Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Daily And Seasonal Variability Of Offshore Wind Power On The Central California Coast And Statewide Demand, Matthew Douglas Kehrli

Physics

No abstract provided.

Investigation Into Strath Terrace Production In The Mud Hills, California, Patrick Morley Miller

Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences

Rainbow Basin and Owl Canyon comprise deeply dissected uplands in the Mud Hills region near Barstow, California in the western portion of the Basin and Range geologic province. These erosional landscapes are formed in sediment deposited in a Miocene-time extensional basin. The basin was then filled with sediment before being inverted due to tectonic uplift beginning roughly 10 Ma. Sometime after 250 to 300 ka strath terraces were produced and preserved in the two drainage basins in Rainbow Basin, but not in the single drainage basin of Owl Canyon. The reason behind this difference is the main problem to be …

Agn Photoionization Of Gas In Companion Galaxies As A Probe Of Agn Radiation In Time And Direction, William C. Keel, Vardha Nicola Bennert, Anna Pancoast, Chelsea E. Harris, Anna Nierenberg, S. Drew Chojnowski, Alexei V. Moiseev, Dmitry V. Oparin, Chris J. Lintott, Kevin Schawinski, Graham Mitchell, Claude Cornen

Physics

We consider active galactic nucleus (AGN) photoionization of gas in companion galaxies (cross-ionization) as a way to sample the intensity of AGN radiation in both direction and time, independent of the gas properties of the AGN host galaxies. From an initial set of 212 AGN+companion systems, identified with the help of Galaxy Zoo participants, we obtained long-slit optical spectra of 32 pairs that were a priori likely to show cross-ionization based on projected separation or angular extent of the companion. From emission-line ratios, 10 of these systems are candidates for cross-ionization, roughly the fraction expected if most AGNs have ionization …

A Study Of Face Embedding In Face Recognition, Khanh Duc Le

Master's Theses

Face Recognition has been a long-standing topic in computer vision and pattern recognition field because of its wide and important applications in our daily lives such as surveillance system, access control, and so on. The current modern face recognition model, which keeps only a couple of images per person in the database, can now recognize a face with high accuracy. Moreover, the model does not need to be retrained every time a new person is added to the database.

By using the face dataset from Digital Democracy, the thesis will explore the capability of this model by comparing it with …

Supported Programming For Beginning Developers, Andrew Gilbert

Master's Theses

Testing code is important, but writing test cases can be time consuming, particularly for beginning programmers who are already struggling to write an implementation. We present TestBuilder, a system for test case generation which uses an SMT solver to generate inputs to reach specified lines in a function, and asks the user what the expected outputs would be for those inputs. The resulting test cases check the correctness of the output, rather than merely ensuring the code does not crash. Further, by querying the user for expectations, TestBuilder encourages the programmer to think about what their code ought to do, …

Optimization Of An Injection Locked Laser System For Cold Neutral Atom Traps, Elliot M. Lehman

Physics

Many types of quantum systems are being explored for use in quantum computers. One type of quantum system that shows promise for quantum computing is trapped neutral atoms. They have long coherence times, since they have multiple stable ground states and have minimal coupling with other atoms and their environment, and they can be trapped in arrays, making them individu- ally addressable. Once trapped, they can be initialized and operated on using laser pulses. This experiment utilizes a pinhole diffraction pattern, which can trap atoms in both bright and dark areas. To maximize trap strength, an injection-locked laser amplification system …

Hypersurfaces With Nonnegative Ricci Curvature In Hyperbolic Space, Vincent Bonini, Shiguang Ma, Jie Qing

Mathematics

Based on properties of n-subharmonic functions we show that a complete, noncompact, properly embedded hypersurface with nonnegative Ricci curvature in hyperbolic space has an asymptotic boundary at infinity of at most two points. Moreover, the presence of two points in the asymptotic boundary is a rigidity condition that forces the hypersurface to be an equidistant hypersurface about a geodesic line in hyperbolic space. This gives an affirmative answer to the question raised by Alexander and Currier (Proc Symp Pure Math 54(3):37–44, 1993).

