Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

An Economic Evaluation Of Binary Cycle Geothermal Electricity Production, Crissie D. Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. is heavily dependent on fossil fuels to produce electricity. Geothermal energy, the heat in the earth's crust, can provide an alternative source of energy for electricity production as well as reduce fossil fuel consumption. The economic analysis presented in this study focuses on binary cycle geothermal electricity production. Variables such as well flow rate, geothermal gradient and electricity prices were varied to study their influence on the economic payback period for binary cycle geothermal electricity production. Payback periods represent the amount of time (in years) necessary to recover initial costs of plant construction.

Enrichments Of 34s In Sulfide Minerals Of Deep-Water Marine Sediments Of The Blake Ridge, Offshore Southeastern United States, Kathryn G. Takacs, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Past research shows that active sulfide mineralization occurs at the base of the sulfate reduction zone (SRZ) in modern, deep-water, continental-margin sediments that overlie methane gas hydrate. These sulfide minerals (elemental sulfur, Sº; iron monosulfides, ~FeS; and pyrite, FeS₂) are enriched in ³⁴S because of sulfate reduction and anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) processes occurring above and near the sulfate-methane interface (SMI).

The data in this study show that 5 discrete zones of sulfide minerals are preserved in a 703.8-meter sediment column associated with methane gas hydrate. These zones of sulfide minerals are also enriched in ³⁴S. …

The Application Of A Diatom-Based Transfer Function To Evaluate Regional Water-Quality Trends In Minnesota Since 1970, J. M. Ramstack, Sherilyn C. Fritz, D. R. Engstrom, S. A. Heiskary

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

Significant population growth over the last three decades, as well as efforts to improve surface-water quality mandated by the Clean Water Act, potentially have had opposing influences on aquatic ecosystems in the U.S. Because historical data on water-quality trends are limited over this time period, we developed a diatom-based transfer function to reconstruct chloride, color, acid neutralizing capacity (ANC), total phosphorus (TP), and pH in 55 Minnesota lakes. The lakes span three different ecoregions, as well as the Twin Cities metropolitan area, and differ in their history of settlement and land use, and in surficial geology, climate, and vegetation. Lakes …

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv January Through March, 2003, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

Immobilization Of Fission Iodine By Reaction With A Fullerene Containing Carbon Compound And Insoluble Natural Organic Matrix: Quarterly Report January-March 2003, Spencer M. Steinberg

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The recovery of iodine released during the processing of used nuclear fuel poses a significant challenge to the transmutation of radioactive iodine. This proposal will develop and examine the use of Fullerene Containing Carbon (FCC) compounds as potential sorbents for iodine release from the reprocessing of nuclear fuel. This work will also include the development of bench-scale testing capabilities at UNLV to allow the testing of the FCC material in a simulated process off-gas environment. This experimental capability will also be used to test other potential sorption materials and processes, such as natural organic matter (NOM) and other promising alternatives. …

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 19, Number 5, March 2003, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

An eight page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

A Brief History Of The Object-Oriented Approach, Luiz Fernando Capretz

Electrical and Computer Engineering Publications

Unlike other fads, the object-oriented paradigm is here to stay. The road towards an object-oriented approach is described and several object-oriented programming languages are reviewed. Since the object-oriented paradigm promised to revolutionize software development, in the 1990s, demand for object-oriented software systems increased dramatically; consequently, several methodologies have been proposed to support software development based on thatparadigm. Also presented are a survey and a classification schemefor object-oriented methodologies.

Magnetic And Mössbauer Spectral Study Of Erfe₁₁Ti And Erfe₁₁Tih, Cristina Piquer, Raphäel P. Hermann, Fernande Grandjean, Gary J. Long, Olivier Isnard

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

The influence of the insertion of hydrogen into the crystal lattice of ErFe₁₁Ti upon its spin reorientation was investigated. It was found that the insertion of hydrogen into ErFe₁₁Ti to form ErFe₁₁TiH expanded the lattice by 1% and increased the Curie temperature by 56 K. The presence of one titanium near neighbor in the environment of an iron site decreased the hyperfine field by ~2T and changed the isomer shift by ~0.05 mm/s.

