Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Quantifying Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition As A Nonpoint Source Pollution And Its Potential Effects On The Mullica River-Great Bay Ecosystem, Jennifer Haag

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

To characterize atmospheric nitrogen deposition and its potential impact on the Mullica River-Great Bay Estuary, atmospheric sampling was conducted at Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, New Jersey from March 2004 to March 2005. A total of 52 precipitation samples were collected on an event basis using a MIC wet-only automatic precipitation sampler. A total of 23 aerosol samples were also taken during this period of time with a high-volume aerosol sampler. Chemical analysis was performed using a Dionex Ion Chromatograph to determine the concentrations of nitrate and ammonium in precipitation and associated with aerosols. Nitrate concentrations for precipitation …

True Real Time Pose Independent Face Detection Using Color Information And Skin Region Segmentation, Ranjani Balaji

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The process of detecting a face from a video in real time is essential in applications such as human surveillance, human computer-interaction, and for further face recognition research purposes. In this paper, the face detection algorithm is divided into four stages namely, Video Database Acquisition (VDA), Frame Sequence Extraction (FSE), Skin Region Detection (SRD), and K-Mean Face Segmentation (KFS). Initially, the videos in MPEG format are converted to JPEG images depending on the user specified frame rate (FSE phase). During this conversion, the face detection process comprising of SRD and KFS phases runs on each of the images that are …

Determination Of Atrazine And Selected Respective Metabolites Using Strong Cation Exchange Resins, Cierra Cross

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

A new solid phase extraction procedure (SPE) for the removal of atrazine and three respective metabolites including deisopropylatrazine, desethylatrazine, and didealkylatrazine from aqueous samples is presented. Octadecyl bonded silica (C18) is widely used in analytical preconcentration schemes. While C18 presents a facile method of analyte removal, a new approach is needed to achieve greater trapping for polar analytes. In this study strong cationic exchange (SCX) resins consisting of sulfonated polystyrene are investigated for their extraction capabilities of the selected analytes. By exploiting acid-base and pi-pi interactions the analytes are trapped and therefore extracted from aqueous samples. Salt solutions are used …

Exposure Assessment Of Mercury In Fish From Kentucky Surface Waters, Najla Gubari

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Consumption of fish contaminated with mercury is the primary exposure pathway by which humans are exposed to mercury. Mercury is known to be a neurological toxin that can cause attention and language deficits, impaired memory, and impaired visual and motor function, especially in children under the age of six. In addition, mercury exposure can lead to other health problems in adults, such as damage to the kidney and increased risk of coronary heart disease. This study assesses the exposure to mercury through consumption of fish from Kentucky surface waters. The exposure assessment is based on data collected by the Kentucky …

If F(X) =∫X2x F(T) Dt Is Constant, Must F(T) = C/T ?, Tian-Xiao He

Tian-Xiao He

No abstract provided.

Stationary States And Energy Cascades In Inelastic Gases, E. Ben-Naim, J. Machta

Eli Ben-Naim

We find a general class of nontrivial stationary states in inelastic gases where, due to dissipation, energy is transfered from large velocity scales to small velocity scales. These steady-states exist for arbitrary collision rules and arbitrary dimension. Their signature is a stationary velocity distribution f(v) with an algebraic high-energy tail, f(v) ~ v^{-sigma}. The exponent sigma is obtained analytically and it varies continuously with the spatial dimension, the homogeneity index characterizing the collision rate, and the restitution coefficient. We observe these stationary states in numerical simulations in which energy is injected into the system by infrequently boosting particles to high …

Strongly Coupled Large-Angle Stimulated Raman Scattering Of Short Laser Pulse In Plasma-Filled Capillary, Serguei Y. Kalmykov, Patrick Mora

