Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Discipline
-
- Chemistry (1068)
- Computer Sciences (268)
- Mathematics (246)
- Environmental Sciences (244)
- Earth Sciences (153)
-
- Physics (143)
- Life Sciences (110)
- Geology (81)
- Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology (77)
- Astrophysics and Astronomy (68)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (66)
- Engineering (65)
- Education (57)
- Organic Chemistry (50)
- Sustainability (50)
- Oceanography (45)
- Environmental Monitoring (44)
- Applied Mathematics (43)
- Arts and Humanities (43)
- Medicine and Health Sciences (41)
- Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology (35)
- Physical Chemistry (34)
- Higher Education (32)
- Natural Resources and Conservation (32)
- Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (30)
- Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (29)
- Software Engineering (28)
- Analytical Chemistry (27)
- Geophysics and Seismology (26)
- Institution
-
- Union College (729)
- University of Mississippi (251)
- Colby College (223)
- Louisiana State University (189)
- Ouachita Baptist University (108)
-
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (99)
- Western Michigan University (98)
- University of Richmond (95)
- The University of Southern Mississippi (88)
- Coastal Carolina University (65)
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln (58)
- Bucknell University (43)
- University of Dayton (40)
- Andrews University (31)
- Assumption University (13)
- Texas A&M University-Commerce (12)
- University of South Alabama (6)
- Harding University (3)
- University of New Haven (3)
- Dominican University of California (2)
- Lincoln Memorial University (1)
- Montana Tech Library (1)
- Keyword
-
- Undergraduate research (41)
- Chemistry (15)
- Energy (15)
- Synthesis (15)
- Climate change (14)
-
- Geology (13)
- Physics (13)
- Machine learning (12)
- Mathematics (12)
- Sustainability (11)
- Water quality (10)
- Carbon (9)
- Environment (8)
- Water (8)
- American chestnut (7)
- Design (7)
- Education (7)
- Figure (7)
- Maine (7)
- Pollution (7)
- Sedimentology (7)
- Artificial intelligence (6)
- Biochemistry (6)
- Cancer (6)
- Carbon dioxide (6)
- Computer Science (6)
- Computer simulation (6)
- Conservation (6)
- Graph theory (6)
- Heavy metals (6)
- Publication Year
- Publication Type
Articles 541 - 570 of 2158
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Assessing The Invasive Potential Of Najas Minor In Maine, Kaitlin M. Volk
Assessing The Invasive Potential Of Najas Minor In Maine, Kaitlin M. Volk
Honors Theses
Najas minor (European naiad), a relatively new invasive aquatic plant to the state of Maine, is thought be spreading more aggressively than previous invasive aquatic plants have. Once established, N. minor grows into dense monocultures that replace all native plant species, leading to a disruption in ecosystem functioning, a loss in food and habitat for invertebrates and fish, and a decrease in the recreational value of a waterbody. Understanding the natural history of N. minor – how it is dispersed and how long seeds can survive – is important for understanding the invasive potential of the species. However, no previous …
Asian Jumping Worm (Megascolecidae) Impacts On Physical And Biological Characteristics Of Turfgrass Ecosystems, Ella L. Maddi
Asian Jumping Worm (Megascolecidae) Impacts On Physical And Biological Characteristics Of Turfgrass Ecosystems, Ella L. Maddi
Honors Theses
Asian Jumping worms (Megascolecid spp) were introduced to North America in the early 1900s and have been altering soils in forest ecosystems as they spread throughout the continent. The worms differ from other introduced earthworms in their ability to consume large densities of organic material and potentially alter nutrient cycling in the ecosystems that they invade (Greiner et al. 2012). This study examined if and how Asian jumping worms alter turfgrass systems by changing the biological or physical properties of soil. To do this we conducted a mesocosm experiment and observational field study. For the mesocosm study we inoculated boxes …
Generation And Reactions Of Cyclopropyl Vinylidene Carbenes, Nguyen Nhat Thu Le
Generation And Reactions Of Cyclopropyl Vinylidene Carbenes, Nguyen Nhat Thu Le
Honors Theses
This study aimed to generate cyclopropyl methyl vinylidene carbene and cyclopropyl phenyl vinylidene carbene via photochemical routes. The precursors to these two carbenes were synthesized from phenanthrene by a two-step procedure. However, these precursors could not be fully purified because the second step generated many side products with similar properties as the precursors. A crude sample of each precursor were photolyzed with UV light in the range of 315 to 400 nm. Vinylidene carbenes are known to rapidly rearrange into alkynes, so the formation of these cyclopropyl vinylidene carbenes was monitored through the formation of their rearrangement products, cyclopropyl methyl …
Basis Reduction In Lattice Cryptography, Raj Kane
Basis Reduction In Lattice Cryptography, Raj Kane
Honors Theses
We develop an understanding of lattices and their use in cryptography. We examine how reducing lattice bases can yield solutions to the Shortest Vector Problem and the Closest Vector Problem.
