Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Detection Of Changes In Financial Time Series, Rich Madsen

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this paper is to examine and model data from several years of foreign currency trading, to determine if one or more change points has occured in the data, and to estimate when those change points took place. Leading up to the analysis of the data we will construct and develop several statistics which we will use to determine if a change point has occured.

This paper falls into the area of computational statistics and will make use of Splus and the S+GARCH module within Splus. Heavy use will also be made of C++. The models that we …

Climatology Of Upper Thermospheric Daytime Neutral Winds From Satellite Observations, John T. Emmert

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We studied the global climatology of mid- and low-latitude F region daytime neutral winds using extensive measurements by the Wind Imaging Interferometer (WINDII) instrument on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS). Quiet-time winds are mostly poleward and westward during the day, and are generally 5-20 m/s smaller in the longitudinal sector closest to the magnetic pole, compared to longitudinally averaged winds. The pre-noon zonal winds are less westward with increasing solar flux, while the post-noon meridional winds are less poleward. Our quiet-time results are in good agreement with the NCAR Thermosphere-Ionosphere- Electrodynamics General Circulation Model (TIEGCM).

We computed residual …

The Efficacy Of Plant Residue Degradation Products On Phosphorus, Iron, Iodine, And Fluorine Bioavailability To Plants, Cheryl L. Mackowiak

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Plant and animal wastes degrade in soils to form relatively stable humified compounds, which form ion complexes that affect the bioavailability of elements in the soil solution. Hydroponic studies with wheat and rice were conducted to characterize the effect of humic acid (HA) on phosphorus (P), iron (Fe), fluorine (F), and iodine (I) bioavailability. Ferrihydrite [Fe(OH)₃] precipitation was greater on root surfaces without HA or synthetic chelates. Oxides such as ferrihydrite strongly adsorb P and provide exchange sites for metals. HA reduced this precipitate and increased P and Fe uptake.

Humic acid had no effect on F toxicity …

Large Amplitude Perturbations In Mesospheric Oh Meinel And 87-Km Na Lidar Temperatures Around The Autumnal Equinox, Michael J. Taylor, W. R. Pendleton Jr., H. L. Liu, C. Y. She, Larry Gardner, R. G. Roble, V. Vasoli

All Physics Faculty Publications

Two high‐precision CEDAR instruments, an OH Mesospheric Temperature Mapper (MTM) and a Na Temperature Lidar, have been used to investigate seasonal variability in the mid‐latitude temperature at ∼87 km altitude over the western USA. Here we report the observation of a large perturbation in mesospheric temperature that occurs shortly after the autumnal equinox in close association with the penetration of planetary‐wave energy from the troposphere into the mesosphere. This perturbation has been observed on three occasions and exhibits a departure of up to ∼25–30 K from the nominal seasonal trend during a disturbed period of ∼2 weeks. Such behavior represents …

Mesospheric Planetary Waves Atnorthern Hemisphere Fall Equinox, H. L. Liu, R. G. Roble, Michael J. Taylor, W. R. Pendleton Jr.

All Physics Faculty Publications

Northern hemisphere planetary waves are strong in the winter and weak in the summer, and they go through a fast transition around equinox. This transition is studied here using NCAR Thermosphere‐Ionosphere‐Mesosphere‐Electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME‐GCM) simulations with 1997 National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) analysis. The planetary wave variability during the transition and its effect on the temperature and winds in the mesosphere are examined. The simulated planetary wave structure agrees with climatological studies, and the fast transition of the planetary waves is captured by the model. The wave variability produces large temperature changes in the upper atmosphere above local …

Intensification In A Risky Environment: The Case Of Improving Private Grazing Land For Beef Production In Utah, Louise D. Sainsbury

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Utah ranchers commonly face risks to their livelihoods. The objective of this work was to determine if ranchers could make profitable improvements to private land forage given the combined threat of low beef prices, drought, and possible loss of public grazing.

We used linear programming (LINDO) to identify the most profitable solutions for private land investment with an 11-year simulation. Operations were divided into small, medium, and large size classes. Various forage improvements and public permits were options. Two phases of a beef price cycle (peak and trough) and 2 precipitation patterns (wet and drought) were combined as joint favorable …

Effects Of High Ammonium/Nitrate Ratios On Nitrification And Growth Of Wheat In Hydroponics, Dawn J. Muhlestein

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nitrogen is the only plant nutrient taken up as both a cation (NH₄⁺) and anion (NO₃^-). Nitrate is considered the "safe" form of N and NH/ is generally thought to be toxic, especially at high levels. High NH₄⁺/NO₃^- ratios are thought to be toxic because they result in a rhizosphere pH low enough to damage root membranes, induced cation deficiencies, and build-up of NH3 caused by delayed NH/ assimilation. These factors can be minimized in hydroponic culture. The objective of these studies was to quantify the effects of high …