Comparison Of The Refractive Index Structure Constant Derived From Numerical Weather Prediction (Nwp) Models And Thermosonde Data, De Leon C. Narcisse

Theses and Dissertations

An accurate depiction of atmospheric turbulence is required for successful employment of a viable airborne laser for the Department of Defense (DOD). The ABL Special Program Office (SEC) which is tasked by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) bas not designated any particular numerical weather model that is tasked exclusively to model optical turbulence This research compares CLEAR1, 2 X CLEAR I and thermosonde derived values of the refractive index structure constant to optical turbulence values derived from several numerical weather prediction models currently in use by the DOD. The models used were the fifth Generation Mesoscale Model (MM5), the Coupled …

Deterministic Intracellular Modeling, Jacqueline B. Young

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Air Force is interested in the potential side effects at the cellular level from exposure to mission-essential chemicals. Presently, Air Force toxicology studies are conducted to help shed light in identifying potential hazards to workers. However, it takes a considerable amount of money, resources, and time to obtain and analyze experimental results from toxicology studies. The necessity for innovative methods that enable researchers to more effectively generate and analyze data is apparent.

Distributed Control Of A Swarm Of Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, James T. Lotspeich

Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV)s military operations, there is a growing need to develop new methods of control and navigation for these vehicles. This investigation proposes the use of an adaptive swarming algorithm that utilizes local state information to influence the overall behavior of each individual agent in the swarm based upon the agent's current position in the battlespace. In order to investigate the ability of this algorithm to control UAVs in a cooperative manner, a swarm architecture is developed that allows for on-line modification of basic rules. Adaptation is achieved by using a set of …

Redundant Discrete Wavelet Transform Based Super-Resolution Using Sub-Pixel Image Registration, Daniel L. Ward

Theses and Dissertations

The limited resolution of video imagery taken by aircraft, over geographical areas of interest, hinders the accurate extraction of useful information. The frame resolution of the video is determined by the camera that created it. Information exists about the camera which can be used to increase frame resolution beyond the resolution capability of the camera. This is achieved by a process called super-resolution, which uses multiple low-resolution video frames to create one high-resolution image.

Building Blocks For Time-Resolved Laser Emission In Mid-Infrared Quantum Well Lasers, Gabriel D. Mounce

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to improve the performance of mid-infrared semiconductor quantum-well lasers. Lasers operating in the mid-infrared are useful for many Air Force applications which include infrared (IR) countermeasures in particular. Countermeasure applications require lasers that are compact, and able to emit at high powers while operating at room temperature. Limits to power increases are seen in the transverse modal development of laser oscillation. These modes typically form in the waveguiding active region contributing to the laser output. However, competing modes outside of this region also develop when the confining structural layers have the right characteristics. These …

Fusing Information In A 3d Chart-Of-The-Future Display, Roland J. Arsenault, Matthew D. Plumlee, Shep M. Smith Lt, Colin Ware, Rick Brennan, Larry A. Mayer

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

Electronic Chart Of The Future: The Hampton Roads Project, Rick Brennan, Colin Ware, Lee Alexander, Andy Armstrong, Larry A. Mayer, Lloyd C. Huff, Brian R. Calder, Shep M. Smith Lt, Matthew D. Plumlee, Roland J. Arsenault, Gerd Glang

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

ECDIS is evolving from a two-dimensional static display of chart-related data to a decision support system capable of providing real-time or forecast information. While there may not be consensus on how this will occur, it is clear that to do this, ENC data and the shipboard display environment must incorporate both depth and time in an intuitively understandable way. Currently, we have the ability to conduct high-density hydrographic surveys capable of producing ENCs with decimeter contour intervals or depth areas. Yet, our existing systems and specifications do not provide for a full utilization of this capability. Ideally, a mariner should …

Providing The Third Dimension: High-Resolution Multibeam Sonar As A Tool For Archaeological Investigations - An Example From The D-Day Beaches Of Normandy, Larry A. Mayer, Brian R. Calder, J S. Schmidt, C Malzone

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

In general, marine archaeological investigations begin in the archives, using historic maps, coast surveys, and other materials, to define submerged areas suspected to contain potentially significant historical sites. Following this research phase, a typical archaeological survey uses sidescan sonar and marine magnetometers as initial search tools. Targets are then examined through direct observation by divers, video, or photographs. Magnetometers can demonstrate the presence, absence, and relative susceptibility of ferrous objects but provide little indication of the nature of the target. Sidescan sonar can present a clear image of the overall nature of a target and its surrounding environment, but the …

Measurements Of Inelastic J/Ψ And Ψ′ Photoproduction At Hera, S. Chekanov, D. Krakauer, S. Magill, B. Musgrave, J. Repond, R. Yoshida, Margarita C. K. Mattingly, P. Antonioli, G. Bari, M. Basile, L. Bellagamba, D. Boscherini, A. Bruni, G. Bruni, G. Cara Romeo, L. Cifarelli, F. Cindolo, A. Contin, M. Corradi, S. De Pasquale, P. Giusti, G. Iacobucci, A. Margotti, R. Nania, F. Palmonari, A. Pesci, G. Sartorelli, A. Zichichi, G. Aghuzumtsyan, D. Bartsch, I. Brock