Finding Obscure Black Hole Growth Via Spectral Energy Distribution Modeling, Randall K. Chan
Finding Obscure Black Hole Growth Via Spectral Energy Distribution Modeling, Randall K. Chan
Honors Theses
An active galactic nucleus (AGN) occurs when the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy starts to grow. We still currently do not know what triggers AGN. Theories suggest that galaxy mergers could trigger AGNs, but past research has not been able to find a correlation between x-ray detected AGNs and disturbed galaxies. The present research looks specifically at AGN not detected in the x-ray, or obscured AGN. Using a newly updated IDL code, FAST, we were able to identify potential obscured AGN through spectral energy distribution (SED) modeling. We found a total of 526 obscured AGN in …
Primes In Arithmetical Progression, Edward C. Wessel
Primes In Arithmetical Progression, Edward C. Wessel
Honors Theses
This thesis will tackle Dirichlet’s Theorem on Primes in Arithmetical Progressions. The majority of information that follows below will stem from Tom M. Apostol’s Introduction to Analytical Number Theory. This is the main source of all definitions, theorems, and method. However, I would like to assure the reader that prior knowledge of neither the text nor analytical number theory in general is needed to understand the result. A rough background in Abstract Algebra and a moderate grasp on Complex and Real Analysis are more than sufficient. In fact, my project’s intent is to introduce Dirichlet’s ideas to the mathematics student …
Detecting Cyanobacteria Toxins: The Human Health Impact Of An Environmental Problem, Lillian E. Naimie
Detecting Cyanobacteria Toxins: The Human Health Impact Of An Environmental Problem, Lillian E. Naimie
Honors Theses
Cyanobacteria blooms are a growing concern in the world, as they can form a dense and sometimes toxin scum on water bodies. This paper will outline and discuss the environmental conditions that produce cyanobacteria bloom with a focus on the toxins produced by blooms and specifically the detection of these toxins through two analytical methods. Of the various toxins cyanobacteria are capable of producing, this paper will focus on microcystins and BMAA, a family of hepatotoxins and a specific neurotoxin respectively. The two analytical methods discussed are liquid chromatography coupled mass spectrometry and ELISA kit techniques. The advantages and drawbacks …
Expansion Of An Ultracold Neutral Plasma, Yin Li
Expansion Of An Ultracold Neutral Plasma, Yin Li
Honors Theses
Ultracold neutral plasmas (UNP) exhibit interesting behavior and are more feasible to control than hot plasmas. Physicists would like to lower the temperature of a UNP to achieve a higher Coulomb coupling parameter, Γ for both electrons and ions. However, the three body recombination (TBR) between ions and electrons produces Rydberg atoms and heats up the plasma electrons, thereby ionizing them to Γe < 0.2. Adding Rydberg atoms to the plasma will reduce the temperature of a UNP in certain situations. In this honors project, we tried to achieve a Γe value greater than 0.5 by embedding Rydberg atoms multiple times in the plasma. We did extensive numerical simulations, but we were unable to replicate previous results from another group which obtained Γe = 0.5 in the first 1 µ s of plasma evolution. However, we were able to use the simulation results to test various different experiment scenarios. For experiments, we created a UNP of Rubidium atoms in the magneto-optical trap by laser cooling and photoionization. We figured out a nice way to zero the electric field within the field meshes by looking at the plasma expansion very late in its evolution through the micro-channel plate. We set the voltage and delay on the field mesh bias to find expansion velocity of the plasma for time t > 50 µs, and we used different methods to deduce the expansion velocity from the ion time of flight signals. However, we found that there was no relation of Γe at 1 µ s and the expansion velocity …
Killing Breast Cancer One Porphyrin At A Time, Taylor C. Lymburner
Killing Breast Cancer One Porphyrin At A Time, Taylor C. Lymburner
Honors Theses
New treatments for cancer are continuously being developed and improved. One such treatment is Photodynamic Therapy, more commonly referred to as PDT. PDT is quickly becoming more popular due to its relative lack of side effects that are present in other treatments. In PDT, light-sensitive agents are required and are activated by light in the targeted cells. There are many types of PDT agents but the one focused on in this research is a four-pyrrole ring structure known as a porphyrin. The combination of H2 TPPC with 3- amino-oxetane-3-yl-methanol created the final product ofH2TPP-Oxo-MeOH. Once the porphyrin was formed, it …
