Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Maintaining Productive Efficiency Of Solar Arrays, Grant Woods

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

With the onset of climate change people are demanding better business behavior. As a result, many companies seek to diversify their public presence by acquiring technologies and behaviors that ultimately strive toward a goal of reducing environmental impacts. One particular focus of this transition has been the acquisition of clean energy technology. Solar photovoltaic arrays are one such technology that companies and homeowners continue to adopt to meet their environmental goals whether those goals are specific, measureable, impactful or whether they are more for self satisfaction and peace of mind. Administration and the Office for Sustainability at University of Richmond …

Natural Gas: Analyzing The Relationship Between The University Of Richmond's Corporate Social Responsibility And Natural Gas As An Alternative Energy Source, Sophia M. Tailor

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

On April 9, 2019, the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors approved a permit to begin construction on a 500 megawatt solar array managed by Sustainable Power Group (sPower) in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. A roughly $615 million project, sPower’s solar array will cover almost 6,300 acres of Spotsylvania County and is set to be the largest such project east of the Rocky Mountains (Shenk, 2019). Alongside big players such as Microsoft and Etsy, the University of Richmond also has a stake in the project. 20 MW of the Spotsylvania solar array will be designated for the University of Richmond and is …

Beyond The Site: An Analysis Of The Perceived Economic Impact To The Spotsylvania Community, Kate Wickersham

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

New solar farm development can bring support and opposition as evident by the planned sPower solar farm in Spotsylvania county, Virginia. Of significant concern for such development is the economic impacts to the local and county level including real estate values, tax revenue and general project feasibility. In an analysis of the economic impacts, primary and secondary research included outlining the arguments presented by the two opposing sides; the Concerned Citizens of Spotsylvania County and sPower. Research further included an analysis of the projected change in real estate values the nearby Fawn Lake residential development. The real estate analysis concluded …

Spotsylvania Solar: A Stakeholder Analysis Of Corporate Involvement, Merissa Shebell

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

This report investigates the major corporations that hold a stake in sPower’s 500-Megawatt Spotsylvania Solar Project through the framework of corporate social responsibility. The major corporations include the investors in the project, Microsoft, Apple in collaboration with Akamai, Etsy, and Swiss Re, and the University of Richmond, as well as the energy provides and distributors, Dominion Energy and PJM Interconnection. Through an evaluation of the investors’ sustainability and environmental reports, the motivations behind their agreements with sPower can be attributed to a desire to meet their renewable energy goals. By purchasing a portion of the electricity generated by the solar …

Watershed Environmental Analysis: Waterflow Function And Vulnerabilities, Olivia Hubert

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

The environmental impacts on the proposed area for the sPower solar panels has been a primary concern from the citizens of Spotsylvania County during the special use permit process. This project will discuss the function of watersheds, specifically within the sPower Spotsylvania County solar panel farm sites, to effectively present the findings from sPower’s permitting process and the concerned citizens of Spotsylvania to answer the following questions: How do the sPower solar farm watersheds function, what are their vulnerabilities, and how is sPower addressing them? The information presented is a collection and analysis of data using ArcGIS software and written …

Taller In The Saddle: Constraining Cmb Physics Using Saddle Points, Jow L. Dylan, Dagoberto Contreras, Douglas Scott, Emory F. Bunn

Physics Faculty Publications

The statistics of extremal points in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature (hot and cold spots) have been well explored in the literature, and have been used to constrain models of the early Universe. Here, we extend the study of critical points in the CMB to the set that remains after removing extrema, namely the saddle points. We perform stacks of temperature and polarization about temperature saddle points in simulations of the CMB, as well as in data from the Plancksatellite. We then compute the theoretical profile of saddle-point stacks, given the underlying power spectra of the CMB. As an …

Metal-Assisted Hydrolysis Reactions Involving Lipids: A Review, Dominique E. Williams, Kathryn B. Grant

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This report covers major advances in the use of metal ions and complexes to hydrolyze ester and phosphate ester lipid bonds. These metal-based Lewis acids have been investigated as catalysts to isolate fatty acids from biological sources, as probes to study phospholipid bilayer properties, as tools to examine signal transduction pathways, and as lead compounds toward the discovery of therapeutic agents. Metal ions that accelerate phosphate ester hydrolysis under mild conditions of temperature and pH may have the potential to mimic phospholipase activity in biochemical applications.

