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Honors Theses

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Articles 1021 - 1050 of 2158

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Star Formation In The Ngc 5846 Group Of Galaxies, Lucas Viani Jun 2014

Star Formation In The Ngc 5846 Group Of Galaxies, Lucas Viani

Honors Theses

Environmental interactions in groups and clusters of galaxies are thought to alter the evolution of member galaxies. The goal of this research was to analyze gas and star formation properties of galaxies in the NGC 5846 group. A sample of group galaxies was observed at CTIO (Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile) and KPNO (Kitt Peak National Observatory) using broadband red (R) and narrowband hydrogen emission line (Hα) filters. The images were reduced and analyzed to extract star formation rates and distributions. Neutral hydrogen data from the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey were used to measure the cold neutral …

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Using Green Building To Mitigate Climate Change In The Twenty-First Century, Lisa Battiste Jun 2014

Using Green Building To Mitigate Climate Change In The Twenty-First Century, Lisa Battiste

Honors Theses

The need for green buildings are rapidly becoming more important as the nation faces impending energy crises and the world heats up from the overabundance of greenhouse gases. Buildings in America are one of the largest consumers of energy and one of the greatest contributors to CO2 emissions; more than the total emissions from all the transportation vehicles used every day. By making the construction and use of buildings more resource efficient, this can help alleviate the environmental strain of climate change. Neutralizing or eliminating carbon emissions from building use will significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the …

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Cost Benefit Analysis Of The Keystone Xl Pipeline, Daniel Carr Jun 2014

Cost Benefit Analysis Of The Keystone Xl Pipeline, Daniel Carr

Honors Theses

The Keystone XL pipeline is one of the most controversial topics in North America over the last five years. The debate is based on the trade‐off between Canadian oil sands as a usable energy resource and the environmental effects associated with the extraction and refining of the oil. The green house gasses emitted from the extraction and refining of oil sands produces several environmental concerns that make the proposed pipeline controversial. On the other hand, Canadian oil companies see a significant benefit from the ability of Canadian oil reaching international markets. TransCanada, a 79.99 percent owner of the pipeline, conducted …

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A Comparative Study Of Gupix And Geopixe Software In The Analysis Of Pixe Spectra Of Aerosol Samples, Sean Collison Jun 2014

A Comparative Study Of Gupix And Geopixe Software In The Analysis Of Pixe Spectra Of Aerosol Samples, Sean Collison

Honors Theses

Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) spectroscopy is a powerful tool used in the Union College Ion-Beam Analysis Laboratory for the elemental analysis of environmental pollution. Samples are bombarded with proton beams from the 1.1‐MV Pelletron accelerator and characteristic X-rays emitted from the samples are detected, resulting in X-ray energy spectra. These spectra are analyzed using software packages that fit the data and calculate the concentrations of elements in the samples. I have performed a comparative study of two of the most popular software packages, GUPIX and GeoPIXE, in the analysis of atmospheric aerosol samples to assess the strengths and weaknesses of …

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Evolving Soft Robots With Vibration Based Movement, Andrew Danise Jun 2014

Evolving Soft Robots With Vibration Based Movement, Andrew Danise

Honors Theses

Creating effective designs for soft robots is extremely difficult due to the large number of different possibilities for shape, material properties, and movement mechanisms. Due to the lack of methods to design soft robots, previous research has used evolutionary algorithms to tackle this problem of overwhelming options. A popular technique is to use generative encodings to create designs using evolutionary algorithms because of their modularity and ability to induce large scale coordinated change. The main drawback of generative encodings is that it is difficult to know where along the ontogenic trajectory resides the phenotype with the highest fitness. The two …

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Correlating Monotonous Crystal-Rich Dacitic Ignimbrites In Dominica: The Layou And Roseau Ignimbrite, Alexandra Flake Jun 2014

Correlating Monotonous Crystal-Rich Dacitic Ignimbrites In Dominica: The Layou And Roseau Ignimbrite, Alexandra Flake

Honors Theses

Dominica is a small island in the Lesser Antilles island arc. It has the highest concentrations of potentially active volcanoes in the world and features several large Pleistocene pyroclastic deposits that extend to the sea. Two of the ignimbrites emanate from central Dominica, with pyroclastic deposits filling the Layou and Roseau river valleys. Based on topography, the Layou Ignimbrite is believed to be from Morne Trois Pitons, whereas the Roseau Ignimbrite is derived from vents in the Wotten Waven region. On the coast in the village of Layou, the Layou Ignimbrite is 13 m thick with a basal large block …

