Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Potential Plan Of Action For Emerald Ash Borer In Nebraska, Lee Wheeler

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis) (EAB) is an invasive insect pest. It feeds on the cambium tissues of ash tree species. It was first discovered in the United States in 2002 in Detroit, Michigan. Their effects on ash trees are deadly, and it is quickly spreading across the Midwest. Nebraska has not yet been invaded, but confirmed findings continue getting closer and closer. The major problem facing Nebraskans, with regards to EAB, is how to begin preparations to prevent a dramatic economic loss when an infestation does occur. So, to address this problem, I have conducted street and park …

Yellowstone Super-Volcano: Evalutaion, Potential Threats, And Possible Effects On Nebraska Citizens Health And Prosperity, Jennie Korgie

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Yellowstone National Park is located over a hot spot under the North American tectonic plate and holds a potentially explosive super-volcano that has the ability to cause deadly consequences on the North American continent. After an eruption the surrounding region would see the greatest devastation, covered by pyroclastic deposits and thick ash fall exterminating most all life and destroying all structures in its path. In landscapes of greater distance from the event the consequences will be less dramatic yet still substantial. Records of previous eruption data from the Yellowstone super-volcano show that the ash fall out from the eruption …

Relatin Dissolved Oxygen Concentration To Fish Distribution In Jarecki Lake, Adam Sutton

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Water temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) profiles were measured once every month from mid July to mid February in a relatively deep sand-pit lake in southeast Nebraska. These profiles showed depleted DO concentrations below the thermocline during summer stratification indicating areas fish will likely avoid in summer months. Colder temperatures in fall caused complete mixing of the water column allowing fish to inhabit all depths of the lake. An inverse temperature stratification occurred directly below the ice during winter months as ice cover cooled the surface water to below 4 degrees Celsius. Ice cover also blocked air – water …

A Proposed Plan For Managing Eastern Nebraska's Saline Wetlands, Vandhana Rabadinanth

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract Eastern Nebraska’s saline wetlands play a major role in Nebraska’s environmental place in the world. Besides the role of scientific changes being important, education also is essential in the conservation of these wetlands. Through the observation of Salt Creek tiger beetle (Cicindela nevadica lincolniana) and soil electroconductivity, I propose that we need to reform Nebraska’s education system to help schools play a bigger part in environmental issues such as this one. There is a drastic trend in the correlations between Salt Creek tiger beetle populations and wetland degradation. Since many Lincoln residents have a limited knowledge of what is …

Distribution Of Dioecious Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus Virginiana) Along An Environmental Gradient In Ogallala, Ne., Taylor Sloey

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study the sex distribution and energy allocation of dioecious Eastern Red Cedars (Juniperus virginiana) along an environmental resource gradient. The trees surveyed were growing in a canyon located at the University of Nebraska’s Cedar Point Biological Research Station in Ogallala, Nebraska. Due to the geography of this canyon, environmental factors necessary for plant growth should vary depending on the tree’s location within the canyon. These factors include water availability, sun exposure, ground slope, and soil nitrogen content, all of which are necessary for carbon acquisition.

Juniperus virginiana is a dioecious conifer. Dioecious …

Book Review Of James Lovelock: In Search Of Gaia, By John Gribbin And Mary Gribbin, Robert F. Diffendal Jr.

Great Plains Research: A Journal of Natural and Social Sciences

My book review editor asked me what might be relevant to the Great Plains in a biography of James Lovelock, a book I’d suggested as worth reviewing in Great Plains Research. I assured him that much in it either is or should be relevant to the Great Plains and to science researchers working on studies of aspects of the Great Plains.

