Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Quantum Cheshire Cats, Yakir Aharonov, Sandu Popescu, Daniel Rohrlich, Paul Skrzypczyk

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In this paper we present a quantum Cheshire Cat. In a pre- and post-selected experiment we find the Cat in one place, and its grin in another. The Cat is a photon, while the grin is its circular polarization.

Editorial, Jo De Waele

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Layer-Bounding Surfaces In Stalagmites As Keys To Better Paleoclimatological Histories And Chronologies, Loren Bruce Railsback, Pete D. Akers, Lixin Wang, Genevieve A. Holdridge, Ny Riavo Voarintsoa

International Journal of Speleology

Petrographic recognition of layer-bounding surfaces in stalagmites offers an important tool in constructing paleoclimate records. Previous petrographic efforts have examined thickness of layers (a possible proxy for annual rainfall) and alternation of layers in couplets (a possible indicator of seasonality). Layer-bounding surfaces, in contrast, delimit series of layers and represent periods of non-deposition, either because of exceptionally wet or exceptionally dry conditions.

Two types of layer-bounding surfaces can be recognized according to explicitly defined petrographic criteria. Type E layer-bounding surfaces are surfaces at which layers have been truncated or eroded at the crest of a stalagmite. Keys to their recognition …

A Model For The Formation Of Layered Soda-Straw Stalactites, Bence Paul, Russell Drysdale, Helen Green, Jon Woodhead, John Hellstrom, Rolan Eberhard

International Journal of Speleology

Climate records based upon instrumental data such as rainfall measurements are usually only available for approximately the last 150 years at most. To fully investigate decadal-scale climate variation, however, these records must be extended by the use of climate proxies. Soda-straw stalactites (straws) are a previously under-utilised potential source of such data. In this contribution we investigate the structure and formation of straws and look at some issues that may affect the reliability of straw-based palaeoclimate records. We use laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) trace element analysis to document surface contamination features that have the potential to obscure annual …

World Karst Reviews

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Cave Ventilation Is Influenced By Variations In The Co2-Dependent Virtual Temperature, Enrique P. Sánchez-Cañete, Penélope Serrano-Ortiz, Francisco Domingo, Andrew S. Kowalski

International Journal of Speleology

Dynamics and drivers of ventilation in caves are of growing interest for different fields of science. Accumulated CO₂ in caves can be exchanged with the atmosphere, modifying the internal CO₂ content, affecting stalagmite growth rates, deteriorating rupestrian paintings or creating new minerals. Current estimates of cave ventilation neglect the role of high CO₂ concentrations in determining air density – approximated via the virtual temperature (T_v) –, affecting buoyancy and therefore the release or storage of CO₂. Here we try to improve knowledge and understanding of cave ventilation through the use of T …

Mixing Of Water In A Carbonate Aquifer, Southern Italy, Analysed Through Stable Isotope Investigations, Emma Petrella, Fulvio Celico

International Journal of Speleology

Mixing of water was analysed in a carbonate aquifer, southern Italy, through stable isotope investigations (¹⁸O,δ²H). The input signal (rainwater) was compared with the isotopic content of a 35-meter groundwater vertical profile, over a 1-year period. Within the studied aquifer, recharge and flow are diffuse in a well-connected fissure network.

At the test site, the comparison between input and groundwater isotopic signals illustrates that no efficient mixing takes place in the whole unsaturated zone, between the fresh infiltration water and the stored water.