Effectiveness Of Windrow Composting Methodology In Killing A Thermo-Tolerant Species Of Salmonella During Mortality Composting, Spencer Gabriel Myers

Master's Theses

In a large agricultural operation, such as the one at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, disposal of deceased animals is an immense issue. The cost of transporting and rendering every dead animal is inhibitory to the general function of the agricultural operations and their thin budget. Therefore, we propose that composting mortalities could be an economical alternative. Composting is a recognized method for taking animal waste products along with carbon waste and turning it into a pathogen-free, nutrient-rich topsoil. Carcass composting is in fact performed in other countries and states to varying degrees of success. However, the California EPA limits …

Real-Time Ray Traced Global Illumination Using Fast Sphere Intersection Approximation For Dynamic Objects, Reed Phillip Garmsen

Master's Theses

Realistic lighting models are an important component of modern computer generated, interactive 3D applications. One of the more difficult to emulate aspects of real-world lighting is the concept of indirect lighting, often referred to as global illumination in computer graphics. Balancing speed and accuracy requires carefully considered trade-offs to achieve plausible results and acceptable framerates.

We present a novel technique of supporting global illumination within the constraints of the new DirectX Raytracing (DXR) API used with DirectX 12. By pre-computing spherical textures to approximate the diffuse color of dynamic objects, we build a smaller set of approximate geometry used for …

Dish: Democracy In State Houses, Nicholas A. Russo

Master's Theses

In our current political climate, state level legislators have become increasingly impor- tant. Due to cuts in funding and growing focus at the national level, public oversight for these legislators has drastically decreased. This makes it difficult for citizens and activists to understand the relationships and commonalities between legislators. This thesis provides three contributions to address this issue. First, we created a data set containing over 1200 features focused on a legislator’s activity on bills. Second, we created embeddings that represented a legislator’s level of activity and engagement for a given bill using a custom model called Democracy2Vec. Third, we …

Combining Parts Of Speech, Term Proximity, And Query Expansion For Document Retrieval, Lubomir Stanchev, Eric Labouve

Computer Science and Software Engineering

Document retrieval systems recover documents from a database and order them according to their perceived relevance to a user's search query. This is a difficult task for machines to accomplish because there exists a semantic gap between the meaning of the terms in a user's literal query and a user's true intentions. The main goal of this study is to modify the Okapi BM25 document retrieval system to improve search results for textual queries and unstructured, textual corpora. This research hypothesizes that Okapi BM25 is not taking full advantage of the structure of text inside documents. This structure holds valuable …

Fabrication Of Miniaturized Paper-Based Microfluidic Devices (Micropads), E. Brandon Strong, Spencer A. Schultz, Andres Martinez, Nathaniel W. Martinez

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (microPADs) are emerging as cost-effective and portable platforms for point-of-care assays. A fundamental limitation of microPAD fabrication is the imprecise nature of most methods for patterning paper. The present work demonstrates that paper patterned via wax printing can be miniaturized by treating it with periodate to produce higher-resolution, high-fidelity microPADs. The optimal miniaturization parameters were determined by immersing microPADs in various concentrations of aqueous sodium periodate (NaIO₄) for varying lengths of time. This treatment miniaturized microPADs by up to 80% in surface area, depending on the concentration of periodate and length of the reaction …

Low Cost Timing System For High Precision Particle Detection, Eric Madrigal, Sasha Dolgashev, Vi Tran

STAR Program Research Presentations

The project goal was to find a way to make a low-cost high precision timing system. High precision timing systems are already on the market, however, at a high cost. Various particle research projects need a large number of timers, so a substantial budget is required. In order to bypass the need for a large enough budget, commercially available parts were used and tested. The timing system consisted of multiple parts with different low-cost microchips and counters. In order for the project to meet its goal, the timers need to work under 50 picoseconds. Although some tests showed the timers …