Serge Youri Kalmykov

Strongly coupled large-angle stimulated Raman scattering sLA SRSd of a short intense laser pulse develops in a plane plasma-filled capillary differently than in a plasma with open boundaries. Coupling the laser pulse to a capillary seeds the LA SRS in the forward direction (scattering angle smaller than \pi / 2 ) and can thus produce a high instability level in the vicinity of the entrance plane. In addition, oblique mirror reflections off capillary walls partly suppress the lateral convection of scattered radiation and increase the growth rate of the SRS under arbitrary (not too small) angle. Hence, the saturated convective …

Citizen Based Public Health Surveillance, Monitoring And Post-Event Assessments, Thomas Lyons Carr Iii

Thomas Lyons (Thom) Carr III Appl.Sc., CEM

When a sudden on-set emergency or disaster affects a region or the whole country, communities and neighborhoods should plan for the possibility that emergency and other civic services will be disrupted and unavailable (District of Columbia 2003a, 2003b, 2004; Doyle 2004; Siskiyou County Public Health/NorCalBT.com 2004). The event may be severe enough that the routine public health surveillance and monitoring system will be disrupted or the system will not be able to provide data quickly enough to support state and local decisionmaking. A temporary post-disaster system should be planned for and implemented. The epidemiologist supporting the local decision makers must …

Biomolecule Detection Via Target Mediated Nanoparticle Aggregation And Dielectrophoretic Impedance Measurement, Philip J. Costanzo, Enzhu Liang, Timothy E. Patten, Scott D. Collins, Rosemary L. Smith

Chemistry and Biochemistry

A new biosensing system is described that is based on the aggregation of nanoparticles by a target biological molecule and dielectrophoretic impedance measurement of these aggregates. The aggregation process was verified within a microchannel via fluorescence microscopy, demonstrating that this process can be used in a real time sensor application. Positive dielectrophoresis is employed to capture the nanoparticle aggregates at the edge of thin film electrodes, where their presence is detected either by optical imaging via fluorescence microscopy or by measuring the change in electrical impedance between adjacent electrodes. The electrical detection mechanism demonstrates the potential for this method as …

Measurement Of The Ratio Of Inclusive Cross Sections Σ(Pp̅ → Z + B Jet)/Σ(Pp̅ → Z + Jet) At √S = 1.96 Tev, V. M. Abazov, Gregory R. Snow, D0 Collaboration

Gregory Snow Publications

Using the data collected with the D0 detector at √s = 1.96 TeV, for integrated luminosities of about 180 pb^-1, we have measured the ratio of inclusive cross sections for pp̅ → Z + b jet to pp̅ → Z + jet production. The inclusive Z + b-jet reaction is an important background to searches for the Higgs boson in associated ZH production at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. Our measurement is the first of its kind, and relies on the Z → ℯ⁺ℯ^- and Z → μ⁺μ^- modes. The combined …

First Season Effects Of Managed Flooding On The Invasive Species Phalaris Arundinacea L. And Shoreline Vegetation Communities In An Urban Wetland, Noah John Jenkins

Dissertations and Theses

Recent management efforts in the Smith and Bybee Lakes Wildlife Area (SBL), a 700-ha preserve in north Portland, Oregon, have included using a water control structure to suppress invasive reed canarygrass (Phalaris arundinacea L.) by flooding during spring and early summer growth periods. For the first year of managed flooding, I sought to determine: (a) the extent and distribution of reed canarygrass at SBL; (b) the effectiveness of the change in water level at suppressing reed canarygrass; and ( c) the effects of the change in water level on other plant species.

I established 30 vegetation transects throughout SBL …

Pion Interferometry In Au+Au Collisions At √SNn = 200 Gev, Star Collaboration, T.D. Gutierrez

Physics

We present a systematic analysis of two-pion interferometry in Au+Au collisions at √s_NN=200GeV using the STAR detector at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. We extract the Hanbury-Brown and Twiss radii and study their multiplicity, transverse momentum, and azimuthal angle dependence. The Gaussianness of the correlation function is studied. Estimates of the geometrical and dynamical structure of the freeze-out source are extracted by fits with blast-wave parametrizations. The expansion of the source and its relation with the initial energy density distribution is studied.

