Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Holdrege: Nebraska's State Soil

Conservation and Survey Division

No abstract provided.

Scalable Event Tracking On High-End Parallel Systems, Kathryn Marie Mohror

Dissertations and Theses

Accurate performance analysis of high end systems requires event-based traces to correctly identify the root cause of a number of the complex performance problems that arise on these highly parallel systems. These high-end architectures contain tens to hundreds of thousands of processors, pushing application scalability challenges to new heights. Unfortunately, the collection of event-based data presents scalability challenges itself: the large volume of collected data increases tool overhead, and results in data files that are difficult to store and analyze. Our solution to these problems is a new measurement technique called trace profiling that collects the information needed to diagnose …

Investigation Of The Sources And Sinks Of Atmospheric Methane, Christopher Lee Butenhoff

Dissertations and Theses

The work presented here represents a number of independent studies that investigated various components of the CH₄ budget, namely the sources and sinks. We used a chemical-tracer model and created unique long-term time series of atmospheric CH₄, carbon monoxide (CO), molecular hydrogen (H₂), and methylchloroform (CH₃CCl₃) measurements at marine background air to derive histories of atmospheric hydroxyl radical (OH) - the main chemical oxidant of CH₄, biomass burning - an important source of CH₄ in the tropics, and emissions of CH₄ from rice paddies - one of …

Magmatic Processes In The Jurassic Bonanza Arc: Insights From The Alberni Region Of Vancouver Island, Canada, Benjamin D. (Benjamin David) Paulson

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Early to Middle Jurassic Bonanza island arc on Vancouver Island, Canada, exposes the middle and upper crust of an ancient arc crustal section. The arc is exposed for a length of ~500 km along the west coast of Vancouver Island. The three components of the Bonanza arc represent different crustal levels of magmatism. The deepest level of magmatism is represented by the Westcoast Crystalline Complex, the intermediate level is represented by the Island Intrusions Suite, and the surficial level is the represented by Bonanza Group volcanics. Samples of the volcanic section were collected in the Pemberton Hills region of …

The Structural And Tectonic History Of The Mt. Formidable Region, North Cascades, Washington, Julia E. (Julia Eileen) Labadie

WWU Graduate School Collection

Deformation events associated with crustal thickening are preserved in the Mt. Formidable region of the North Cascades, a Cretaceous orogen and continental arc at the southern end of the Coast Plutonic Complex. The kinematics and timing of deformation in this area during burial, magmatism and metamorphism are the focus of this study. Rocks in the Mt. Formidable region span from at least the Late Triassic to the Early Cretaceous and include supracrustal units and associated metaplutonic rocks that have been interpreted as an island arc sequence. Rocks within the study region include the sub-arc Marblemount Meta-Quartz Diorite, the supra-arc metaclastic …

Copper-Catalyzed Diboration Of Ketones: Facile Synthesis Of Tertiary A-Hydroxyboronate Esters, Melissa Mcintosh

WWU Graduate School Collection

The versatility of the C-B bond in organic synthesis has led to extensive development of new methods for the selective incorporation of boron into organic substrates. The incorporation of boron substituents alpha to heteroatoms provides direct entry into substrates analogous to those formed and utilized in the Matteson homologation reaction. Our group has explored the diboration of various ketones using the (ICy)CuOt-Bu catalyst developed by Sadighi and co-workers. We found that (ICy)CuOt-Bu could be generated in situ using 3 mol % (ICy)CuCl and 5 mol% NaOt-Bu (Scheme 1). This catalyst system was shown to cleanly afford the diboration of various …

Evaluation Of High-Latitude Boreal Forest Growth Using Satellite-Derived Vegetation Indices, Logan T. Berner