James Ephraim Lovelock, born on July 26, 1919, of fairly humble origins, did not do well in school, partly because he was dyslexic. In spite of this and other health problems over the years, he went on to …

Integrated Remote Sensing, Structural And Petroleum Systems Modeling Of The Iraqi‐Kurdish Fold Belt, Caroline M. Burberry, Matthias D. Greb, Matthew Laughland, Beth Dudley-Murphy, Gregory Nash, Ministry Of Natural Resources, Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Faculty Publications

An integrated two‐dimensional remote sensing, structural and petroleum systems modeling study was carried out for the Iraqi‐Kurdish Fold Belt to analyze potential trap structures as well as the driving mechanisms of petroleum generation, migration and accumulation in the structural complex thrust belt area.

Processing of Landsat‐7 ETM data has been used to create false color images, highlighting lithological differences, from which geological maps can be generated. Analysis of lineaments in these images is used to generate fault and fracture maps, producing a suite of geological surface maps. In addition, analysis of drainage patterns and erosional features is used to understand …

Seismicity Associated With Geothermal Systems, Randi Walters

McNair Scholars Research Journal

Studying natural and induced seismicity associated with geothermal systems can provide information regarding the location and magnitude of hydraulic fracturing. Understanding the fracture system can aid geothermal exploration. In addition, seismicity can affect the output of a geothermal reservoir, and potentially be a seismic hazard to the surrounding area. This study focuses on two geothermal systems: the Raft River Geothermal System (RRGS) in southern Idaho and the Mt. Princeton Geothermal System (MPGS) in central Colorado. The seismic data analyzed for the RRGS is from the broadband sensors that are part of the EarthScope Project’s Transportable Array (TA), while the seismic …

A Discrete Nonlinear Model Of Resonant Scattering, Katherine Hollister Smith

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Predicting Global Change Effects On Forest Biomass And Composition In South-Central Siberia, Eric J. Gustafson, Anatoly Z. Shvidenko, Brian R. Sturtevant, Robert M. Scheller

Environmental Science and Management Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multiple global changes such as timber harvesting in areas not previously disturbed by cutting and climate change will undoubtedly affect the composition and spatial distribution of boreal forests, which will, in turn, affect the ability of these forests to retain carbon and maintain biodiversity. To predict future states of the boreal forest reliably, it is necessary to understand the complex interactions among forest regenerative processes (succession), natural disturbances (e.g., fire, wind, and insects), and anthropogenic disturbances (e.g., timber harvest). We used a landscape succession and disturbance model (LANDIS-II) to study the relative effects of climate change, timber harvesting, and insect …

Shark Bay Prawn And Scallop Fisheries. Final Review Report, Department Of Fisheries Western Australia

Fisheries management papers

In recent times, the Department of Fisheries has received representations from both sectors about the ongoing interaction of the fisheries and their respective management settings. As a result, a decision was made to comprehensively review the fisheries, taking into account matters of fishery sustainability and gear interactions, together with industry economics and market considerations.

The review has also addressed research requirements to ensure an appropriate scientific basis for decision-making into the future.

Differential Damages Sustained From Hurricane Ike On Varying Growth Forms Of Coral At Distinct Locations Off The Coast Of South Caicos, Turks And Caicos Islands, Caitlyn A. Kenny

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

In September 2008, Hurricane Ike hit South Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands as a Category 4 hurricane. This study examines the differential damages caused to varying common growth forms, size, locations, and depths of coral by Hurricane Ike on South Caicos reefs. Belt transect techniques as well as line intercept techniques were conducted at nine sites, looking at 14 common species of coral, representing four different growth forms. A total of 9,011 coral colonies were surveyed. 2,832 colonies (31.4%) were found to have at least one type of damage. It was expected that branching and digitate growth forms as well …

Analysis Of Streamflow In The St. Croix River: A Hydrologic Model, Stephanie A. Kleinschmidt

Geography Honors Projects

This project assesses how streamflow is affected by anthropogenic changes to the environment, looking specifically at the St. Croix River Basin. In 2004 the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) published a report on streamflow in the St. Croix River at two gaging stations: Danbury and St. Croix Falls. The streamflow at the upstream station near Danbury, Wisconsin remained stable over time, while an increase was observed at the station in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin further downstream. In order to evaluate this disparity, this project utilizes a GIS hydrologic model to analyze the factors expected to be influencing the flow rate. …