Passive Solar Tracking Using Shape Memory Alloys, Keeley G. Johnson
Passive Solar Tracking Using Shape Memory Alloys, Keeley G. Johnson
Honors Theses
The world's energy demands are growing daily in conjunction with the global population and urbanization. In the modern era, the main source of energy has come from nonrenewable fossil fuels. While this source is one of the cheapest forms of energy, it is also one of the worst for the environment and will only last until the earth runs out of these fossil fuels. Solar energy, on the other hand, is both much better for the environment and an inexhaustible resource. The primary issue that arises with the accessibility of solar energy is that it is much more expensive per …
Computer Science In The Elementary Classroom: The Basics, Mary Grace Belle Hill
Computer Science In The Elementary Classroom: The Basics, Mary Grace Belle Hill
Honors Theses
Computer Science is often ranked with Nuclear Physics or Biochemical Engineering; people understand it is an academic discipline, but have no desire to study or learn anything about it. With the introduction of Arkansas Computer Science Standards in the elementary classroom, many teachers wonder how to satisfy these and to do so without full knowledge of computer science and alongside all the other demands they must meet in the classroom. This paper covers my interest in computer science and why it is needed in elementary schools, specifically in Arkansas. It also incorporates the standards, including a chart of all the …
Determination Of Bisphenol A (Bpa) In Infant Oral Hygiene Devices Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Kaitlyn Thomason
Determination Of Bisphenol A (Bpa) In Infant Oral Hygiene Devices Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Kaitlyn Thomason
Honors Theses
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic, solid substance that is structurally similar to estradiol, a naturally-occurring form of the female sex hormone estrogen. Since the 1957 discovery that BPA can function as an effective hardener, BPA-based plastics have been used to make a variety of consumer goods, such as water bottles, baby bottles, DVDs, eyeglass lenses, and medical devices, while BPA-based epoxy resins have been used to coat the insides of various food and drink containers, to line the insides of water pipes, and to create the thermal ink found on paper sales receipts. In recent years, however, numerous studies …
Determination Of Bpa In Infant Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Mallory K. Mayfield
Determination Of Bpa In Infant Oral Hygiene Products Using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry, Mallory K. Mayfield
Honors Theses
Bisphenol A (BPA) is commonly used to make plastics, and it is also used to make epoxy resin linings for metal food containers. People are exposed to this chemical daily through bottles, metal food containers, and other plastic products. BPA exposure has been linked to negative effects on the body including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and reproductive problems. Special caution should be taken for children because their systems are not fully developed, and they are often more susceptible to the negative effects. BPA can bind to estrogen receptors and activate them. It has this ability because of structural similarities to estradiol. …
Positivity Among P-Partition Generating Functions Of Partially Ordered Sets, Nate Lesnevich
Positivity Among P-Partition Generating Functions Of Partially Ordered Sets, Nate Lesnevich
Honors Theses
We find necessary and separate sufficient conditions for the difference between two labeled partially ordered set's (poset) partition generating functions to be positive in the fundamental basis. We define the notion of a jump sequence for a poset and show how different conditions on the jump sequences of two posets are necessary for those posets to have an order relation in the fundamental basis. Our sufficient conditions are of two types. First, we show how manipulating a poset's Hasse diagram produces a poset that is greater according to the fundamental basis. Secondly, we also provide tools to explain posets that …
Contextualizing Sexual Assault Data Collection On College Campuses: A Socio-Technical Approach, Anushikha Sharma
Contextualizing Sexual Assault Data Collection On College Campuses: A Socio-Technical Approach, Anushikha Sharma
Honors Theses
Sexual assault is a rampant issue on college campuses in the United States. Colleges and universities use a variety of survey instruments to collect data regarding sexual assault as a means to improve campus culture, policies, and resources. These instruments contain a wealth of associated information in the form of metadata, that is, data about data.