When analysing the stable isotopes composition of groundwater, significant variations were observed above …

World Karst Reviews

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Table Of Contents

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Trevor Shaw And Alenka Čuk Slovene Caves & Karst, Pictured 1545-1914, Arrigo A. Cigna

International Journal of Speleology

Trevor Shaw and Alenka Čuk.
Slovene Caves & Karst, pictured 1545-1914
Založba ZRC, Ljubljana, 2012.
ISBN 978-961-254-369-3, 230 p. 200x290, 258 b/w and colour illustrations, paper cover, € 25.00

Book Review: Speleothem Science: From Process To Past Environments, Giovanni Zanchetta

International Journal of Speleology

Ian J. Fairchild and Andy Baker.
Speleothem Science: From Process to Past Environments
Wiley Blackwell, 2012. Hardcover, 450 p.,
ISBN-10: 1405196203, ISBN-13: 978-1405196208, €57

Front Cover

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Front Cover

International Journal of Speleology

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Water In Karst: Management, Vulnerability, And Restoration, Arthur N. Palmer

International Journal of Speleology

Neven Kresic.
Water in Karst: Management, Vulnerability, and Restoration
New York, McGraw-Hill, 2013. ISBN 978-0-07-175333.3, 19×24 cm, 736 p. + 14 p. of color plates, hardbound,
US $125 (also available as e-book)

Full Issue 42(1)

International Journal of Speleology

All articles in Volume 42 Issue 1. Does not include cover image.

The Use Of Passive Seismological Imaging In Speleogenetic Studies; An Example From Kanaan Cave, Lebanon, Carole Nehme, Christophe Voisin, Armand Mariscal, Pierre-Charles Gérard, Cécile Cornou, Badr Jabbour-Gédéon, Samer Amhaz, Nancy Salloum, Nada Badaro-Saliba, Jocelyne Adjizian-Gérard, Jean-Jacques Delannoy

International Journal of Speleology

Among many parameters that control the evolution of caves stands the volume of unconsolidated clay sediments generally produced by the alteration of the calcareous rocks. Here we introduce the use of a passive seismological imaging technique to investigate the clay deposits and estimate its total volume in a cave. Applied for the first time for speleogenesis studies, the HVSR (Horizontal / Vertical Spectral Ration) is a geophysical technique that can help better interpret cave geomorphology. We apply seismological spectral techniques (H/V ratio) on ambient noise vibrations to derive the clay volume, as well as its shape. This technique applied on …

Quasinovo: Algorithms For De Novo Peptide Sequencing, James Paul Cleveland

Theses and Dissertations

High-throughput proteomics analysis involves the rapid identification and characterization of large sets of proteins in complex biological samples. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has become the leading approach for the experimental identification of proteins. Accurate analysis of the data produced is a computationally challenging process that relies on a complex understanding of molecular dynamics, signal processing, and pattern classification. In this work we address these modeling and classification problems, and introduce an additional data-driven evolutionary information source into the analysis pipeline.

The particular problem being solved is peptide sequencing via MS/MS. The objective in solving this problem is to decipher the …

Galaxy Zoo : A Catalog Of Overlapping Galaxy Pairs For Dust Studies., William C. Keel, Anna M. Manning, Benne W. Holwerda, Massimo Mezzoprete, Chris J. Lintott, Kevin Schawinski, Pamela Gay, Karen L. Masters

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Analysis of galaxies with overlapping images offers a direct way to probe the distribution of dust extinction and its effects on the background light. We present a catalog of 1990 such galaxy pairs selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) by volunteers of the Galaxy Zoo project. We highlight subsamples which are particularly useful for retrieving such properties of the dust distribution as UV extinction, the extent perpendicular to the disk plane, and extinction in the inner parts of disks. The sample spans wide ranges of morphology and surface brightness, opening up the possibility of using this technique to …

Spectral Analysis Of Randomly Generated Networks With Prescribed Degree Sequences, Clifford Davis Gaddy

Theses and Dissertations

Network science attempts to capture real-world phenomenon through mathematical models. The underlying model of a network relies on a mathematical structure called a graph. Having seen its early beginnings in the 1950's, the field has seen a surge of interest over the last two decades, attracting interest from a range of scientists including computer scientists, sociologists, biologists, physicists, and mathematicians. The field requires a delicate interplay between real-world modeling and theory, as it must develop accurate probabilistic models and then study these models from a mathematical perspective. In my thesis, we undertake a project involving computer programming in which we …

