Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Encapsulated 2d Materials And The Potential For 1d Electrical Contacts, Sarah Wittenburg

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

The utilization of two-dimensional materials and heterostructures, particularly graphene and hexagonal boron nitride, have garnered significant attention in the realm of nanoelectronics due to their unique properties and versatile functionalities. This study focuses on the synthesis and fabrication processes of monolayer graphene encapsulated between layers of hBN, aiming to explore the potential of these heterostructures for various electronic applications. The encapsulation of graphene within hBN layers not only enhances device performance but also shields graphene from environmental contaminants, ensuring long-term stability. Experimental techniques, including mechanical exfoliation and stamp-assisted transfer, are employed to construct three-layer stacks comprising hBN-graphene-hBN. The fabrication process …

A Central Limit Theorem For The Number Of Excursion Set Components Of Gaussian Fields, Dmitry Beliaev, Michael Mcauley, Stephen Muirhead

Articles

For a smooth stationary Gaussian field f on R^d and level ℓ ∈ R, we consider the number of connected components of the excursion set {f ≥ ℓ} (or level set {f = ℓ}) contained in large domains. The mean of this quantity is known to scale like the volume of the domain under general assumptions on the field. We prove that, assuming sufficient decay of correlations (e.g. the Bargmann-Fock field), a central limit theorem holds with volume-order scaling. Previously such a result had only been established for ‘additive’ geometric functionals of the excursion/level sets (e.g. the volume or …

Detection Of Jamming Attacks In Vanets, Thomas Justice

Undergraduate Honors Theses

A vehicular network is a type of communication network that enables vehicles to communicate with each other and the roadside infrastructure. The roadside infrastructure consists of fixed nodes such as roadside units (RSUs), traffic lights, road signs, toll booths, and so on. RSUs are devices equipped with communication capabilities that allow vehicles to obtain and share real-time information about traffic conditions, weather, road hazards, and other relevant information. These infrastructures assist in traffic management, emergency response, smart parking, autonomous driving, and public transportation to improve roadside safety, reduce traffic congestion, and enhance the overall driving experience. However, communication between the …

Do Heat Waves Drive Natural Selection In Damselflies?, Adam Baranyk

Biological Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

Climate change has led to changes in both mean temperatures and temperature extremes over the recent years. These changes have had differential effects on animals throughout the world. Ectotherms depend on their external environment for thermal regulation, making them especially susceptible to temperature extremes. It is not yet clear whether there is a relationship between physical traits in ectotherms, and survivorship throughout a heat wave. That is, whether or not temperature extremes driven survival selection. In this study, a heat wave was simulated artificially using thermally regulated mesocosms at different temperatures (18°C, 22° C, 26° C, 30° C) with a …

An In-Network Approach For Pmu Missing Data Recovery With Data Plane Programmability, Jack Norris

Computer Science and Computer Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phasor measurement unit (PMU) systems often experience unavoidable missing and erroneous measurements, which undermine power system observability and operational effectiveness. Traditional solutions for recovering missing PMU data employ a centralized approach at the control center, resulting in lengthy recovery times due to data transmission and aggregation. In this work, we leverage P4-based programmable networks to expedite missing data recovery. Our approach utilizes the data plane programmability offered by P4 to present an in-network solution for PMU data recovery. We establish a data-plane pipeline on P4 switches, featuring a customized PMU protocol parser, a missing data detection module, and an auto-regressive …

Measurement Of Transmission Efficiency Of Blue Light Blocking Devices, Jada Lee

Honors Theses

Technology and light sources have experienced a revolution in recent years leading to the production of light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. White-light LED bulbs undergo degradation over time, leading to a rise in color temperature and a proportional increase in the emission of blue light from these bulbs. The small size of LEDs makes them the optimal choice for electronic devices because of their limited screen size. This means that blue light now exists in red, green, and blue solid-state illumination systems that did not exist a decade ago. It is debated if blue light induces toxic effects on the …

