Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Multicriteria Decision Analysis: A Comprehensive Decision Approach For Management Of Contaminated Sediments, I Linkov, F K. Satterstrom, G Kiker, T P. Seager, T Bridges, K H. Gardener, S H. Rodgers, D A. Belluck, A Meyer

US Army Corps of Engineers

Contaminated sediments and other sites present a difficult challenge for environmental decision makers. They are typically slow to recover or attenuate naturally, may involve multiple regulatory agencies and stakeholder groups, and engender multiple toxicological and ecotoxicological risks. While environmental decision-making strategies over the last several decades have evolved into increasingly more sophisticated, information-intensive, and complex approaches, there remains considerable dissatisfaction among business, industry, and the public with existing management strategies. Consequently, contaminated sediments and materials are the subject of intense technology development, such as beneficial reuse or in situ treatment. However, current decision analysis approaches, such as comparative risk assessment, …

Deep Drilling With The Andrill Program In Antarctica, David M. Harwood, Richard Levy, Jim Cowie, Fabio Florindo, Tim Naish, Ross D. Powell, Alex Pyne

ANDRILL Research and Publications

ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) is a new international, multi-disciplinary drilling program that targets geological records that lie hidden beneath the icy blanket of Antarctica. The primary objective is to investigate Antarctica’s role in global environmental change over the past sixty-five million years, at various scales of age resolution, and thereby enhance our understanding of Antarctica’s potential response to future global changes. Efforts to understand the influence of Antarctica on global climate change require a fundamental knowledge of how the Antarctic cryosphere (ice sheets, ice shelves, and sea ice) has evolved, not only in recent times but also during earlier geological …

Guide To Participation For The Andrill Mcmurdo Ice Shelf Project, Andrill Science Management Office, Mcmurdo-Andrill Science Implementation Committee

ANDRILL Project Information

Purpose of This Document

This document is a guide to participation for science team members involved in the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) Project of the ANDRILL Program. The document provides the following information: 1) An overview of the ANtarctic geologic DRILLing (ANDRILL) Program; 2) An overview of expected individual involvement in and commitment to the MIS Project; and 3) Logistical information most relevant to on-ice participants. Information provided in this document will be supplemented by the publication of the MIS Science and Logistics Implementation Plan (SLIP).The SLIP will be available to all MIS ANDRILL participants prior to commencement of drilling. …

Scientific Logistics Implementation Plan For The Andrill Mcmurdo Ice Shelf Project, Timothy R. Naish, Richard H. Levy, Ross D. Powell, Mis Science And Operations Team Members

ANDRILL Project Information

Summary

Response of Antarctic ice sheets to projected greenhouse warming of up to 5.8°C by the end of the century is unknown. Models on which predictions are based need to be constrained by geological proxy data from the ancient ice sheets during times when Earth is known to have been warmer than today. The marine-based West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and its fringing ice shelves are hypothesized (Clark et al., 2002; Weaver et al., 2003; Stocker, 2003) and documented (Scherer et al., 1998) to have collapsed during past “super-interglacial” warm extremes when global sea-level was more than 5m higher than …

A Comparison Of Presettlement Vegetation And Fire Regimes With Current Patterns In Oak Woodlands And Shrublands Of Sw Oregon, Patricia S. Muir Dr., Paul Hosten Dr.

JFSP Research Project Reports

Fuel reduction efforts on BLM lands in southwestern Oregon are motivated by the need to reduce fire hazard and restore and rehabilitate ecosystems. Successful ecosystem restoration depends, in part, on understanding the target: what ecosystem model is considered natural and healthy for a given area? Oak (Quercus garryana) woodlands and shrublands are two of the most characteristic ecosystems in interior valleys of southwest Oregon, and extensive acreages within these systems are treated annually for fuel reduction. However, these are also two of the least understood ecosystems in the region. We know little about their presettlement attributes, responses to disturbance, or …

The Elastic Constants And Related Properties Of The Energetic Material Cyclotrimethylene Trinitramine (Rdx) Determined By Brillouin Scattering, James J. Haycraft, Lewis L. Stevens, Craig J. Eckhardt

Craig J. Eckhardt Publications

The acoustic phonons of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) have been studied using Brillouin scattering. The analysis of the acoustic-phonon velocities allowed determination of the complete stiffness tensor for this energetic material. The results are compared to other recent experimental and theoretical determinations of the RDX elastic constants, bulk moduli, and shear moduli. The observed ordering of elastic constants, C₁₁>C₂₂>C₃₃, is qualitatively associated with a (001) cleavage plane and molecular packing. This interpretation is further corroborated by the linear compressibilities plotted in three crystallographic planes, and a comparison to recent theoretical and experimental hydrostatic compression studies …

