Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Accessibility And Understanding: Studying The Impact Of Human Activities And Dam Removals On Anadromous Fish Species In The Pacific Northwest, Adia F. Bennett

Scripps Senior Theses

Human activities in North American watersheds have significantly impacted anadromous fish, causing some species of salmon and steelhead to become threatened and endangered. These fish hold ecological, cultural, and economic importance, yet factors such as habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution, climate change, and hydroelectric dams continue to degrade populations. Dams are particularly harmful to anadromous fish, sparking a recent movement advocating for dam removals. This study uses NOAA’s 2022 Biological Viability Assessment to examine the response of anadromous fish to recent dam removals in the Pacific Northwest. Four populations were selected to analyze due to their interaction with sites that had …

Geographically Dependent Thermodynamic And Geochemical Evolution In The Post-Batholith Upper Mantle Beneath The Sierra Nevada: Analysis Of The Blue Knob Xenoliths, Eleanor Ruos

Scripps Senior Theses

Xenoliths entrained in recent (Miocene) volcanics from the Sierra Nevada provide insights into a continuously evolving upper mantle during post-batholith generation periods (early Cenozoic–present). Hypothesized mantle refertilization followed by subsequent delamination of the lithospheric root beneath the Sierra provides a contextual framework for analyzing how the upper mantle responds to such events. This study contributes new geochemical data from the ultramafic xenoliths of Blue Knob, including bulk-rock major and trace element data, thin-section petrography, mineral chemistry and thermobarometry, and oxygen isotopes (delta¹⁸O). Blue knob (Eastern Sierra) data are compared to previous works on xenoliths from Chinese Peak and …

Trace And Rare Earth Elements Analysis Of Oligocene And Miocene Diamictites In The Cape Roberts Project, Ross Sea, Antarctica, Celina Flores Garza

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is a major contributor to global sea level rise, yet its origin and dynamics are poorly known. The geochemistry of 35 diamictite samples from the CRP-1 and CPR-2A cores recovered by the Cape Roberts Drilling Project in the Ross Sea, Antarctica is evaluated to understand glacial sedimentation and flow paths during the Oligocene and Miocene, a period of warmer than present climate in the past. The major hypothesis to be tested is if the early Miocene ice sheet advance was the first major West Antarctic ice advance in the Ross Sea. The provenance of older …

Plasmid-Borne Biosynthetic Gene Clusters Within A Permanently Stratified Marine Water Column, Paraskevi Mara, David Geller-Mcgrath, Elizabeth A. Suter, Gordon T. Taylor, Maria G. Pachiadaki, Virginia P. Edgcomb

BCES: Faculty Publications

Plasmids are mobile genetic elements known to carry secondary metabolic genes that affect the fitness and survival of microbes in the environment. Well-studied cases of plasmidencoded secondary metabolic genes in marine habitats include toxin/antitoxin and antibiotic biosynthesis/resistance genes. Here, we examine metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from the permanently-stratified water column of the Cariaco Basin for integrated plasmids that encode biosynthetic gene clusters of secondary metabolites (smBGCs). We identify 16 plasmid-borne smBGCs in MAGs associated primarily with Planctomycetota and Pseudomonadota that encode terpenesynthesizing genes, and genes for production of ribosomal and non-ribosomal peptides. These identified genes encode for secondary metabolites that are …

Maximizing Mining Operations: Unlocking The Crucial Role Of Intelligent Fleet Management Systems In Surface Mining’S Value Chain, Arman Hazrathosseini, Ali Moradi Afrapoli

Earth and Environmental Sciences Faculty Publications

On the one side, the operational expenses of mining enterprises are showing an upward trend; and on the other side, conventional mining fleet management systems (FMSs) are falling short in addressing the high-dimensionality, stochasticity, and autonomy needed in increasingly complex operations. These major drivers for change have convinced researchers to search for alternatives including artificial-intelligence-enabled algorithms recommended by Mining 4.0. The present study endeavors to scrutinize this transition from a business management point of view. In other words, a literature review is carried out to gain insight into the evolutionary trajectory of mining FMSs and the need for intelligent algorithms. …

The Influence Of Volcano Edifice Resonance On The Seismic Triggering Of Thermal Activity At Active Volcanoes, Morgana M. Wilke

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

There is an established correlation between large earthquakes and volcanic unrest, however the mechanisms between this connection are not well understood. Relatively small changes in stress within a volcanic system could be enough to initiate a response. One aspect that could serve to amplify small dynamic stress changes is volcanic edifice resonance triggered by surface waves at resonant frequency. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between thermal activity of volcanoes and various minimum thresholds of Love wave amplitudes at resonance caused by teleseismic earthquakes above a 7.0 M. Satellite-derived thermal data from 25 volcanoes are modeled in relation to …

256, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 256 - hornfels - metamorphic rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/256-c6781bb84f044acc84989bcb1ec0b50d

176, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 176 - conglomerate - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/176-993a14f63e414fa1bcee56234e60b89c

180, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 180 - micrite - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/180-e2e6e4d8e7844d3dbf15adeb675c9ab6

160, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 160 - bituminous coal - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/160-f524c1fc4f4143788ed7a54df53dcb15

165, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 165 - breccia - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/165-897cabd121db4d14b4d0b0bceb290996

187, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 187 - sandstone - sedimentary rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/187-1aa42c020f23482dab7d3cdab30cb724

201, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 201 - amphibolite - metamorphic rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/201-de1057ce02cf4133bfcb5c6ce83da6df