WWU Graduate School Collection

Vegetation in northern high-latitudes plays an important role in energy exchange and carbon dynamics, thereby influencing regional and global climate. Vegetation indices derived from the space-borne Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRR) have suggested decreased photosynthetic activity during recent decades within some continental regions of the pan-arctic boreal forests. The purpose of this research was to determine associations between the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), as derived by both AVHRR and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS), and inter-annual variations in radial stem growth in high-latitude coniferous forests. During 2008 and 2009, tree core samples were collected at 12 sites in …

Elwha River Sediments: Phosphorus Dynamics Under Diverse Environmental Conditions, Emily Cavaliere

WWU Graduate School Collection

Two large dams on the Elwha River, on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State, are scheduled for removal in 2011. Removing the Glines Canyon Dam will release up to 10.6 million cubic meters of sediment from Lake Mills. The sediments will be exposed to new physical and chemical conditions and be redistributed throughout the ecosystem. In the summer of 2008, sediment samples were taken from the above-water delta and the submerged lake bottom of Lake Mills to identify initial physical and chemical characteristics relating to the variable status of phosphorus in the sediments. The sediments were analyzed for different forms …

Seed Rain And Selected Species Germination And Growth Trials: Implications For Natural And Augmented Revegetation Of Post-Dam Elwha River Floodplain And Reservoir Sediments, James T. Michel

WWU Graduate School Collection

The removal of Glines Canyon and Elwha dams from the Elwha River in Olympic National Park, Washington State is scheduled to begin in 2011. This undertaking is among the largest planned dam removals and ecosystem restoration projects in the world. One of the challenges associated with this restoration will be to understand processes influencing revegetation and invasive species colonization on the sediments exposed by dam removal. To help characterize post-dam vegetation succession within the Elwha River floodplain and dewatered reservoirs, we undertook field collections of reservoir sediments and seed rain during summer 2008. We then conducted two greenhouse experiments 1) …

Viability Of Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus Kisutch In Relation To Streamflow Regulation In Terrell Creek, Washington, Ryan S. Vasak

WWU Graduate School Collection

As salmon and trout populations decline in the Pacific Northwest, emphasis should be placed on restoration of any stream capable of producing salmon and trout. Terrell Creek is a small, dam regulated, independent drainage that historically produced at least four species of salmon and trout. Streamflow, regulated at the Lake Terrell dam, has typically been close to zero during the summer low flow period and probably affected salmon and trout population levels in the Creek. This study was designed to characterize the current fish assemblage in Terrell Creek, estimate coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) smolt production levels, identify factors that limit …

Structural Characterization Of Cytoskeleton Regulating Protein Villin And Its C-Terminal Modular Domains, Danielle A. Pfaff

WWU Graduate School Collection

Villin is a modular protein that regulates F-actin bundles in the microvilli of absorptive epithelial cells in the intestine. At low (10-100 nM) calcium levels, Villin is an F-actin bundling agent supporting the specialized brush border membrane of the absorptive epithelium. At intermediate micromolar calcium levels, Villin nucleates and caps the barbed ends of F-actin and in high (> 100 μM) calcium Villin is an F-actin severing agent (Bretsher & Weber, 1980; Glenney et al., 1980, 1981; Mooseker et al. 1980). The amino acid sequence of Villin has seven modular domains. The first six Villin domains (D1-D6) form a "core" …

Naturally Occurring Aqueous Arsenic And Seawater Intrusion On Lummi Island, Wa, Erica Martell

WWU Graduate School Collection

Two different types of groundwater contamination may be present in the aquifers on northern Lummi Island, Washington: naturally occurring arsenic and seawater intrusion. Freshwater on northern Lummi Island is stored in bedrock and unconsolidated glacial sediments. The naturally occurring arsenic, sourced from an undetermined stratigraphic layer, varies spatially throughout the island. Additionally, seawater may be intruding into the groundwater supply, which is the primary source of drinking water for the residents of the island. The process of mobilization of the naturally occurring arsenic and the extent of the seawater intrusion has not been fully explored. The purpose of my study …