Changing Depositional Environments In An Upper Ordovician Stratigraphic Sequence, Ashlock Formation, Madison County, Kentucky, Kevin G. Greff, Walter S. Borowski

EKU Faculty and Staff Scholarship

We investigate the sedimentology, stratigraphy, and depositional environments of a 7-meter, Upper Ordovician limestone sequence cropping out in Richmond, Madison County, Kentucky. The stratigraphic section lies within the Ashlock Formation with good lateral exposure stretching along 200 meters of a highway roadcut. We took approximately 20 samples from the measured section, focusing on representative samples and lithologic transitions. We use standard laboratory procedures in slabbing rock samples and making thin sections.

The Ashlock Formation here consists of alternating layers of limey mudstone and limestone (field units A through F). Megafossils - brachiopods, bryozoans, trilobites, gastropods, ostracodes, coralline algae, and bivalves …

Intensity, Magnitude, Location, And Attenuation In India For Felt Earthquakes Since 1762, Walter Szeliga, Susan Hough, Stacey Martin, Roger Bilham

Faculty Scholarship for the Cascadia Hazards Institute

A comprehensive, consistently interpreted new catalog of felt intensities for India (Martin and Szeliga, 2010, this issue) includes intensities for 570 earthquakes; instrumental magnitudes and locations are available for 100 of these events. We use the intensity values for 29 of the instrumentally recorded events to develop new intensity versus attenuation relations for the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan region. We then use these relations to determine the locations and magnitudes of 234 historical events, using the method of Bakun and Wentworth (1997). For the remaining 336 events, intensity distributions are too sparse to determine magnitude or location. We evaluate …

A Catalog Of Felt Intensity Data For 570 Earthquakes In India From 1636 To 2009, Stacey Martin, Walter Szeliga

Faculty Scholarship for the Cascadia Hazards Institute

Eight thousand three hundred thirty-nine intensity observations have been evaluated for earthquakes that occurred on the Indian subcontinent and surrounding plate boundaries from the seventeenth century to the present. They characterize 570 earthquakes, more than 90% of which occurred in the past two centuries. The electronic supplement to this article lists these data using European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98) intensities with their geographic coordinates. We summarize these data graphically in the form of a spatially averaged intensity map for the subcontinent, a map that emphasizes the features of many previously published earthquake hazard maps for the Indian plate, but which more …

Practical Id-Based Encryption For Wireless Sensor Network, Cheng-Kang Chu, Joseph K. Liu, Jianying Zhou, Feng Bao, Robert H. Deng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this paper, we propose a new practical identity-based encryption scheme which is suitable for wireless sensor network (WSN). We call it Receiver-Bounded Online/Offline Identity-based Encryption (RB-OOIBE). It splits the encryption process into two parts -- the offline and the online part. In the offline part, all heavy computations are done without the knowledge of the receiver's identity and the plaintext message. In the online stage, only light computations such as modular operation and symmetric key encryption are required, together with the receiver's identity and the plaintext message. Moreover, since each offline ciphertext can be re-used for the same receiver, …

Efficient Skyline Maintenance For Streaming Data With Partially-Ordered Domains, Yuan Fang, Chee-Yong Chan

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

We address the problem of skyline query processing for a count-based window of continuous streaming data that involves both totally- and partially-ordered attribute domains. In this problem, a fixed-size buffer of the N most recent tuples is dynamically maintained and the key challenge is how to efficiently maintain the skyline of the sliding window of N tuples as new tuples arrive and old tuples expire. We identify the limitations of the state-of-the-art approach STARS, and propose two new approaches, STARS+ and SkyGrid, to address its drawbacks. STARS+ is an enhancement of STARS with three new optimization techniques, while SkyGrid is …

Data Mining Based Predictive Models For Overall Health Indices, Ridhima Rajkumar, Kyong Jin Shim, Jaideep Srivastava

