Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Structure-Property Maps And Optimal Inversion In Configurational Thermodynamics, Gus L. W. Hart, Björn Arnold, Alejandro Díaz Ortiz, Helmut Dosch

Faculty Publications

Cluster expansions of first-principles density-functional databases in multicomponent systems are now used as a routine tool for the prediction of zero- and finite-temperature physical properties. The ability of producing large databases of various degrees of accuracy, i.e., high-throughput calculations, makes pertinent the analysis of error propagation during the inversion process. This is a very demanding task as both data and numerical noise have to be treated on equal footing. We have addressed this problem by using an analysis that combines the variational and evolutionary approaches to cluster expansions. Simulated databases were constructed ex professo to sample the configurational space in …

Arsenic Mobilization In A Seawater Inundated Acid Sulfate Soil, Scott G. Johnston, Annabelle F. Keene, Edward D. Burton, Richard T. Bush, Leigh A. Sullivan, Angus E. Mcelnea, Colin R. Ahern, C Douglas Smith, Bernard Powell, Rosalie K. Hocking

Professor Edward D Burton

Tidal seawater inundation of coastal acid sulfate soils can generate Fe- and SO4-reducing conditions in previously oxic-acidic sediments. This creates potential for mobilization of As during the redox transition. We explore the consequences for As by investigating the hydrology, porewater geochemistry, solid-phase speciation, and mineralogical partitioning of As across two tidal fringe toposequences. Seawater inundation induced a tidally controlled redox gradient. Maximum porewater As (400 μg/L) occurred in the shallow (<1>m), intertidal, redox transition zone between Fe-oxidizing and SO4-reducing conditions. Primary mechanisms of As mobilization include the reduction of solid-phase As(V) to As(III), reductive dissolution of As(V)-bearing secondary Fe(III) …

Arsenic Effects And Behavior In Association With The Fe(Ii)-Catalysed Transformation Of Schwertmannite, Edward Burton, Scott Johnston, Kym Watling, Richard Bush, Annabelle Keene, Leigh Sullivan

Associate Professor Edward D Burton

In acid-mine drainage and acid-sulfate soil environments, the cycling of Fe and As are often linked to the formation and fate of schwertmannite (Fe8O8(OH)8−2x(SO4)x). When schwertmannite-rich material is subjected to near-neutral Fe(III)-reducing conditions (e.g., in reflooded acid-sulfate soils or mining-lake sediments), the resulting Fe(II) can catalyze transformation of schwertmannite to goethite. This work examines the effects of arsenic(V) and arsenic(III) on the Fe(II)-catalyzed transformation of schwertmannite and investigates the associated consequences of this mineral transformation for arsenic mobilization. A series of 9-day anoxic transformation experiments were conducted with synthetic schwertmannite and various additions of Fe(II), As(III), and As(V). X-ray diffraction …

Historicity And Ecological Restoration, Eric Desjardins

Research Day (Arts & Humanities, FIMS, and Education)

Traditional ecological restoration often relies on ideals of reversibility and balance of nature. I suggest that we should change these for a path-dependent view of natural processes. This conceptual shift also invites for philosophical and methodological revisions, such as favouring “futuristic” dynamic goals and alternative state models.

Idealization In Scientific Explanation, Robert Batterman, Nicolas Fillion, Robert Moir, James Overton

Research Day (Arts & Humanities, FIMS, and Education)

Many phenomena pose interesting “fundamental” questions for both physics and philosophy of science. Understanding and explanation often seem to require non-Galilean, essential idealizations. But idealizations are false. This fact suggests that we need to give up on the view that truth is a necessary condition for explanation.