Optimal Management Of Groundwater Over Space And Time, Nicholas Brozovic, David L. Sunding, David Zilberman

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

For nearly half a century, groundwater has been portrayed in the economic literature as a typical common property resource. Numerous studies of groundwater extraction have analyzed the externalities imposed by users on each other. A large body of work offers clear prescriptions in the form of optimal policy instruments, and a similarly large body of work advocates the needlessness of any centralized intervention. Yet existing theoretical models of groundwater extraction implicitly make two strong assumptions about the underlying behavior of the resource. First, the spatial distribution of resource users is assumed to be irrelevant. Second, path-independence of the resource is …

Exact Analytical Solution For The Vector Electromagnetic Field Of Gaussian, Flattened Gaussian, And Annular Gaussian Laser Modes, Scott M. Sepke, Donald Umstadter

Donald Umstadter Publications

The exact vector integral solution for all the electromagnetic field components of a general flattened Gaussian laser mode is derived by using the angular spectrum method. This solution includes the pure and annular Gaussian modes as special cases. The integrals are of the form of Gegenbauer’s finite integral and are computed analytically for each case, yielding fields satisfying the Maxwell equations exactly in the form of quickly converging Fourier–Gegenbauer series.

Piezoresponse Force Microscopy And Recent, Alexei Gruverman, Sergei V. Kalinin

Alexei Gruverman Publications

In this paper, we review recent advances in piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) with respect to nanoscale ferroelectric research, summarize the basic principles of PFM, illustrate what information can be obtained from PFM experiments and delineate the limitations of PFM signal interpretation relevant to quantitative imaging of a broad range of piezoelectrically active materials. Particular attention is given to orientational PFM imaging and data interpretation as well as to electromechanics and kinetics of nanoscale ferroelectric switching in PFM.

An Internet Based Portal For Fire Science And Management In The Southern Region

JFSP Research Project Reports

Task 1 – Organize a technical advisory team and host an initial workshop to explore methods for integrating FRAMES, TTRS, and ESFS websites.

Task 2 – Identify and acquire data, tools, and publications from funded JFSP and NFP projects working with the JFSP and NFP project databases and principal investigators. Also, when possible identify and acquire data and tools used and created by others in the wildland fire community including state agencies, educational institutions, and non-governmental organizations.

Task 3 – Develop and post online FGDC metadata records for all datasets from funded JFSP and NFP projects as well as key …

A Mathematical Study Of Malaria Models Of Ross And Ngwa, William Plemmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Malaria is a vector borne disease that has been plaguing mankind since before recorded history. The disease is carried by three subspecies of mosquitoes Anopheles gambiae, Anopheles arabiensis and Anopheles funestu. These mosquitoes carry one of four type of Plasmodium specifically: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae or P. ovale. The disease is a killer; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 40% of the world's total populations live in areas where malaria is an endemic disease and as global warming occurs, endemic malaria will spread to more areas. The malaria parasite kills a child every 30 seconds. In …

Synchronization In Advanced Optical Communications, Inwoong Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to generate high power ultrashort optical pulses from an all-semiconductor mode-locked laser system. The limitations of semiconductor optical amplifier in high energy, ultrashort pulse amplification are reviewed. A method to overcome the fundamental limit of small stored energy inside semiconductor optical amplifier called "eXtreme Chirped Pulse Amplification (X-CPA)" is proposed and studied theoretically and experimentally. The key benefits of the concept of X-CPA are addressed. Based on theoretical and experimental study, an all-semiconductor mode-locked X-CPA system consisting of a mode-locked master oscillator, an optical pulse pre-stretcher, a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) pulse picker, an …

On Modeling Hiv Infection Of Cd4+ T Cells, Amy Comerford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We examine an early model for the interaction of HIV with CD4+ T cells in vivo and define possible parameters and effects of said parameters on the model. We then examine a newer, more simplified model for the interaction of HIV with CD4+ T cells that also considers four populations: uninfected T cells, latently infected T cells, actively infected T cells, and free virus. The stability of both the disease free steady state and the endemically infected steady state are examined utilizing standard methods and the Routh-Hurwitz criteria. We show that if N, the number of infectious virions produced per …