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Exhumation Of The Baranof Schist In Whale Bay Alaska Determined Through Zircon Fission Track Dating, Kate Kaminski Jun 2014

Exhumation Of The Baranof Schist In Whale Bay Alaska Determined Through Zircon Fission Track Dating, Kate Kaminski

Honors Theses

During the Eocene in the North Pacific, the Kula, Farallon, and Pacific plates met in a trench-ridge-trench triple junction, bordered to the east by a continental margin along the edge of the North American plate. The flysch of the Chugach-Prince William terrane, a deformed accretionary complex, accreted onto this margin in the late Cretaceous to Paleocene. This terrane is framed to the north by the Border Ranges fault, a large strike-slip fault system that has accommodated northward movement of the Chugach-Prince William since the Eocene. One of the easternmost units of the Chugach-Prince William is the Baranof Schist on Baranof …

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3d Flowerlike Micro/Nanocomposite Ceria To Remove Arsenic And Chromium In Drinking Water, Taera Kim Jun 2014

3d Flowerlike Micro/Nanocomposite Ceria To Remove Arsenic And Chromium In Drinking Water, Taera Kim

Honors Theses

Ceria has received great attention for the removal of water contaminants due to its high oxygen storage capacity, marked oxygen ion conductivity, and tunable catalytic activity. Zhong et al. suggested that ceria (cerium oxide) microspheres with nanoscale 3D flowerlike morphology represent a promising inorganic synthetic material to remove water contaminants such as As(V) and Cr(VI) from drinking water. The 3D flowerlike micro/nanocomposite ceria offer key advantages over other nanoparticle based remediation systems as they can be easily removed via conventional microfiltration. The goals of this thesis project were to test the reproducibility of the synthesis of the 3D flowerlike ceria, …

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Comparing Stellar Populations Of Galaxies Across The Hubble Sequence: Reduction Of Pisces Near-Infrared Images, Vaishali Parkash Jun 2014

Comparing Stellar Populations Of Galaxies Across The Hubble Sequence: Reduction Of Pisces Near-Infrared Images, Vaishali Parkash

Honors Theses

To better understand the properties of high redshift galaxies and improve models of galaxy formation, we are investigating color radial profiles to study the stellar age, dust and metallicity distribution of galaxies of varying lumi-nosities and morphological types. Current data obtained in the optical and UV have shown that early-type galaxies have a flat color profile, or are bluer at larger radii, while late-type spirals are redder with increasing radius. These trends are believed to be linked with stellar population ages or dust. To break the age-dust degeneracy as well as to avoid the metallicity dependence, we have obtained near-infrared …

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Application Of A High-Performance Optically Enhanced Solar Thermal Collector System, Timothy H. Cameron Jun 2014

Application Of A High-Performance Optically Enhanced Solar Thermal Collector System, Timothy H. Cameron

Honors Theses

In an effort to make Union College a more environmentally friendly campus, this research project focuses on the application of Union’s liquid-based solar thermal collector system. The motivation for this research project is due to the increasing demand for renewable energy sources in order to decrease our society’s dependence on fossil fuels. The system features nine, 16-tube, evacuated tube solar modules which absorb radiant solar energy from the sun. Through a two loop system, thermal energy is stored in water within two-80 gallon storage tanks. This research project involves the design, construction, and analysis of two applications in order to …

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Proving Widespread Deforestation Of The Ancient Mediterranean As Myth: A Detailed Examination Of How Anthropogenic Activities During Antiquity Affected The Mediterranean Landscape, Carolyn Hooper Jun 2014

Proving Widespread Deforestation Of The Ancient Mediterranean As Myth: A Detailed Examination Of How Anthropogenic Activities During Antiquity Affected The Mediterranean Landscape, Carolyn Hooper

Honors Theses

This thesis examines the debate surrounding the possible deforestation of the ancient Mediterranean landscape through anthropogenic activities. Until the ancient Mediterranean landscape is understood more clearly, it is impossible to impose current beneficial land-use laws in order to conserve and preserve the future landscape of the region. Currently there are three predominant views surrounding the debate: (1) deforestation did occur and drastically altered the landscape from a forested region to a more desert-like region, (2) human activities did not cause deforestation, rather the Mediterranean has always been home to a distinct and resilient landscape that is able to regenerate following …