Leveraging Blockchain Technology To Revamp The Vehicle Electrification Journey: Perspectives Of Accountability And Economic Circularity, Eva Escobar Brown

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The automotive industry is undergoing a significant transition accelerated by global emission regulations for a phase out of internal combustion engines (ICEs) and a transition toward the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). While regulatory measures and incentivized adoption for EVs presents opportunities for reducing emissions and promoting sustainability, it also poses complex challenges. The EV industry faces potential production challenges, particularly in the sourcing, manufacturing, and lifecycle management of critical minerals and raw materials for electric vehicle batteries (EVBs). With a heavy reliance on a steady and diversified supply of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and rare earth elements, …

A Comprehensive Investigation Of The Influence Of Geometric Structure On The Shape Memory Performance Of Nafion, Jade Thomas

Physics Undergraduate Honors Theses

While perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes have primarily been used in fuel cells due to their chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability, one PFSA, Nafion, boasts two unique characteristics: a broad glass transition (~55 °C to 130 °C) and a temperature-persistent electrostatic network. The combination of these two characteristics endows Nafion with exceptional shape memory properties – the ability of a material to morph and transform into pre-programmed shapes when exposed to an external stimulus – with enhanced permanent shape memorization, and a potentially near-infinite number of temporary shape memorization. This study focused on expanding the base of knowledge surrounding Nafion’s shape …

A Comprehensive Investigation Of The Influence Of Geometric Structure On The Shape Memory Performance Of Nafion, Jade Thomas

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

While perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes have primarily been used in fuel cells due to their chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability, one PFSA, Nafion, boasts two unique characteristics: a broad glass transition (~55 °C to 130 °C) and a temperature-persistent electrostatic network. The combination of these two characteristics endows Nafion with exceptional shape memory properties – the ability of a material to morph and transform into pre-programmed shapes when exposed to an external stimulus – with enhanced permanent shape memorization, and a potentially near-infinite number of temporary shape memorization. This study focused on expanding the base of knowledge surrounding Nafion’s shape …

Legislative Recommendations On Biometric Security And Privacy Jurisprudence, Joshua M. Morrow

All Student Scholarship

This project focuses on the prevalence of biometrics today, their various applications, and the biometric laws and legislations in place in the United States (U.S.) and Maine. Due to various threats and vulnerabilities imposing risk on collecting and using peoples’ biometric data, sufficient cyber protections related to citizens’ privacy rights, ethical control, and security of personally identifiable information (PII) must become necessary components of contemporary biometric laws and legislation. Without such explicit cyber protections, citizens participate in and comply with various technical domains and entities, such as private companies and governmental agencies, with minimal awareness or comprehension that their sensitive …

Modeling Vibration Stiffness: An Analytical Extension Of Hertzian Theory For Angular Contact Bearings With A Thin Viscoelastic Coating, Davis R. Burton

Honors Theses

This thesis considers the novel angular contact rolling-element bearings proposed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center, which are coated with a thin solid lubricant that exhibits viscoelastic behavior. Current analytical models for the dynamic stiffness matrix of angular contact bearings, critical for vibration analysis, lack the ability to model the effects of a solid coating, as well as the time dependencies inherent in viscoelastic theory. The author first presents an overview of the stiffness matrix derivation, followed by a treatment of the underlying Hertzian contact theory. An analytical extension of this theory is proposed which accounts for a thin elastic layer …

Optimizing Ic Engine Efficiency: A Comprehensive Review On Biodiesel, Nanofluid, And The Role Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning, Manzoore E. M. Soudagar, Sagar Shelare, Deepali Marghade, Pramod Belkhode, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Tiong S. Kiong, S. Ramesh, Armin Rajabi, Harish Venu, T. M. Yunus Khan, M. A. Mujtaba, Kiran Shahapurkar, M. A. Kalam, I. M. R. Fattah