Study On Covolume-Upwind Finite Volume Approximations For Linear Parabolic Partial Differential Equations, Rosalia Tatano

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis we solve two-dimensional linear parabolic partial differential equations with pure Dirichelet boundary conditions, using the bilinear covolume-upwind finite volume method on rectangular grids to discretize the spatial variables and the Crank-Nicholson method for the time variable. These PDEs provide a model for problems from various fields of engineering and applied sciences, such as unsteady viscous flow problems, the simulation of oil extraction from underground reservoirs, transport of air and ground water pollutants and modeling of semiconductor devices. Finite volume method has the important advantage of allowing the conversion of integrations over the control volume to integrations over …

Coloring Pythagorean Triples And A Problem Concerning Cyclotomic Polynomials, Daniel White

Theses and Dissertations

One may easily show that there exist $O( \log n)$-colorings of $\{1,2, \ldots, n\}$ such that no Pythagorean triple with elements $\le n$ is monochromatic. In Chapter~\ref{CH:triples}, we investigate two analogous ideas. First, we find an asymptotic bound for the number of colors required to color $\{1,2,\ldots ,n\}$ so that every Pythagorean triple with elements $\le n$ is $3$-colored. Afterwards, we examine the case where we allow a vanishing proportion of Pythagorean triples with elements $\le n$ to fail to have this property.

Unrelated, in 1908, Schur raised the question of the irreducibility over $\Q$ of polynomials of the form …

Visualizing And Understanding Tectonism And Volcanism On Earth And Other Terrestrial Bodies, Mladen M. Dordevic

Physics Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation presents new methods of visualizing, teaching, assessing, modeling, and understanding tectonics on Earth and other celestial bodies. Tectonics is the study of planetary lithospheres and includes impact, plate, plume, cryo- and gravitational mechanisms. This dissertation is concerned with plate tectonics and plate/mantle plume interactions. Plate tectonics describes the mainly horizontal motion of lithospheric plates over the asthenosphere. Lithosphere is created at ridges and consumed at subduction zones. In addition to the plate tectonic system, mantle plumes also contribute to mass motions in the subsurface Earth. Both plate tectonics and plume upwelling processes help shape the present form of …

Observations And Modeling Forcing Mechanisms For The Coastal Dynamics Of The Upper Gulf Of Thailand, Suriyan Saramul

OES Theses and Dissertations

A numerical model based on the Princeton Ocean Model (130M) with ∼1 km horizontal grid and 21 vertical layers has been used to study the influence of wind stresses, river discharges, surface heat fluxes and tides on the three-dimensional circulation of the upper Gulf of Thailand (UGOT). Analysis of observations, including sea level data, provided additional information to support the model simulations. The UGOT is a shallow coastal system, ∼1°×1° in size with the average depth of only 15 m. Sensitivity studies evaluate how the dynamics is affected by surface wind stresses, river discharges, and surface heat fluxes. The impact …

Watershed-Scale Hybrid Stochastic-Deterministic Modeling Framework And Diffused Sources Superpositioning, Ruby Juvah Damalie

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Predicting hydrologic system behavior is imperative to planning and management of water resources. The study developed an integrated hybrid stochastic and deterministic framework to improve prediction accuracy for overland flow and diffused sources in a watershed. The methodology includes sampling input parameters at system level and contribution of nonpoint source from hydrologically disconnected areas (heretofore referred to as system-level approach and superpositioning respectively). System-level approach includes the integration of a topography-based sampling grid generalized linear model developed by the study and Monte Carlo methods. The superpositioning method adopts in-stream water quality equation for overland flow pollution estimation.