Functionalized Carbon Nanotube Adsorption Interfaces For Electron Transfer Studies Of Galactose Oxidase, Mulugeta B. Wayu, Michael J. Pannell, Najwa Labban, William S. Case, Julie A. Pollack, Michael C. Leopold

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Modified electrodes featuring specific adsorption platforms able to access the electrochemistry of the copper containing enzyme galactose oxidase (GaOx) were explored, including interfaces featuring nanomaterials such as nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Electrodes modified with various self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) including those with attached nanoparticles or amide-coupled functionalized CNTs were examined for their ability to effectively immobilize GaOx and study the redox activity related to its copper core. While stable GaOx electrochemistry has been notoriously difficult to achieve at modified electrodes, strategically designed functionalized CNT-based interfaces, cysteamine SAM-modified electrode subsequently amide-coupled to carboxylic acid functionalized single wall CNTs, were significantly more …

Critical Fault-Detecting Time Evaluation In Software With Discrete Compound Poisson Models, Min-Hsiung Hsieh, Shuen-Lin Jeng, Paul Kvam

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

Software developers predict their product’s failure rate using reliability growth models that are typically based on nonhomogeneous Poisson (NHP) processes. In this article, we extend that practice to a nonhomogeneous discrete-compound Poisson process that allows for multiple faults of a system at the same time point. Along with traditional reliability metrics such as average number of failures in a time interval, we propose an alternative reliability index called critical fault-detecting time in order to provide more information for software managers making software quality evaluation and critical market policy decisions. We illustrate the significant potential for improved analysis using wireless failure …

How Does Customer Service Offshoring Impact Customer Satisfaction?, Jonathan W. Whitaker, M. S. Krishnan, Claes Fornell, Forrest Morgeson

Management Faculty Publications

Information technology (IT) plays a vital role in customer relationship management (CRM), because CRM processes include the collection and analysis of customer information, firms use technology tools to interact with customers, and IT created the conditions under which firms can offshore CRM processes. Customers have negative perceptions toward offshoring, which suggests that firms might be reluctant to offshore IT-enabled CRM processes. However, firms have significantly increased offshoring for CRM processes, presenting a conundrum. Why would firms increase offshoring for CRM processes if there could be a risk to customer satisfaction?

This paper helps to resolve the conundrum by studying the …

Chronic Disease Management: How It And Analytics Create Healthcare Value Through The Temporal Displacement Of Care, Steven M. Thompson, Jonathan W. Whitaker, Rajiv Kohli, Craig Jones

Management Faculty Publications

The treatment of chronic diseases consumes 86% of U.S. healthcare costs. While healthcare organizations have traditionally focused on treating the complications of chronic diseases, advances in information technology (IT) and analytics can help clinicians and patients manage and slow the progression of chronic diseases to result in higher quality of life for patients and lower healthcare costs.

We build on prior research to introduce the notion of temporal displacement of care (TDC), in which IT and analytics create healthcare value by displacing the time at which providers and patients make interventions to improve healthcare outcomes and reduce costs. We propose …

One-Pot Enol Silane Formation-Mukaiyama Aldol Reactions: Crossed Aldehyde-Aldehyde Coupling, Thioester Substrates, And Reactions In Ester Solvents, C. Wade Downey, Grant J. Dixon, Jared A. Ingersoll, Claire A. Fuller, Kenneth W. Maccormac, Anna Takashima, Rohina Sediqui

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) and a trialkylamine base promote both in situ enol silane/silyl ketene acetal formation and Mukaiyama aldol addition reactions between a variety of reaction partners in a single reaction flask. Isolation of the required enol silane or silyl ketene acetal is not necessary. For example, crossed aldol reactions between α-disubstituted aldehydes and non-enolizable aldehydes yield b- hydroxy aldehydes in good yield. In a related reaction, the common laboratory solvent ethyl acetate functions as both an enolate precursor and a green reaction solvent. When thioesters are employed as enolate precursors, high yields for additions to non-enolizable aldehydes are routinely …

Mean Value Theorems For Riemannian Manifolds Via The Obstacle Problem, Brian Benson, Ivan Blank, Jeremy Lecrone

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

We develop some of the basic theory for the obstacle problem on Riemannian manifolds, and we use it to establish a mean value theorem. Our mean value theorem works for a very wide class of Riemannian manifolds and has no weights at all within the integral.

