Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Soils As A Source Of Bioavailable Phosphorus In The Lake Whatcom Watershed, Scott Groce

WWU Graduate School Collection

Lake Whatcom is a warm monomictic lake located east of the City of Bellingham, WA, U.S.A. and serves as the primary drinking water source for approximately 100,000 Whatcom County and City of Bellingham residents. Matthews et al. (2004) noted indicators of increasing algal productivity in the lake. My study quantified the amount of soluble, bioavailable, and total phosphorus in the Lake Whatcom watershed soils to help quantify the major sources of phosphorus entering the lake. In addition, I assessed the influence of soil factors (soil series, size fraction, aspect, elevation, pH, slope, percent organic matter, median particle size, and percent …

The Effects Of Symbiotic State On Heterotrophic Feeding In The Temperate Anemone Anthopleura Elegantissima, Terra C. (Terra Celeste) Hiebert

WWU Graduate School Collection

The temperate sea anemone, Anthopleura elegantissima is facultatively symbiotic with at least two distinct algae: zooxanthellae (Symbiodinium muscatinei) and zoochlorellae (Elliptochloris marina). Symbiotic A. elegantissima potentially receive excess photosynthate from their algal partners, which supplements heterotrophic feeding. But asymbiotic individuals must rely solely on heterotrophic food sources. We predicted that asymbiotic A. elegantissima, due to their lack of algal symbionts, would have a more effective heterotrophic feeding strategy. Symbiotic and asymbiotic A. elegantissima were collected from the field and heterotrophic feeding features were measured (i.e., anemone morphology, tentacle adhesive force, nematocyte sensitivity, cnida size, cnida density, ingestion time, digestion time …

Oriented Fluorophore Luminescent Solar Concentrators, Christopher J. (Christopher John) Westcott

WWU Graduate School Collection

Though the sun's energy is the world's most prominent renewable energy resource, technologies such as photovoltaics (PVs) have yet to become a significant factor in the energy market due in part to the sheer cost of unit deployment. Luminescent Solar Concentrators (LSCs) have been investigated since the late 1960s as a means of reducing the cost of PV arrays by replacing large areas of expensive PVs with cheaper materials such as glass or plastic. LSCs function by using fluorescent dyes embedded in a host matrix that absorb the sun's rays and redirects the light through total internal reflection to small …

Sub-Vertical Fluid Flow During Prograde Metamorphism In The Nason Terrane, North Cascades Crystalline Core, Washington, Perry M. (Perry Martin) Ponshock

WWU Graduate School Collection

The nature of fluid movement through the lower crust during prograde metamorphism is an important but poorly understood part of the global H2O and CO2 cycles on this planet. A broad set of samples from some of the structurally deepest exposures of the Nason terrane in the Cascades crystalline core were used to evaluate fluid movement during peak amphibolite-grade metamorphism. XRF bulk-rock chemical analyses, T-X(CO2) pseudosections, and thin-section petrography were used to identify equilibrium fluid composition for the solid phases in each specimen; these span the gamut of X(CO2) values. The juxtaposition of gneiss and marble-lithologies with differing equilibrium fluid …

Hydrologic And Geomorphic Assessment Of Ebey's Prairie, Central Whidbey Island, Washington, Michael A. (Michael Allen) Larrabee

WWU Graduate School Collection

Ebey's Prairie, Washington, was once bisected by a broad riparian corridor consisting of waterlogged soils, swampy areas, seasonal ponds, and intermittent flows, which helped recharge the local aquifer. By the mid-1900s, agriculture drainage tiles, drainage ditches, and fill were being installed by landowners to increase tillable acreage. The extent and location of these drainage tiles or the effects these tiles have had on surface water and subsequently on aquifer recharge in the area remains uncertain. In this study, I characterized the modern and historic surface hydrologic conditions of Ebey's Prairie and their relationship to the local geomorphology. I used the …

Sea Level Rise And Sediment Elevation Dynamics In A Hydrologically Altered Puget Sound Estuary, Kara D. Kuhlman

WWU Graduate School Collection

As sea level rise (SLR) accelerates in response to climate change, coastal wetlands must accrete vertically to prevent submergence and habitat loss. Padilla Bay, an estuary in the Puget Sound containing an expansive eelgrass meadow, has been hydrologically altered such that insufficient sedimentation may now prevent vertical accretion, potentially affecting the long-term survival of the eelgrass meadow. The objective of this study was to quantify trends in surface elevation change throughout Padilla Bay. To this end, our research group monitored surface elevation change at 19 sites from 2002-2010 using sediment elevation tables (SET's). Additionally, I explored potential ecogeomorphic relationships between …