Some Nonparametric And Semiparametric Methods For Discriminant Analysis., Anil Kumar Ghosh Dr.

Doctoral Theses

Discriminant analysis (see e.g., Devijver and Kittler, 1982; Duda, Hart and Stork, 2000; Hastle, Tibahirani and Friedman, 2001) deals with the separation of different groups of obaervationa and allocation of a new oboervation to one of the previously delined grouga. In a J-class discriminant analysis problem, we usually hae a training sample of the form {(xk, ck) : k = 1,2,...,N}, where xk = (Ik1,Ik2,...J) is a d-dimensional measarement vector, and ca € {1,2,...,J} is its class label. On the basis of thia training sample, one aims to form a decision rule d(x) : Rd + (1,2,...,J} for clasifying the …

A Comparison Of Parametric And Coarsened Bayesian Interval Estimation In The Presence Of A Known Mean-Variance Relationship, Kent Koprowicz, Scott S. Emerson, Peter Hoff

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

While the use of Bayesian methods of analysis have become increasingly common, classical frequentist hypothesis testing still holds sway in medical research - especially clinical trials. One major difference between a standard frequentist approach and the most common Bayesian approaches is that even when a frequentist hypothesis test is derived from parametric models, the interpretation and operating characteristics of the test may be considered in a distribution-free manner. Bayesian inference, on the other hand, is often conducted in a parametric setting where the interpretation of the results is dependent on the parametric model. Here we consider a Bayesian counterpart to …

Set Differential Equations With Causal Operators, Zahia Drici

Mathematics and System Engineering Faculty Publications

We obtain some basic results on existence, uniqueness, and continuous dependence of solutions with respect to initial values for set differential equations with causal operators.

The Effect Of Inharmonic Partials On Pitch Of Piano Tones, Brian E. Anderson, William J. Strong

Faculty Publications

Piano tones have partials whose frequencies are sharp relative to harmonic values. A listening test was conducted to determine the effect of inharmonicity on pitch for piano tones in the lowest three octaves of a piano. Nine real tones from the lowest three octaves of a piano were analyzed to obtain frequencies, relative amplitudes, and decay rates of their partials. Synthetic inharmonic tones were produced from these results. Synthetic harmonic tones, each with a twelfth of a semitone increase in the fundamental, were also produced. A jury of 21 listeners matched the pitch of each synthetic inharmonic tone to one …

Relative Difference Sets In 2-Groups : A Group Cohomological Viewpoint, Brian Wyman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Proximal Cues Of Pocket Gopher Burrow Plugging Behavior: Influence Of Light, Burrow Openings, And Temperature, Scott J. Werner, Dale L. Nolte, Frederick D. Provenza

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Burrow plugging is readily observed among mammals adapted for digging (i.e., fossorial mammals) as they create and maintain their burrows. We investigated the influence of light, burrow openings, and thermal environment as cues of pocket gopher (Thomomys mazama, Thomomys talpoides) behavior. When given free access to light and no light during artificial-burrow preference trials, both Thomomys spp. consistently plugged (i.e., avoided) light treatments. Burrow openings did not notably affect plugging behavior of T. mazama. Gophers (T. talpoides) plugged the artificial burrows within the light and cold (7 -C) treatments, but not within the no-light, and 18 or 31 -C treatments …

Use Of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy For Stress-Strain Measurements: Quarterly Progress Report (December 01, 2004 – February 28, 2005), Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The purpose of this collaborative research project involving the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), the Idaho State University (ISU), and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is to evaluate the feasibility of determining residual stresses in cold-worked, plastically-deformed (bent), and welded materials using a nondestructive method based on positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS). This technique uses γ-rays from a small MeV electron Linac to generate positrons inside the sample via pair production. This method is known to have capabilities of characterizing defects in thick specimens that could not be accomplished by conventional positron technique or other nondestructive methods. The data …