Why Are Ring Galaxies Interesting?, James L. Higdon, Sarah J.U. Higdon

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Compared with ordinary spirals, the ISM in ring galaxies experiences markedly different physical conditions and evolution. As a result, ring galaxies provide interesting perspectives on the triggering/quenching of large scale star formation and the destructive effects of massive stars on molecular cloud complexes. We use high resolution radio, sub-millimeter, infrared, and optical data to investigate the role of gravitational stability in star formation regulation, factors influencing the ISM's molecular fraction, and evidence of peculiar star formation laws and efficiencies in two highly evolved ring galaxies: Cartwheel and the Lindsay-Shapley ring.

Gasoline: The Achilles' Heel Of U. S. Energy Security, Robert W. Weaver

United States Department of Energy: Publications

The United States must balance securing our energy future with protecting our environment from climate change. A holistic approach is required to solve this complex problem. We must reduce demand for petroleum, improve energy efficiency, and develop feasible alternative energy solutions to include emission capture technologies.

The United States remains the largest consumer of energy products in the world and is the second leading producer of green house gas (GHG) emissions. Our dependence on imported petroleum is undermining our control of our national security interests. Petroleum comprises 63% of the United States’ energy consumption, with the transportation sector accounting for …

Topological Properties Of A Network Of Spiking Neurons In Face Image Recognition, Joo-Heon Shin

Theses and Dissertations

We introduce a novel system for recognition of partially occluded and rotated images. The system is based on a hierarchical network of integrate-and-fire spiking neurons with random synaptic connections and a novel organization process. The network generates integrated output sequences that are used for image classification. The network performed satisfactorily given appropriate topology, i.e. the number of neurons and synaptic connections, which corresponded to the size of input images. Comparison of Synaptic Plasticity Activity Rule (SAPR) and Spike Timing Dependant Plasticity (STDP) rules, used to update connections between the neurons, indicated that the SAPR gave better results and thus was …

Designing Stockmarket Trading Systems: With And Without Soft Computing, Bruce Vanstone, Tobias Hahn

Tobias Hahn

Everybody knows there is potential to make big money in the stock market. But what most people don't know is how to go about it. This book will guide you step-by-step through the authors' tried and tested method for building rule-based stockmarket trading systems. It shows you how to design, test and trade a rule-based system.

It differs from other books in that it takes a scientific approach to developing trading systems, based on what others have done before. This book reviews previous work, and shows that some of it is gold dust because it provides information about what works …

Designing Stockmarket Trading Systems: With And Without Soft Computing, Bruce Vanstone, Tobias Hahn

Bruce Vanstone

Everybody knows there is potential to make big money in the stock market. But what most people don't know is how to go about it. This book will guide you step-by-step through the authors' tried and tested method for building rule-based stockmarket trading systems. It shows you how to design, test and trade a rule-based system.

It differs from other books in that it takes a scientific approach to developing trading systems, based on what others have done before. This book reviews previous work, and shows that some of it is gold dust because it provides information about what works …

Enhancing Thermoelectric Performance Of Ternary Nanocrystals Through Adjusting Carrier Concentration., Yixin Zhao, Jeffrey Dyck, Brett Hernandez, Clemens Burda

Jeffrey Dyck

The carrier concentration of chemically synthesized Bi2Te3-based nanocrystals (NCs) is for the first time reported to be adjusted by forming ternary Bi2−xSbxTe3 NCs (x = 0.02, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.50, and 1.50) through partial substitution of Bi with Sb. Carrier concentrations of ternary Bi2−xSbxTe3 NCs were successfully adjusted by a factor of more than 10 controlled by the stoichiometric partial Sb/Bi substitution level. The power factors of the stoichiometric ternary Bi2−xSbxTe3 NCs improved three times compared to the parent Bi2Te3 due to the carrier concentration adjustment.