Habitat Modeling Using Path Analysis: Delineating Mountain Goat Habitat In The Washington Cascades, Tana Beus

WWU Graduate School Collection

A 70-90% decline in mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus) populations in Washington State over the past few decades has spurred the need for an improved understanding of seasonal goat-habitat relationships. Habitat use data have been collected from 46 radio-collared mountain goats across their native range in Washington State. Using Geographical Information Systems (GIS), I explored relationships between use and availability of habitat. To overcome issues of autocorrelation, I compared actual mountain goat paths with available paths of matched identical spatial topology and used multi-scale path analysis to explore various ecologically informed relationships between landscape structure and the movements of mountain goats …

Paleomagnetism And Rock Magnetism Of Remagnetized Carbonate Rocks From The Helena Salient, Southwest Montana, Benjamin F. (Benjamin Franklin) Baugh

WWU Graduate School Collection

The Helena salient is an arcuate curve in the southwest Montana fold and thrust belt, characterized by thin-skinned folding and thrusting. Ages from volcanic sills imply that deformation in the region began 77 million years ago during the Late Cretaceous (Harlan et al., 2008). This study investigates the nature of curvature associated with this salient using paleomagnetic techniques. Carbonate rocks of the Mississippian Madison Group were sampled from 24 sites across three folds: the Devil's Fence anticline, the Three Forks anticline and the Turner anticline (near Townsend, MT). Results from 16 sites have well defined, but very weak, magnetizations. At …

Activation And Inhibition Of Gtpase Translation Factors On The Prokaryotic Ribosome, Justin D. Walter

WWU Graduate School Collection

Throughout all domains of life, each protein in a cell is synthesized by a remarkable biomolecular machine called the ribosome, in a process referred to as translation. This process is regulated by proteins called translation factors, several of which belong to the GTPase superfamily of enzymes which require the binding and subsequent hydrolysis of guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) to execute their function. In contrast to the regulatory role of translation factors, protein biosynthesis is inhibited by several naturally occurring antibiotics. While our understanding of translation has been revolutionized by the recent elucidation of atomic-resolution x-ray crystal structures of the ribosome trapped …

Effects Of Multitemperature Nonequilibrium On Compressible Homogeneous Turbulence, Wei Liao, Yan Peng, Li-Shi Luo

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

We study the effects of the rotational-translational energy exchange on the compressible decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) in three dimensions through direct numerical simulations. We use the gas-kinetic scheme coupled with multitemperature nonequilibrium based on the Jeans-Landau-Teller model. We investigate the effects of the relaxation time of rotational temperature, Z_R, and the initial ratio of the rotational and translational temperatures, T_R0 / T_L0, on the dynamics of various turbulence statistics including the kinetic energy K (t), the dissipation rate ε (t), the energy spectrum E (k,t), the root mean square of the velocity divergence θ′ …

The Joint Distribution Of Bivariate Exponential Under Linearly Related Model, Norou Diawara, Kumer Pial Das

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

In this paper, fundamental results of the joint distribution of the bivariate exponential distributions are established. The positive support multivariate distribution theory is important in reliability and survival analysis, and we applied it to the case where more than one failure or survival is observed in a given study. Usually, the multivariate distribution is restricted to those with marginal distributions of a specified and familiar lifetime family. The family of exponential distribution contains the absolutely continuous and discrete case models with a nonzero probability on a set of measure zero. Examples are given, and estimators are developed and applied to …

Prediction Of Brain Tumor Progression Using A Machine Learning Technique, Yuzhong Shen, Debrup Banerjee, Jiang Li, Adam Chandler, Yufei Shen, Frederic D. Mckenzie, Jihong Wang, Nico Karssemeijer (Ed.), Ronald M. Summers (Ed.)

