Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Report Of The Commission To Assess The Threat To The United States From Emp Attack: Critical National Infrastructures, William R. Graham

George H Baker

The physical and social fabric of the United States is sustained by a system of systems; a complex and dynamic network of interlocking and interdependent infrastructures (“critical national infrastructures”) whose harmonious functioning enables the myriad actions, transactions, and information flow that undergird the orderly conduct of civil society in this country. The vulnerability of these frastructures to threats — deliberate, accidental, and acts of nature — is the focus of greatly heightened concern in the current era, a process accelerated by the events of 9/11 and recent hurricanes, including Katrina and Rita. This report presents the results of the Commission’s …

Volume 01, Jessica Fields, Stephanie Neeley, Derek W. Hambright, Mary E. Lehman, Andrew R. Grzankowski, Zachary Johnson, Boone M. Prentice, Ashley M. Swandby, Victoria Morgan, Katie Williamson, Kristine G. Bender, Katelyn N. Romaine, D. Nicole Swann, Jessica Fox, Mike Mcateer, Alex Grabiec, Laura Nodtvedt, Nick Costa, Rachel Wolfe, Zack Dalton

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction from Dean Dr. Charles Ross

Three Decades of Digging: Undergraduate Archeology at Longwood by Jessica Fields and Stephanie Neeley

Interactions of Allelopathy and Heat Stress in Plants by Derek W. Hambright and Mary E. Lehman

Inertial Electrostatic Confinement D-D Fusion Device: Construction and Simulation by Andrew R. Grzankowski

Shackled Nim by Zachary Johnson

Development of GC-MS and Chemometric Methods for the Analysis of Accelerants in Arson Cases by Boone M. Prentice

A Comparison of Image Analysis Methods in cDNA Microarrays by Ashley M. Swandby

Perceived Sexual Activity of Short and Long-Term Relationships by Victoria Morgan and Katie Williamson

Elderly …

Cascading Infrastructure Failures: Avoidance And Response, George H. Baker, Cheryl J. Elliott

George H Baker

No critical infrastructure is self-sufficient. The complexity inherent in the interdependent nature of infrastructure systems complicates planning and preparedness for system failures. Recent wide-scale disruption of infrastructure on the Gulf Coast due to weather, and in the Northeast due to electric power network failures, dramatically illustrate the problems associated with mitigating cascading effects and responding to cascading infrastructure failures once they have occurred.

The major challenge associated with preparedness for cascading failures is that they transcend system, corporate, and political boundaries and necessitate coordination among multiple, disparate experts and authorities. This symposium brought together concerned communities including government and industry …

Session 11 - Radioactive Dispersion Devices (Rdd): What Are The Odds?, Dennis Bechtel

International Symposium on Technology and Society

Since the tragic events of September 11th, 2001 there has been apprehension that the United States may be ill-prepared to prevent future terrorist events. One source of concern is that a Radioactive Dispersion Device (RDD) could be detonated at a vulnerable target anywhere in the nation. A RDD, also known as a “dirty bomb, is a conventional explosive packed with radioactive material. The explosion could disperse radioactive material over a wide area. The target could be an icon associated with American democracy and government, critical systems and infrastructure, a water supply, a nuclear power plant and others. Such an event …

Session 1 - Cold War Technoscience In Nevada: The Nevada Test Site Oral History Project, Mary Palevsky

International Symposium on Technology and Society

During the Cold War, the United States conducted over 1000 nuclear weapons tests. Of those, 928 took place at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). One hundred tests were in the atmosphere and 921 underground at the 1375 square mile site located 65 north of Las Vegas. Nevada Test Site Oral History Project (NTSOHP) researchers have conducted over 300 hours of interviews with individuals affiliated with and impacted by the NTS, documenting the diversity of experience among many communities of voices including: weapons scientists, test site officials, laborers, contractors and support personnel, the military, American Indians, communities downwind of the NTS, …

Session 1 - Rationalizing The Home Front: The Cold War, The Nevada Test Site, And Radiation Exposure, Leisl A. Carr

International Symposium on Technology and Society

Beginning in 1953, radiation exposure and its effects became a hotly contested issue between the government, members of communities surrounding the Nevada Test Site (NTS), and researchers within the national scientific community. The Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), concerned about maintaining a continental testing facility and aware that atomic testing would impact communities surrounding the NTS, sent representatives to areas potentially affected by fallout to instruct and reassure the affected public. How government officials perceived neighboring communities and how these communities perceived these representatives of the government often determined public responses to the atomic testing program. The story of radiation monitors …

Solar Energy Research And Development In California, Brett T. Close

Pomona Senior Theses

The energy crisis of 2001, high prices for gas and electricity and worries of climate change have caused a growing awareness about energy issues in California. The problems are clear. This paper looks at the next step of finding and implementing solutions. In this case the contribution that solar photovoltaic and solar thermal generation could make toward solving the problem. This paper looks at technological change, the current state of solar energy research, current government policies on solar energy, and finally makes policy recommendations to meet the stated problem.

