Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Structural And Dynamical Studies Of Superacids And Superacidic Solutions Using Neutron And High Energy X-Ray Scattering, Jamie John Molaison

Masters Theses

The diffusive motions of the Brønsted superacid, hydrogen fluoride, have been studied using quasielastic neutron scattering. Neutron and high energy X-ray diffraction measurements on the Lewis superacid, antimony pentafluoride, are presented along with the results of three applied data models. Finally, structural information was obtained for a 9:1 FSO₃H:NH₃ solution using neutron diffraction with isotopic substitution and nuclear magnetic resonance.

Ultraviolet Image Analysis Of Spacecraft Exhaust Plumes, Karen L. Norton

Masters Theses

Data obtained during the April 26, 2000 MirEx experiment is used to infer the chemical mechanisms responsible for ultraviolet radiation observed to emanate from Russian spacecraft exhaust plumes in low Earth orbit. The principle objective of this experiment was to use the Mir Space Station instruments to study the plume collisional processes occurring in the rarified atmosphere of the far-field; at distances greater than one kilometer away from the spacecraft. This was accomplished by observing the automated Progress cargo ship as the auxiliary engines were being retrofired in a ram-burn configuration at 330 kilometers in altitude above Earth. The primary …

A Quantitative Study Of Scaling Properties Of Fracture Networks, Ankur Roy

Masters Theses

Fracture networks and their scaling properties are important from both an academic and practical perspective since they play a significant role in many areas ranging from crustal fluid flow to studies of earthquakes. Over the years, researchers have employed a wide variety of techniques to quantify the complexities of fractured media. These range from deterministic, process-based approaches employing the laws of physics, to ones involving the applications of geostatistics and more recently, fractal geometry. Fractals are irregular entities that show self-similarity over a wide range of scales and can be quantified by the fractal dimension, D. It is important …

Pyrogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons From Carboniferous, Triassic, And Modern Chars: Potential Relations To Paleoatmospheric Oxygen Content, Patrick Jerome Schuneman

Masters Theses

Atmospheric oxygen concentrations may have dramatically fluctuated throughout the Phanerozoic. Because oxygen is critical to fire, major oxygen fluctuations may have significantly affected biomass burning occurrences, suggesting that wildfires would have been more prevalent at times of elevated oxygen. Fossil charcoal abundances in the geologic record qualitatively reflect this relationship. Land plants evolved by the late Silurian, and the earliest true forests evolved by the mid-Devonian, while oxygen levels were still low. Fuel accumulations and oxygen content probably did not reach sufficient levels to sustain burning until the late-Devonian. There are only one or two isolated examples of fossil charcoal …

Mechanisms For Increasing Respiratory Capacity Through Ontogeny In The Blastoid Genus Pentremites, Troy A. Dexter

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine how the hydrospires in blastoids (the respiratory channels through which blastoids respire) change in shape and capacity during ontogeny. As the volume of a blastoid increases ontogenetically, the respiratory capacity of the hydrospires must increase to match the additional respiratory requirements. Ontogenetically, volume increases at a cubic rate, therefore the surface area of the respiratory structures should increase at a similar rate. Using transverse cross sections of the theca through an ontogenetic series in two species of the blastoid Pentremites, the surface area and volume of the hydrospires was quantified. The data demonstrated …

Biomarker And Stable Isotope Characterization Of Coastal Pond Organic Matter, Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Melissa Margaret Hage

Masters Theses

Small coastal ponds containing photosynthetic microbial mat communities represent a potentially significant source of labile organic carbon within the McMurdoDryValleys, Antarctica. To distinguish coastal pond derived organic matter (CPDOM) from other sources of organic matter in the dry valleys, I investigated bulk organic carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles of benthic microbial mats located at two sites, HjorthHillCoastand GarwoodValley. The average δ¹³C values at Hjorth Hill Coast and Garwood Valley are -10.91 ‰ and -10.19 ‰, respectively. The average δ¹⁵N values are 3.73 ‰ and -1.25 ‰, respectively. Microbial mats from …

Effect Of Land Use On Total Suspended Solids And Turbidity In The Little River Watershed, Blount County, Tennessee, Heather Melanie Hart

Masters Theses

The Little River (LR) originates in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP), providing drinking water to thousands of residents inBlountCountyas it makes its way to theTennessee River. The upper reaches of the LR watershed have excellent water quality, qualifying it as a hydrologic benchmark river and outstanding national resource. A large outdoor recreation economy has grown dependent on the pristine land and water resources, including whitewater kayaking and rafting, cold and warm water fisheries, hiking, swimming and camping. However, in recent years there has been a documented overall decline in the biological diversity of the LR in the lower …