Structural And Geochemical Analyses Of Disseminated-Gold Deposits, Bald Mountain-Alligator Ridge District, Nevada: Insights Into Fault-Zone Architecture And Its Effect On Mineralization, K. Jill Hammond

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Structural and geochemical analyses of the Top and Casino deposits, Bald Mountain-Alligator Ridge district, Nevada, were conducted to determine how structures affected gold deposition in Carlin-type deposit s. We also examined how permeability changed over time in a fault that cuts siltstone-dominated sedimentary rocks. The association of gold and related arsenic with faults at the margins of a Jurassic pluton and sedimentary rocks suggests that ore fluids migrated along faults and fracture s. Permeability of the faults changed over time within the Casino deposit, where the ore-controlling fault was a distributed conduit in the early stages of mineralization but a …

Effectiveness Of Earthen Escape Ramps In Reducing Big Game Mortality In Utah, Mary L. Hammer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

One-way escape gates and earthen escape ramps are structures used to enable deer to exit the highway right-of-way along fenced roads. I compared the use of one-way escape gates and earthen escape ramps by mule deer on two highways in Utah to determine if deer exhibited a preference for either structure. Results showed that earthen escape ramps were used by mule deer 8-11 times more frequently than one-way gates. Highway mortality data suggest that the installation of the escape ramps likely reduced mortality of mule deer in both study locations, because we could not attribute reductions in mortality to decreased …

Generalized Minimum Penalized Hellinger Distance Estimation And Generalized Penalized Hellinger Deviance Testing For Generalized Linear Models: The Discrete Case, Huey Yan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this dissertation, robust and efficient alternatives to quasi-likelihood estimation and likelihood ratio tests are developed for discrete generalized linear models. The estimation method considered is a penalized minimum Hellinger distance procedure that generalizes a procedure developed by Harris and Basu for estimating parameters of a single discrete probability distribution from a random sample. A bootstrap algorithm is proposed to select the weight of the penalty term. Simulations are carried out to compare the new estimators with quasi-likelihood estimation. The robustness of the estimation procedure is demonstrated by simulation work and by Hapel's α-influence curve. Penalized minimum Hellinger deviance tests …

Incorporating Technology In Mathematics Education: A Suite Of E-Activities For The Modem Mathematics Classroom, Jennifer E. Youngberg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

National studies indicate major deficiencies in students' understanding of mathematics. Research suggests that students tend to view mathematics as a set of computational rules rather than a process of discovery and a tool for problem-solving. Most students fail to grasp the concepts behind the computations.

Technology provides a partial solution to this problem. Over the past decade, computers have emerged as a powerful tool in education. Computers place the control of action in the learning process with the student. They allow students to experiment with, explore, and discover mathematics at their own pace. With computers, students can consider more examples …

The Modern Mathematics Classroom: A Collection Of Virtual Manipulatives For Teachers And Students, David Stowell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An important assumption in the implementation of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards 2000 is that the mathematics classroom is a place where students are actively involved in the learning process. One way to foster such a learning environment is by using manipulatives. By their nature, manipulatives make the learning of mathematics a discovery-based activity. As computer use increases in the classroom, virtual manipulatives will become more important as instructional tools. Virtual manipulatives offer advantages over their traditional versions. Most important is their dynamic nature. Their dynamic capabilities provide two main benefits. First, the number of potential …

Structural Analysis And A Kink Band Model For The Formation Of The Gemini Fault Zone, An Exhumed Left-Lateral Strike Slip Fault Zone In The Central Sierra Nevada, California, Matthew A. Pachell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The structure and regional tectonic setting of an exhumed, 9.3-km long, left-lateral strike-slip fault zone eludicates processes of growth, linkage, and termination for strike-slip fault zones in granitic rocks. The Gemini fault zone is composed of three steeply dipping, southwest-striking, noncoplanar segments that nucleated and grew along preexisting joints. The fault zone has a maximum slip of 131 m and is an example of a segmented, hard-linked fault zone in which geometrical complexities of the faults and compositional variations of protolith and host rock resulted in nonuniform slip orientations, complex interactions at fault segments, and an asymmetric slip-distance profile. Regional …

Ecology Of Treeline Whitebark Pine (Pinus Albicaulis) Populations In Central Idaho: Successional Status, Recruitment, And Mortality, And A Spring Temperature Reconstruction From Whitebark Pine Tree Rings, Dana Lee Perkins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research investigated the successional status of treeline whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) populations on 14 stands in central Idaho and used empirical statistical models to determine the principal factors affecting recruitment and mortality. The longest lived whitebark pines from four additional high-elevation sites were used to develop a tree-ring chronology to reconstruct over 1,000 years of average April-May temperature.