Integrated Inp Photonic Switches, Daniel May-Arrioja

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Photonic switches are becoming key components in advanced optical networks because of the large variety of applications that they can perform. One of the key advantages of photonic switches is that they redirect or convert light without having to make any optical to electronic conversions and vice versa, thus allowing networking functions to be lowered into the optical layer. InP-based switches are particularly attractive because of their small size, low electrical power consumption, and compatibility with integration of laser sources, photo-detectors, and electronic components. In this dissertation the development of integrated InP photonic switches using an area-selective zinc diffusion process …

Development Of Theoretical And Computational Methods For Few-Body Processes In Ultracold Quantum Gases, Juan Blandon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

We are developing theoretical and computational methods to study two related three-body processes in ultracold quantum gases: three-body resonances and three-body recombination. Three-body recombination causes the ultracold gas to heat up and atoms to leave the trap where they are confined. Therefore, it is an undesirable effect in the process of forming ultracold quantum gases. Metastable three-body states (resonances) are formed in the ultracold gas. When decaying they also give additional kinetic energy to the gas, that leads to the heating too. In addition, a reliable method to obtain three-body resonances would be useful in a number of problems in …

Raman Spectroscopy Of Glasseswith High And Broad Raman Gain In The Boson Peak Region, Yu Guo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigates Raman spectra of novel glasses and their correlation with structure for Raman gain applications. Raman gain for all-optical amplification by fibers depends significantly on the cross section for spontaneous Raman scattering allowing to compare signal strength and spectral coverage. We also investigate the relationship between glass structure and the Boson peak (enhancement of the low-frequency vibrational density of states) and report new inelastic neutron scattering spectra for niobium-phosphate glasses. Polarization resolved Raman spectra of glasses based on tellurite and phosphate formers have been measured from 6 – 1500 cm-1 using an excitation wavelength of 514 nm. The …

Modeling Inter-Plant Interactions, Jessica Larson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this paper is to examine the interactions between two plant species endemic to Florida and develop a model for the growth of one of the plant species. An equation for the growth of Hypericum cumulicola is developed through analyzing how the distance to and the height of the nearest Ceratiola ericoides (Florida rosemary) affects the growth of Hypericum cumulicola. The hypericums were separated into five separate regions according to the distance to the nearest rosemary plant. The parameters for a basic growth equation were obtained in each of the five regions and compared to each other along …

Performance Efficacy Using A Comparison Of Commerical And In-House Y-Str Multiplex Systems For Operational Use, Kathleen Mayntz-Press

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is routine for the forensic scientist to obtain a genetic profile of an individual from DNA recovered from a biological stain deposited at a crime scene. In contrast, only a limited number of laboratories in the United States have the capability of performing Y-STR analysis in casework. In order to aid in facilitating the transfer of Y-STR technology to the crime laboratory community for operational use, a comparison between commercial products from three main vendors (Applied Biosystems AmpFLSTR Yfiler PCR Amplification Kit, Promega PowerPlex - Y System, Reliagene Y-PLEX 12) and two in-house Y-STR multiplexes (MPI and MPB) commenced. …

Ultrashort, High Power, And Ultralow Noise Mode-Locked Optical Pulse Generation Using Quantum-Dot Semiconductor Lasers, Myoung-Taek Choi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores various aspects and potential of optical pulse generation based on active, passive, and hybrid mode-locked quantum dot semiconductor lasers with target applications such as optical interconnect and high speed signal processing. Design guidelines are developed for the single mode operation with suppressed reflection from waveguide discontinuities. The device fabrication procedure is explained, followed by characteristics of FP laser, SOA, and monolithic two-section devices. Short pulse generation from an external cavity mode-locked QD two-section diode laser is studied. High quality, sub-picosecond (960 fs), high peak power (1.2 W) pulse trains are obtained. The sign and magnitude of pulse …

Decoherence In Quantum Dot Charge Qubits: The Role Of Electromagnetic Fluctuations, James Mccracken

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Lateral semiconductor quantum dot structures have been proposed as an effective quantum bit (qubit) for quantum computation. A single excess electron with the freedom to move between two capacitively coupled quantum dots creates a `pseudo'-spin system with the same qubit behavior as the more natural two level system of a single electron spin. The excess electron in the double dot system is restricted to one of the two dots, thereby creating two separate and distinct states (usually referred to as |L> and |R>). The benefit of these charge qubits lie in the relative ease with which they can be …