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In this study, we infer health care indices of individuals using their pharmacy medical and prescription claims. Specifically, we focus on the widely used Charlson Index. We use data mining techniques to formulate the problem of classifying Charlson Index (CI) and build predictive models to predict individual health index score. First, we present comparative analyses of several classification algorithms. Second, our study shows that certain ensemble algorithms lead to higher prediction accuracy in comparison to base algorithms. Third, we introduce cost-sensitive learning to the classification algorithms and show that the inclusion of cost-sensitive learning leads to improved prediction accuracy. The …

Algorithms For Constrained K-Nearest Neighbor Queries Over Moving Object Trajectories, Yunjun Gao, Baihua Zheng, Gencai Chen, Qing Li, Chun Chen

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

An important query for spatio-temporal databases is to find nearest trajectories of moving objects. Existing work on this topic focuses on the closest trajectories in the whole data space. In this paper, we introduce and solve constrained k-nearest neighbor (CkNN) queries and historical continuous CkNN (HCCkNN) queries on R-tree-like structures storing historical information about moving object trajectories. Given a trajectory set D, a query object (point or trajectory) q, a temporal extent T, and a constrained region CR, (i) a CkNN query over trajectories retrieves from D within T, the k (≥ 1) trajectories that lie closest to q and …

The Impact Of Individual Decision Making On Campus Sustainability Initiatives, Aurali Ella Dade

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) have increasingly committed to become more sustainable in recent years. Despite this commitment, academic publications in the sustainability field assert that progress has been slower at IHEs than expected and that most IHEs have found sustainability initiatives difficult to implement. Comprehensive sustainability initiatives require cooperation from a broad set of constituents with diverse and sometimes conflicting goals. Creating a sustainable IHE also requires changes in both physical infrastructure and individual behavior. Any number of institutional factors can advance or limit progress towards these objectives.

Previous investigations have assessed individual case studies, compared IHEs in a …

Theoretical And Computational Study Of Time Dependent Scattering On A 2d Surface, Michael Sohn

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The quantum mechanical treatment of the elastic scattring of atoms from a crystal surface provides valuable information, such as surface properties and gas-surface interaction potentials. However, since it is based on the stationary state solution, it does not provide the details of the scattering process in the neighborhood of the surface, especially when atoms are physically adsorbed. In this thesis, the time evolution of the scattering process is treated in 2D with a model potential, V(x, z) = -|g|δ(z) + λδ(z)cos(2πx/a), using the Gaussian wave packet approach. The focus is on the case where the Gaussian wave packet makes a …

Dla-Lbg Cross-Correlation And Basic Properties Of Infrared Galaxies In Cosmological Simulations, Tae Song Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

PART I

We calculate the cross-correlation function (CCF) between damped Ly-alpha systems (DLAs) and Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) using cosmological hydrodynamic simulations at z = 3. We compute the CCF with two different methods. First, we assume that there is one DLA in each dark matter halo if its DLA cross section is non-zero. In our second approach we weight the pair-count by the DLA cross section of each halo, yielding a cross-section-weighted CCF. We also compute the angular CCF for direct comparison with observations. Finally, we calculate the auto-correlation functions of LBGs and DLAs, and their bias against the …

Assessing The Effect Of Simulation Models On Systems Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course, Heather J. Skaza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence within the systems dynamics community supporting the use of systems simulations in the classroom to improve student understanding, there is little published, controlled, experimental research. This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of using system dynamics simulations to increase systems understanding in an introductory environmental science course. We believed that the students using the systems simulations would demonstrate a greater systemic understanding of environmental issues than those who did not.

We conducted an experiment during the fall semester of 2009, with 304 students enrolled in four sections of …

A Secure On-Line Credit Card Transaction Method Based On Kerberos Authentication Protocol, Jung Eun Kim

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nowadays, electronic payment system is an essential part of modern business. Credit cards or debit cards have been widely used for on-site or remote transactions, greatly reducing the need for inconvenient cash transactions. However, there have been a huge number of incidents of credit card frauds over the Internet due to the security weakness of electronic payment system. A number of solutions have been proposed in the past to prevent this problem, but most of them were inconvenient and did not satisfy the needs of cardholders and merchants at the same time.

