Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Enabling A Sustainable Economy Through Energy Systems Modeling: Solar-Centric, Efficient, Integrated And Continuous Process Synthesis And Optimization, Emre Gencer

Open Access Dissertations

The expected increase in food, energy and water demand due to increase in population and change in consumption habits in conjunction with diminishing fossil fuel reserves and increasing greenhouse gas emissions urge the development and implementation of alternative energy conversion techniques using renewable energy for a sustainable economy. Among renewable energy sources, solar energy is prominent due to its abundance. A sustainable economy can be created by producing building blocks foundational to meeting all basic human needs of daily existence. However, intermittencies and limitations on land area dedicated to harness solar energy are the major obstacles on widespread implementation of …

Model-Free Variable Screening, Sparse Regression Analysis And Other Applications With Optimal Transformations, Qiming Huang

Open Access Dissertations

Variable screening and variable selection methods play important roles in modeling high dimensional data. Variable screening is the process of filtering out irrelevant variables, with the aim to reduce the dimensionality from ultrahigh to high while retaining all important variables. Variable selection is the process of selecting a subset of relevant variables for use in model construction. The main theme of this thesis is to develop variable screening and variable selection methods for high dimensional data analysis. In particular, we will present two relevant methods for variable screening and selection under a unified framework based on optimal transformations.

In the …

Maximum Empirical Likelihood Estimation In U-Statistics Based General Estimating Equations, Lingnan Li

Open Access Dissertations

In the first part of this thesis, we study maximum empirical likelihood estimates (MELE's) in U-statistics based general estimating equations (UGEE's). Our technical maneuver is the jackknife empirical likelihood (JEL) approach. We give the local uniform asymptotic normality condition for the log-JEL for UGEE's. We derive the estimating equations for finding MELE's and provide their asymptotic normality. We obtain easy MELE's which have less computational burden than the usual MELE's and can be easily implemented using existing software. We investigate the use of side information of the data to improve efficiency. We exhibit that the MELE's are fully efficient, and …

Measurement Of The Upsilon(Ns) Cross Section At Cdf, Michael D. Meier

Open Access Dissertations

Since the bound bb¯ system was first discovered, researchers have been trying to explain the production mechanism for quarkonium to learn more about this system. Several different theories try to describe quarkonium production, and while these theories agree with experimental measurements of production rates, theoretical predictions for quarkonium polarization vary. Careful measurement of the ϒ( nS) angular distribution along with the ϒ(nS) cross section can provide insight into the quarkonium production mechanism. This analysis measures the ϒ(nS) cross section and ϒ(1 S) polarization parameters.

Investigation Of Cellular Microenvironments And Heterogeneity With Biodynamic Imaging, Daniel Alexander Merrill

Open Access Dissertations

Imaging of biological tissue in a relevant environment is critical to accurately assessing the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic agents in combatting cancer. Though many three-dimensional (3D) culture models exist, conventional in vitro assays continue to use two-dimensional (2D) cultures because of the difficulty in imaging through deep tissue. 3D tomographic imaging techniques exist and are being used in the development of 3D efficacy assays. However, most of these assays look at therapy endpoint (dead or living cancer cell count) and do not capture the dynamics of tissue response.

Biodynamic imaging (BDI) is a 3D tomographic imaging and assay technique that uses …

Multivariate Statistical Methods That Enable Fast Raman Spectroscopy, Owen G. Rehrauer

Open Access Dissertations

Raman spectroscopy is a useful tool in investigating inter- and intra-molecular interactions as well as classifying and quantifying chemical species in a sample. Many materials of societal interest, such as proteins and pharmaceuticals, have distinctive Raman spectra with sharp features. However, the adoption of Raman spectra has been hindered by the low rate of Raman scattering, interference from fluorescence, and high spectrometer costs. This work demonstrates multivariate stastical methods that enable fast Raman measurements, despite the low rate of Raman scattering. These methods include a novel type of spectrometer, that uses computer-controlled optical filters to efficiently capture Raman photons and …

Localization And Delocalization In Two-Dimensional Quantum Percolation, Brianna S. Dillon Thomas

Open Access Dissertations

Quantum percolation is one of several disorder-only models that address the question of whether conduction, or more generally, delocalization, is possible in two dimensional disordered systems. Whether quantum percolation exhibits a delocalization-localization phase transition in two dimensions is an ongoing debate, but many recent studies point toward there being a delocalized phase at non-zero disorder, in contradiction to the behavior of the Anderson model, another disorder-only model. In this dissertation, I present my research on quantum percolation that shows a delocalized state is possible, both on isotropic lattices and on highly anisotropic lattices, and shows that the essential characteristics of …

Particle Modeling Of Non-Equilibrium Field Emission Driven Rf Microplasmas, Siva Sashank Tholeti

