Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Freshwater Transport In The Scotian Shelf And Its Impacts On The Gulf Of Maine Salinity, Z. Wang, D. Li, H. Xue, A. C. Thomas, Yinglong J. Zhang, F. Chai

VIMS Articles

A 3D unstructured-grid ocean circulation model covering the continental shelf and coastal seas around New England is used to investigate freshwater transport (FWT) on the Scotian Shelf (SS) and its impact on the salinity in the Gulf of Maine (GoME). The model was first validated using observed elevation, velocity, temperature, and salinity at multiple locations, demonstrating generally high model skills. Intraseasonal variabilities of freshwater fluxes in 2017 and 2018 were then analyzed across different transects around SS and Browns Bank (BB). These indicated that the flow pattern in SS during 2017 was consistent with previous understanding: low salinity water flows …

A Geospatial Modeling Approach To Assess Site Suitability Of Living Shorelines And Emphasize Best Shoreline Management Practices, Karinna Nunez, Tamia Rudnicky, Pamela Mason, Christine Tombleson, Marcia Berman

VIMS Articles

The Shoreline Management Model (SMM) is a novel geospatial approach used to assess conditions along a shoreline, and recommend best management practices for defended and undefended shorelines. The SMM models available spatial data in order to identify areas where the use of living shorelines would be suitable to address shoreline erosion. The model was developed to support and inform decision-making by shoreline managers responsible for management of shoreline resources, shorefront property owners, and tidal habitat restoration actions. Recommended erosion control strategies are based on scientific knowledge of how shorelines respond to natural conditions and anthropogenic measures used to stabilize shorelines. …

Bifurcate Responses Of Tidal Range To Sea-Level Rise In Estuaries With Marsh Evolution, Xun Cai, Qubin Qin, Jian Shen, Yinglong J. Zhang

VIMS Articles

The response of tidal range in tidal marshes under sea-level rise (SLR) is essential to the marsh resilience, but how tidal ranges respond to different marsh evolutions remains unclear. Here, we show the existence of bifurcate responses of tidal range to SLR using both numerical model and theoretical analyses. The tidal range tends to increase if marsh accretion keeps pace with SLR; otherwise, the tidal range tends to decrease. As tidal range plays the key role in marsh evolution, the interactions between changing tidal range and marsh evolution lead to positive feedback on marsh resilience. If the marsh accretion can …

Adcp Observations Of Currents And Suspended Sediment In The Macrotidal Gulf Of Martaban, Myanmar, Courtney K. Harris, Jacob T. Wacht, Matthew J. Fair, Jessica M. Cote

VIMS Articles

The Ayeyarwady and Thanlwin Rivers, which drain Myanmar, together form one of the largest point sources of freshwater and sediment to the global ocean. Combined, these rivers annually deliver an estimated 485 Mt of sediment to the northern Andaman Sea. This sediment contributes to a perennially muddy zone within the macro-tidal Gulf of Martaban, but little is known about the processes that dominate dispersal and trapping of sediment there, as very few water column observations are available. A research cruise in December 2017 provided a rare opportunity to obtain Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) data along transects from the Gulf …

Water Circulation Driven By Cold Fronts In The Wax Lake Delta (Louisiana, Usa), Q. Zhang, C. Li, W. Huang, Et Al

VIMS Articles

: Atmospheric cold fronts can periodically generate storm surges and affect sediment transport in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOM). In this paper, we evaluate water circulation spatiotemporal patterns induced by six atmospheric cold front events in the Wax Lake Delta (WLD) in coastal Louisiana using the 3-D hydrodynamic model ECOM-si. Model simulations show that channelized and inter-distributary water flow is significantly impacted by cold fronts. Water volume transport throughout the deltaic channel network is not just constrained to the main channels but also occurs laterally across channels accounting for about a quarter of the total flow. Results show that …

Measuring Organization Of Large Surficial Clasts In Heterogeneous Gravel Beach Sediments, Dennis C. Lees, Christopher J. Hein, Duncan M. Fitzgerald