The Influence Of Humic Acid And Water Hardness On The Partitioning Of Silver Ions And Nanoparticles Between Fresh Water And Freshwater Algae, Matthew D. Ferguson

WWU Graduate School Collection

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) containing products are abundant in consumer goods. If trends continue, AgNP levels will continue to rise as innovative applications continue to be realized. These nanoparticles (NPs) can enter the environment as their uses can transport them to natural waters (e.g., washing socks containing AgNPs). Research on the behavior of AgNPs and Ag+ in artificial fresh water is presented in this thesis. Specifically, their sorptive properties between fresh water and freshwater algae, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindák, as a function of hardness, humic acid (HA) content, and silver type were investigated. The experimental design was modeled after a 23 …

Evaluating The Contribution To Toxicity Of Weak Black Liquor In Pulp Mill Effluents, Renee L. Ragsdale

WWU Graduate School Collection

Weak black liquor (WBL) losses in pulp mills may affect effluent treatment efficiencies and may be linked to aquatic toxicity observed in final mill effluents. Best management practices (BMP) for controlling losses of WBL have been effective at reducing WBL from entering the mill effluent treatment system, but it is unclear at what level WBL may contribute to increased toxicity, or whether specific chemical compounds found in WBL may be consistently responsible. The objective of this study was to evaluate the contribution of WBL in biologically-treated bleached kraft pulp mill effluents to toxicity, and to assess effluent chemical parameters that …

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2009–2010 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen

Judy Reservoir

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir, and measure other standard biological and chemical parameters. Water quality data and algae counts have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual data summaries were sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007, 2008, and January 2010.

Lake Whatcom Bathymetry And Morphology, Robert J. Mitchell, Gerry Gabrisch, Robin A. Matthews

Lake Whatcom Bathymetry Report

Our objective for this study was to produce an accurate and usable bathymetric model and morphological data for Lake Whatcom to replace that produced by Lighthart et al. (1972). Herein, we summarize the techniques used to convert the 1999 the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) hydrographic survey soundings and shoreline contours of Lake Whatcom into metric units and a Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) bathymetry model. We also describe the procedures used to delineate the major lake basins and to calculate surface area, water volumes, and other morphometric parameters for each basin and the lake as a whole.

Stability Of Roots Of Polynomials Under Linear Combinations Of Derivatives, Branko Ćurgus, Vania Mascioni

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Let T=α ₀ I+α ₁ D+⋅⋅⋅+α _n D ⁿ , where D is the differentiation operator and α0≠0 , and let f be a square-free polynomial with large minimum root separation. We prove that the roots of Tf are close to the roots of f translated by −α ₁/α ₀.

Late Quaternary Slip Rate On The Kern Canyon Fault At Soda Spring, Tulare County, California, Colin B. Amos, Keith I. Kelson, Dylan H. Rood, David T. Simpson, Ronn S. Rose

Geology Faculty Publications

The Kern Canyon fault represents a major tectonic and physiographic boundary in the southern Sierra Nevada of east-central California. Previous investigations of the Kern Canyon fault underscore its importance as a Late Cretaceous and Neogene shear zone in the tectonic development of the southern Sierra Nevada. Study of the late Quaternary history of activity, however, has been confounded by the remote nature of the Kern Canyon fault and deep along-strike exhumation within the northern Kern River drainage, driven by focused fluvial and glacial erosion. Recent acquisition of airborne lidar (light detection and ranging) topography along the ∼140 km length of …

Gaussian Brunn-Minkowski Inequalities, Richard J. Gardner, Artem Zvavitch

Mathematics Faculty Publications

A detailed investigation is undertaken into Brunn-Minkowski-type inequalities for Gauss measure. A Gaussian dual Brunn-Minkowski inequality, the first of its type, is proved, together with precise equality conditions, and is shown to be the best possible from several points of view. A new Gaussian Brunn-Minkowski inequality is proposed and proved to be true in some significant special cases Throughout the study attention is paid to precise equality conditions and conditions on the coefficients of dilatation. Interesting links are found to the S-inequality and the (B) conjecture. An example is given to show that convexity is needed in the (B) conjecture.

The Planet, 2010, Fall, Mitch Olsen, Huxley College Of The Environment, Western Washington University

The Planet

No abstract provided.