Ultra-Fast X-Ray Diffraction Of Metastable Structures During Hydrogen Crystallization, Andrew Pham

STAR Program Research Presentations

Big discoveries can come from small element, and hydrogen is the simplest element in the universe, but its property has been intensely studied in recent years. Hydrogen has a notably complex phase diagram, and its application is important to many scientific fields, such as fundamental physics, inertial confinement fusion, planetary sciences, etc. While sophisticated static observations have probed its structure at extremely high pressures, the higher-temperature studies applying dynamic compression is confined to optical measurement methods. In this project over the summer, I will present spectrally resolved x-ray scattering assessment from plasmons in dynamic compressed deuterium. Collaborating Compton scattering and …

Computing Homology Of Hypergraphs, Jackson Earl

STAR Program Research Presentations

In the modern age of data science, the necessity for efficient and insightful analytical tools that enable us to interpret large data structures inherently presents itself. With the increasing utility of metrics offered by the mathematics of hypergraph theory and algebraic topology, we are able to explore multi-way relational datasets and actively develop such tools. Throughout this research endeavor, one of the primary goals has been to contribute to the development of computational algorithms pertaining to the homology of hypergraphs. More specifically, coding in python to compute the homology groups of a given hypergraph, as well as their Betti numbers …

Memory In A Contact Line, Charity Lizardo, Esmeralda Orozco, Audrey Profeta, Nathan C. Keim

STAR Program Research Presentations

We study the behavior of the liquid-solid-vapor contact line of water held in a narrow gap between two plates. A syringe pump injects and withdraws a constant, small volume of the water, driving the contact line back and forth repeatedly and changing its shape. We take photos of the contact line after each cycle. Comparing subsequent images to each other, we find that after several cycles the contact line reaches one of two steady states: a reversible steady state, where the shape is not changing, or a fluctuating steady state, where the shape continues to change slightly. Experiments on acrylic …

The Lick Agn Monitoring Project 2011: Photometric Light Curves, Anna Pancoast, Andreas Skielboe, Liuyi Pei, Vardha Nicola Bennert, Jong-Hak Woo

Physics

In Spring 2011, the Lick AGN Monitoring Project observed a sample of 15 bright, nearby Seyfert 1 galaxies in the V band as part of a reverberation mapping campaign. The observations were taken at six ground-based telescopes, including the West Mountain Observatory 0.91 m telescope, the 0.76 m Katzman Automatic Imaging Telescope, 0.6 m Super-LOTIS at Kitt Peak, the Palomar 60 inch telescope, and the 2 m Faulkes telescopes North and South. The V-band light curves measure the continuum variability of our sample of Seyferts on an almost daily cadence for 2–3 months. We use image-subtraction software to isolate …

Validation Of The Nonhydrostatic General Curvilinear Coastal Ocean Mode (Gccom) For Stratified Flows, Mariangel Garcia, Paul Choboter, Ryan K. Walter, Jose E. Castillo

Physics

While global-and basin-scale processes can be captured quite well with computationally-inexpensive hydrostatic models, smaller-scale features such as shoaling nonlinear internal waves and bores, coastal fronts, and other convective processes require the use of a nonhydrostatic model to accurately capture dynamics. Here the nonhydrostatic capabilities of the General Curvilinear Coastal Ocean Model (GCCOM) in a stratified environment are introduced. GCCOM is a three-dimensional, nonhydrostatic Large Eddy Simulation (LES), rigid lid model that has the ability to run in a fully three-dimensional general curvilinear coordinate system. This model was previously validated for unstratified flows with curvilinear coordinates. Here, recent advances of the …

Polyxpress+: Using Social Networking To Enhance The User Experience Of An Interactive Location-Based Storytelling Application, Desiree Creel

Master's Theses

There’s no denying the ever increasing presence of social networking in our daily lives. Every day, people share what they are thinking, doing, and experiencing. But even more so, they check their favorite networks to see what the people in their lives are sharing. Social networking has become so prevalent that most applications incorporate it since it keeps users engaged and beckons them back to the application again and again.

