb using multiple regression models plays a crucial role in surface energy budgeting by accurately representing the relationship between soil composition, moisture content, and compaction levels. These models leverage key predictors such as soil texture, organic matter, and environmental conditions to estimate rb​, which directly influences heat and moisture fluxes. Accurate rb​ estimation is integral to refining surface energy balance equations and subsequently computing the optical turbulence structure function, Cn2​. This improves the understanding of atmospheric turbulence impacts on directed energy (DE) applications, enhancing precision in systems like high-energy lasers and optical communication under variable environmental conditions.

Majors: Any STEM