Life Sciences Commons^™

Surface And Subsurface Application Of Chemical Dispersants And Associated Ecosystem Impacts, Adam V. Radpour

Master's Projects and Capstones

Chemical dispersants are applied to spilled oil in marine environments when other, less controversial, methods are not adequate for the incident. They are considered to be a response method as opposed to a direct cleanup method, with the intended goals of reducing risk of exposure to sensitive shorelines, reducing environmental injury to surface-dwelling sea birds and marine mammals, and facilitating the biodegradation of spilled oil into the water column.

For this research, both surface and subsurface application of dispersants were evaluated in terms of oil characteristics and volume, and oceanic and atmospheric conditions. More data exists to support the effectiveness …

A Geospatial Analysis Of Norovirus Outbreaks In California, And An Investigation Of The Impact Of Environmental Variables, Alexandra Groen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Previous studies and empirical evidence suggest norovirus outbreaks in California exhibit correlation with environmental variables and exhibit spatial spread patterns. Few studies have been done looking at what causes norovirus seasonality in temperate climates and more research is needed on the regional level. This study aims to find what relationships exist with outbreak occurrence and environmental variables in California, as well as any spatial patterns of spread or clustering of outbreaks. Spatial analysis tools were used to find any relationships between California norovirus outbreak data and environmental variables. The results showed a south to north spread of outbreaks in California …