PolyXpress is an interactive, location-based storytelling mobile application that functions as a platform for creating and experiencing stories. Written as a research project at California Polytechnic State University, it allows …

Detrital Zircon Geochronology And Evolution Of The Nacimiento Block Late Mesozoic Forearc Basin, Central California Coast, Scott Johnston, Andrew R.C. Kylander-Clark, Alan D. Chapman

Physics

Forearc basins are first-order products of convergent-margin tectonics, and their sedimentary deposits offer unique perspectives on coeval evolution of adjacent arcs and subduction complexes. New detrital zircon U-Pb geochronologic data from 23 sandstones and 11 individual conglomerate clasts sampled from forearc basin strata of the Nacimiento block, an enigmatic stretch of the Cordilleran forearc exposed along the central California coast, place constraints on models for forearc deformation during evolution of the archetypical Cordilleran Mesozoic margin. Deposition and provenance of the Nacimiento forearc developed in three stages: (1) Late Jurassic– Valanginian deposition of lower Nacimiento forearc strata with zircon derived from …

Geologic Map And Structural Development Of The Noerthernmost Sur-Nacimiento Fault Zone, Central California Coast, Scott M. Johnston, John S. Singleton, Alan D. Chapman, Gabriella Murray

Physics

The Sur-Nacimiento fault exposed along the central California coast (United States) juxtaposes the Salinian block arc against the Nacimiento block accretionary complex, cuts out the majority of the forearc basin and western arc, and requires a minimum of 150 km of orogen-normal crustal excision within the Mesozoic California convergent margin. Despite this significant strain, the kinematic evolution of the Sur-Nacimiento fault remains poorly understood, with diverse hypotheses suggesting sinistral, dextral, thrust, or normal displacement along the fault. This Late Cretaceous–Paleogene strain history is complicated by the location of the fault within a belt of subparallel faults that have accommodated significant …

On Nonnegatively Curved Hypersurfaces In Hyperbolic Space, Vincent Bonini, Shiguang Ma, Jie Qing

Mathematics

In this paper we prove a conjecture of Alexander and Currier that states, except for covering maps of equidistant surfaces in hyperbolic 3-space, a complete, nonnegatively curved immersed hypersurface in hyperbolic space is necessarily properly embedded.

Invariant Subspaces Of Compact Operators And Related Topics, Weston Mckay Grewe

Mathematics

The invariant subspace problem asks if every bounded linear operator on a Banach space has a nontrivial closed invariant subspace. Per Enflo has shown this is false in general, however it is known that every compact operator has an invariant subspace. The purpose of this project is to explore introductory results in functional analysis. Specifically we are interested in understanding compact operators and the proof that all compact operators on a Hilbert space have an invariant subspace. In the process of doing this we build up many examples and theorems relating to operators on a Hilbert or Banach space. Continuing …

Eye Pressure Monitior, Andrea Nella Levy

Computer Engineering

The document describes a mobile application that takes information from an attached device which tests eye pressure. The device consists of an IOIO board connected to a custom device that measures the frequency of a given waveform. The device was designed by another student for their senior project, which I am taking over. This device is connected to an IOIO board which is a board designed by a Google employee which works with an android phone in order to create applications that work with embedded systems. The board comes with an API and connects to the phone via a micro-USB. …

Revealing The Broad Line Region Of Ngc 1275: The Relationship To Jet Power, Brian Punsly, Paola Marziani, Vardha Nicola Bennert, Hiroshi Nagai, Mark A. Gurwell

Physics

NGC 1275 is one of the most conspicuous active galactic nuclei (AGN) in the local universe. The radio jet currently emits a flux density of ~10 Jy at ~1 mm wavelengths, down from the historic high of ~65 Jy in 1980. Yet, the nature of the AGN in NGC 1275 is still controversial. It has been debated whether this is a broad emission line (BEL) Seyfert galaxy, an obscured Seyfert galaxy, a narrow line radio galaxy, or a BL Lac object. We clearly demonstrate a persistent Hβ BEL over the last 35 yr with a full width at half …