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Correlation Of The Andesitic Ignimbrites Of Northern Dominica Lesser Antilles Caribbean, Lauren Main Jun 2014

Correlation Of The Andesitic Ignimbrites Of Northern Dominica Lesser Antilles Caribbean, Lauren Main

Honors Theses

Dominica, a 750 km2 island in the Lesser Antilles volcanic arc, has numerous volcanic centers. One of the more active volcanoes is Morne Diablotins, the proposed source of the Grande Savanne ignimbrite. However, reconnaissance geologic mapping suggests that several other pyroclastic deposits in northern Dominica erupted from Morne Diablotins (Smith and Roobol, 2013): Wesley ignimbrite, Bense ignimbrite, and Pointe Ronde ignimbrite. The Grande Savanne deposit is ~70 m thick and includes a block and ash flow overlain by a baked ash layer, and welded and unwelded tuff. The Wesley ignimbrite is a ~27 m thick, layered deposit with a basal …

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Late Glacial-Holocene Climate Change Recorded In Proglacial Lake Sediment Cores From The Huaguruncho Massif, Central Peruvian Andes, Dane O'Neil Jun 2014

Late Glacial-Holocene Climate Change Recorded In Proglacial Lake Sediment Cores From The Huaguruncho Massif, Central Peruvian Andes, Dane O'Neil

Honors Theses

Alpine glaciers respond rapidly to changes in climate and the growth and decay of alpine glaciers is recorded in sediment cores extracted from lakes immediately downvalley from the margins of former glaciers. These records provide continuous archives of glaciation and climate change that complement the inherently discontinuous records of glaciation preserved by moraines. The aim of this study is to generate a continuous record of glaciation in Jaico cirque from lake sediment cores, which is located on the southeastern side of the quartz-monzonite dominated Huaguruncho Massif (5789 masl) in the eastern Peruvian Andes. The lakes are Laguna Jaico (10.56° S, …

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Mechanical Routes To Biocontinuous Conductive Polymer Networks For Solar Cell Applications, Erin Waterman Jun 2014

Mechanical Routes To Biocontinuous Conductive Polymer Networks For Solar Cell Applications, Erin Waterman

Honors Theses

We have successfully created the first example of a bicontinuous conductive polymer network for use in hybrid QD-polymer solar cells via a mechanochemical route. Heterometallic dicyanoaurate coordination polymers were used as intercalative hosts to promote in situ growth of emeraldine polyaniline (PANI), which provides electron conduction pathways within the active layer. Cu2+-excanged Laponite RD nanodiscs were used to direct the self-assembly of the bicontinuous polymer networks and nanomorphology within the nanocomposites. These PANI/Laponite coordination polymers were extensively characterized by scanning electron microscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy in order to probe polymer-nanoparticle and polymer-polymer interactions. …

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Earthquake Relocation And Focal Mechanism Analysis In The Area Of Rupture Following The Mw = 7.6 September 5 2012 Nicoya Earthquake Costa Rica, Gregory Brenn Jun 2014

Earthquake Relocation And Focal Mechanism Analysis In The Area Of Rupture Following The Mw = 7.6 September 5 2012 Nicoya Earthquake Costa Rica, Gregory Brenn

Honors Theses

As part of a Keck Geology Consortium project on the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, a dense broadband seismic array was installed directly above the rupture zone of the long-anticipated Nicoya September 5th, 2012, Mw= 7.6 earthquake. 5 Nanometrics Trillium compact seismometers and Taurus digitizers were installed, defining a ~200km triangular area with one triangular side oriented parallel to the trench and the apex located ~15km inland from the coast. This seismic network was operating from July 2nd to July 18th, and with this data combined with the permanent stations of the Nicoya broadband network, 254 events were initially located. Comparison …

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Aggressive Monetization: Why The Pay For Currency Model Is Dominating The Ios App Store Today, Theodore Kitchen Jun 2014

Aggressive Monetization: Why The Pay For Currency Model Is Dominating The Ios App Store Today, Theodore Kitchen