Effect Of Silicon Content On The Corrosion Resistance And Radiation-Induced Embrittlement Of Materials For Advanced Heavy Liquid Metal Nuclear Systems: Quarterly Progress Report (November 2004 – January 2005), Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

This proposal is intended to study the effect of Si content not only on the corrosion resistance but also on the radiation-induced embrittlement of martensitic stainless steels. The susceptibility of these alloys with different Si content to stress corrosion cracking, general corrosion and localized corrosion will be evaluated in the molten LBE and aqueous environments of different pH values using state-of-the-art testing techniques. Testing in the aqueous media is intended to develop baseline data for comparison purpose. Radiation-induced embrittlement of these alloys will initially be studied by irradiating the test specimens with bremmstrahlung gamma radiation from 20-40 MeV electron beams …

Numerical Study Of Dynamo Action At Low Magnetic Prandtl Numbers, Y. Ponty, P. D. Mininni, D. C. Montgomery, J. Pinton, H. Politano, A. Pouquet

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present a three-pronged numerical approach to the dynamo problem at low magnetic Prandtl numbers PM. The difficulty of resolving a large range of scales is circumvented by combining direct numerical simulations, a Lagrangian-averaged model and large-eddy simulations. The flow is generated by the Taylor-Green forcing; it combines a well defined structure at large scales and turbulent fluctuations at small scales. Our main findings are (i) dynamos are observed from PM=1 down to PM=10−2, (ii) the critical magnetic Reynolds number increases sharply with P−1M as turbulence sets in and then it saturates, and (iii) in the linear growth phase, unstable …

Search For Global Minimum Geometries For Medium Sized Germanium Clusters: Ge12–Ge20, Satya S. Bulusu, S. Yoo, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Xiao Cheng Zeng Publications

We have performed an unbiased search for the global minimum geometries of small-to-medium sized germanium clusters Ge_n (12≤n≤18) as well as a biased search (using seeding method) for Ge_n (17≤n≤20). We employed the basin-hopping algorithm coupled with the plane-wave pseudopotential density functional calculations. For each size, we started the unbiased search with using several structurally very different initial clusters, or we started the biased search with three different seeds. Irrespective of the initial structures of clusters we found that the obtained lowest-energy clusters of the size n=12–16 and 18 are the same. Among …

Static Determination Of Allocation Rates To Support Real-Time Garbage Collection, Tobias Mann

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

While it is generally accepted that garbage-collected languages offer advantages over languages in which objects must be explicitly deallocated, real-time developers are leery of the adverse effects a garbage collector might have on real-time performance. Semiautomatic approaches based on regions have been proposed, but incorrect usage could cause unbounded storage leaks or program failure. Moreover, correct usage cannot be guaranteed at compile-time. Recently, real-time garbage collectors have been developed that provide a guaranteed fraction of the CPU to the application, and the correct operation of those collectors has been proven, subject only to the specification of certain statistics related to …

Search For First-Generation Scalar Leptoquarks In (Pp̅ Collisions At√S = 1.96 Tev, V. M. Abazov, Gregory R. Snow, D0 Collaboration

Gregory Snow Publications

We report on a search for pair production of first-generation scalar leptoquarks (LQ) in pp̅ collisions at √s = 1.96 TeV using an integrated luminosity of 252 pb^-1 collected at the Fermilab Tevatron collider by the D0 detector. We observe no evidence for LQ production in the topologies arising from LQL̅Q̅ → ℯqℯq and LQL̅Q̅ → ℯqνq, and derive 95% C.L. lower limits on the LQ mass as a function of β, where β is the branching fraction for LQ → ℯq. The limits are 241 and 218 GeV/c² for β = 1 and …

Formation Of Molecular Hydrogen On Analogues Of Interstellar Dust Grains: Experiments And Modelling, Gianfranco Vidali, Joe Roser