Coarse Structures And Higson Compactification, Christian Stuart Hoffland

Masters Theses

FOLLOWING John Roe in his Lectures on Coarse Geometry, we begin by describing the large-scale structure of metric spaces by means of coarse maps between them, those being maps which preserve distances at large scales. Using these techniques, we demonstrate that the real numbers and the integers have the same large scale structure--or are coarsely equivalent--but that the real line is coarsely equivalent to neither the Euclidean plane nor the set of positive real numbers. Following a generalization of these concepts for general topological spaces with the introduction of an abstract coarse structure on the space, we show, among …

Sedimentology And Stratigraphy Of The Pennsylvanian Saginaw Aquifer, Central Lower Michigan, U.S.A., Niah B. H. Venable

Masters Theses

The Saginaw Aquifer is an important bedrock aquifer serving the needs of over 400,000 people in the Tri-County area of the Central Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The aquifer is comprised of the Pennsylvanian Grand River and Saginaw Formations. This study focuses on expanding existing knowledge of the general sedimentologic and stratigraphic characteristics of these units using conventional geological methods including core analysis, local log to core correlation, local and regional log to log correlation, and biostratigraphy. Analysis of new core from the study area examines facies and depositional environments given cursory coverage in outcrop studies by past researchers.

Incised valley …

Field Studies Of Hydrophobic Filter Pack Performance In Free Product Monitoring And Recovery, Nathan J. Brandner

Masters Theses

Multiple field experiments were conducted to determine the performance of hydrophobic filter packs, compared to the hydrophilic industry standard filter pack in free product hydrocarbon recovery. Laboratory and field studies have been previously performed in support of enhancing free product hydrocarbon recovery with the use of hydrophobic filter pack designs. This study was an attempt to test the efficacy of using hydrophobic filter pack materials to enhance free product recovery.

Six recovery wells were installed at three field sites, each site utilizing a pair of recovery wells, one hydrophobic and one hydrophilic, to compare their performances. Fine-grained hydrophobic filter pack …

Coordination Environment: A New Approach To The Sensing Of Lead (Ii) Itself, Kristina Marie Nespechal

Masters Theses

Lead(II) is a silent poison that has plagued society since 3800 B. C. The average intake of lead in the United States alone is 50 μg per day, which is approximately 100-1000 times greater than that of prehistoric lead levels. Regardless of the banning of lead in paints and gasoline, lead poisoning prevails as a major environmental health risk. Science has the ability to address the concern with this environmental contaminant. The future production of an economical and reliable test kit for lead(II) relies on the luminescence of the heavy metal itself.

The absorption and emission spectra for a series …

Characterization Of Fracture Systems In Sublette County, Wyoming Using P-Wave And C-Wave 3d Seismic, Keith R. Johnson

Masters Theses

Birefringence of seismic shear waves has proven to be a useful tool for identifying fracture intensity and orientation in the subsurface. Naturally occurring fractures have been shown to contribute to the deliverability of natural gas production in some reservoir formations in Rocky Mountain sedimentary basins. A multicomponent 3D 3C seismic survey acquired on the southeastern end of Pinedale Anticline in Sublette County, Wyoming was mapped to characterize fault systems within the sedimentary section. The tectonic and depositional history in the study area was determined by literature search and by one-dimensional backstripping. Compressional and wrench fault systems were observed and mapped. …

Novel Materials Used In Hydrogen Energy Economy, Hongliang Zhou

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to do some efforts in developing some novel polymer materials which could have the potential use in hydrogen pipelines and PEM fuel cell.

In the project of developing hydrogen pipelines, sulfonated PET, sulfonated PET/Clay and PET/Clay were produced by the method of solvent-mixing. Characterizations with TEM, SAXS were made to determine the exfoliation degree of nanocomposites. TGA was carried out to measure the thermal stability, and hydrogen permeability was also taken in order to measure the H2 gas barrier performance. It was found that the addition of clay into S-PET or PET could decrease …

Contact Metamorphism Of Calc-Silicate Rocks In The Belmont Contact Aureole, Central Nevada, Kelly Plummer

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the contact metamorphism of the Ordovician Zanzibar and Toquima Formations by the Cretaceous Belmont Pluton in central Nevada. I mapped the distributions of tremolite and diopside to determine the location of isograds. These isograds are the result of the reactions: 8 quartz + 5 dolomite + H₂O = 3 calcite + tremolite + 7 CO₂ and tremolite + 2 quartz + 3 calcite = 5 diopside + 3 CO₂ + H₂O. Pressure of metamorphism is estimated at between 4 kbar and 1 kbar, but is not definite because of uncertainty …

Hydrothermal Diamond Anvil Cell Studies: A Possible New Calibration Mineral And Applications To The Hydrous-Carbonate Mineral, Nesquehonite., Cara Kim Mulcahy

Masters Theses

In this study, modifications are made to the experimental setup of the Bassett-type hydrothermal diamond anvil cell facilities at the University of Tennessee. Several modifications to the HDAC setup were found to increase the number of successful experimental runs by reducing fluid loss: ·

Gaskets were no longer polished or only lightly polished using 1µm diamond polishing compound. This prevented the formation of a wedge-shaped gasket. ·

Gasket diameter was reduced to equal the diameter of the diamond anvil surface to prevent “tipping” of the gasket and the possible introduction of foreign material between the gasket and diamond anvils.