Open Access Dissertations

Non-equilibrium microplasmas at atmospheric pressures have been investigated for active flow control, micropropulsion and electronic display applications to name a few. The operational voltages for these microplasmas are on the order of kilovolts. When the electric field at the electrodes reaches GV/m or tens of GV/m either due to reduced interelectrode spacing and surface irregularities or due to carefully designed nanostructures on the electrodes, quantum processes such as field emission and field ionization come into effect. These can potentially reduce the operational voltages of microplasma devices by an order of magnitude. Due to the rarefied and non-equilibrium nature of these …

Packet Filter Performance Monitor (Anti-Ddos Algorithm For Hybrid Topologies), Ibrahim M. Waziri

Open Access Dissertations

DDoS attacks are increasingly becoming a major problem. According to Arbor Networks, the largest DDoS attack reported by a respondent in 2015 was 500 Gbps. Hacker News stated that the largest DDoS attack as of March 2016 was over 600 Gbps, and the attack targeted the entire BBC website.

With this increasing frequency and threat, and the average DDoS attack duration at about 16 hours, we know for certain that DDoS attacks will not be going away anytime soon. Commercial companies are not effectively providing mitigation techniques against these attacks, considering that major corporations face the same challenges. Current security …

Ultracold Quantum Scattering In The Presence Of Synthetic Spin-Orbit Coupling, Su-Ju Wang

Open Access Dissertations

Two-body scattering constitutes one of the most fundamental processes in various physical systems ranging from ultracold dilute quantum gases to energetic quark- gluon plasmas. In this dissertation, we study the low-energy atomic collision physics in the presence of synthetic gauge fields, which are generated by atom-light interaction. One category of synthetic gauge fields is the artificial spin-orbit coupling. We discuss three different aspects in scattering theory: ultracold collision, scattering resonance, and bound state formation from a few-body perspective when the atomic spin states are coupled with their center-of-mass motion. The understanding of the spin-orbit effects on the modification of the …

Quantum Coherence And Entanglement In Open Quantum Systems, Yiteng Zhang

Open Access Dissertations

We humans always want to believe that we can overpower nature. However, the reality is that nature outperforms humans in many aspects. Animals' abilities to navigate/orient and photosynthesis are two excellent examples in these aspects. However, the mechanisms underlying them are still unknown. For decades, scientists and researchers have made a lot of efforts to reveal these mysteries in nature.

Recently, quantum coherence and entanglement are believed to play a crucial role in such biological systems–avian compass and photosynthesis. Thus, nature might know more tricks to utilize quantum mechanics than humans. Studies on the mechanisms underlying avian compass and photosynthesis …

Mathematical Models Of Ebola Virus Disease And Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Yinqiang Zheng

Open Access Dissertations

This thesis focuses on applying mathematical models to studies on the transmission dynamics and control interventions of infectious diseases such as Ebola virus disease and vaccine preventable diseases.

Many models in studies of Ebola transmission are based on the model by Legrand et al. (2007). However, there are potential issues with the Legrand model. First, the model was originally formulated in a complex form, leading to confusion and hindering its uses in practice. To overcome the difficulty, the Legrand model is reformulated in a much simpler but equivalent form in this thesis. The reformulated model also provides an intuitive understanding …

Learning Program Specifications From Sample Runs, He Zhu

Open Access Dissertations

With science fiction of yore being reality recently with self-driving cars, wearable computers and autonomous robots, software reliability is growing increasingly important. A critical pre-requisite to ensure the software that controls such systems is correct is the availability of precise specifications that describe a program's intended behaviors. Generating these specifications manually is a challenging, often unsuccessful, exercise; unfortunately, existing static analysis techniques often produce poor quality specifications that are ineffective in aiding program verification tasks.

In this dissertation, we present a recent line of work on automated synthesis of specifications that overcome many of the deficiencies that plague existing specification …

Enhancing Silymarin Fractionation Via Molecular Modeling Using The Conductor-Like Screening Model For Real Solvents, Emma C. Brace

Open Access Theses

The market for bio-based products from plant sources is on the rise. There is a global challenge to implement environmentally clean practices for the production of fuels and pharmaceuticals from sustainable resources. A significant hurdle for discovery of comparable plant-derived products is the extensive volume of trial-and-error experimentation required. To alleviate the experimental burden, a quantum mechanics based molecular modeling approach known as the COnductor-like Screening Model for Real Solvents (COSMO-RS) was used to predict the best biphasic solvent system to purify silymarins from an aqueous mixture. Silymarins are a class of flavonolignans present in milk thistle ( Silybum marianum …