Honors Theses

The Apple iOS App Store has only been around for 5 years, and yet it has completely changed the way that mobile software is distributed. In this brief period, the online marketplace has seen dramatic shifts in the most successful strategies used by iOS software developers and, more specifically, game developers to gain revenue. As of March 14th 2014 fifteen of the twenty top-grossing iOS apps feature some form of in-app currency that users may purchase with real money, eighteen are mobile video games, and all twenty of these apps are free to download. This paper explores a new business …

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Looking For Small Changes In Heat Capacity Using A Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Will Linthicum Jun 2014

Looking For Small Changes In Heat Capacity Using A Differential Scanning Calorimeter, Will Linthicum

Honors Theses

One of the major difficulties in development of renewable energy is the lack of an adequate and economical means of energy storage. In the case of concentrated solar power a large mass of thermal fluid is required to store a reasonable amount of energy. This is primarily because the fluids tend to have a low specific heat capacity. Formulating composites of these fluids can enhance their specific heat capacity and avails opportunities to make concentrated solar power more attractive. In most cases, the specific heat capacity of composite materials is a weighted average of the individual component heat capacities. This, …

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La Vie De Blaise Pascal Et Son Heritage Mathématique Et Philosophique, Katherine Weeks Jun 2014

La Vie De Blaise Pascal Et Son Heritage Mathématique Et Philosophique, Katherine Weeks

Honors Theses

This paper will discuss the life of Blaise Pascal, his philosophy and mathematics. We will first study the life of Pascal, by looking at his family, the success of his family, and how he was educated. We will then move onto study the history of the arithmetic triangle, which eventually becomes known as Pascal’s Triangle. Finally we will look at Pascal’s Pensées. Finally we will conclude that Pascal is not only known for Pascal’s Triangle but also his legacy in the Philosophic world. It becomes clear that Pascal would not have been the mathematician he was without the philosophy, and …

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Applying The Poincaré Recurrence Theorem To Billiards, Aaron Smith May 2014

Applying The Poincaré Recurrence Theorem To Billiards, Aaron Smith

Honors Theses

The Poincaré recurrence theorem is one of the first and most fundamental theorems of ergodic theory. When applied to a dynamical system satisfying the theorem's hypothesis, it roughly states that the system will, within a finite amount of time, return to a state arbitrarily close to its initial state. This result is intriguing and controversial, providing a contradiction with the Second Law of Thermodynamics known as the recurrence paradox. Here, we treat a set of pool balls on a billiard table as a dynamical system that satisfies the hypotheses of the Poincaré recurrence theorem. We prove that time is a …

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The Relocation Of Laurel Hill Plantation Rice Barges In The Waccamaw River, Sc, Using Multibeam Echosounding, Nathalie Arnone May 2014

The Relocation Of Laurel Hill Plantation Rice Barges In The Waccamaw River, Sc, Using Multibeam Echosounding, Nathalie Arnone

Honors Theses

A study done in the lower Waccamaw River neck, inland of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, is done to relocate and bathymetrically map antebellum rice barge wrecks, last seen near the old Laurel Hill Plantation area. Sites investigated are Laurel Hill, Collins Creek, Cow House Creek, and the Wachesaw portion of the Waccamaw River. Magnetometer data contained multiple anomalies along the locations, mostly due to modern wrecks. Successful multibeam echosounding performed at the Laurel Hill site reveals two identifiable barges. Following archeological scuba diving provided that one barge was partially buried and upside-down, containing civil war era metal fastenings. Barges found …

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Introduction Of Advanced Math Concepts Through A Geometry Project, Emelie Mativi May 2014

Introduction Of Advanced Math Concepts Through A Geometry Project, Emelie Mativi

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Adaptation Of Gamma Camera System For Small Field-Of-View Applications, Melanie Carroll May 2014

Adaptation Of Gamma Camera System For Small Field-Of-View Applications, Melanie Carroll

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Mapping Of Pathogenic Vibrio Spp. Densities In The Gulf Of Mexico And Their Relationship To Fecal Indicators Used In Oyster Harvest Regulation, Morgan Taylor May 2014

Mapping Of Pathogenic Vibrio Spp. Densities In The Gulf Of Mexico And Their Relationship To Fecal Indicators Used In Oyster Harvest Regulation, Morgan Taylor