The Range And Valence Of A Real Smirnov Function, Timothy Ferguson, William T. Ross

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

We give a complete description of the possible ranges of real Smirnov functions (quotients of two bounded analytic functions on the open unit disk where the denominator is outer and such that the radial boundary values are real almost everywhere on the unit circle). Our techniques use the theory of unbounded symmetric Toeplitz operators, some general theory of unbounded symmetric operators, classical Hardy spaces, and an application of the uniformization theorem. In addition, we completely characterize the possible valences for these real Smirnov functions when the valence is finite. To do so we construct Riemann surfaces we call disk trees …

Perturbed Obstacle Problems In Lipschitz Domains: Linear Stability And Nondegeneracy In Measure, Ivan Blank, Jeremy Lecrone

Department of Math & Statistics Faculty Publications

We consider the classical obstacle problem on bounded, connected Lipschitz domains D⊂Rⁿ. We derive quantitative bounds on the changes to contact sets under general perturbations to both the right-hand side and the boundary data for obstacle problems. In particular, we show that the Lebesgue measure of the symmetric difference between two contact sets is linearly comparable to the L¹-norm of perturbations in the data.

Waveband Luminosity Correlations In Flux-Limited Multiwavelength Data, Jack Singal, V. Petrosian, Sami Malik, Jibran Haider

Physics Faculty Publications

We explore the general question of correlations among different waveband luminosities in a flux-limited multiband observational data set. Such correlations, often observed for astronomical sources, may be either intrinsic or induced by the redshift evolution of the luminosities and the data truncation due to the flux limits. We first address this question analytically. We then use simulated flux-limited data with three different known intrinsic luminosity correlations and prescribed luminosity functions and evolution similar to the ones expected for quasars. We explore how the intrinsic nature of luminosity correlations can be deduced, including exploring the efficacy of partial correlation analysis with …

Testing For Directionality In The Planck Polarization And Lensing Data, Majd Ghrear, Emory F. Bunn, Dagoberto Contreras, Douglas Scott

Physics Faculty Publications

In order to better analyse the polarization of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), which is dominated by emission from our Galaxy, we need tools that can detect residual foregrounds in cleaned CMB maps. Galactic foregrounds introduce statistical anisotropy and directionality to the polarization pseudo-vectors of the CMB, which can be investigated by using the D statistic of Bunn and Scott. This statistic is rapidly computable and capable of investigating a broad range of data products for directionality. We demonstrate the application of this statistic to detecting foregrounds in polarization maps by analysing the uncleaned Planck 2018 frequency maps. For the …

First Generation Amperometric Biosensing Of Galactose With Xerogel-Carbon Nanotube Layer-By-Layer Assemblies, Najwa Labban, Mulugeta B. Wayu, Ciara M. Steele, Tess S. Munoz, Julie A. Pollock, William S. Case, Michael C. Leopold

Chemistry Faculty Publications

A first-generation amperometric galactose biosensor has been systematically developed utilizing layer-by-layer (LbL) construction of xerogels, polymers, and carbon nanotubes toward a greater fundamental understanding of sensor design with these materials and the potential development of a more efficient galactosemia diagnostic tool for clinical application. The effect of several parameters (xerogel silane precursor, buffer pH, enzyme concentration, drying time and the inclusion of a polyurethane (PU) outer layer) on galactose sensitivity were investigated with the critical nature of xerogel selection being demonstrated. Xerogels formed from silanes with medium, aliphatic side chains were shown to exhibit significant enhancements in sensitivity with the …

Halogen Bonding Interactions For Aromatic And Non-Aromatic Explosive Detection, Arjun K. A. Jaini, Lillian B. Hughes, Michael K. Kitimet, Kevin John Ulep, Michael C. Leopold, Carol A. Parish

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Improved sensing strategies are needed for facile, accurate and rapid detection of aromatic and nonaromatic explosives. Density functional theory was used to evaluate the relative binding interaction energies between halogen-containing sensor model molecules and nitro-containing explosives. Interaction energies ranged from –18 to –14 kJ/mol and highly directional halogen bonding interactions were observed with bond distances ranging between 3.0 and 3.4 Å. In all geometry optimized structures, the sigma-hole of electropositive potential on the halogen aligned with a lone pair of electrons on the nitro-moiety of the explosive. The computational results predict that the strongest interactions will occur with iodine-based sensors …

Measurement Of Unpolarized And Polarized Cross Sections For Deeply Virtual Compton Scattering On The Proton At Jefferson Laboratory With Clas, N. Saylor, B. Hirlinger, B. Guegan, V. D. Burkert, L. Elouadrhiri, M. Garcon, F. X. Girod, M. Guidal, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