Physics - All Scholarship

Molecular hydrogen has an important role in the early stages of star formation as well as in the production of many other molecules that have been detected in the interstellar medium. In this review we show that it is now possible to study the formation of molecular hydrogen in simulated astrophysical environments. Since the formation of molecular hydrogen is believed to take place on dust grains, we show that surface science techniques such as thermal desorption and time-of-flight can be used to measure the recombination efficiency, the kinetics of reaction and the dynamics of desorption. The analysis of the experimental …

Quadratic Regression Analysis For Gene Discovery And Pattern Recognition For Non-Cyclic Short Time-Course Microarray Experiments, Hua Liu, Sergey Tarima, Aaron S. Borders, Thomas V. Getchell, Marilyn L. Getchell, Arnold J. Stromberg

Statistics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Cluster analyses are used to analyze microarray time-course data for gene discovery and pattern recognition. However, in general, these methods do not take advantage of the fact that time is a continuous variable, and existing clustering methods often group biologically unrelated genes together.

RESULTS: We propose a quadratic regression method for identification of differentially expressed genes and classification of genes based on their temporal expression profiles for non-cyclic short time-course microarray data. This method treats time as a continuous variable, therefore preserves actual time information. We applied this method to a microarray time-course study of gene expression at short …

Generation Of Office Buildings In Large Scale Virtual Worlds, Michael Mcbryde

Computer Science Honors Theses

Virtual worlds are used in many different areas, from military training simulations to massive multiplayer online role-playing games. In the past, the sizes of these worlds was limited by the power of the computers that ran them as well as the man-hours needed to draw them. However, as computers have become more powerful, the limiting fctor has become the man-hours needed to manually draw every object in such a world. So there is now a need for large scale, traversable, dynamic, algorithmically generated virtual worlds. For these worlds to be realistic, cities need to be generated, and for these cities …

A Benchmark And Analysis Of Spatial Data Structures For Physical Simulations, Domingo Lara

Computer Science Honors Theses

Collision detection is an issue in physical simulations; without it simulations are inaccurate. Unfortunately, effective collision detection can require a significant amount of computational power. To reduce the number of computations and make the problem more tractable, computer scientists have used date structures to partition the system. This removes the need to have every single partical check for possible collisions with every other particle in the system; however, generic data structures typically do not work as well as specialized data structures, so this has led to the creation of multiple spatial data structures. Some spatial data structures and algorithms were …

Algorithmic Generation Of Cities Using Cellular Automata In A Dynamically Generated World, Eric Garza

Computer Science Honors Theses

The procedures and algorithms used to create a realistic city in a virtual world are outlined in this paper. The world is algorithmically created from a single random number. The terrain, water, and population of various races are created in real time as a viewer walks around the world. The world is created in various levels of detail; objects that are close to the viewer are fully generated in high detail, and objects further away from the viewer are not created. The locations of the cities are first based on the pre-existing world then on the set of tolerances of …

The Oxford-Dartmouth Thirty Degree Survey - Ii. Clustering Of Bright Lyman Break Galaxies: Strong Luminosity-Dependent Bias At Z = 4, Paul D. Allen, Leonidas A. Moustakas, Gavin Dalton, Emily Macdonald, Chris Blake, Lee Clewley, Catherine Heymans, Gary Wegner

Dartmouth Scholarship

We present measurements of the clustering properties of bright (L > L*) z~4 Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) selected from the Oxford-Dartmouth Thirty Degree Survey (ODT). We describe techniques used to select and evaluate our candidates and calculate the angular correlation function, which we find best fitted by a power law, ω(θ) =Awθ−β with Aw= 15.4 (with θ in arcsec), using a constrained slope of β= 0.8. Using a redshift distribution consistent with photometric models, we deproject this correlation function and find a comoving Mpc in a Ωm= 0.3 flat λ cosmology for iAB≤ 24.5. This corresponds to a linear bias value …