Detection Of Communication Over Dnssec Covert Channels, Nicole M. Hands

Open Access Theses

Unauthorized data removal and modification from information systems represents a major and formidable threat in modern computing. Security researchers are engaged in a constant and escalating battle with the writers of malware and other methods of network intrusion to detect and mitigate this threat. Advanced malware behaviors include encryption of communications between the server and infected client machines as well as various strategies for resilience and obfuscation of infrastructure. These techniques evolve to use any and all available mechanisms. As the Internet has grown, DNS has been expanded and has been given security updates. This study analyzed the potential uses …

Monitoring Dbms Activity To Detect Insider Threat Using Query Selectivity, Prajwal B. Hegde

Open Access Theses

The objective of the research presented in this thesis is to evaluate the importance of query selectivity for monitoring DBMS activity and detect insider threat. We propose query selectivity as an additional component to an existing anomaly detection system (ADS). We first look at the advantages of working with this particular ADS. This is followed by a discussion about some existing limitations in the anomaly detection system (ADS) and how it affects its overall performance. We look at what query selectivity is and how it can help improve upon the existing limitations of the ADS. The system is then implemented …

Development Of A Novel Polymer-Garnet Solid State Composite Electrolyte Incorporating Li-La-Zr-Bi-O And Polyethylene Oxide, Muhammed Ramazan Oduncu

Open Access Theses

Current lithium ion batteries are comprised of organic liquid electrolytes - a mixture of lithium salts and binary solvents such as ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). The main drawbacks of this liquid mixture related to safety are flammability of the organic solvents and chemical instability with the electrode materials. To date, various ceramic and polymer materials have been considered which overcome safety issues. However, a common problem of these solid state materials is that they are not able to provide high ionic conductivity at ambient temperatures. Garnet-type cubic Li7La 3Zr2O12 ceramic material has attracted much interest because of …

Seismic Body-Wave Interferometry Using Noise Autocorrelations For Crustal Structure And A Tutorial On 3d Seismic Processing And Imaging Using Madagascar, Can Oren

Open Access Theses

Seismic body-wave interferometry is applied to selected seismic stations from the USArray Earthscope Transportable Array (TA) by autocorrelating ambient seismic noise recordings to construct effective zero-offset reflection seismograms. The robustness of the auto-correlations of noise traces is first tested on a TA station in Nevada where body-wave reflections similar to those found in an earlier study are identified. This approach is then applied to several TA stations in the central U.S., and the results are compared with synthetic data. Different stacking time periods are then examined to find the shortest time intervals that provide stable correlation stacks.

A tutorial on …

Polymerizable Lipids For Controlled Functionalization Of Layered Materials, Kortney Kaye Rupp

Open Access Theses

Self-assembled monolayers (SAM’s) offer a straightforward approach to tailoring the interfacial properties of metals, metal oxides and semiconductors. Noncovalent functionalization of single-layer graphene offers the possibility to finely tune surface chemistry for future applications in electronics. Polymerization of photochemically reactive molecules in a lying-down phase has been used to increase the strength of intermolecular interactions between long alkanes and HOPG substrates. Long-chain fatty acid derivatives with internal diyne groups yield a conjugated ene-yne polymer upon UV irradiation. Diyne lipids with phosphocholine (diyne PC) and phosphoethanolamine (diyne PE) groups offer a charged form of the head group that is robust towards …

Metal-Promoted Self-Assembly Of Collagen Mimetic Peptides Into Biofunctional Scaffolds For Stem Cell Delivery With The Aim Of Tissue Regeneration, Kevin Strauss

Open Access Theses

Collagen is a strong, sturdy, but malleable, protein found abundantly in the extracellular matrix. Consequently, it has become an invaluable biomaterial for use in regenerative medicine. However, natural collagen poses difficulties when it comes to customization and structural control, as well as the risk of infectious prions from animal sources. Our approach utilizes shorter, synthetic collagen mimetic peptide sequences. These peptides retain the incredible triple helical stability of natural collagen but can be modified with versatile metal-binding ligands. In the presence of an appropriate metal ion, the peptides self-assemble into diverse, three-dimensional morphologies. The peptide NCoH, functionalized with N-terminal NTA …

A Usability Assessment For A Career Planning Educational Video Game, Jiaqi Wang

Open Access Theses

This study focused on the design, implementation and usability assessment of an educational 2D iPad job matching game The Place You’ll Go (TPYG), which meant for matching student skill sets with career profiles. The development of the game is conducted in collaboration with Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management and Polytech Institute. A total of 7 subjects, as high school teachers, participated in the usability study. TPYG as one possible solution for job matching data visualization, did not provide players with a good experience. However, conclusions and findings can be used in similar education game development. Based on survey and …

Reactive Flow Modeling Of Small Scale Detonation Failure Experiments For A Baseline Non-Ideal Explosive, David E. Kittell, Nick R. Cummock, Steven F. Son