A Unified Approach To Cosmic Acceleration, Scott Watson, Minjoon Park, Kathryn M. Zurek

Physics - All Scholarship

We present a unified framework for the study of late time cosmic acceleration. Using methods of effective field theory, we show that existing proposals for late time acceleration can be subsumed in a single framework, rather than many compartmentalized theories. We construct the most general action consistent with symmetry principles, derive the background and perturbation evolution equations, and demonstrate that for special choices of our parameters we can reproduce results already existing in the literature. Lastly, we lay the foundation for future work placing phenomenological constraints on the parameters of the effective theory. Although in this paper we focus on …

Enzyme-Amplified Array Sensing Of Proteins In Solution And In Biofluids, Or Miranda, Ht Chen, Cc You, De Mortenson, Xc Yang, Uhf Bunz, Vm Rotello

Vincent Rotello

We have developed an enzyme−nanoparticle sensor array where the sensitivity is amplified through enzymatic catalysis. In this approach cationic gold nanoparticles are electrostatically bound to an enzyme (β-galactosidase, β-Gal), inhibiting enzyme activity. Analyte proteins release the β-Gal, restoring activity and providing an amplified readout of the binding event. Using this strategy we have been able to identify proteins in buffer at a concentration of 1 nM, substantially lower than current strategies for array-based protein sensing. Moreover, we have obtained identical sensitivity in studies where the proteins are spiked into the complex protein matrix provided by desalted human urine (1.5 μM …

Randomized Kaczmarz Solver For Noisy Linear Systems, Deanna Needell

CMC Faculty Publications and Research

The Kaczmarz method is an iterative algorithm for solving systems of linear equations Ax=b. Theoretical convergence rates for this algorithm were largely unknown until recently when work was done on a randomized version of the algorithm. It was proved that for overdetermined systems, the randomized Kaczmarz method converges with expected exponential rate, independent of the number of equations in the system. Here we analyze the case where the system Ax=b is corrupted by noise, so we consider the system where Ax is approximately b + r where r is an arbitrary error vector. We prove that in this noisy version, …

Measurement Of Γ-Emission Branching Ratios For 154,156,158Gd Compound Nuclei: Tests Of Surrogate Nuclear Reaction Approximations For (N,Γ) Cross Sections, N. D. Scielzo

Physics Faculty Publications

The surrogate nuclear reaction method can be used to determine neutron-induced reaction cross sections from measured decay properties of a compound nucleus created using a different reaction and calculated formation cross sections. The reliability of (n,γ) cross sections determined using the Weisskopf-Ewing and ratio approximations are explored for the ^{155, 157}Gd(n,γ) reactions. Enriched gadolinium targets were bombarded with 22-MeV protons and γ rays were detected in coincidence with scattered protons using the Silicon Telescope Array for Reaction Studies/Livermore-Berkeley Array for Collaborative Experiments (STARS/LiBerACE) silicon and germanium detector arrays. The γ-emission probabilities for the ^{154, 156, …}

Low-Frequency Turbulence In A Linear Magnetized Plasma, B. N. Rogers, Paolo Ricci

Dartmouth Scholarship

Plasma turbulence in a linear device is explored for the first time with three-dimensional global two-fluid simulations, focusing on the plasma parameters of the Large Plasma Device. Three instabilities are present in the simulations: the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability, a sheath-driven instability, and a resistive drift wave instability. The Kelvin-Helmholtz mode is shown to dominate the transport of plasma across the magnetic field. Simple scaling laws are obtained for the plasma profiles.

Ferrinaphth: A Fluorescent Chemodosimeter For Redox Active Metal Ions, Shawn Burdette, Randy Jackson, Yu Shi, Xudong Yao

Shawn C. Burdette

FerriNaphth, a fluorescent chemodosimeter for FeIII, has been prepared and characterized. The probe consists of a catechol ligand linked to a naphthalimide fluorophore by an aniline nitrogen linker. Upon exposure to FeIII, the aminocatechol of FerriNaphth is oxidized to the corresponding quinone, which in its imine-one tautomer, is hydrolyzed to liberate a fluorescent aminonaphthalimide derivative. The fluorescence behavior is consistent with oxidation being promoted by metal coordination.