In this thesis, we present a new secure …

Photon Density Of States Of 47-Iron And 161-Dysprosium In Dyfe3 By Nuclear Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering Under High Pressure, Elizabeth Anne Tanis

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The dual partial phonon density of states (DOS) from two different Mossbauer isotopes (161Dy and 57Fe) in the same material (DyFe3) was successfully measured using the nuclear resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (NRIXS) technique at high pressure. Nuclear inelastic scattering measurements yield an in-depth understanding of the element-specific dynamic properties. The Debye temperatures, the Lamb-Mossbauer factor (fLM), and the vibrational contributions to the Helmholtz free energy (Fvib), specific heat (cV ), entropy (Svib) and internal energy (Uvib) are calculated directly from the phonon density of states.

Adaptive Ensemble Classification In P2p Networks, Hock Hee Ang, Vivekanand Gopalkrishnan, Steven C. H. Hoi, Wee Keong Ng

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Classification in P2P networks has become an important research problem in data mining due to the popularity of P2P computing environments. This is still an open difficult research problem due to a variety of challenges, such as non-i.i.d. data distribution, skewed or disjoint class distribution, scalability, peer dynamism and asynchronism. In this paper, we present a novel P2P Adaptive Classification Ensemble (PACE) framework to perform classification in P2P networks. Unlike regular ensemble classification approaches, our new framework adapts to the test data distribution and dynamically adjusts the voting scheme by combining a subset of classifiers/peers according to the test data …

A Verification System For Interval-Based Specification Languages, Chunqing Chen, Jin Song Dong, Jun Sun, Andrew P. Martin

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Interval-based specification languages have been used to formally model and rigorously reason about real-time computing systems. This usually involves logical reasoning and mathematical computation with respect to continuous or discrete time. When these systems are complex, analyzing their models by hand becomes error-prone and difficult. In this article, we develop a verification system to facilitate the formal analysis of interval-based specification languages with machine-assisted proof support. The verification system is developed using a generic theorem prover, Prototype Verification System (PVS). Our system elaborately encodes a highly expressive set-based notation, Timed Interval Calculus (TIC), and can rigorously carry out the verification …

Managing Media Rich Geo-Spatial Annotations For A Map-Based Mobile Application Using Clustering, Khasfariyati Razikin, Dion Hoe-Lian Goh, Ee Peng Lim, Aixin Sun, Yin-Leng Theng, Thi Nhu Quynh Kim, Kalyani Chatterjea, Chew-Hung Chang

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

With the prevalence of mobile devices that are equipped with wireless Internet capabilities and Global Positioning System (GPS) functionality, the creation and access of user-generated content are extended to users on the go. Such content are tied to real world objects, in the form of geospatial annotations, and it is only natural that these annotations are visualized using a map-based approach. However, viewing maps that are filled with annotations could hinder the serendipitous discovery of data, especially on the small screens of mobile devices. This calls for a need to manage the annotations. In this paper, we introduce a mobile …

Policy-Driven Distributed And Collaborative Demand Response In Multi-Domain Commercial Buildings, Archan Misra, Henning Schulzrinne

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Enabling a sophisticated Demand Response (DR) framework, whereby individual consumers adapt their electricity consumption in response to price variations, is a major objective of the emerging Smart Grid. We first point out why the current model, of EMS-based centralized control of a static repository of high load appliances, is inappropriate for supporting DR in future commercial buildings and campuses, where the consuming appliances are controlled by multiple users. To enable DR in such multi-domain environments, we envision a more collaborative and autonomous model, where a large set of heterogeneous smart electrical devices autonomously self-organize and negotiate their collective DR. Enabling …