This project takes a human-centered socio-technical approach to understanding the data collection processes associated with sexual assault, specifically, on the campus of Bucknell University. By identifying the underlying metadata within the data collection processes, this research contextualizes and critiques the process of data collection, …
Bridging Act-R And Project Malmo, Developing Models Of Behavior In Complex Environments, David M. Schwartz
Bridging Act-R And Project Malmo, Developing Models Of Behavior In Complex Environments, David M. Schwartz
Honors Theses
Cognitive architectures such as ACT-R provide a system for simulating the mind and human behavior. On their own they model decision making of an isolated agent. However, applying a cognitive architecture to a complex environment yields more interesting results about how people make decisions in more realistic scenarios. Furthermore, cognitive architectures enable researchers to study human behavior in dangerous tasks which cannot be tested because they would harm participants. Nonetheless, these architectures aren’t commonly applied to such environments as they don’t come with one. It is left to the researcher to develop a task environment for their model. The difficulty …
Late Devonian Sedimentary Record Of Appalachian Tectonics And Erosion: Geochronology And Geochemistry Of Detrital Muscovite And Zircon From Central Pennsylvania Strata, Cole T. Gardner
Honors Theses
Foreland basin sediment deposition in North-Central Pennsylvania during Late Devonian time records erosion of hinterland source terranes exhumed during regional plate convergence, including the collisional Acadian orogeny. The Catskill clastic wedge preserves a coarsening-upwards stratigraphic succession from marine to fluvial environments associated with sediment progradation and sea-level regression, yet depositional timescales and quantitative provenance data are largely unconstrained.
Detailed facies analysis of eight outcrops spanning >2 km of stratigraphy in Lycoming Co., Pennsylvania documents distinct upsection changes, interpreted to reflect changes in depositional environments consistent with previous sedimentology of the Catskill clastic wedge. Stratigraphy displays a transition from nearshore marine …
Using 3-Dimensional Ffts To Simulate Cmb Maps On A Spherical Cap, Eric Goetz
Using 3-Dimensional Ffts To Simulate Cmb Maps On A Spherical Cap, Eric Goetz
Honors Theses
The current methods of simulating the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) involve either simulating the entire sky using spherical transforms or simulating a at patch with fast Fourier transforms (FFTs). For patches that are too large to be considered at but much less than the full sky, the former method is inecient and the latter is inaccurate. One alternative method of CMB simulation is to simulate the random processes behind the CMB in a 3-dimensional box that contains the part of the sphere that we want to measure. Then, we can select the points we want from the box. This method …
Waveband Luminosity Correlations In Flux-Limited Multiwavelength Data And The Schwinger Effect In Minkowski & De Sitter Space-Times, Syed Jibran Haider
Waveband Luminosity Correlations In Flux-Limited Multiwavelength Data And The Schwinger Effect In Minkowski & De Sitter Space-Times, Syed Jibran Haider
Honors Theses
The first part of the thesis explores key findings determined from plotting multiple waveband luminosity and redshift correlations in quasar data binned in redshift. The second part of the thesis concerns itself with applying Picard-Lefschetz theory to pair particle production in de Sitter space-time (with or without a constant electric field).