This paper reports the measurement of polarized and unpolarized cross sections for the ep→e′p′γ reaction, which is composed of deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) and Bethe-Heitler (BH) processes, at an electron beam energy of 5.88 GeV at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility using the Large Acceptance Spectrometer CLAS. The unpolarized cross sections and polarized cross section differences have been measured over broad kinematics, 0.10 < x_B < 0.58, 1.0 < Q² <4.8 GeV² and 0.09<−t <2.00 GeV². The results are found to be consistent with previous CLAS data, and these new data are discussed in the framework of the generalized parton distribution approach. Calculations …

Probing High-Momentum Protons And Neutrons In Neutron-Rich Nuclei, M. Duer, C. L. A. S. Collaboration, O. Hen, E. Piasetzky, H. Hakobyan, L. B. Weistein, M. Braverman, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

The atomic nucleus is one of the densest and most complex quantum-mechanical systems in nature. Nuclei account for nearly all the mass of the visible Universe. The properties of individual nucleons (protons and neutrons) in nuclei can be probed by scattering a high-energy particle from the nucleus and detecting this particle after it scatters, often also detecting an additional knocked-out proton. Analysis of electron- and proton-scattering experiments suggests that some nucleons in nuclei form close-proximity neutron–proton pairs with high nucleon momentum, greater than the nuclear Fermi momentum. However, how excess neutrons in neutron-rich nuclei form such close-proximity pairs remains unclear. …

Measurements Of The Gamma(Upsilon)P -> P ’Pi(+)Pi(- )Cross Section With The Clas Detector For 0.4 Gev2 < Q(2) < 1.0 Gev2 And 1.3 Gev < W < 1.825 Gev, G. Fedotov, Iu A. Skorodumina, V. D. Burkert, R. W. Gothe, K. Hicks, V. Mokeev, S. Adhikari, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

New results on the single-differential and fully integrated cross sections for the process γ_vp -> p'π⁺π^- are presented. The experimental data were collected with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Laboratory. Measurements were carried out in the kinematic region of the reaction invariant mass W from 1.3 to 1.825 GeV and the photon virtuality Q² from 0.4 to 1.0 GeV². The cross sections were obtained in narrow Q² bins (0.05 GeV²) with the smallest statistical uncertainties achieved in double-pion electroproduction experiments to date. The results were found to be in …

Sintering-Induced Nucleation And Growth Of Noble Metal Nanoparticles For Plasmonic Resonance Ceramic Color, Nathan Dinh, Michael C. Leopold, Ryan Coppage

Chemistry Faculty Publications

This study demonstrates the formation of nanoparticles (NPs) from metal salts within ceramic glazes, such that the use of this colorant technology is more accessible to artisans, employs less metal content, is less environmentally harmful, and allows for the use of traditional kilns. Gold NPs have been demonstrated to possess a specific, low material loading use as a ceramic glaze colorant via plasmon resonance. Pre-synthesized gold NPs that are added to ceramic glazes have been found to significantly change in size after firing in both reductive and oxidative atmospheres, but still maintain some size relationships and color properties. Unfortunately, it …

Exclusive Photoproduction Of Pi Degrees Up To Large Values Of Mandelstam Variables S, T, And U With Clas, M. C. Kunkel, M. J. Amaryan, I. I. Strakovsky, J. Ritman, G. R. Goldstein, K. P. Adhikari, S. Adhikari, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

Exclusive photoproduction cross sections have been measured for the process γp -> pπ⁰ [e⁺ e^- (γ)] with the Dalitz decay final state using tagged photon energies in the range of Eγ = 1.275 – 5.425 GeV. The complete angular distribution of the final state π⁰, for the entire photon energy range up to large values of t and u, has been measured for the first time. The data obtained show that the cross section dσ / dt, at mid to large angles, decreases with energy as s^{-6.89 +/- 0.26 …}

Semi-Inclusive Pi(0) Target And Beam-Target Asymmetries From 6 Gev Electron Scattering With Clas, S. Jawalkar, S. Koirala, H. Avakian, P. Bosted, K. A. Griffioen, C. Keith, S. E. Kuhn, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