Faculty Publications

The cross sections for inelastic photoproduction of J/ψ and ψ′ mesons have been measured in ep collisions with the ZEUS detector at HERA, using an integrated luminosity of 38.0 pb-1. The events were required to have 0.1 < z < 0.9 and 50 < W < 180 GeV, where z is the fraction of the incident photon energy carried by the J/ψ in the proton rest frame and W is the photon-proton centre-of-mass energy. The ψ′ to J/ψ cross-section ratio was measured in the range 0.55 < z < 0.9. The J/ψ data, for various ranges of transverse momentum, are compared to theoretical models incorporating colour-singlet and colour-octet matrix elements. Predictions of a next-to-leading-order colour-singlet model give a good description of the data, although there is a large normalisation uncertainty. The J/ψ helicity distribution for z > 0.4 is compared to leading-order QCD predictions.

The Duration-Amplitude Distribution Of Volcanic Tremor, John P. Benoit, Stephen R. Mcnutt, Vilma Barboza

School of Geosciences Faculty and Staff Publications

The duration-amplitude distribution of volcanic tremor was examined in eight volcanoes and one geothermal area. An exponential model, implying a scale-bound source process, is found to be a better fit to the data than a power law (scale invariant) model. The exponential model well describes tremor associated with magmatic and phreatic eruptions, shallow and deep source regions, and geothermal sources. We tested the exponential model described by: , where d is the duration of tremor greater than or equal to a particular amplitude D_R, d_t is the total duration of tremor, and the inverse of λ is …

A Visual Language For Composable Simulation Scenarios, Carolyn R. Bartley

Theses and Dissertations

Modeling and Simulation plays an important role in how the Air Force trains and fights, Scenarios are used in simulation to give users the ability to specify entities and behaviors that should be simulated by a model: however, building and understanding scenarios can be a difficult and time-consuming process, furthermore, as composable simulations become more prominent, the need for a common descriptor for simulation scenarios has become evident. In order to reduce the complexity of creating and understanding simulation scenarios, a visual language was created, The research on visual languages presented in this thesis examines methods of visually specifying the …

Modeling Catalytic Destruction Of Subsurface Contaminants In Recirculating Wells, Kerry J. Cadena

Theses and Dissertations

Groundwater and soil contamination is a significant problem throughout the nation, with approximately 300,000 to 400,000 sites affected (National Research Council, 1994). Examples of groundwater contaminants of special interest to DoD and AF installations include fuel hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and nitroaromatic compounds. Traditional remediation technologies, which include pump-and-treat, permeable reactive barriers, and natural attenuation, have numerous drawbacks associated with them. These drawbacks have prompted researchers to look for innovative contamination clean-up methods. The technology investigated in this thesis, reticulating horizontal flow treatment wells (HFTWs) with in-well palladium (Pd) catalyst reactors, offers the potential for destruction of groundwater contaminants commonly found …

A Life Cycle Assessment And Economic Analysis Of Wind Turbines Using Monte Carlo Simulation, Edward J. Liberman

Theses and Dissertations

The United States depends heavily on nonrenewable fossil fuels to generate electricity. Using renewable energy sources, such as wind, could reduce air emissions and fossil fuel dependency. Previous studies have examined the life cycle costs and environmental impacts of using wind to generate electricity, but results have varied due to inconsistent modeling assumptions. This research uses Monte Carlo simulation to conduct an economic payback analysis and life cycle assessment of 11 modern, utility-scale wind turbines. Hourly meteorological data was used to evaluate 239 U.S. locations. For each location, the wind turbine with the shortest median payback period was assumed to …

Development Of A Simplified Sustainable Facilities Guide, David F. Hargy

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force has adopted the United States Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System as the preferred self-assessment metric for sustainable development. LEED™ is designed for new construction and major renovations, and, within the Air Force, is most applicable for Military Construction (MILCON) projects. The Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence developed the Air Force Sustainable Facilities Guide to provide guidance and strategies to meet LEED™ requirements. The Air Force has not adopted a sustainable development guide or rating system that is most applicable for construction projects that are relatively low (compared …

Gaussian Mixture Reduction Of Tracking Multiple Maneuvering Targets In Clutter, Jason L. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

The problem of tracking multiple maneuvering targets in clutter naturally leads to a Gaussian mixture representation of the Provability Density Function (PDF) of the target state vector. State-of-the-art Multiple Hypothesis Tracking (MHT) techniques maintain the mean, covariance and probability weight corresponding to each hypothesis, yet they rely on ad hoc merging and pruning rules to control the growth of hypotheses.