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A machine learning technique is presented for assessing brain tumor progression by exploring six patients' complete MRI records scanned during their visits in the past two years. There are ten MRI series, including diffusion tensor image (DTI), for each visit. After registering all series to the corresponding DTI scan at the first visit, annotated normal and tumor regions were overlaid. Intensity value of each pixel inside the annotated regions were then extracted across all of the ten MRI series to compose a 10 dimensional vector. Each feature vector falls into one of three categories:normal, tumor, and normal but progressed to …

Breathing Like A Fish, Petros J. Katsioloudis

STEMPS Faculty Publications

The article offers information on industrial oxygen rebreathers, an underwater breathing equipment used by divers. It states that rebreather is an electromechanical device that supply breathing gas through infusion of oxygen and reprocessing of carbon dioxide by using a chemical scrubber. It mentions that most rebreathers comprise of breathing loop, breathing lungs, and a canister where the scrubber is placed with the partial pressure (pO₂) sensors and interface devices like heads-up display (HUD) to show pO₂ levels. It also discusses types of rebreathers such as the oxygen rebreather, the oldest rebreather mainly used by navy diver, and …

Finite Element Analysis Of Ring-Shaped Emission Profile In Plasma Bullet, Yukinori Sakiyama, David B. Graves, Julien Jarrige, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Using a one-way coupled model of neutral gas flow and plasma dynamics we report a mechanism to explain the ring-shaped emission pattern that has been observed experimentally in plasma bullets at atmospheric pressure. We solve a fluid model with the local field approximation in one-dimensional cylindrical coordinates, corresponding to a cross-section of a plasma bullet. Pulselike uniform electric field is assumed to be applied perpendicular to the simulation domain. Time and spatially resolved spectroscopic measurements support the simulation results.

Destruction Of Α -Synuclein Based Amyloid Fibrils By A Low Temperature Plasma Jet, Erdinc Karakas, Agatha Munyanyi, Lesley Greene, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Amyloid fibrils are ordered beta-sheet aggregates that are associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer and Parkinson. At present, there is no cure for these progressive and debilitating diseases. Here we report initial studies that indicate that low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma can break amyloid fibrils into smaller units in vitro. The plasma was generated by the plasma pencil, a device capable of emitting a long, low temperature plasma plume/jet. This avenue of research may facilitate the development of a plasma-based medical treatment.

Stochastic Orders In Heterogeneous Samples With Applications, Maochao Xu

Dissertations and Theses

The statistics literature has mostly focused on the case when the data available is in the form of a random sample. In many cases, the observations are not identically distributed. Such samples are called heterogeneous samples. The study of heterogeneous samples is of great interest in many areas, such as statistics, econometrics, reliability engineering, operation research and risk analysis.

Stochastic orders between probability distributions is a widely studied concept. There are several kinds of stochastic orders that are used to compare different aspects of probability distributions like location, variability, skewness, dependence, etc.

In this dissertation, most of the work is …

Thin Film Group Ii-Vi Solar Cells Based On Band-Offsets, James Keith Walton

Dissertations and Theses

The amount of traditional energy sources are finite and the ecological impact of continuing to produce energy using fossil fuels will only exacerbate the carbon footprint. It is for these reasons that photovoltaic modules are becoming a larger and more necessary part the world's electricity production paradigm.

Photovoltaic (PV) semiconductor modules are grouped into three categories. 'First generation' monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon modules that consist of p-n junctions created via the addition of impurities known as dopants. Almost 85% of solar cells produced at this time are 'first generation' and it is the high production costs of silicon PV modules …

Western Australian Resource Condition Monitoring Projects 2007-2009, Ceidwen Pengelly, 2010

All other publications

Monitoring the status and trends of our natural resources is the only way we can assess whether the actions that have been implemented are making a difference. The impetus for this resource condition monitoring program (RCM) was the recognition that our monitoring networks, baseline data and data management systems were inadequate to enable quantitative reporting to government, and the community, on the difference their investments in natural resource management were making. It was considered that making a significant investment in raising our ability to report would be a long-lasting legacy of value to the state.