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Transportation and power generation have historically relied upon Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs). However, because of environmental impact and inefficiency, considerable research has been devoted to improving their performance. Alternative fuels are necessary because of environmental concerns and the depletion of non-renewable fuel stocks. Biodiesel has the potential to reduce emissions and improve sustainability when compared to diesel fuel. Several researchers have examined using nanofluids to increase biodiesel performance in internal combustion engines. Due to their thermal and physical properties, nanoparticles in a host fluid improve engine combustion and efficiency. This comprehensive review examines three key areas for improving ICE efficiency: …

Comparing North American Professional Sports League Season Formats Using Monte Carlo Simulation, Lathan Gregg

Industrial Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Each NFL, NBA, and MLB season consists of a regular season, in which teams play a set number of scheduled games and a playoff, in which qualifying teams compete for a championship. At the conclusion of each season, teams are ranked based on their performance throughout the season. This study aims to investigate the ability of each league's season format to accurately rank teams using Monte Carlo simulation. Matches between two teams are simulated by using the team’s assigned strength ranks to calculate a winning probability for each team. The winning probabilities are simulated with different skill values, dictating how …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Technology Development And Materials Research To Enable A Sustainable D-T Fusion Energy Fuel Cycle, Brenda L. Garcia-Diaz, David Babineau, James Klein, Robert Allgood, George Larsen, Holly B. Flynn, Dale Hitchcock, Tim Krentz, Chris Dandeneau, Lucas Angelette, Robert Sindelar

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Sequential Optimization For Stressor-Informed Test Planning Through Integration Of Experimental And Simulated Data, Jacob Brecheisen

Data Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

This technical report details an innovative approach in reliability engineering aimed at maximizing system durability through a synergistic use of physical experimentation and computer-based modeling. Our methodology explores the efficient design and analysis of computer experiments and physical tests to facilitate accelerated reliability growth, while leveraging a sequential integration of data from these two distinct sources: costly physical experiments, characterized by random errors, and inexpensive computer simulations, marked by inherent systematic errors. The key innovation lies in the adoption of a closed-loop design and analysis method. This method begins by identifying a viable subset of important environmental stressors—such as temperature, …

Unraveling The Physics Of Quasar Jets Using Hst Polarimetry, Devon Clautice

Theses and Dissertations

We present a multiwavelength study of three high-power FR II (quasar) jets -- 3C 273, PKS 0637-752, and 1150+497 -- with an emphasis on new high-quality Hubble Space Telescope (HST) optical polarimetry and Chandra X-ray Observatory imaging. Relativistic jets from active galactic nuclei transport energy and mass from the supermassive black hole’s accretion region out to Megaparsec-scale lobes, with effects that feedback into galaxy formation and cluster energetics. We build on recent work which has called into question our fundamental understanding of FR II jet physics, and suggest that highly-efficient particle acceleration must be taking place in situ …

Information Based Approach For Detecting Change Points In Inverse Gaussian Model With Applications, Alexis Anne Wallace

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Change point analysis is a method used to estimate the time point at which a change in the mean or variance of data occurs. It is widely used as changes appear in various datasets such as the stock market, temperature, and quality control, allowing statisticians to take appropriate measures to mitigate financial losses, operational disruptions, or other adverse impacts. In this thesis, we develop a change point detection procedure in the Inverse Gaussian (IG) model using the Modified Information Criterion (MIC). The IG distribution, originating as the distribution of the first passage time of Brownian motion with positive drift, offers …

Truck Traffic Analysis In The Inland Empire, Bhavik Khatri

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study undertakes a meticulous examination of truck traffic within the Inland Empire, focusing on the distribution and dynamics of medium and heavy-duty vehicles, to advocate for the region's transition to electric trucks. Utilizing advanced spatial analysis and data from Streetlight Data, it segments the region into six subregions, revealing distinct traffic patterns and environmental impacts. Notably, the research uncovers that the North Center and West zones, integral to the logistics and warehousing sectors, exhibit the highest traffic volumes, significantly influencing air quality and infrastructure.