Antecedents And Outcomes Of End User Computing Competence, David A. Case

Theses and Dissertations

The tremendous proliferation of end user computing (EUC) in the workplace over the past few decades is cause for concern in public and private organizations. Computer use has moved from individuals working with "dumb" terminals in centralized networks to individuals operating personal computers, just as powerful as yesterday's mainframe. The end user has had to evolve and will continue evolving as well; from someone with low level technical skills to someone with a high level of technical knowledge and information managerial skills. Because EUC continues growing more sophisticated, end users must not only maintain a level of competence, but prepare …

The Generalizability Of Private Sector Research On Software Project Management In Two Usaf Organizations: An Exploratory Study, Michael R. Garman

Theses and Dissertations

Project managers typically set three success criteria for their projects: meet specifications, be on time, and be on budget. However, software projects frequently fail to meet these criteria. Software engineers, acquisition officers, and project managers have all studied this issue and made recommendations for achieving success. But most of this research in peer reviewed journals has focused on the private sector. Researchers have also identified software acquisitions as one of the major differences between the private sector and public sector MIS. This indicates that the elements for a successful software project in the public sector may be different from the …

Stochastic Intra-Cellular Modeling, Thomas E. Hopkins

Theses and Dissertations

Air Force personnel may sometimes come into contact with potentially harmful chemicals while performing their duties. Of course the Air Force desires to keep any potential health risks to its members to a minimum. To this end the Air Force would like to identify which chemicals are toxic, their level of toxicity, and the processes by which these chemicals disrupt normal biological activities at the cellular level. The development of mathematical models can be of great benefit to toxicity studies. Because real world systems involve randomness, that is noise, and the desire is to create mathematical models to represent those …

Phasing A Dual Optical Path System Using An Optical Fiber As A Phase Conjugate Mirror, Shawn M. Willis

Theses and Dissertations

Phase conjugation properties of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a short multimode fiber have been investigated with an eye towards its application for a multi-channel double pass master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) system. In particular, properties of the SBS beam to compensate for the axial and transverse phase distortion between individual channels in a multi-channel amplifier system were studied. Two optical paths were created by covering half of the laser beam with a microscope slide, and also by spatially splitting the wavefronts with a 4 prism set-up. The Stokes beams that traversed the same optical paths as the pump beams …

Context-Sensitive Resource Discovery, Guanling Chen, David Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

This paper presents the “Solar” system framework that allows resources to advertise context-sensitive names and for applications to make context-sensitive name queries. The heart of our framework is a small specification language that allows composition of “context-processing operators” to calculate the desired context. Resources use the framework to register and applications use the framework to lookup context-sensitive name descriptions. The back-end system executes these operators and constantly updates the context values, adjusting advertised names and informing applications about changes. We report experimental results from a prototype, using a modified version of the Intentional Naming System (INS) as the core directory …

Performance Evaluation And Analysis Of Effective Range And Data Throughput For Unmodified Bluetooth Communication Devices, Timothy F. Kneeland

Theses and Dissertations

The DoD and the Air Force continually seek to incorporate new technology in an effort to improve communication, work effectiveness, and efficiency. Office devices utilizing Bluetooth technology simplify device configuration and communication. They provide a means to communicate wirelessly over short distances thereby eliminating the need for different vendor specific cables and interfaces. One of the key concerns involved in incorporating new communication technology is security; the fundamental security concern of wireless communication is interception. Studies focusing on IEEE 802.11b have shown vulnerability zones around many DoD installations that reflect the ranges at which wireless communications using the 802.11b standard …

Effect Of Multi-Mode Vibration On Signature Estimation Using A Laser Vibration Sensor, Ngoya Pepela

Theses and Dissertations

A laser vibration sensor (LVS) can be used to determine the vibrational spectrum of targets such as vehicles using heterodyne laser Doppler velocimetry. The vibrational spectra of exterior skin of vehicles are known to have characteristic resonances due to the physical structure driven by motor gears and other moving parts. Each particular class of vehicle has a unique vibrational spectrum. This research shows how a body vibrating in higher order modes has the opportunity to eliminate spectral content of the target's vibrational spectrum while using an LVS to perform spectrum estimation. This is due to roughly equal amounts of laser …