Linear Stochastic Systems: A White Noise Approach, Daniel Alpay, David Levanony

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Using the white noise setting, in particular the Wick product, the Hermite transform, and the Kondratiev space, we present a new approach to study linear stochastic systems, where randomness is also included in the transfer function. We prove BIBO type stability theorems for these systems, both in the discrete and continuous time cases. We also consider the case of dissipative systems for both discrete and continuous time systems. We further study ℓ1-ℓ2 stability in the discrete time case, and L2-L∞ stability in the continuous time case.

Krein Systems And Canonical Systems On A Finite Interval: Accelerants With A Jump Discontinuity At The Origin And Continuous Potentials, Daniel Alpay, I. Gohberg, M. A. Kaashoek, L. Lerer, A. Sakhnovich

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

This paper is devoted to connections between accelerants and potentials of Krein systems and of canonical systems of Dirac type, both on a finite interval. It is shown that a continuous potential is always generated by an accelerant, provided the latter is continuous with a possible jump discontinuity at the origin. Moreover, the generating accelerant is uniquely determined by the potential. The results are illustrated on pseudo-exponential potentials. The paper is a continuation of the earlier paper of the authors [1] dealing with the direct problem for Krein systems.

Begin The Adventure : How To Break The Light Barrier By A.D. 2079 (3rd Ed.), Florentin Smarandache, Homer B. Tilton

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

This edition, the third, has undergone a subtle name change, going from "A.D. 2070" in the title to A.D. 2079 as the timeline is fine-tuned. Because of the almost universal failure to recognize the distinction between physical (reality-based, dynamical) and visual (appearance-based, kinematical) variables, a tremendous volume of mythology arose over the past 100 years centered around Einstein's reality view of the distortions of special relativity. To get a sense of it, we point the reader to Paul J. Nahin's heroic book, Time Machines, 2nd ed.,- to these Tech Notes in particular: TN#6. "A High-Speed Rocket Is a One-Way Time …

Methods In Environmental Biotechnology For Environmentalists, Florentin Smarandache, W.B. Vasantha Kandasamy, S.R. Kannan, S. Ramathilagam

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

The study of environmental pollution by chemicals used in agriculture as pesticide or as fertilizers or pollution caused by industries and chemical plants which use chemicals have not been analysed systematically. This book has five chapters. First chapter is introductory in nature. Here we just study chemical pollution caused by garment industries in chapter two of this book using fuzzy associative memories. In chapter three we give ways to control pollution by improving the system performance using hierarchical genetic fuzzy control algorithm. This study is carried out using the past data reported by Shimada et al (1995). Health hazards suffered …

Questioning Cultural Commons, Lawrence B. Solum

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

In Constructing Commons in the Cultural Environment, Michael J. Madison, Brett M. Frischmann, and Katherine J. Strandburg offer an innovative and attractive vision of the future of cultural and scientific knowledge through the construction of “cultural commons,” which they define as “environments for developing and distributing cultural and scientific knowledge through institutions that support pooling and sharing that knowledge in a managed way.” The kind of “commons” they have in mind is modeled on the complex arrangement of social norms that allocate lobstering rights among fishermen in Maine and extends to arrangements such as patent pools, open-source software development …

A Generalized Nonlinear Model For The Evolution Of Low Frequency Freak Waves, Jonathan Blackledge

Articles

This paper presents a generalized model for simulating wavefields associated with the sea surface. This includes the case when `freak waves' may occur through an effect compounded in the nonlinear (cubic) Schrodinger equation. After providing brief introductions to linear sea wave models, `freak waves' and the linear and nonlinear Schrodinger equations, we present a unified model that provides for a piecewise continuous transition from a linear to a nonlinear state. This is based on introducing a fractional time derivative to develop a fractional nonlinear partial differential equation with a stochastic source function. In order to explore the characteristics of this …