Purdue Energetics Research Center Articles

Small scale characterization experiments using only 1–5 g of a baseline ammonium nitrate plus fuel oil (ANFO) explosive are discussed and simulated using an ignition and growth reactive flow model. There exists a strong need for the small scale characterization of non-ideal explosives in order to adequately survey the wide parameter space in sample composition, density, and microstructure of these materials. However, it is largely unknown in the scientific community whether any useful or meaningful result may be obtained from detonation failure, and whether a minimum sample size or level of confinement exists for the experiments. In this work, it …

Deep Time Evidence For Climate Sensitivity Increase With Warming, Gary Shaffer, Matthew Huber, Roberto Rondanelli, Jens Olaf Pepke Pedersen

Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Estimation Of Performance Airspeeds For High-Bypass Turbofans Equipped Transport-Category Airplanes, Nihad E. Daidzic

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

Conventional Mach-independent subsonic drag polar does not replicate the real airplane drag characteristics exactly and especially not in the drag-divergence region due to shock-induced transonic wave drag. High-bypass turbofan thrust is a complicated function of many parameters that eludes accurate predictions for the entire operating envelope and must be experimentally verified. Fuel laws are also complicated functions of many parameters which make optimization and economic analysis difficult and uncertain in the conceptual design phase. Nevertheless, mathematical models and predictions have its important place in aircraft development, design, and optimization. In this work, airspeed-dependent turbofan thrust and the new fuel-law model …

Empirical Research And Practice-Oriented Physics For The Humanities And Sciences, István Berszán

CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture

In his article "Empirical Research and Practice-oriented Physics for the Humanities and Sciences" István Berszán proposes an empirical approach for the humanities and sciences he designates as "practice-oriented physics." He bases his argumentation on Albert-László Barabási's network theory applied and question tenets of complexity, networks, and spaces. Further, Berszán elaborates on the affinity between the spaces of practical orientation and the spaciousness of parallel worlds as explicated in Brian Green's string theory. Berszán posits that because the universe as "symphony" of string oscillations leads to parallel rhythms of happenings and their different spaces of motion and argues that this kind …

Purdue Polytechnic Institute And Project Lead The Way (Pltw), Kevin Kaluf

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

No abstract provided.

Build Strong Bodies And Minds Through Service Learning, David Sederberg

Purdue P-12 Networking Summit & Poster Session

In Physics and Astronomy at Purdue, service learning is an essential component to our outreach programs. While providing authentic deliverables to the “customer,” service learning engages individuals in ways through which they are able to make meaningful contributions, while at the same time developing their own knowledge and expertise in an area of personal interest or commitment. That learning may involve leadership, instructional design, communication of science fundamentals and applications to K-12 and general audiences, research, reflective practice, and the acquisition of skills that last a lifetime. This presentation illustrates ways in which we leverage resources between service learning and …

Texture Modelling Using Convolutional Neural Networks, Leon A. Gatys, Alexander S. Ecker, Matthias Bethge

MODVIS Workshop

We introduce a new model of natural textures based on the feature spaces of convolutional neural networks optimised for object recognition. Samples from the model are of high perceptual quality demonstrating the generative power of neural networks trained in a purely discriminative fashion. Within the model, textures are represented by the correlations between feature maps in several layers of the network. We show that across layers the texture representations increasingly capture the statistical properties of natural images while making object information more and more explicit. Extending this framework to texture transfer, we introduce A Neural Algorithm of Artistic Style that …

Failure Of Surface Color Cues Under Natural Changes In Lighting, David H. Foster, Iván Marín-Franch

MODVIS Workshop

Color allows us to effortlessly discriminate and identify surfaces and objects by their reflected light. Although the reflected spectrum changes with the illumination spectrum, cone photoreceptor signals can be transformed to give useful cues for surface color. But what happens when both the spectrum and the geometry of the illumination change, as with lighting from the sun and sky? Is it possible, as a matter of principle, to obtain reliable cues by processing cone signals alone? This question was addressed here by estimating the information provided by cone signals from time-lapse hyperspectral radiance images of five outdoor scenes under natural …

Focusing On Selection For Fixation, John K. Tsotsos, Calden Wloka, Yulia Kotseruba

MODVIS Workshop

Building on our presentation at MODVIS 2015, we continue in our quest to discover a functional, computational, explanation of the relationship among visual attention, interpretation of visual stimuli, and eye movements, and how these produce visual behavior. Here, we focus on one component, how selection is accomplished for the next fixation. The popularity of saliency map models drives the inference that this is solved; we suggested otherwise at MODVIS 2015. Here, we provide additional empirical and theoretical arguments. We then develop arguments that a cluster of complementary, conspicuity representations drive selection, modulated by task goals and history, leading to a …