Poster Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• River Basins of Kentucky, Dan Carey, Kentucky Geological Survey
• An Initial Prioritization Approach for Potential Agricultural Best Management Practice Implementation Based on Subwatershed Indicators and Expert Knowledge, Brian Lee and Corey Wilson, Dept Landscape Architecture, UK
• Locating Karst Conduits in Cane Run Watershed of Central Kentucky Using Electrical Resistivity Methods, Junfeng Zhu and others, Kentucky Geological Survey
• Identification of DNA Biomarkers for Determining Sources of Fecal Pollution in Water, Rick Fowler and others, WATERS Laboratory, WKU
• Integrating Participatory Communication and Structured Public Involvement Processes to Better Address Superfund Issues: The Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Future State …

Session 2c, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• A Field Protocol for Measuring the Hydrogeomorphic Effects of Land-Use Conversion in Northern Kentucky Streams, Robert Hawley, Sustainable Streams, LLC, Louisville
• Subwatershed Clustering Based on Geomorphic and Human Induced Landscape Modifications: The Licking River Basin, Brian Lee and Corey Wilson, Dept Landscape Architecture, UK, and others
• Updating the National Hydrography Dataset in a Dynamic Land Cover Change Environment: The Case of the Elusive Water Bodies in Kentucky’s Eastern Coal Field Region, Demetrio Zourarakis, KY Div of Geographic Info, Frankfort
• Relationships Associated with Land Cover and the Macroinvertebrate Community of Northern Kentucky Watersheds, Matthew Wooten, SD1 and …

Session 2b, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Outer Scaling Method for Velocity Profile Collapse in Gravel-Bed Rivers, Brian Belcher, Beaver Creek Hydrology, LLC and James Fox, Civil Engineering, UK
• Water Availability Tool for Environmental Resources (WATER), Jeremy Newson, USGS Kentucky Water Science Center
• Methods for Estimating Low-Flow Frequencies of Unregulated Streams in Kentucky, Gary Martin and Leslie Arihood, USGS Kentucky Water Science Center
• Investigation of the Surface Fine Grained Laminae Using a Watershed Scale Sediment Transport Model, Joseph Russo and Jimmy Fox, Dept of Civil Engineering, UK

Session 2a, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Millcreek Elementary Stream & Wetlands Restoration Project & Outdoor Classroom, Carol Hanley, Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability & the Environment, UK
• Southern Region 4-H₂O Ambassador Program, Ashley Osborne, Cooperative Extension Service, UK
• Oldham County Fiscal Court Leads Watershed Planning Effort, Beth Stuber and others, Oldham County Fiscal Court
• Update on Lexington’s Consent Decree, Richard Walker and others, Tetra Tech

Session 1c, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Quantifying the Soil Carbon Uptake Rate in Reclaimed Appalachia Mine Soil, Peter Acton and others, Dept of Civil Engineering, UK
• Modeling of CO₂-Water-Rock Interactions in Mississippian Sandstone and Carbonate Reservoirs of Kentucky, Anne Schumacher and others, Dept Earth and Environmental Sciences, UK
• Brine Chemistry in the Illinois and Appalachian Basins of Kentucky – Implications for Geologic Carbon Sequestration, Marty Parris and others, KGS
• Reconnaissance of Selenium Occurrence and Bioaccumulation in the Eastern Kentucky Coal Field, Alex Fogle, KGS

Session 1b, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• A Nutrient Monitoring Project for the Pennyroyal Ecoregion of Kentucky, Justin Smith, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU
• Feature Correction Tools Developed for Rural Water District Map Correction, Karla Andrew, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU
• Bridging the Gap into the Water Industry, Christal Wade, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU
• Deployment of Sensor Networks for Monitoring Water Quality Using Rule-Based Expert Systems in GIS, Paige Davenport and others, Center for Water Resource Studies, WKU