VIMS Articles

The natural stratification and interlocking “organization” of armored sediments in heterogeneous, coarse-grained, beaches provides protection and enhances habitat for borrowing sedentary megafauna and macrofauna such as hard-shelled clams. Here, we develop a novel metric for quantifying sediment organization of large surficial beach clasts through sedimentologic and photogrammetric analyses of 37 lower intertidal heterogeneous gravel beaches in western Prince William Sound, Alaska (USA). Grain size, photogrammetric, and Wolman Pebble Count clast-size data from 64, ~1-m² study plots are combined into a clast-size-independent “Organization Metric” to quantify the degree of organization in the meshed arrangement of larger surficial sediments. This metric …

Variability In Marsh Migration Potential Determined By Topographicrather Than Anthropogenic Constraints In The Chesapeake Bay Region, Grace D. Molino, Joel A. Carr, Neil K. Ganju, Matthew L. Kirwan

VIMS Articles

Sea level rise (SLR) and saltwater intrusion are driving inland shifts in coastal ecosystems. Here, we make high-resolution (1 m) predictions of land conversion under future SLR scenarios in 81 watersheds surrounding Chesapeake Bay, United States, a hotspot for accelerated SLR and saltwater intrusion. We find that 1050–3748 km2 of marsh could be created by 2100, largely at the expense of forested wetlands. Predicted marsh migration exceeds total current tidal marsh area and is about 4x greater than historical observations. Anthropogenic land use in marsh migration areas is concentrated within a few watersheds and minimally impacts calculated metrics of marsh …

Contamination Of Finescale Strain Estimates Of Turbulent Kinetic Energy Dissipation By Frontal Physics, Laur Ferris, Donglai Gong, Sophia Merrifield, Louis St. Laurent

VIMS Articles

Finescale strain parameterization (FSP) of turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rate has become a widely used method for observing ocean mixing, solving a coverage problem where direct turbulence measurements are absent but CTD profiles are available. This method can offer significant value, but there are limitations in its broad application to the global ocean. FSP often fails to produce reliable results in frontal zones where temperature–salinity (T/S) intrusive features contaminate the CTD strain spectrum, as well as where the aspect ratio of the internal wave spectrum is known to vary greatly with depth, as frequently occurs in …

Effects Of Shell Hash On Friction Angles Of Surficial Seafloor Sediments Near Oysters, Samuel T. Consolvo, Nina Stark, (...), Grace M. Massey

VIMS Articles

Oysters are hypothesized to affect the shear strength of nearby surficial seafloor sediment as fragments of oyster shells (shell hash) are typically more angular relative to sand particles alone, among other differences. Resistance to shearing is well characterized by the friction angle, which is estimated in this study from vacuum triaxial laboratory and portable free-fall penetrometer field tests. Friction angles of sediment with shell hash were higher relative to those of sediment without shell hash (via hydrochloric acid treatment) on average by about 19% (36.0°–30.2°, respectively). Triaxial confining pressures ranged between 2.1 and 49.0 kPa to simulate subtidal and intertidal …

Surface Chlorophyll Anomalies Induced By Mesoscale Eddy-Wind Interactions In The Northern Norwegian Sea, Huizi Dong, Meng Zhou, Roshin P. Raj, Walker O. Smith Jr., Et Al

VIMS Articles

The substantial productivity of the northern Norwegian Sea is closely related to its strong mesoscale eddy activity, but how eddies affect phytoplankton biomass levels in the upper ocean through horizontal and vertical transport-mixing has not been well quantified. To assess mesoscale eddy induced ocean surface chlorophyll-a concentration (CHL) anomalies and modulation of eddy-wind interactions in the region, we constructed composite averaged CHL and wind anomalies from 3,841 snapshots of anticyclonic eddies (ACEs) and 2,727 snapshots of cyclonic eddies (CEs) over the period 2000-2020 using satellite altimetry, scatterometry, and ocean color products. Results indicate that eddy pumping induces negative (positive) CHL …

A Multi-Decadal Analysis Of River Discharge And Suspended Sediment Load In Three Texas Coastal Rivers In Relation To Hurricanes, Seasonal Rainfall, And Enso, Qiang Yao, Sanjeev Joshi, Kam-Biu Liu, Erika Rodrigues, Dongxiao Yin

