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Dr. Horace W. Crater


Professor of Physics
University of Tn Space Institute
Tullahoma, TN 37388-9700

Phone: (931) 393-7469
Fax: (931) 393-7444
hcrater@utsi.edu

Dr. Horace W. Crater

Education

  • 1960-1964, College of William and Mary, B.S., Physics
  • 1964-1965, Yale University, M.S., Physics
  • 1965-1968, Yale University, M.Phil, Ph.D., Physics

Professional Experience

  • 1987-Present, Professor, Physics, The University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN
  • 1978-1987, Associate Professor, Physics, The University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN
  • 1975-1978, Assistant Professor, Physics, The University of Tennessee Space Institute, Tullahoma, TN
  • 1970-1975, Assistant Professor, Physics, Vanderbilt University , Nashville, TN
  • 1968-1970, Visiting Member, The Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, N.J.
  • 1970 - Present Member, American Physical Society

Courses Taught

  • Classical Mechanics (Phys. 531)
  • Classical Electrodynamics (Phys. 541)
  • Quantum Mechanics (Phys. 521-522)
  • Theoretical Physics (Physics 511-512)
  • Mathematical Physics (Phys. 571-572)
  • Complex Variables (Math 443) during summers

Research Interests

My research at UTSI is in theoretical physics and centers on the area of relativistic classical mechanics, relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. In particular, research problems have included studies of the Hamiltonian formulation of the mechanics of two particle moving with relativistic speeds undergoing mutual direct interactions. I have applied these studies by developing a quantum version of this formulation that gives good prediction for the meson masses in a quark model calculation. I have also developed a classical version of quantum spin for two directly interacting particles and used it to construct a two body version of Dirac's single spin one half particle equation. My current endeavors include studies of meson spectroscopy, using these two body Dirac equations in quark model calculations and nucleon nucleon scattering calculations, quantum electrodynamics, and the relation to relativistic quantum field theory. Further recent work concerns quark model studies related to the formation of a quark-gluon plasma and meson decay. Current and anticipated research topics are at both the masters degree level and doctoral level.

Research

  • Two-Body Dirac Equations with applications in particle, atomic, and nuclear physics - collaborator Peter Van Alstine, Northrup Corp.
  • Singularity Free Breit Equations - collaborators Chun Wa Wong, U.C. Los Angeles and Cheuk-Yin Wong, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • Numerical solutions to coupled Schrödinger-like equations
  • Relativistic N- Body Problem with Electromagnetic Field - collaborating with Professor Luca Lusanna - University of Florence
  • Relativistic N- Body Problem in a Separable Two-Body Basis - collaborating with Dr. C.Y. Wong, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Publications

  • "Potential Models and Lattice Gauge Current-Current Correlators", Cheuk-Yin Wong and Horace W. Carter, Phys.Rev. D75 (2007) 034505
  • "Hamiltonian Relativistic Two-Body Problem: Center of Mass and Orbit Reconstruction", David Alba, Horace W. Crater, Luca Lusanna , Journal of Physics A ,Math. Theor. 40 9585-9607 (2007)
  • "Tests of Two-Body Dirac Equation Wave Functions in the Decays of Quarkonium and Positronium into Two Photons", Horace W. Crater, Cheuk-Yin Wong, and Peter Van Alstine, (Accepted for publication in Physical Review D, to appear in 2006)
  • "Relativistic Calculation of then Meson Spectrum: A Fully Covariant Approach versus Standard Treatment"; H. Crater and P. Van tine,    Rev. {D70} ,03402 (2004)
  • "Two-Body Dirac Equations for Nucleon-Nucleon Scattering", B. Liu and H. Crater, Phys. Rev {C67} 024001 (2003)
  • "The Relativistic N‑Body Problem in a Separable Two‑Body Basis" C.Y. Wong and H. Crater, Phys. Rev. {C63},  044907 (2001)
  • "The Rest‑Frame Darwin Potential from the Lienard‑Wiechert Solution in the Radiation Gauge", H.Crater and L. Lusanna, Annals of Physics {289}, 87 (2001); hep‑th/0001046
  • NSF Grant    "Heavy Quark Reaction Cross Sections at RHIC"   (Spring 2003-2006) with Ted Barnes- UTK, Phillip Page- Los Alamos National Lab,   Eric Swanson- University of Pittsburgh, Cheuk-Yin Wong- ORNL
    Current Co-authors
    Dr. Luca Lusanna, National Institute for Nuclear Research, Florence Italy
    Dr. C.Y. Wong Oak Ridge National Laboratory

InvInvited and Contributed Talks

  • "The Mounds of Cydonia: A Case Study for Planetary SETI" - Archeology in Space - Conference Sponsored by British Interplanetary Society - London, May 2006.
  • "Tests of Two-Body Dirac Equation Wave Functions in the Decays of Quarkonium and Positronium Atoms into Two Photons", Frontiers in Contemporary Physics, Vanderbilt University, May 2005.
  • "Meson-Meson Scattering from Constraint Dynamics" SESAPS (Regional APS meeting) Oak Ridge National Laboratory, November   2004.
  • "Meson-Meson Scattering using Two-Body Dirac Equations of Constraint Dynamics", GHP2004 (First APS Conference of Hadron Physics Topical Group) Fermi National Laboratory October 2004.
  • "The Role of a Supersymmetry in Two-Body Dirac Equations for Relativistic Bound States from Positronium to Pion", Invited talk presented at the Lowell Brown Festshrift (In honor of Professor   Lowell   Brown on his 70th Birthday)  Santa Fe, February  2004.
  • "Two-Body Dirac Equations from Relativistic Constraint Dynamics with Applications to QED and QCD Bound-States and to N-N Scattering", Invited Talk presented at International Symposium on Hadron International Symposium on Hadron Spectroscopy, Chiral Symmetry, and Relativistic Description of Bound Systems, Ichigaya, Tokyo Japan, February  2003.
  • "Two‑Body Dirac Equations from Constraint Dynamics for Nucleon‑Nucleon Scattering" Poster presentation given at the Spring Meeting of the American Physical Society April 2001.
  • "The Relativistic N‑Body Problem in a Separable Two‑Body Basis" Poster presentation given the Spring Meeting of the American Physical   Society April 2001.
  • "The Rest‑Frame Darwin Potential from the Lienard‑Wiechert Solution in the Radiation Gauge" Talk given at the Spring Meeting of the American Physical Society, April 2001.