Session 1a, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The Western Deeps – 3D Graphic Models of Deep Aquifers in the Western Coal Field, Andrew Kellie, Dept Industrial & Engineering Technology, Murray State University
• Locating Karst Conduits in Cane Run Watershed of Central Kentucky Using Electrical Resistivity Methods, Junfeng Zhu and others, KGS
• New Groundwater Resources Map for Kentucky, Bart Davidson and Alex Fogle, KGS
• Impact of Rainfall Amount, Intensity, and Time Lag on Leaching Behavior of a Surface-Applied Bromide Tracer, Ole Wendroth and others, Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences, UK

Plenary Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Evaluating the Impact of Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Invasion on Headwater Streams, Joshua Adkins and Lynne Reiske-Kinney, Dept of Entomology, UK
• Effects of Roundup^® Exposure on Behavior and Reproductive Function in a Pond-Breeding Salamander, Catherine Aubee and Howard Whiteman, Dept of Biological Sciences, Murray State University

Proceedings Of 2010 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

This conference was planned and conducted as part of the state water resources research annual program with the support and collaboration of the Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Kentucky Research Foundation, under Grant Agreement Number 06HQGR0087.

The views and conclusions contained in this document and presented at the symposium are those of the abstract authors and presenters and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed or implied, of the U.S. Government or other symposium organizers and sponsors.

Primordial Perturbations In Einstein-Aether And Bpsh Theories, Christian Armendariz-Picon, Noela Farina Sierra, Jaume Garriga

Physics - All Scholarship

We study the primordial perturbations generated during a stage of single-field inflation in Einstein-aether theories. Quantum fluctuations of the inflaton and aether fields seed long wavelength adiabatic and isocurvature scalar perturbations, as well as transverse vector perturbations. Geometrically, the isocurvature mode is the potential for the velocity field of the aether with respect to matter. For a certain range of parameters, this mode may lead to a sizable random velocity of the aether within the observable universe. The adiabatic mode corresponds to curvature perturbations of co-moving slices (where matter is at rest). In contrast with the standard case, it has …

Artificial Intelligence: Soon To Be The World’S Greatest Intelligence, Or Just A Wild Dream?, Edward R. Kollett

Academic Symposium of Undergraduate Scholarship

The purpose of the paper was to examine the field of artificial intelligence. In particular, the paper focused on what has been accomplished towards the goal of making a machine that can think like a human, and the hardships that researchers in the field has faced. It also touched upon the potential outcomes of success. Why is this paper important? As computers become more powerful, the common conception is that they are becoming more intelligent. As computers become more integrated with society and more connected with each other, people again believe they are becoming smarter. Therefore, it is important that …

Sea State Bias In Altimeter Sea Level Estimates Determined By Combining Wave Model And Satellite Data, N. Tran, Douglas C. Vandemark, S. Labroue, Hui Feng, Bertrand Chapron, H. L. Tolman, J. Lambin, N. Picot

Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory

This study documents a method for increasing the precision of satellite-derived sea level measurements. Results are achieved using an enhanced three-dimensional (3-D) sea state bias (SSB) correction model derived from both Jason-1 altimeter ocean observations (i.e., sea state and wind) and estimates of mean wave period from a numerical ocean wave model, NOAA’s WAVEWATCH III. A multiyear evaluation of Jason-1 data indicates sea surface height variance reduction of 1.26 (±0.2) cm2 in comparison to the commonly applied two-parameter SSB model. The improvement is similar for two separate variance reduction metrics and for separate annual data sets spanning 2002–2004. Spatial evaluation …

Solid-Phase Synthesis Of Peptide−Viologen Conjugates, Joseph J. Reczek, Elisa Rebolini, Adam R. Urbach

Chemistry Faculty Research

This paper presents a robust method for the conjugation of viologens to peptides using an amide coupling strategy that is compatible with standard Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis. Methodology is presented for monitoring the milligram scale process quantitatively by UV spectroscopy. This chemistry enables the synthesis of a broad range of asymmetric viologens in high yield at room temperature and is compatible with a wide range of functional groups, including amine, guanidinyl, thiol, carboxylic acid, phenol, and indole.