Quantitative results from 2021 illustrate a pronounced disparity in truck activity: medium-weight vehicles accounted for …

The Effects Of Free Volume And Processing On The Development Of Gas Separation Membranes, Jacob Schekman

Dissertations

Structure, thermal, mechanical, gas transport, and free volume properties of thiol-ene based systems are investigated and discussed. In the pursuit of generating low energy-cost polymer membranes for gas separation, it became apparent that UV-curing of thiol-ene materials presented several routes toward achieving this goal. Network structure plays a vital role in determining the gas transport properties of membrane materials. UV photopolymerization techniques provide a means to rapidly vitrify network morphologies which can be tuned depending on choice of monomer. Thiol-ene monomers offer a broad range of precursor materials from which to choose for the design of functional membrane materials.

Chapter …

Simulacra And Historical Fidelity In Digital Recreation Of Lost Cultural Heritage: Reconstituting Period Materialities For The Period Eye, Trent Olsen, James Hutson, Charles O'Brien, Jeremiah Ratican

Faculty Scholarship

The advancement of digital technologies in art history has opened avenues for reconstructing lost or damaged cultural heritage, a need highlighted by the deteriorated state of many artworks from the 1785 Salon. Grounded in the concept of the “Period Eye” by art historian Michael Baxandall, which emphasizes understanding artworks within their original historical and cultural contexts, this study proposes a subfield focused on Reconstituting Period Materialities for the Period Eye. This methodology bridges comprehensive historical research with generative visual artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, facilitating the creation and immersive virtual reality viewing of artworks. Beyond mere visual replication, the approach aims …

Cost-Risk Analysis Of The Ercot Region Using Modern Portfolio Theory, Megan Sickinger

Master's Theses

In this work, we study the use of modern portfolio theory in a cost-risk analysis of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). Based upon the risk-return concepts of modern portfolio theory, we develop an n-asset minimization problem to create a risk-cost frontier of portfolios of technologies within the ERCOT electricity region. The levelized cost of electricity for each technology in the region is a step in evaluating the expected cost of the portfolio, and the historical data of cost factors estimate the variance of cost for each technology. In addition, there are several constraints in our minimization problem to …

Classification Of Remote Sensing Image Data Using Rsscn-7 Dataset, Satya Priya Challa

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A novel technique for remote sensing image scene classification is employed using the Compact Vision Transformer (CVT) architecture. This model strengthens the power of deep learning and self-attention algorithms to significantly intensify the accuracy and efficiency of scene classification in remote sensing imagery. Through extensive training and evaluation of the RSSCNN7 dataset, our CVT-based model has achieved an impressive accuracy rate of 87.46% on the original dataset. This remarkable result underscores the prospect of CVT models in the domain of remote sensing and underscores their applicability in real-world scenarios. Our report furnishes an elaborate account of the model's architecture, training …

Computational Linguistics And Multilingualism: A Comparative Analysis With Spanish And English Data, Evelyn Lawrie

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Computational linguistics is an increasingly ubiquitous field, serving as the basis for artificial intelligence and machine translation. It aims to analyze the syntax and semantics of individual words and phrases. While there have been in-depth advancements in computational linguistics strategies for the English language, others have not been developed as thoroughly. This lack of emphasis on multilingualism has contributed to the disappearance of Hispanic perspectives in the digital world. Especially those of indigenous heritage, as the decline of many indigenous languages has been exacerbated by the lack of digital translation services. Sentiment analysis is a branch of computational linguistics that …

Harnessing The Power Of Virtual Reality For Organic Chemistry Education, Jungmin Shin

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Understanding organic chemistry concepts heavily relies on visualization of the geometry of molecules and spatial arrangement of molecules during mechanisms. 2D textbook depictions have their limitations in visualizing the three-dimensionality of organic chemistry. Student learning outcomes could be greatly improved from 3D visualizations of these topics. This project explores the potential of an emerging technology, Virtual Reality (VR), being incorporated as a teaching resource for organic chemistry.