New Developments On High-Resolution Luminescence Spectroscopy And Their Application To The Direct Analysis Of Organic Pollutants, Shenjiang Yu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs), which comprise a complex class of condensed multi-ring benzenoid compounds, are important environmental pollutants originating from a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. PACs are generally formed during incomplete combustion of pyrolisis of organic matter containing carbon and hydrogen. Because combustion of organic materials is involved in countless natural processes or human activities, PACs are omnipresent and abundant pollutants in air, soil, and water. Chemical analysis of PACs is of great environmental and toxicological importance. Many of them are highly suspect as etiological agents in human cancer. Because PACs carcinogenic properties strongly depend on molecular …

Modeling Autonomous Agents In Military Simulations, Varol Kaptan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation is an important tool for prediction and assessment of the behavior of complex systems and situations. The importance of simulation has increased tremendously during the last few decades, mainly because the rapid pace of development in the field of electronics has turned the computer from a costly and obscure piece of equipment to a cheap ubiquitous tool which is now an integral part of our daily lives. While such technological improvements make it easier to analyze well-understood deterministic systems, increase in speed and storage capacity alone are not enough when simulating situations where human beings and their behavior are …

Experimental Analysis And Evaluation Of Tidy Tree Drawing Algorithms, Pankaj Mahajan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Tree Drawings have been used extensively in software engineering and many other business and computer applications. The basic structure of a tree allows for the organization and representation of complex information. Many commercial tools allow their users to draw or construct trees to represent a problem and/or its solution. Our focus is on dynamic trees - trees subject to frequent changes and redisplay in highly user-friendly interactive computer applications. Tree presentations in such interactive tools have to be precise and maintainable, which means, the tree presentations should maintain a particular structure so that user's mental perception of the tree is …

Subspaces Of Ωω That Are Paracompact In Some Forcing Extension, Akira Iwasa

Faculty Publications

We discuss when a subspace of ω_ω is paracompact in some forcing extension.

Americans And Climate Change: Closing The Gap Between Science And Action, Daniel R. Abbasi

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

A Synthesis of Insights and Recommendations from the 2005 Yale F&ES Conference on Climate Change

Environmental Planning In Sub-Saharan Africa: Environmental Impact Assessment At The Crossroads, John O. Kakonge

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

This paper argues that sub-Saharan African countries are at a crossroads in terms of fully adapting and benefiting from the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. It identifies a variety of issues that have hindered full utilization of the EIA process. These include limited public participation; lack of national expertise and experience in EIA; unreliable and inadequate data; limited impact coverage; defective environmental legislation; and weak enforcement. The paper concludes by highlighting various measures required to address these constraints and to reinforce the EIA process more generally. Key measures include expanding “ownership” of EIA; ensuring compliance with international agreements; improving funding …

Agroecology And The Struggle For Food Sovereignty In The Americas, Avery Cohn, Jonathan Cook, Margarita Fernández, Rebecca Reider, Corrina Steward

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

A collaborative project of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the IUCN Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy (CEESP) and the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (Yale F&ES)

Livability And Smart Growth, Hooper Brooks, Julia Parzen

Yale School of the Environment Publications Series

Lessons from a Surdna Foundation Initiative

Notes For Mat 7500 – Winter '93, Revised Winter '06, David Handel

Mathematics Faculty Research Publications

These notes developed from a one semester course at Wayne State University, taught several times in the last three decades of the 1900s. The subject matter is analysis on manifolds, consisting of the theory of smooth manifolds, differential forms, integration of forms, the generalized Stokes' Theorem, de Rham cohomology, and some related topics. The course is intended for first or second year graduate students in Mathematics with a background in Advanced Calculus, General Topology, linear algebra (including quotient spaces), and a little elementary group theory (including some familiarity with the symmetric groups). Given the above background, the notes are self-contained. …

K-Spmm: A Database Of Murine Spermatogenic Promoters Modules & Motifs, Yi Lu, Adrian E. Platts, G Charles Ostermeier, Stephen A. Krawetz

Wayne State University Associated BioMed Central Scholarship

Abstract

Background

Understanding the regulatory processes that coordinate the cascade of gene expression leading to male gamete development has proven challenging. Research has been hindered in part by an incomplete picture of the regulatory elements that are both characteristic of and distinctive to the broad population of spermatogenically expressed genes.

Description

K-SPMM, a database of murine Spermatogenic Promoters Modules and Motifs, has been developed as a web-based resource for the comparative analysis of promoter regions and their constituent elements in developing male germ cells. The system contains data on 7,551 genes and 11,715 putative promoter regions …