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Purple Urine Bag Syndrome: Regulation Of Pyrimidine Enzymes, Ashley N. Broadway May 2014

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome: Regulation Of Pyrimidine Enzymes, Ashley N. Broadway

Honors Theses

Purple Urine Bag Syndrome, PUBS, is a unique condition that shows an interesting discoloration of the urine from women who have a chronic catheter. This study focused on the regulation of enzyme activities to determine the effects that may create an environment where PUBS is seen in patients with catheters. In this study, the reductive pyrimidine pathway was used to read out the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15692. This microorganism expresses a pathway that synthesizes indoxyl from tryptophan. The bacteria strains were grown using various carbon and nitrogen sources. Concentrations of acetonitrile at 2 mM and 10 mM, concentrations of …

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Reduction Of Ketoximes To Amines By Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Using Raney Nickel And 2-Propanol As Hydrogen Donor, Katherynne E. Taylor May 2014

Reduction Of Ketoximes To Amines By Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation Using Raney Nickel And 2-Propanol As Hydrogen Donor, Katherynne E. Taylor

Honors Theses

Ketoximes successfully underwent hydrogenolysis and hydrogenation under catalytic transfer conditions with Raney Nickel and 2-propanol as a hydrogen donor. Ketoximes were reduced to primary amines when 2% KOH was included in the reaction. In the absence of KOH N-isopropyl-secondary-amines were obtained in good yields.

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Synthesis And Functionalization Of Bodipy Dyes For Applications In The Detection Of Colorectal Cancer, Logan Elise Leblanc May 2014

Synthesis And Functionalization Of Bodipy Dyes For Applications In The Detection Of Colorectal Cancer, Logan Elise Leblanc

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Categorical Data Analysis Of First-Year Programs And Its Effect On Retention Of Lsu First-Year Students, Morgan Matchett May 2014

Categorical Data Analysis Of First-Year Programs And Its Effect On Retention Of Lsu First-Year Students, Morgan Matchett

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

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Nicotine And What Else?: Hplc Elution Optimization For The Analysis Of Alkaloids Found In Electronic Cigarettes, Jessica L. Murray May 2014

Nicotine And What Else?: Hplc Elution Optimization For The Analysis Of Alkaloids Found In Electronic Cigarettes, Jessica L. Murray

Honors Theses

Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, have been scrutinized by the Food and Drug Administration and other public health organizations for issues related to quality control and efficacy. Erratic nicotine delivery and numerous toxic compounds in refill solutions have been reported. The ultimate goal of this research is to add to the growing amount of knowledge regarding e-cigarette ingredient content, safety, and quality. Standards of the tobacco alkaloids nicotine, anabasine, cotinine, and myosmine were prepared and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Various elution schemes were tested and adjusted for optimal analyte resolution, and a final elution scheme was developed to …

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Effects Of Varying The Cure Profiles Of An Epoxy-Amine System, Patrick W. Hollingsworth May 2014

Effects Of Varying The Cure Profiles Of An Epoxy-Amine System, Patrick W. Hollingsworth

Honors Theses

The cure of an epoxy prepolymer with an amine hardener induces stress in thermosetting systems. The extent of residual stresses in the cured epoxy-amine thermosets are dependent on several factors; one of which is the cure profile utilized. The effect of cure profile on cure induced stresses of an epoxy-amine thermoset was examined in the current study. A difunctional epoxide based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol-A (DGEBA) and a tetrafunctional amine curative were used to conduct this study. Two cure profiles were selected to prepare samples of varying degrees of stress in the cured thermosets. The first was constant heating …

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Raft Polymerization Of Sulfonamide-Containing Methacrylamides, Michael B. Sims May 2014

Raft Polymerization Of Sulfonamide-Containing Methacrylamides, Michael B. Sims

Honors Theses

Targeted delivery of cancer therapeutics offers an exciting new opportunity for utilization of controlled polymerization techniques. However, a major obstacle in achieving the desired therapeutic effect is facilitating endosomal release of active agents following endocytosis. Peptides and pH-responsive polymers have been utilized as a means of triggering endosomal release via phase transition-induced membrane disruption. Unfortunately, the fidelity by which the pKa of these polymers/peptides can be varied is limited, such that it reduces their versatility in altering the phase transition point to best match the endosomal pH of a particular cell-type. Herein, we report the controlled polymerization of library of …

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