VIMS Articles

Coastal river discharge and sediment load exert major influence on the sustainability of coastal systems. Controlled by various hydroclimatic/hydrometeorological agents, they exhibit distinct trend/variability at different time scales. Coastal Texas, while being a major target for tropical cyclones over the past 6 decades, has been experiencing drought and flood cycles associated with ENSO in the long term. However, it is still unclear the temporal variability of river discharge and the associated sediment delivery over this area at different time scales, and the controlling factors behind it. In this study, a 58-years (1960–2017) dataset is compiled to analyze the influence of …

Primary Productivity Measurements In The Ross Sea, Antarctica: A Regional Synthesis, Walker O. Smith Jr.

VIMS Articles

Polar systems are undersampled due to the difficulty of sampling remote and challenging environments; however, these systems are critical components of global biogeochemical cycles. Measurements on primary productivity in specific areas can quantify the input of organic matter to food webs and so are of critical ecological importance as well. However, long-term measurements using the same methodology are available only for a few polar systems. Primary productivity measurements using ¹⁴C-uptake incubations from the Ross Sea, Antarctica, are synthesized, along with chlorophyll concentrations at the same depths and locations. A total of 19 independent cruises were completed and 449 stations …

Clarifying Water Clarity: A Call To Use Metrics Best Suited To Corresponding Research And Management Goals In Aquatic Ecosystems, Jessica S. Turner, Kelsey A. Fall, Carl T. Friedrichs

VIMS Articles

Water clarity is a subjective term and can be measured multiple ways. Different metrics such as light attenuation and Secchi depth vary in effectiveness depending on the research or management application. In this essay, we argue that different questions merit different water clarity metrics. In coastal and inland waters, empirical relationships to estimate light attenuation can yield clarity estimates that either under- or overestimate the underwater light climate for restoration goals, such as potential habitat available for submerged aquatic vegetation. Best practices in reporting water clarity measurements include regionally specific, temporally representative calibrations and communicating the metric that was actually …

Nutrient Function Over Form: Organic And Inorganic Nitrogen Additions Have Similar Effects On Lake Phytoplankton Nutrient Limitation, Sabrina N. Volponi, Heather L. Wander, (...), Brian S. Kim, Et Al

VIMS Articles

The concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is increasing in many northern hemisphere lakes, yet its use by phytoplankton and fate in the environment seldom have been quantified. We conducted 1 week, insitu, microcosm incubations across 25 lakes in northeastern North America to understand how DON, dissolved norganic nitrogen (DIN), and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (P) affected phytoplankton biomass. In addition,we tested whether lakes were limited by single macronutrients (N or P) or colimited by both. Phytoplankton biomass in 80% of lakes responded similarly to DON and DIN additions. Of the lakes where N form produced differential responses, the majority of …

Multiple Dimensions Of Functional Diversity Affect Stream Fish Taxonomic Β-Diversity, Luke M. Bower, Lauren Stoczynski, Brandon K. Peoples, Christopher J. Patrick, Bryan L. Brown

VIMS Articles

1. When investigating metacommunity dynamics, functional differences among
species are often assumed to be as important as environmental differences be-
tween sites in determining β-diversity. However, few studies have examined the
influence of functional diversity on β-diversity. We examine the relative importance of regional functional diversity partitioned by niche dimensions and environmental variation in structuring taxonomic β-diversity of stream fishes using a large dataset of stream fish assemblages (hereafter, simply β-diversity). We predicted that both functional diversity and environmental variation play a rolein determining β-diversity.
2. We tested this prediction by modelling the patterns of stream fish β-diversity as
a …

Enhancing Assessments Of Blue Carbon Stocks In Marsh Soils Using Bayesian Mixed-Effects Modeling With Spatial Autocorrelation — Proof Of Concept Using Proxy Data, Grace S. Chiu, Molly Mitchell, Julie Herman, Christian Longo, Kate Davis