Influence Of High Aspect Ratio Nanoparticle Filler Addition On Piezoelectric Nanocomposites, Jeremy A. Armas

Master's Theses

Piezoelectric nanogenerators (PNGs) are a new class of energy harvesting materials that show potential as a direct energy source for low powered electronics. Recently, piezoelectric polymers have been utilized for PNG technology due to low toxicity, high flexibility, and facile solution processing which provide manufacturing opportunities such as screen printing. Throughout the last decade, countless projects have focused on how to enhance the energy harvesting capabilities of these PNGs through the incorporation of nanoparticle fillers, which have been reported to enhance the piezoelectric properties of the film either directly through their intrinsic piezoelectric properties or through acting as surfaces for …

Cleaver: Classification Of Everyday Activities Via Ensemble Recognizers, Samantha Hsu

Master's Theses

Physical activity can have immediate and long-term benefits on health and reduce the risk for chronic diseases. Valid measures of physical activity are needed in order to improve our understanding of the exact relationship between physical activity and health. Activity monitors have become a standard for measuring physical activity; accelerometers in particular are widely used in research and consumer products because they are objective, inexpensive, and practical. Previous studies have experimented with different monitor placements and classification methods. However, the majority of these methods were developed using data collected in controlled, laboratory-based settings, which is not reliably representative of real …

Improving Ultra-Wideband Localization By Detecting Radio Misclassification, Cory A. Mayer

Master's Theses

The Global Positioning System (GPS) and other satellite-based positioning systems are often a key component in applications requiring localization. However, accurate positioning in areas with poor GPS coverage, such as inside buildings and in dense cities, is in increasing demand for many modern applications. Fortunately, recent developments in ultra-wideband (UWB) radio technology have enabled precise positioning in places where it was not previously possible by utilizing multipath-resistant wide band pulses.

Although ultra-wideband signals are less prone to multipath interference, it is still a bottleneck as increasingly ambitious projects continue to demand higher precision. Some UWB radios include on-board detection of …

Validation Of The Nonhydrostatic General Curvilinear Coastal Ocean Model (Gccom) For Stratified Flows, Mariangel Garcia, Paul Choboter, Ryan K. Walter, Jose E. Castillo

Physics

While global- and basin-scale processes can be captured quite well with computationally-inexpensive hydrostatic models, smaller-scale features such as shoaling nonlinear internal waves and bores, coastal fronts, and other convective processes require the use of a nonhydrostatic model to accurately capture dynamics. Here the nonhydrostatic capabilities of the General Curvilinear Coastal Ocean Model (GCCOM) in a stratified environment are introduced. GCCOM is a three-dimensional, nonhydrostatic Large Eddy Simulation (LES), rigid lid model that has the ability to run in a fully three-dimensional general curvilinear coordinate system. This model was previously validated for unstratified flows with curvilinear coordinates. Here, recent advances of …

Studying The [O Iii]Λ5007 Å Emission-Line Width In A Sample Of ∼ 80 Local Active Galaxies: A Surrogate For Σ⋆?, Vardha Nicola Bennert, Donald Loveland, Edward Donohue, Maren Cosens, Sean Lewis, S. Komossa, Tommaso Treu, Matthew A. Malkan, Nathan Milgram, Kelsi Flatland, Matthew W. Auger, Daesong Park, Mariana S. Lazarova

Physics

For a sample of ∼ 80 local (0.02 ≤ z" role="presentation">z ≤ 0.1) Seyfert-1 galaxies with high-quality long-slit Keck spectra and spatially resolved stellar-velocity dispersion (σ_⋆) measurements, we study the profile of the [O iii]λ5007 Å emission line to test the validity of using its width as a surrogate for σ_⋆. Such an approach has often been used in the literature, since it is difficult to measure σ_⋆ for type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) due to the AGN continuum outshining the stellar-absorption lines. Fitting the [O iii] line with a single Gaussian or Gauss–Hermite …