Structural Investigations Using Theoretical Approaches : A Study Of Metal Halides, Borylenes, Phenalenyl Complexes And Σ-Hole Interactions, Supreeth Prasad
Structural Investigations Using Theoretical Approaches : A Study Of Metal Halides, Borylenes, Phenalenyl Complexes And Σ-Hole Interactions, Supreeth Prasad
Honors Theses
The anomalous bending in the group 2 binary dihalides and the absence of this behavior in group 12 systems is well established. Their structuralpreferences contradict simple bonding models, yet they have received little to no attention in the literature. In this work, for the first time, the gas phase structuralpreferences of the groups 2 and 12 mixed (ternary) dihalides MXY (M=Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra, Zn, Cd and Hg,and X, Y=F, Cl, Br, I, At) are investigated at high levels of theory. I extend a previously established softness criterion for bending to the mixed systems and I find that …
Developing A Predictive And Dynamic Moose-Vehicle Collisions Model In Maine, Yue Yu
Developing A Predictive And Dynamic Moose-Vehicle Collisions Model In Maine, Yue Yu
Honors Theses
Wildlife-vehicle collisions are a major form of human-wildlife conflict. Predictive animal-vehicle collision models have been developed to identify collision hotspots in Maine and guide mitigation strategies. However, most current models are static and unable to produce dynamic forecasts that incorporate changing climate and weather. The goal of my study was to develop a predictive and dynamic model of animal-vehicle collisions in Maine, USA. More than 6,700 moose-vehicle collisions (MVC) occurred from 2003 to 2017 in Maine, raising road safety, socio-economic, and wildlife conservation concerns. I sought to identify factors that contribute to a higher probability of MVCs by comparing two …
Polychromatic Map-Making With Asymmetric Antenna Patterns, Connor Mooney
Polychromatic Map-Making With Asymmetric Antenna Patterns, Connor Mooney
Honors Theses
Imaging telescopes with asymmetric antenna patterns that vary with wavelength can create time-ordered data that may be processed into multiple images corresponding to different bands of wavelengths from just a single set of scans. The imaging telescope named QUBIC has this property and is the inspiration behind this project. Our goal is to quantify, both statistically and analytically, the ability of these telescopes to perform such a reconstruction given different cases. In the case that the telescope is observing the full sky, we reconstruct our maps via a spherical harmonic basis. In this way, the reconstructed images are described as …
On A Generalization Of Lucas Numbers, Skylyn Olyvia Irby
On A Generalization Of Lucas Numbers, Skylyn Olyvia Irby
Honors Theses
In this paper, we consider a generalization of Lucas numbers. Recall that Lucas numbers are the sequence of integers defined by the recurrence relation: L_n = L_{n−1} + L_{n−2} with the initial conditions L_1 = 1 and L_2 = 3(or L_0 = 1 and L_1 = 3 if the first subscript is zero). That is, the classical Lucas number sequence is 1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, .... The goal of the present paper is to study properties of certain generalizations of the Lucas sequence. In particular, we consider the following generalizations of the sequence: l_n = al_{n−1} + l_{n−2} …
Synthesis Of A Novel Tetradentate Ligand And Its Copper Complex For Redox Shuttle Applications, Joseph T. Vaughan
Synthesis Of A Novel Tetradentate Ligand And Its Copper Complex For Redox Shuttle Applications, Joseph T. Vaughan
Honors Theses
With growing energy demands, alternatives to the traditional non-renewable fuel sources are currently being explored. Of these alternative fuel sources, solar energy, particularly dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC), have garnered considerable interest. Traditional redox mediators within these solar cells have been triiodide/iodide couples, which pose several complications due to their corrosiveness, absorption in the visible range, and efficiency, motivating the development of better redox couples for next generation DSSCs. Thus, transition metal complexes have rapidly gained traction as a potential replacement for this traditional I-/I3- based system. In this study, a novel tetradentate ligand framework and its copper and nickel complexes …
Design And Development Of Chemically And Biologically Stable Salvinorin-Based Ligands For Opioid Receptors, Tanner Neilson
Design And Development Of Chemically And Biologically Stable Salvinorin-Based Ligands For Opioid Receptors, Tanner Neilson
Honors Theses