VIMS Articles

Our paper showcases the potential gain in scientific insights about blue carbon stocks (or total organic carbon) when additional rigor, in the form of a spatial autocorrelation component, is formally incorporated into the statistical model for assessing the variability in carbon stocks. Organic carbon stored in marsh soils, or blue carbon (BC), is important for sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. The potential for marshes to store carbon dioxide, mitigating anthropogenic contributions to the atmosphere, makes them a critical conservation target, but efforts have been hampered by the current lack of robust methods for assessing the variability of BC stocks at …

Artistic Sensibility Is Inherent To Research, Benjamin Charles Ingman

Center for Rural School Health and Education: Faculty Scholarship

Artistic sensibility is defined in this work as the sensitivity and capacity to appreciate and act upon concerns of or pertaining to art and its production. This article contends that artistic sensibility is inherent to research. This contention is supported through three points which reveal a fourth: (1) Research requires dissemination. (2) Dissemination requires representation. (3) Representation requires artistic sensibility. These three points considered in conjunction illustrate a fourth: (4) Research requires artistic sensibility. This argument has implications for research venues, evaluations of research, and the preparation of researchers in all research disciplines. Namely, certain tenets of arts-based research may …

Identifying Patterns In The Structural Drivers Of Intrastate Conflict, Jonathan D. Moyer, Austin S. Matthews, Mickey Rafa, Yutang Xiong

International Studies: Faculty Scholarship

Quantitative methods have been used to: (1) better predict civil conflict onset; and (2) understand causal mechanisms to inform policy intervention and theory. However, an exploration of individual conflict onset cases illustrates great variation in the characteristics describing the outbreak of civil war, suggesting that there is not one single set of factors that lead to intrastate war. In this article, we use descriptive statistics to explore persistent clusters in the drivers of civil war onset, finding evidence that some arrangements of structural drivers cluster robustly across multiple model specifications (such as young, poorly developed states with anocratic regimes). Additionally, …

Exploratory Analysis Of Password And Login Security Methods, Sofia Huang

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

In 2022, the average cost of a data breach is $4.35 million. Passwords are the first line of defense against unauthorized access to accounts and important data. Ensuring that accounts are secure is vital to protect personal and corporate information. Although big tech companies are researching ways to implement password-free authentication systems, they will likely not be replaced by new technology all of a sudden. Therefore, methods to strengthen passwords and optimize security must be used until more advanced options are easily accessible. In this paper, common forms of password attacks and various methods of password security evaluation and login …

Discovering The Traces Of Disinformation On Instagram, Haley Bragg, Michele C. Weigle (Mentor)

Computer & Information Science: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Disinformation Detection and Analytics

Disinformation, which is fabricated, misleading content spread with the intent to deceive others, is accumulating substantial engagements and reaching a vast audience on Instagram. However, the temporary nature of the platform and the security guidelines that remove malicious content make studying this disinformation a challenge. The only way to access removed content and banned accounts that are no longer on the live web is by searching the web archives. In this study, we set out to quantify the replayability and quality of past captures of Instagram accounts, specifically focusing on a group of of anti-vax content creators known as the …

Introduction To The Course, Michael Mcshane, C. Ariel Pinto, Hesamoddin Tahami, Hengameh Fakhravar

Developing Technology Foresight: Case Study of AI in InsurTech

This PDF document describes the course, Developing Technology Foresight: Case Study of AI in InsurTech, and includes learning outcomes and a course outline.

Insurtech And Underwriting, Michael Mcshane, C. Ariel Pinto, Hesamoddin Tahami, Hengameh Fakhravar

Developing Technology Foresight: Case Study of AI in InsurTech

Questions regarding InsurTech and underwriting work.

Insurtech And Claims, Michael Mcshane, C. Ariel Pinto, Hesamoddin Tahami, Hengameh Fakhravar

Developing Technology Foresight: Case Study of AI in InsurTech

Questions related to InsurTech and claims.