The system-level approach …

Ultrasound For Improved Crystallisation In Food Processing, N. Misra, Navneet Deora, Brijesh Tiwari, Patrick Cullen

Articles

Within the food industry, controlling crystallisation is a key factor governing food structure, texture and consumer appeal, with some foods requiring the promotion of crystallisation in a controlled manner (e.g. chocolate) and others a check (e.g. in honey). Sonocrystallisation is the application of ultrasound energy to control the nucleation of a crystallisation process. The use of power ultrasound provides a non-invasive approach to producing crystals with desired properties. Sonocrystallisation facilitates process control, primarily by modulating crystal size distribution and morphology. This paper details the governing mechanisms of sonocrystallisation. Proven and potential applications of the process in foods, including chocolates, honey, …

Investigation Of Nbnx Thin Films And Nanoparticles Grown By Pulsed Laser Deposition And Thermal Diffusion, Ashraf Hassan Farha

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Niobium nitride films (NbNx) were grown on Nb and Si (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD), laser heating, and thermal diffusion methods. Niobium nitride films were deposited on Nb substrates using PLD with a Q-switched Nd: YAG laser (λ = 1064 nm, 40 ns pulse width, and 10 Hz repetition rate) at different laser fluences, different nitrogen background pressures and deposition temperatures. The effect of changing PLD parameters for films done by PLD was studied. The seen observations establish guidelines for adjusting the laser parameters to achieve the desired morphology and phase of the grown NbNx films.

When the …

Evaluating The Roles Of Visual Openness And Edge Effects On Nest-Site Selection And Reproductive Success In Grassland Birds, Alexander C. Keyel, Allan M. Strong, Noah G. Perlut, J. Michael Reed

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

In some species, habitat edges (ecotones) affect nest-site selection and nesting success. Openness, or how visually open a habitat is, has recently been shown to influence grassland bird density and may affect nest-site selection, possibly by reducing the risk of predation on adults, nests, or both. Because edge and openness are correlated, it is possible that effects of openness have been overlooked or inappropriately ascribed to edge effects. We tested the roles of edges and visual openness in nest-site selection and nesting success of two grassland passerines, the Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), …

Thermobarometric Modeling Of The Catalina Amphibolite Unit: Implications For Tectonic And Metasomatic Models, Henry W. Towbin

Honors Papers

On Santa Catalina Island, Ca high-grade amphibolite units overlie progressively lower- grade blueschist units in an inverted stack structure. This juxtaposition of high grade and low-grade metamorphic units has long been the subject of much debate as to the tectonic origins of the formation and how it relates to California's tectonic evolution. Previous petrography and thermobaromety of blocks in the amphibolite unit estimate pressures and temperatures of ~8-11 kbar and ~640-750 °C (Platt, 1975; Sorensen and Barton 1987). These estimates were calculated before many of the computational advances in modern thermobarometry. Using Equilibrium Assemblage Diagrams (EAD) calculated with Theriak Domino, …

Dynamic Diatom Response To Changing Climate 0-1.2 Ma At Lake El'gygytgyn, Far East Russian Arctic, Jeffrey Allan Snyder, M. V. Cheraponova, A. Bryan

School of Earth, Environment and Society Faculty Publications

The Lake El' gygytgyn sediment record contains an abundant diatom flora through most intervals of the lake's history, providing a means to create and test hypotheses concerning the lake's response to changing climates. The 0 1.2 Ma core interval is characterized by shifts in the dominant planktonic genera and events of exceptional concentration and diversity. Warm interglacial intervals have enhanced concentration and diversity of the plankton. This response is most extreme during exceptional events corresponding to marine isotope stages (MIS) 11 and 31. Diatom concentration and diversity also increase during some cold intervals (e.g., MIS 2), suggesting conditions of lake …

Comment On "Density And Physical Current Density Functional Theory", Xiao-Yin Pan, Viraht Sahni

Publications and Research

In this letter to the editor, the authors comment on an earlier article they had published, "Density and Physical Current Density Functional Theory" (Pan, X.-Y. and Sahni, V. (2010), Density and physical current density functional theory. Int. J. Quantum Chem., 110: 2833–2843. doi: 10.1002/qua.22862).