This paper discusses two trials for evaluating the potential of VR as a teaching resource for organic chemistry in select topics of the Diels-Alder reaction and R/S configurations and stereoisomers. The Diels-Alder reaction …

Advancing Sentiment Analysis Through Emotionally-Agnostic Text Mining In Large Language Models (Llms), Jay Ratican, James Hutson

Faculty Scholarship

The conventional methodology for sentiment analysis within large language models (LLMs) has predominantly drawn upon human emotional frameworks, incorporating physiological cues that are inherently absent in text-only communication. This research proposes a paradigm shift towards an emotionallyagnostic approach to sentiment analysis in LLMs, which concentrates on purely textual expressions of sentiment, circumventing the confounding effects of human physiological responses. The aim is to refine sentiment analysis algorithms to discern and generate emotionally congruent responses strictly from text-based cues. This study presents a comprehensive framework for an emotionally-agnostic sentiment analysis model that systematically excludes physiological indicators whilst maintaining the analytical depth …

Roads And Corresponding Travel Time To Markets: Assessing Climate Vulnerability In Nepal, Kaitlyn Crowley

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Roads exist as a physical and theoretical connection between people and places around the globe. In addition to providing a route from one point to another, roads are also an indicator of access to markets and of poverty. However, current road datasets, particularly the Global Roads Open Access Data Set, are out of date or incomplete, necessitating new sources of data for analyses involving road networks. This study explores the relationship between climate change and access to markets in Nepal. We seek to identify isolated communities that are likely to experience detrimental outcomes associated with environmental threats, such as increasing …

Convergence Estimate Of Minimal Residual Methods And Random Sketching Of Krylov Subspace Methods, Peter Westerbaan

All Dissertations

This study concerns two main issues in numerical linear algebra: convergence estimate of minimal residual methods based on explicit construction of approximate min-max polynomials for in- definite matrices, and development and analysis of Krylov subspace methods using non-orthonormal basis vectors based on random sketching. For a matrix A with spectrum Λ(A), it is well known that the min-max polynomial problem min max |pk (z)| pk ∈Pk, pk (0)=1, z∈Λ(A) is used to bound the relative error of Krylov subspace minimum residual methods or similar methods. For a symmetric positive definite matrix A, the min-max polynomial for the Conjugate Gradient (CG) …

Time Resolved X-Ray Spectroscopy Of Highly Charged Ar, Nd, And Pr, Timothy Burke

All Dissertations

Highly Charged Ions (HCIs) may be considered ideal mini-laboratory in which one can study the physics of matter and light in an environment of high internal electric field that can not be recreated with standard lab equipment. The remaining electron(s) exist in the extremely large electric field of the nucleus and therefore measurements of electronic transitions in these systems provide stringent tests of our understanding of physics in extreme conditions. Quantum electrodynamics (QED) despite being a powerful theory exhibits large discrepancies for systems under extreme conditions. The work here investigates the atomic properties within non-Maxwellian plasmas. The HCI plasmas studied …

Domain Decomposition Methods For Fluid-Structure Interaction Problems Involving Elastic, Porous, Or Poroelastic Structures, Hemanta Kunwar

All Dissertations

We introduce two global-in-time domain decomposition methods, namely the Steklov-Poincare method and Schwarz waveform relaxation (SWR) method using Robin transmission conditions (or the Robin method), for solving fluid-structure interaction systems involving elastic, porous, or poroelastic structure. These methods allow us to formulate the coupled system as a space-time interface problem and apply iterative algorithms directly to the evolutionary problem. Each time-dependent fluid and the structure subdomain problem is solved independently, which enables the use of different time discretization schemes and time step sizes in the subsystems. This leads to an efficient way of simulating time-dependent multiphysics phenomena. For the fluid-porous …