From Balancing Redox Reactions To Determining Change Of Oxidation Numbers, Pong Kau Yuen, Cheng Man Diana Lau

Faculty Publications

Redox reaction is a core concept in teaching and learning chemistry. This article explores a new method for balancing organic redox reactions that requires the balancing of both atoms and charges. The H+, O, H2O, and e– are used as balanced vehicles in two half reactions. A non-oxidation number approach can be applied to both molecular and ionic equations. The article also provides standard operating procedures and examples. The number of transferred electrons is first determined by balancing a half redox reaction; consequently; the change of oxidation numbers can be calculated. The mathematical equation of Te– = n Te– = …

The Potential Of Bison Restoration As An Ecological Approach To Future Tribal Food Sovereignty On The Northern Great Plains, Hila Shamon, Olivia G. Cosby, Chamois L. Andersen, Helen Augare, Jony Bearcub Stiffarm, Claire E. Bresnan, Jeff M. Martin, Et Al.

Natural Resource Management Faculty Publications

Future climate projections of warming, drying, and increased weather variability indicate that conventional agricultural and production practices within the Northern Great Plains (NGP) will become less sustainable, both ecologically and economically. As a result, the livelihoods of people that rely on these lands will be adversely impacted. This is especially true for Native American communities, who were relegated to reservations where the land is often vast but marginal and non-tribal operators have an outsized role in food production. In addition, NGP lands are expected to warm and dry disproportionately relative to the rest of the United States. It is therefore …

Towards A Burden-Free Implicit Authentication For Wearable Device Users, Bryan Lee, Sudip Vhaduri

Discovery Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Internship

The state of current knowledge-based wearable authentication systems requires users to physically interact with a device to initiate and validate their presence, thereby imposing a burden on the user. However, with the recent advancements of sensor technologies in consumer smart wearables (e.g., Fitbit and Apple watches), we were able to utilize vectors of statistical features extracted from the continuous stream of data from these IoT devices to implicitly validate a user's activities and its spatiotemporal context via the use of machine learning techniques. To improve the performance of our models, additional soft biometric data (i.e., respiratory sounds) was collected, and …

Can Environmental Law Solve The "Forever Chemical" Problem?, Mark P. Nevitt, Robert V. Percival

Faculty Articles

Although federal environmental law purports to provide the public with comprehensive protection against chemical risks, the U.S. chemical industry is characterized by self­ regulation. This self-regulation is exemplified by the dangers posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (''PFAS'')­ broad classes of persistent toxic substances that have now entered nearly every American's bloodstream and hundreds of public drinking water systems. Despite data linking exposure to these "forever chemicals" to cancer, infertility, and a host of other public health harms, environmental law has failed to safeguard the American people from PFAS' toxic legacy. How did this occur? And what should be done …

Impact Of Introductory Physics For The Life Sciences In A Senior Biology Capstone Course, Benjamin D. Geller , '01, Jack Rubien , '20, Sara Hiebert Burch, Catherine Hirshfeld Crouch

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Works

A goal of introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS) curricula is to prepare students to effectively use physical models and quantitative reasoning in biological and medical settings. To assess whether this goal is being met, we conducted a longitudinal study of the impact of IPLS on student work in later biology and chemistry courses. We report here on one part of that study, a comparison of written responses by students with different physics backgrounds on a diffusion task administered in a senior biology capstone course. We observed differences in student reasoning that were found to be associated with prior or …

Guide To Nebraska's Wetlands And Their Conservation Needs, Third Edition, 2022, Ted Lagrange

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission: Publications

Wetlands: a source of great interest, and at times conflict. Wetlands represent different things to different people. To some people they may be considered shallow, muddy nuisances whereas to others they are considered to be wonderful, varied, and productive assets. This is because wetlands take on many roles as part of an elaborate and dynamic system. Understanding wetlands requires understanding the complex and varying roles they can play. To aid in this understanding, this guide defines wetlands, discusses their importance and dynamics, identifies threats and losses, describes conservation programs, and takes an in-depth look at Nebraska’s regional wetland complexes.

Nebraska’s …

3-D Printed Arduino Powered Drone, Michael Floccare

Senior Honors Projects

With the 3D technology available today creating something in a lab has never been easier. Using 3D printers, the body of a drone is created and printed using a combination of programs. With a body created using PLA filament the drone is durable and light weight. The drone’s flight system and controller are programmed with the built-in software from Arduino. Adding the Arduino nano to the drone body then gives the drone capabilities to fly.