Simulations Of Luminescent Solar Concentrators: Effects Of Polarization And Fluorophore Alignment, Stephen Mcdowall, Brad L. Johnson, David L. Patrick

Chemistry Faculty and Staff Publications

We model the effects of dye molecule alignment on the collection efficiency of luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs). A Monte Carlo model for photontransport in LSC’s is derived and utilized, which incorporates the effects of fluorescent-dye-molecular alignment and the subsequent control over absorption, emission, and propagation properties. We focus on the effects of molecular alignment statistics on photon absorption and subsequent emission, including polarization and propagation direction imparted by dipole direction, to model device light-capture efficiency, defined as the ratio of the amount of light reaching particular slab edges to that incident on a face. We find that modest control of …

Constructing Simultaneous Hecke Eigenforms, T. Shemanske, Stephanie Treneer, Lynne H. Walling

Mathematics Faculty Publications

It is well known that newforms of integral weight are simultaneous eigenforms for all the Hecke operators, and that the converse is not true. In this paper, we give a characterization of all simultaneous Hecke eigenforms associated to a given newform, and provide several applications. These include determining the number of linearly independent simultaneous eigenforms in a fixed space which correspond to a given newform, and characterizing several situations in which the full space of cusp forms is spanned by a basis consisting of such eigenforms. Part of our results can be seen as a generalization of results of Choie-Kohnen …

Along-Strike Growth Of The Ostler Fault, New Zealand: Consequences For Drainage Deflection Above Active Thrust, Colin B. Amos, Douglas W. Burbank, Stuart A. L. Read

Geology Faculty Publications

Rarely are geologic records available to constrain the spatial and temporal evolution of thrust‐fault growth as slip accumulates during repeated earthquake events. Here, we utilize multiple generations of dated and deformed fluvial terraces to explore two key aspects of the along‐strike kinematic development of the Ostler fault zone in southern New Zealand over the past ∼100 k.y.: accumulation of fault slip through space and time and fixed‐length thrust growth that results in patterns of drainage diversion suggestive of laterally propagating faults. Along the Ostler fault, surface deformation patterns revealed by topographic surveying of terrace profiles in nine transverse drainages define …

Light Influences Feeding And Growth Of Echinoplutei., Lindsey Milonas, Bruno Pernet, Brian L. Bingham

Environmental Sciences Faculty and Staff Publications

Because planktonic invertebrate larvae may be food-limited, anything that increases feeding and digestive efficiency should increase the chances of larval survival to metamorphosis. As light directly enhances both feeding and digestion in some planktonic heterotrophic protists, we hypothesize that similar processes might occur in the larvae of marine invertebrates. We studied the direct effects of light on feeding and development in sea urchin larvae (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis, S. franciscanus and sand dollar Dendraster excentricus). Larvae were placed in 12:12 h light:dark cycles or in complete darkness and ingestion rates were measured. We monitored larval morphology during the first …

The Planet, 2010, Spring, Kaylin Bettinger, Huxley College Of The Environment, Western Washington University

The Planet

No abstract provided.

Lake Samish Water Monitoring Project 2010 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen

Lake Samish

This report describes work done as a continuation of the Lake Samish monitoring project started in June 2005. Additional data and lake information is available in the 2006–2008 final reports (Matthews, et al., 2006; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2007; Matthews and Vandersypen, 2008).

Lake Samish is a valuable aquatic resource, providing public access for boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, and other water and lakeshore activities. Residents around the lake enjoy outstanding views of both the lake and its surrounding watershed, and the lake serves as a water supply for many of the lakeshore residents.

Lake Samish is located in the Washington State …

Death Of A Cluster: The Destruction Of M67 As Seen By The Sloan Digital Sky Survey, James R. A. Davenport, Eric L. Sandquist

Physics & Astronomy

We probe the spatial and dynamical structure of the old open cluster M67 using photometric data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's sixth data release. Making use of an optimal contrast, or matched filter, algorithm, we map the distribution of high probability members of M67. We find an extended and elongated halo of likely members to a radius of nearly 60'. Our measured core radius of R _core = 824 ± 060 is somewhat larger than that of previous estimates. We attribute the larger core radius measurement to the SDSS probing lower mass main sequence stars than has been done …

Lake Whatcom Monitoring Project 2008/2009 Report, Robin A. Matthews, Michael Hilles, Joan Vandersypen, Robert J. Mitchell, Geoffrey B. Matthews

Lake Whatcom Annual Reports

This report is part of an on-going series of annual reports and special project reports that document the Lake Whatcom monitoring program. This work is conducted by the Institute for Watershed Studies and other departments at Western Washington University.

The major objective of this program is to provide long-term baseline water quality monitoring in Lake Whatcom and selected tributaries. Each section contains brief explanations about the water quality data, along with discussions of patterns observed in Lake Whatcom.