The assessment of stand structures using size-frequency distributions generally provides evidence that treeline whitebark pine populations are currently self-sustaining in areas of low to nonexistent incidence of white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola). However the presence of …

Experimental Investigation Of Snapover: The Sudden Increase Of Plasma Current Drawn To A Positively Biased Conductor When Surrounded By A Dielectric, Clint D. Thomson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Snapover is particularly relevant to Earth-orbiting spacecraft powered by high-voltage solar arrays. During snapover, the current collected by a positively biased conductor that is immersed in a plasma suddenly increases when two conditions are met: i) there is an immediately adjacent insulator; ii) the conductor exceeds a positive threshold voltage with respect to the plasma. The enhanced current develops as a consequence of the insulator, either through secondary electron (SE) emission or by material ionization. Experiments were performed to examine snapover onset potential and current collection dependence on conductor and insulator materials, conductor size and shape, sample history, biasing rate, …

The Vacuum Excitation And Squeezing Properties Of Two Quantum Oscillators With Delta-Kicked Interactions, J Y. Ji, David Peak

All Physics Faculty Publications

The vacuum excitation and squeezing of two harmonic oscillators with delta-kicked interactions for four types of elementary coupling are studied. The exact quantum motion for the Heisenberg operators and the explicit form of squeezing operators are found. The variances are calculated to study the squeezing properties for position, momentum and generalized quadrature operators.

Weed Control Methods Handbook: Tools & Techniques For Use In Natural Areas, Mandy Tu, Callie Hurd, John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

Invasive non-native plants are a serious threat to native species, communities, and ecosystems in many areas around the world. They can compete with and displace native plants, animals, and other organisms that depend on them, alter ecosystem functions and cycles significantly, hybridize with native species, and promote other invaders. The good news is that many plant invasions can be reversed, halted or slowed, and in certain situations, even badly infested areas can be restored to healthy systems dominated by native species. In most instances this requires taking action to control and manage those invasive plants. This handbook provides you with …

Visitor Capacity In The National Park System, Dr. Glenn E. Haas, National Park Service, U.S. Department Of The Interior

All U.S. Government Documents (Utah Regional Depository)

This paper reviews social science research on visitor capacity relevant to units of the National Park System (NPS). Visitor capacity is defined as a prescribed number and type of people that an area will accommodate given the desired natural/cultural resource conditions, visitor experiences, and management program. Some 40 years of scientific investigation illustrate the complexity of the interaction between human use and park resources. This paper provides insights from environmental psychology on person-environment relationships, nine capacity-related research findings, a matrix of NPS studies, and recommendations for a program of research.

Critical Wavelength For River Meandering, Boyd F. Edwards, D. H. Smith

All Physics Faculty Publications

A fully nonlinear modal analysis identifies a critical centerline wave number q_c for river meandering that separates long-wavelength bends, which grow to cutoff, from short-wavelength bends, which decay. Exact, numerical, and approximate analytical results for q_c rely on the Ikeda, Parker, and Sawai [J. Fluid Mech. 112, 363 (1981)] model, supplemented by dynamical equations that govern the river migration and length. Predictions also include upvalley bend migration at long times and a peak in lateral migration rates at intermediate times. Experimental tests are suggested.

Radar Studies Of Mid-Latitude Ionospheric Plasma Drifts, L. Scherliess, Bela G. Fejer, J. Holt, L. Goncharenko, C. Armory-Mazaudier, M. J. Buonsanto

Bela G. Fejer

We use incoherent scatter radar measurements from Millstone Hill and Saint Santin to study the midlatitude F region electrodynamic plasma drifts during geomagnetically quiet and active periods. We present initially a local time, season, and solar flux dependent analytical model of the quiet time zonal and meridional E × B drifts over these stations. We discuss, for the first time, the Saint Santin drift patterns during solar maximum. We have used these quiet time models to extract the geomagnetic perturbation drifts which were modeled as a function of the time history of the auroral electrojet indices. Our results illustrate the …

Utah State University Extension Addressing Energy Issues, Dennis Hinkamp

All Current Publications

No abstract provided.

Energy Efficiency Can Help You Get A Home, Dennis Hinkamp

All Current Publications

It is a little known and seldom used financing tool, but Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) can increase your buying power when looking for a home.