Ua66 2007 Student Awards Ceremony, Wku Ogden College Of Science & Engineering

WKU Archives Records

Program recognizing Ogden College students with brief list of activities for each student.

Strokes Of Existence: The Connection Of All Things, Mari Gorman

Graduate Student Publications and Research

Acted or real—and all life is real whether one is acting or not—the common denominator and consistent, ubiquitous reality of life and all behavior is that it manifests in the form of relationships on all scales. But what is a relationship? Until now, the answer to this question has not been sufficiently known. As a result of many years of empirical research that began with the aim of discovering what is going on in a gifted actor when s/he is playing a character that can be observed and experienced as a living, intuitive being, and based on the knowledge that …

To Evaluate The Effects Of The Introduction Of A Smoke-Free Environment On The Lung Function Of Bar Workers In Dublin, Michele Agnew

Masters

It has long been recognised that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) causes respiratory and cardio-vascular disease. A ban, prohibiting smoking in the workplace, was sanctioned by the Irish government and came into effect on 29 March, 2004. Bar staff were an ideal group to study the health effects of the introduction of this ban. Methods Workers were recruited through their Trade Union, Mandate, and 81 participated in the pre-ban phase of testing between September 2003 and March 2004. They attend the Respiratory Laboratory in St. James’s Hospital and underwent lung function tests and measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide (CO). …

Technical Risk Information: Decision Tool Or Rhetorical Ammunition? Undisputed Facts In The Yucca Mountain Debate, David M. Hassenzahl, Denise Tillery, Paulette Laidler

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Publications

This paper examines how both opponents and proponents of the proposed high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca mountain Nevada claim that uncontroversial information supports their conflicting positions. Four pieces of information in particular are claimed by both sides: the distance of the proposed site from Las Vegas, the volume of waste that has been produced, the threat of terrorism since 9/11/01, and the occurrence of an earthquake in early 2002. Possible explanations for the difference include naive positivism, social constructionism, persistent beliefs and implicit warrants. The latter two models better explain observed knowledge/preference states. If so, more or better information …

Physica: The Newsletter Of Utep's Department Of Physics, Utep Department Of Physics

The Department of Physics

Electronic newsletter of UTEP's Department of Physics, December 2003.

Physica: The Newsletter Of Utep’S Department Of Physics, Utep Department Of Physics

The Department of Physics

Electronic newsletter of the UTEP Department of Physics, February 2003.

Physica Junior!: The Newsletter Of Utep’S Department Of Physics, Utep Department Of Physics

The Department of Physics

Electronic newsletter for high school students interested in physics, Fall 2002.

Physica Junior!: The Newsletter Of Utep's Department Of Physics, Utep Department Of Physics

The Department of Physics

Electronic newsletter for high school students interested in Physics, Spring 2002.

Physica: The Newsletter Of Utep's Department Of Physics, Utep Department Of Physics

The Department of Physics

Electronic newsletter for the UTEP Department of Physics, Spring 2002.

Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopy Of Water Vapor And Line Center Stabilization At 1.462 Μm For Lidar Applications, Colleen Marie Fitzgerald

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Wavelength modulation spectroscopy was employed to investigate water vapor absorption lines in the 1.462 µm wavelength region using an external-cavity diode laser. These measurements were necessary in the development of a lidar (light detection and ranging) instrument for differential absorption measurement of the concentration and movement of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere. Differential absorption measurements require that the laser frequency remain stable throughout the duration of the measurement. To ensure this stability, the laser output wavelength is monitored and a feedback control loop set up to minimize laser line drift. Three lines were investigated in the 1.462 µm region. …

Collection Of Detonation Signatures And Characterization Of Spectral Features, Jay A. Orson

Theses and Dissertations

The remote observations of the temporal and spectral characteristics of the infrared (IR) emissions from exploding ordnance have been correlated with explosion conditions. A Bomem MR-154 Fourier Transform Interferometer with two detectors, InSb and HgCdTe, and a 75 mrad telescope was used to record spectra in the 1.3 - 20 µm range. Data was collected at spectral resolutions of 16 cm^-1 and 4 cm^-1 and temporal resolutions of 0.045 s and 0.123 s respectively. Two field tests were conducted: (1) a set of dynamic drop explosions and (2) a series of static detonations. In most events, the temporal …

Science And Security Watch: A Threat To The United States From Foreign Graduate Students Training In Physics?, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

This article critiques concerns of some United States (US) security analysts that foreign graduate students in physics who train at universities within the US present security vulnerabilities for the US.