A Rigorous Analysis Using Optimal Transport Theory For A Two-Reflector Design Problem With A Point Source, Tilmann Glimm

Mathematics Faculty Publications

We consider the following geometric optics problem: construct a system of two reflectors which transforms a spherical wavefront generated by a point source into a beam of parallel rays. This beam has a prescribed intensity distribution. We give a rigorous analysis of this problem. The reflectors we construct are (parts of) the boundaries of convex sets. We prove existence of solutions for a large class of input data and give a uniqueness result. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first time that a rigorous mathematical analysis of this problem is given. The approach is based on optimal transportation theory. …

Judy Reservoir Monitoring Project 2010 Final Report, Robin A. Matthews, Joan Vandersypen, Rachael D. (Rachael Dawn) Gravon, Jessie Rosanbalm

Judy Reservoir

The purpose of this study was to identify and count the phytoplankton in water samples collected from Judy Reservoir, and measure other standard biological and chemical parameters. Water quality data and algae counts have been collected on a weekly basis since October 2006; annual data summaries were sent to the Skagit Public Utility District No. 1 in 2007 and 2008.

(rev. Feb 18, 2010)

Domains Of Water Molecules Provide Mechanisms Of Potentization In Homeopathy, George Czerlinski, Tjalling Ypma

Mathematics Faculty Publications

In homeopathy, high potentization means such high dilution that there is no longer even one molecule of the original active agent per gram of the mixture. Nevertheless such high dilutions apparently remain effective. We develop a possible mechanism for homeopathic potentization to explain this phenomenon. This mechanism consists of three consecutive processes: initiation, multiplication, and amplification. Initiation is the mechano-chemical generation, by strong shaking following each dilution step, of radicals which remain in existence by mutual stabilization in simultaneously formed electronic domains. Multiplication transfers electronic excitation level structures from the original homeopathic agent to these radical-containing domains, stabilizing them further. …

The Linus Sequence, Paul Balister, Steven Kalikow, Amites Sarkar

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Define the Linus sequence L_n for n ≥ 1 as a 0–1 sequence with L₁ = 0, and L_n chosen so as to minimize the length of the longest immediately repeated block L_n−2r+1 L_n−r = L_n−r+1 L_n. Define the Sally sequence S_n as the length r of the longest repeated block that was avoided by the choice of L_n. We prove several results about these sequences, such as exponential decay of the frequency of highly periodic subwords of the Linus sequence, zero entropy of any …

Gauge Equivalence In Stationary Radiative Transport Through Media With Varying Index Of Refraction, Stephen R. Mcdowall, Plamen Stefanov, Alexandru Tamasan

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Three dimensional anisotropic attenuating and scattering media sharing the same albedo operator have been shown to be related via a gauge transformation. Such transformations define an equivalence relation. We show that the gauge equivalence is also valid in media with non-constant index of refraction, modeled by a Riemannian metric. The two dimensional model is also investigated.

Anisotropic Classes Of Homogeneous Pseudodifferential Symbols, Árpád Bényi, Marcin Bownik

Mathematics Faculty Publications

We define homogeneous classes of x-dependent anisotropic symbols S˙mγ,δ(A) in the framework determined by an expansive dilation A, thus extending the existing theory for diagonal dilations. We revisit anisotropic analogues of Hörmander–Mikhlin multipliers introduced by Rivière [Ark. Mat. 9 (1971)] and provide direct proofs of their boundedness on Lebesgue and Hardy spaces by making use of the well-established Calderón–Zygmund theory on spaces of homogeneous type. We then show that x-dependent symbols in S˙01,1(A) yield Calderón–Zygmund kernels, yet their L2 boundedness fails. Finally, we prove boundedness results …

On The Hörmander Classes Of Bilinear Pseudodifferential Operators, Árpád Bényi, Diego Maldonado, Virginia Naibo, Rodolfo H. (Rodolfo Humberto) Torres

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Bilinear pseudodifferential operators with symbols in the bilinear analog of all the Hörmander classes are considered and the possibility of a symbolic calculus for the transposes of the operators in such classes is investigated. Precise results about which classes are closed under transposition and can be characterized in terms of asymptotic expansions are presented. This work extends the results for more limited classes studied before in the literature and, hence, allows the use of the symbolic calculus (when it exists) as an alternative way to recover the boundedness on products of Lebesgue spaces for the classes that yield operators with …

Sentry Selection In Wireless Networks, Paul Balister, Béla Bollobás, Amites Sarkar, Mark Walters

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Let P be a Poisson process of intensity one in the infinite plane R². We surround each point x of P by the open disc of radius r centred at x. Now let S_n be a fixed disc of area n, and let C_r(S_n) be the set of discs which intersect S_n. Write E_r^k for the event that C_r(S_n) is a k-cover of S_n, and F_r^k for the event that C_r(S_n) …