We present precision measurements of the target and beam-target spin asymmetries from neutral pion electroproduction in deep-inelastic scattering (DIS) using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) at Jefferson Lab. We scattered 6-GeV, longitudinally polarized electrons off longitudinally polarized protons in a cryogenic ¹⁴NH₃ target, and extracted double and single target spin asymmetries for ep→e′ π⁰ X in multidimensional bins in four-momentum transfer (1.0 2 < 3.2 GeV²), Bjorken -x (0.12 < x < 0.48), hadron energy fraction (0.4 < z 0.7), tranverse pion meomentum (0 < PT < 1.0 GeV), and azimuthal angle ϕ_h between the lepton scattering and hadron production planes. We extracted asymmetries as a function of both x …

A Multi-Size Study Of Gold Nanoparticle Degradation And Reformation In Ceramic Glazes, Nathan Nl. Dinh, Luke T. Dipasquale, Michael C. Leopold, Ryan H. Coppage

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Most traditional ceramic glazes employ high amounts of transition metal colorants that are toxic to the environment and can cause health issues in humans through surface leaching. Gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) have been found to be environmentally friendly and non-toxic alternative metal colorant in ceramic glazes. The plasmon band observed with Au-NPs can result in vibrant solutions by manipulating NP size, shape, and concentration; however, the effects of traditional firing in both reductive and oxidative kilns on Au-NPs are poorly understood. Aside from ancient art processes whose mechanisms have not been fully explored, the use of Au-NPs as suspended ceramic glaze …

Electrostatic Alignment Of Electrospun Peo Fibers By The Gap Method Increases Individual Fiber Modulus In Comparison To Non-Aligned Fibers Of Similar Diameter, Christopher Fryer, Meghan Scharnagl, Christine C. Helms

Physics Faculty Publications

Studies on the alignment, physical and mechanical properties of individual electrospun fibers provide insight to their formation, production and optimization. Here we measure the alignment, diameter and modulus of individual fibers formed using the electrostatic gap method. We find electrostatic alignment produces fibers with a smaller diameter than their nonaligned counterparts have. Therefore, due to the dependence of fiber modulus on diameter aligned fibers have a higher modulus. Furthermore, we show that aligned and nonaligned fibers of the similar diameter have different moduli. Aligned fibers have a modulus 1.5 to 2 times larger than nonaligned fibers of the similar diameter.

Hard Exclusive Pion Electroproduction At Backward Angles With Clas, K. M. Park, R. W. Gothe, B. Pire, K. Semenov-Tian-Shansky, J. -M. Laget, K. P. Adhikari, Gerard P. Gilfoyle, Et. Al.

Physics Faculty Publications

We report on the first measurement of cross sections for exclusive deeply virtual pion electroproduction off the proton, ep→e′nπ+, above the resonance region at backward pion center-of-mass angles. The φπ⁎-dependent cross sections were measured, from which we extracted three combinations of structure functions of the proton. Our results are compatible with calculations based on nucleon-to-pion transition distribution amplitudes (TDAs). These non-perturbative objects are defined as matrix elements of three-quark-light-cone-operators and characterize partonic correlations with a particular emphasis on baryon charge distribution inside a nucleon. Keywords: TDA, Exclusive single pion, Eletroproduction, CLAS

Measurement Of The Beam Asymmetry Sigma And The Target Asymmetry T In The Photoproduction Of Omega Mesons Off The Proton Using Clas At Jefferson Laboratory, P. Roy, Z. Akbar, S. Park, V. Crede, A. V. Anisovich, I. Denisenko, E. Klempt, Gerard P. Gilfoyle

Physics Faculty Publications

The photoproduction of omega mesons off the proton has been studied in the reaction γp -> pω using the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and the frozen-spin target in Hall B at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. For the first time, the target asymmetry T has been measured in photoproduction from the decay ω -> π⁺π^-π⁰, using a transversely polarized target with energies ranging from just above the reaction threshold up to 2.8 GeV. Significant nonzero values are observed for these asymmetries, reaching about 30-40% in the third-resonance region. New measurements for the …

Glocalizing The Composition Classroom With Google Apps For Education, Daniel L. Hocutt, Maury Elizabeth Brown

School of Professional and Continuing Studies Faculty Publications

Composing practices in a digitally networked world are inherently intercultural, and situate local needs and constraints within global opportunities and concerns. Global technologies like Google Apps for Education (GAFE) allow students to compose collaboratively across place and time; to do so, students and teachers must navigate a complex local network of institutional policy, learning outcomes, situational needs, and composing practices while also being aware of the global implications of using the interface to compose, review, edit, and share with others. The chapter describes using GAFE in locally situated composition classes. Using such technologies requires a focus on glocalization and an …