The number of opioid prescriptions as a method in pain management increased dramatically in the mid 1990’s following Dr. James Campbell’s 1995 Presidential address to the American Pain Society, where he called for patient pain to be included as a vital sign. The rapid increase in prescriptions in the early 2000’s coupled with a massive effort by pharmaceutical companies to downplay the addictiveness of these drugs has led to a consistent increase in opioid-related drug overdoses, with 47,600 of 70,237 drug related deaths involving opioids in 2017. Opioid analgesics most commonly act upon the mu-opioid receptor (MOR), which is one …
Survey Of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters From Sequenced Myxobacteria And Analysis Of Potential Metabolic Diversity, Katherine C. Gregory
Survey Of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters From Sequenced Myxobacteria And Analysis Of Potential Metabolic Diversity, Katherine C. Gregory
Honors Theses
The importance of natural product discovery to society is undeniable as natural products have seemingly infinite applications, particularly in regard to pharmacological use as antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, anticancer and immunosuppressive agents. The search for new therapeutics and other new chemical commodities thus grows simultaneously with antibiotic resistance and commercial pressure on pharmaceutical research. However, the increasingly common phenomenon of natural product rediscovery continues to inhibit advancement in this field. We contend that the likelihood of rediscovery can be predicted by taxonomic distance between the bacteria in question and previously studied bacteria. That is, our data supports a correlation between chemical …
Measurements Of The Primary Bjerknes Force In A Cavitating Ultrasonic Field, Mason Smith
Measurements Of The Primary Bjerknes Force In A Cavitating Ultrasonic Field, Mason Smith
Honors Theses
Cavitation is the result when there are rapid changes in pressure in a liquid. These vapor-filled cavities can occur when ultrasound propagates through water at sufficient power. The volumes of these cavities can pulsate and can even couple with the radiation pressure from the ultrasound. The result is a translational force on the bubbles. This translational force on the bubble is called the primary Bjerknes force. The secondary Bjerknes force is the result of two pulsating cavities, but this force is ignored since the buoyant force and the primary Bjerknes force are the dominant forces. Immediately before a bubble begins …
6th-12th Grade Math Teachers And Their Experiences With The Mississippi College- And Career-Readiness Standards, Dorothy Reid
6th-12th Grade Math Teachers And Their Experiences With The Mississippi College- And Career-Readiness Standards, Dorothy Reid
Honors Theses
This thesis identifies and describes 6th-12th grade math teachers and their experiences with the Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards. There are two parts to this thesis: 1) a survey distributed to public school math teachers across the state and 2) the written thesis. In my thesis, I craft teacher narratives from the quantitative and qualitative results of the survey. Listening to the teachers’ narratives provides beneficial insights to the implementation of the MCCRS at the classroom level. Teachers have many different experiences. My thesis offers policy recommendations, based on the teacher narratives, to three levels of education: teachers, schools …
Unexpected Outcomes During The Attempted Iodination Of Biphenol, Henry Nguyen
Unexpected Outcomes During The Attempted Iodination Of Biphenol, Henry Nguyen
Honors Theses
The goal of this research was to create a new procedure to iodinate 4,4- biphenol using a ball miller. Iodination of 4,4-biphenol was first attempted in solution using electrophilic aromatic substitution. Several attempts were made to iodinate 4,4-biphenol, but the general insolubility of crude products inhibited progress. Interestingly, NMR analysis of the aqueous ammonia product suggested that 4,4-biphenol dimerized or polymerized with itself to make an ether. The exact mechanism by which the ether dimer was created is unknown, but the reaction may have occurred using a radical mechanism. Though the original goal of the project is left unmet, a …
Solvation Of Isoelectronic Halide And Alkali Metal Ions By Noble Gas Atoms, Carly A. Rock
Solvation Of Isoelectronic Halide And Alkali Metal Ions By Noble Gas Atoms, Carly A. Rock
Honors Theses
Alkali metal cations (M+ = Li+, Na+, K+, and Rb+), as well as their corresponding isoelectronic atomic anions (X− = H−, F−, Cl−, and Br−) were solvated with argon atoms (i.e., M+Arn and X−Arn where n=1−6). Full geometry optimizations were performed using the MP2 electronic structure method with a series of correlation consistent basis sets augmented with diffuse functions on argon and the anions (aug-cc-pVXZ) and weighted core valence basis sets were used for the cations (cc-pwCVXZ) that include the appropriate pseudopotentials for K+ and Rb+ (cc-pwCVXZ-PP). The basis sets for a particular cluster are, hereafter, simply denoted as XZ …