Seasonal And Magnetic Activity Variations Of Ionospheric Electric Fields Above The Southernmid-Latitude Station, Bundoora, Australia, M. L. Parkinson, R. Polglase, Bela G. Fejer, L. Scherliess, P. L. Dyson, S. M. Ujmaia

Bela G. Fejer

We investigate the seasonal, local solar time, and geomagnetic activity variations of the average Doppler velocity measured by an HF digital ionosonde deployed at Bundoora, Australia. The Doppler velocities were heavily averaged to suppress the short-term effects (<3>hours) of atmospheric gravity waves, and thereby obtain the diurnal variations attributed to the tidally-driven ionospheric dynamo and electric fields generated by magnetic disturbances. The observed seasonal variations in Doppler velocity were probably controlled by variations in the lower thermospheric winds and ionospheric conductivity above Bundoora and in the magnetically conjugate location. The diurnal variations of the meridional (fieldperpendicular) drifts and their …

Solitude Mountain Resort Master Development Plan Update: Final Environmental Impact Statement, Usda Forest Service

Elusive Documents

No abstract provided.

Solitude Mountain Resort Master Development Plan Update: Final Environmental Impact Statement- Volume Ii: Response To Comments, Usda Forest Service

Elusive Documents

No abstract provided.

Salmonine Consumption And Competition For Endemic Prey Fishes In Bear Lake, Utah-Idaho, J. R. Ruzycki, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, Chris Luecke

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Two principal sport fish—the indigenous Bonneville cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki utah and the introduced lake trout Salvelinus namaycush—are the dominant piscivores in Bear Lake, a 282-km^2 oligotrophic system. These piscivores rely predominantly on four endemic prey fish species that make up a major portion of the unique Bear Lake fish assemblage. We estimated the annual biomass of pelagic and benthic prey fish by using hydroacoustic and trawling techniques. We also estimated the lakewide abundance of piscivores with a multiple mark–recapture survey and used a bioenergetics model to compare the population-level consumption of prey fish with prey fish production. Prey fish …

Effects Of Epilimnetic Versus Metalimnetic Fertilization On The Phytoplankton And Periphyton Of A Mountain Lake With A Deep Chlorophyll Maxima, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, H. P. Gross, Phaedra E. Budy, Chris Luecke

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Nutrients can load directly to either the epilimnion or metalimnion of lakes via either differential inflow depths of tributaries or intentional fertilization of discrete strata. We evaluated the differential effects of epilimnetic versus metalimnetic nutrient loading using 17-m-deep mesocosms that extended into the deep chlorophyll layer of oligotrophic Pettit Lake in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. Addition of nitrogen plus phosphorus stimulated primary production nearly identically (2.4- to 4-fold on different dates) in both treatments, with the production peaks occurring in the strata where nutrients were added. The metalimnetic fertilization, however, resulted in equal or greater stimulation of chlorophyll a …

Group Invariant Solutions In Mathematical Physics And Differential Geometry, Ian M. Anderson, Mark E. Fels, Charles G. Torre

All Physics Faculty Publications

This is a brief overview of our work on the theory of group invariant solutions to differential equations. The motivations and applications of this work stem from problems in differential geometry and relativistic field theory. The key feature in our theory is that we allow for non-transverse symmetry group actions, which are very common in applications.

Assimilation Ionosphere Model: Development And Testing With Combined Ionospheric Campaign Caribbean Measurements, Jan Josef Sojka, D. C. Thompson, Robert W. Schunk, T. W. Bullett, J. J. Makela

All Physics Faculty Publications

Assimilation Ionosphere Model (AIM) is a physics-based, global, ionospheric specification model that is currently under development. It assimilates a diverse set of real-time (or near-real-time) measurements, such as ionograms, GPS slant total electron content (TEC), and in situ plasma measurements. This study focuses on a middle latitude ionosonde assimilation capability in both local and regional forms. The models described are capable of using theƒ₀ F ₂ and h _m F ₂ from ionograms to generate either a local or a regional distribution of the induced plasma drift. This induced drift is usually caused by the meridional neutral wind. Results …

Space Missions To Detect The Cosmic Gravitational-Wave Background, Neil J. Cornish, Shane L. Larson

All Physics Faculty Publications

It is thought that a stochastic background of gravitational waves was produced during the formation of the universe. A great deal could be learned by measuring this Cosmic Gravitational-wave Background (CGB), but detecting theCGB presents a significant technological challenge. The signal strength is expected to be extremely weak, and there will be competition from unresolved astrophysical foregrounds such as white dwarf binaries. Our goal is to identify the most promising approach to detect the CGB. We study the sensitivities that can be reached using both individual, and cross-correlated pairs of space based interferometers. Our main result is a general, coordinate …