Sample …

Origin And Classification Of Middle Wallace Breccias, Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup, Montana And Idaho, Quintin M. Overocker

Masters Theses

A series of enigmatic breccias in the Wallace Formation, Mesoproterozoic Belt Supergroup, have been variously interpreted as originating from: (1) syndepositional downslope slumping; (2) syndepositional evaporite dissolution and collapse; or (3) post- depositional tectonic faulting. Each hypothesis carries its own implications regarding the depositional and diagenetic history of the Belt basin. Examination of several Middle Wallace breccia outcrops suggests that they can be grouped into two distinct categories based on size of breccia bodies, clast size, and relationships with surrounding strata, and matrix composition. Results indicate that rather than a single origin, these two breccia groups originate from distinctly different …

Forage Quality And Performance Of Tall Fescue Hay Amended With Broiler Litter And Commercial Fertilizer, Stacy L. Clark

Masters Theses

Broiler chickens are a leading agricultural commodity in Tennessee. Many broiler operations are located in eastern and middle Tennessee where a common land use is tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) hay and pasture, for cow-calf and dairy operations. Litter from broiler operations is land applied on fescue at rates that often exceed the recommended phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) rates. Surveys of forage quality conducted by the University of Tennessee Extension in 2001 found that many forages across the state had higher than recommended K and sulfur levels and were deficient in copper (Cu) and other nutrients. In spring 2004 …

Investigating The Origin Of Precambrian Molar-Tooth Carbonate, John Curtis Crawford

Masters Theses

Molar-Tooth (MT) is an enigmatic carbonate structure that consists of a complex array of variously shaped voids filled with an unusual microspar cement. Most current research has been focused on the mechanism of formation of molar-tooth voids, and the leading model suggests a subsurface, soft-sediment, gas escape mechanism. However, little is known about the calcite microspar that fills MT voids. Brittle deformation of MT structures during sediment compaction indicates that lithification of MT voids is essentially synsedimentary. Under cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy, MT microspar appears as small (3-12 µm), spheroidal to rhombic, non- luminescent cores surrounded by luminescent, isopachous overgrowths. Crystal …

Structural And Magnetic Investigations Of Cs2Agf4 And Its Doped Derivatives, Michelle Renee Dolgos

Masters Theses

This thesis describes the structural and magnetic properties of solid state silver fluorides such as Cs₂AgF₄ and its doped derivatives. A wide range of techniques such as X-ray and neutron diffraction, susceptibility measurements and inelastic neutron scattering experiments are used to characterize these materials. Silver fluorides are important given their strongly correlated magnetic behavior and the potential to discover a new class of high T_C materials. Few studies have been done on silver (II) fluorides as their characterization has been problematic due to their inherent air and water sensitivity. This study is the first to accurately …

Traffic Grooming, Routing, And Wavelength Assignment In Wdm Transport Networks With Sparse Grooming Resources, Osama Awwad

Masters Theses

While a single fiber strand in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) has over a terabit-per-second bandwidth and a wavelength channel has over a gigabit-persecond transmission speed, the network may still be required to support traffic requests at rates that are lower than the full wavelength capacity. To avoid assigning an entire lightpath to a small request, many researchers have looked at adding traffic grooming to the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem. In this work, we consider the RWA problem with traffic grooming (GRWA) for mesh networks under static and dynamic lightpath connection requests. The GRWA problem is NPComplete since it …

Competitive Effects Of Uranyl-Organic Complexes On U(Vi) Reduction By Shewanella Putrefaciens, Abraham M. Northup

Masters Theses

Haas and DiChristina (2002) have demonstrated that Fe(III) reduction by the facultative Fe(III)-reducing bacterium S. putrefaciens is mediated by competitive speciation among dissolved organic ligands and functional groups on the cell surface. They also showed that rates of Fe(III) reduction by S. putrefaciens correlate with the thermodynamic stability constants of the Fe(III)-organic ligand complexes. S. putrefaciens can also use U(VI) as a terminal electron acceptor, coupling U(VI) reduction to growth. In this study, S. putrefaciens was incubated in experimental media containing U(VI) in the form of aqueous complexes with a variety of organic ligands that differ significantly in structure and …

Spectroscopic Investigation Of Metal-Substitution Of Cytochrome C, Deepthi Kandi

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Model Checking Control Communication Of A Facts Device, David Andrew Cape