Fiber-Optic Coupled Lidar Receiver System To Measure Stratospheric Ozone, David Brent Harper

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A fiber-optic coupled lidar receiver system was constructed to determine ozone concentrations in the stratosphere. The system was used to make ground-based measurements of lidar returns from a UV DIAL system. A fiber-optic cable was used to couple the light from the receiver telescope to the light detector. Photon counting was implemented as the light detection technique. This technique allowed detection of 301 and 311 nm lidar returns up to 27.5 and 32.5 km respectively. A software application was developed to control the photon counting system and perform real-time data analysis of measured lidar returns. DIAL measurements of stratospheric ozone …

Physical And Managed Risk Of Nuclear Waste, Lennart Sjöberg, Britt-Marie Drottz-Sjöberg

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)

The authors describe their work on the perceived risk of nuclear waste in Sweden. Three levels of waste were studied, and comparisons between the perceptions of the public, politicians and nuclear experts are made.

Development Of Membrane Film Fiber Optic Based Sensors For The Remote Monitoring Of The Quality Of Surface And Groundwater, Leonidas G. Bachas

KWRRI Research Reports

The objective of this study was the development of chromo- and fluoroionophores and their subsequent use in sensors capable of surface and groundwater monitoring. Several reagents (modified crown ethers and porphyrins) were synthesized based on principles of chemical recognition and used for metal and pH sensing. The modified crown ether reagents include a chromogenic or fluorogenic group. The selectivity of these reagents is controlled by the size of the crown ether ring and the type of the chromogenic or fluorogenic side-arm. In addition, a fluorogenic crown ether was synthesized that incorporates a fluorogenic side-arm and a perfluorinated carbon chain. The …

Electron Drift Velocities In Xenon, H. L. Brooks, M. C. Cornell, John L. Fletcher, Ian M. Littlewood, Kaare J. Nygaard

Psychological Science Faculty Research & Creative Works

The electron drift velocity has been measured in xenon over the range of reduced field strength 1 Td

10 Kw Per Capita, Harry A. Brown

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The rate of energy use in the U.S. is discussed. Possible savings in the principal areas of use are considered. The conclusion is that significant reductions could be made in five to ten years without new technology, but are not likely under present conditions.

Electron Attachment In Dilute Fluorine-Helium Mixtures, Kaare J. Nygaard, Scott R. Hunter, John L. Fletcher, Stephen R. Foltyn

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We have made an absolute determination of the electron attachment coefficient η (cm-1) in helium containing 0.1-1% fluorine covering an E/N range from 3Td-17Td. At an estimated average energy of 5 eV we find a rate coefficient equal to (7.5±1.5) x10-10 cm3/sec.

Electron Drift Velocities In Helium-Fluorine Gas Mixtures, Kaare J. Nygaard, John L. Fletcher, Scott R. Hunter, Stephen R. Foltyn

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Using a simple time-of-flight technique, we have measured the electron drift velocity in helium with 0.1-1% fluorine additive. Our results in a 0.1% mixture are in close agreement with data in pure helium. The measured drift velocity increases with increasing fluorine concentration. © 1978, American Institute of Physics. All rights reserved.

Science Foundations: A Science Program For The Non-Science Student. Technical Report No. 4., James Shymansky

Educator Preparation & Leadership Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Possible Applications Of Surface Electromagnetic Waves To Measure Absorption Coefficients, Ralph William Alexander, Robert John Bell, C. A. Ward, James Roger Weaver, I. L. Tyler, B. Fischer

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We Show that Surface Electromagnetic Waves Can Probably Be Used to Measure the Absorption Coefficients of Materials overlaying Metals. the Proposed Experimental Method is Illustrated in the Infrared Frequency Range using Water, Teflon, and Polyethylene as Sample Materials.

Ua77/1 Western Alumnus, Vol. 43, No. 2, Wku Alumni Association

WKU Archives Records

WKU alumni magazine. Features the following articles:

• Armstrong, Don. Engineering Technology Accredited
• Martin, Vernon & Don Armstrong. Public Affairs Aids Counties
• Distinguished Alumnus Julian Goodman
• Gray, David. WKU Physicist Invents Ultraviolet Dosimeter - William Buckman
• Richards, Jim. Why Recruit the Junior Colleges?
• Pageantry, Nostalgia & Victory - Homecoming
• Just, Paul. The Red and Gray Orchestra
• Ivan Wilson Center for Fine Arts, Dedication
• Hood, Gordon. The Ivan Wilson Center
• Downing, Dero. A Dedication Response
• Downing, Dero. Awareness & Willingness
• Dickey, Debbie. A Renewal of the Spirit
• Sutherland, David. Appalachia, A Stronghold of Early American Folk Culture
• Cann, Kenneth. If It's Guatemala …

Ua77/1 Alumni Bulletin, Vol. 32, No. 2, Wku Alumni Association

WKU Archives Records

Alumni newsletter published by WKU. This issue has the following articles:

• President Kelly Thompson Announces Master Plan
• Western to Offer Graduate Degree Program in Engineering Physics
• Summer Session Slated to Open on June 14
• Robertson, Lee. From the Alumni Office
• Class of 1915
• Class of 1925
• Class of 1940
• Class of 1955
• Class of 1964
• Sports in Brief
• William Solly Becomes New Physical Education Head
• Graduate Assistantships Now Available
• James McKee Joins Education Department
• On the Calendar
• Commencement Day Activities