Masters Theses

"This thesis concerns the design and verification of a real-time communication protocol for sensor data collection and processing between an embedded computer and a DSP. In such systems, a certain amount of data loss without recovery may be tolerated. The key issue is to design and verify the correctness in the presence of these lost data frames under real-time constraints. This thesis describes a temporal verification that if the end processes do not detect that too many frames are lost, defined by comparison of error counters against given threshold values, then there will be a bounded delay between transmission of …

The Study Of Carbon Acylation Of Highly Delocalized Enolates Using Catalytic Dmap On 3-Phenyl Benzofuranone Derivatives, Xiguang Zhao

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Paleocene To Early Eocene Dinoflagellate Cyst Biostratigraphy In Southeast Nigeria And The Cote D'Ivoire-Ghana Transform Margin (Odp Site 959), Hernan Antolinez-Delgado

Masters Theses

"This study represents a contribution to Early Paleogene biostratigraphy in the tropics where published studies are sparse in comparison with mid and high latitude regions. Data were derived from a comprehensive analysis of dinoflagellate cysts (dinocysts) in 45 samples from the Early Paleocene to Early Eocene interval at two localities in West Africa, namely Alo-1 well in the Anambra Basin, southeastern Nigeria, and Ocean Drilling Program Hole 959D (ODP Leg 159) in the Cote d'Ivoire-Ghana Transform Margin. Dinocyst recovery varied from very good to poor, and the specimens were commonly well preserved. The dinocyst data were calibrated with existing calcareous …

Obtaining High Precision Results From Low Precision Hardware, Adam Donald Graham

Masters Theses

This document describes an attempt at acheiving high precision matrix multiplication results from the Lenslet EnLight256 Optical Signal Processor (OSP), which on its own can only produce results which are hardware limited to 8-bit signed integers. Due to it’s low precision, it’s has only limited applicability to real world problems, and if higher precision results were possible from the machine it could be used for more applications. A C library is developed for this thesis to allow high-precision results from the EnLight256. The library is described and results are given. Finally an implementation of the Jacobi Method on the EnLight256 …

Systems For Predicting Pitzer’S Ion-Interaction Model Parameters, Theresa Balderas Obias

Masters Theses

Pitzer's Ion-interaction Model had been widely used in predicting the non-ideal behavior of solution over a wide range of conditions for natural water systems. The model is successful only when there are sufficient parameters available. However, generating these needed parameters requires a great quantity of work and it would be advantageous to be able to predict the Pitzer's parameters for salt systems when there is no data available.

This research entailed the development of ionic radii dependent equations for Pitzer's binary ion-interaction parameters β_MX⁽⁰⁾, β_MX⁽¹⁾, β_MX⁽²⁾, and C^ϕ_MX . …

Development Of A Web-Based Gis For Groundwater Exploration In Arid Lands, Nakul Manocha

Masters Theses

A three-fold exercise was conducted to assess the groundwater potentiality in the Eastern Desert (ED) of Egypt. First, a database was generated to host all relevant data sets in a GIS environment for a better understanding of the spatial relationships between these data sets. Co-registered digital mosaics were generated from relevant data sets including remote sensing (e.g., Landsat TM, SIR-C, SRTM, TRMM), geochemical (solute concentrations, O and H stable isotope composition), geological (geologic maps), and hydrological (lithology, depth to water table) data sets. Second, a web-based GIS interface (ArcIMS) was developed to provide a vehicle for data analysis, visualization, and …

Cloning, Overexpression, Purification And Characterization On N-Terminal Metal Binding Domains 5 And 6 Of Wilsons Disease Protein, David Achila

Masters Theses

Wilsons disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism which results from mutations in the gene encoding for Wilson disease protein (WDP). The cytosolic N-terminus of WDP comprises six metal binding domains each containing a conserved metal binding motif, GMXCXXC. The contribution of these metal binding domains to copper homeostasis is poorly understood. We have cloned, expressed and purified residues 485 to 633 corresponding to N-terminal metal-binding domains 5 and 6 of WDP (WD5-6). Two of the 3 disease causing mutations in the N-terminal metal binding domains of WDP occur one in each of these domains and the two …

Development Of A Dilatant Damage Zone Along A Thrust Relay In A Low-Porosity Quartz Arenite, Jennie E. Cook

Masters Theses

A damage zone developed along a backthrust fault system in well-cemented quartz arenite of theTuscarora Sandstone in the Alleghanian foreland thrust system consists of a network of NW-dipping thrusts that are linked by multiple higher-order faults and bound a zone of intense extensional fractures and breccias. The damage zone is unusual in that it preserves porous brittle fabrics despite formation at >5km depth. The damage zone developed at an extensional step-over between two independent, laterally propagating backthrusts. Continued displacement resulted in breaching of the relay and formation of faultbounded horses, and favored the formation of extensional fractures. The presence of …