224, Scott Brande

All 3D Rock Models

Model 224 - phyllite - metamorphic rock

SketchFab link: https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/224-064f45645a2242d29ef75046eeb503ac

Migrating Whooping Crane Activity Near U.S. Air Force Bases And Airfields In Oklahoma, David A. Brandt, Aaron T. Pearse, Mark T. Bidwell, John Conkin, Matthew Butler

United States Geological Survey: Publications

The Aransas-Wood Buffalo population of Grus americana (Linnaeus, 1758; whooping cranes) migrates through the United States Great Plains, encountering places substantially altered by human activity. Using telemetry data from 2017 to 2022, we investigated whooping crane migration behavior around U.S. Air Force bases in Oklahoma. Our study focused on potential collision risks between whooping cranes and aircraft, a substantial concern for aviation safety. We determined that activity was greatest at Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield, near whooping crane critical habitat. On average, 61 percent of marked whooping cranes used locations west of Kegelman Air Force Auxiliary Airfield and Vance Air …

A Cotyledon-Based Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (Cotyledon-Vigs) Approach To Study Specialized Metabolism In Medicinal Plants, Yongliang Liu, Ruiqing Lyu, Joshua Singleton, Barunava Patra, Sitakanta Pattanaik, Ling Yuan

Plant and Soil Sciences Faculty Publications

Background Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is widely used in plant functional genomics. However, the efficiency of VIGS in young plantlets varies across plant species. Additionally, VIGS is not optimized for many plant species, especially medicinal plants that produce valuable specialized metabolites.

Results We evaluated the efficacy of five-day-old, etiolated seedlings of Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle) for VIGS. The seedlings were vacuum-infiltrated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 cells carrying the tobacco rattle virus (TRV) vectors. The protoporphyrin IX magnesium chelatase subunit H (ChlH) gene, a key gene in chlorophyll biosynthesis, was used as the target for VIGS, and we observed yellow cotyledons 6 …

Ontogenetically Driven Changes In The Endocranial Anatomy Of Maiasaura Peeblesorum And Its Implications For Sensory Functions, Emma Puetz

Masters Theses

"Hadrosaurids exhibited extreme morphological diversity and behavioral characteristics that can be compared with other, closely related members of Dinosauria – particularly through the study of neuroanatomy. X-ray CT generated endocrania of the Late Cretaceous saurolophine hadrosaur Maiasaura peeblesorum, known as the “good mother” dinosaur, offers a unique opportunity to compare complex ecological behaviors between non-avian dinosaurs and their modern archosaur relatives. The 3D reconstruction software ORS Dragonfly provided linear and volumetric measurements taken from the digital cranial endocast and endosseous labyrinths of three ontogenetically varied M. peeblesorum specimens from the Two Medicine Formation in Montana that were used to …

Supply And Consumption Of Dissolved Organic Phosphorus Across The Subtropical Indian Ocean, Corinne Richard

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Indian Ocean is an understudied region for marine phosphorus (P) biogeochemistry. Emerging evidence indicates marine phytoplankton can adapt to decreasing supplies of inorganic P, a required nutrient for growth, by alternatively utilizing organic forms of P. Here we investigate the dissolved organic phosphorus concentration ([DOP]) distribution across the southern Indian Ocean using observations collected on the I05 US GO-SHIP Cruise (2023) across ~33ºS latitude. We quantify the longitudinal variability of [DOP] in the upper 350 m of the Indian Ocean and infer its rate of biological consumption from surface waters, contributing as an organic nutrient to sustain marine autotrophs …

Interpreting An Archaean Paleoenvironment Through 3d Imagery Of Microbialites, Cecilia M. Howard, Nathan D. Sheldon, Selena Y. Smith, Nora Noffke

OES Faculty Publications

While stromatolites, and to a lesser extent thrombolites, have been extensively studied in order to unravel Precambrian (>539 Ma) biological evolution, studies of clastic-dominated microbially induced sedimentary structures (MISS) are relatively scarce. The lack of a consolidated record of clastic microbialites creates questions about how much (and what) information on depositional and taphonomic settings can be gleaned from these fossils. We used μCT scanning, a non-destructive X-ray-based 3D imaging method, to reconstruct morphologies of ancient MISS and mat textures in two previously described coastal Archaean samples from the ~3.48 Ga Dresser Formation, Pilbara, Western Australia. The aim of this …

Determining The 2022-2023 Mass Balance Of The Palisade Glacier In The Sierra Nevada Mountains Of California With Remote Sensing, Density Modeling, And Temperature-Index Techniques, Vijay Jain, Eric Grosfils, Sarah Kavassalis

CMC Senior Theses

Small, alpine glaciers, such as those in the Sierra Nevada, are difficult to study because of their small size and remoteness, however, they are important recorders of the impacts of climate change in temperate, alpine environments. Previous studies have attempted to characterize the health of these glaciers using extent change techniques, but these methodologies can only roughly approximate the rudimentary measurement of changing ice volume. This thesis uses the Airborne Snow Observatory Inc.’s (ASO’s) aerial lidar snow depth datasets to perform a mass balance calculation for the Palisade Glacier over the remarkable 2022-2023 water year (October 1 through September 30), …

A Hybrid Algorithm To Dual Sparse Sampling Measurement In Time-Resolved Electromagnetic Near-Field Scanning, Yanming Zhang, Steven Gao, Lijun Jiang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Time-resolved electromagnetic near-field scanning is vital for antenna measurement and addressing complex electromagnetic interference and compatibility issues. However, the swift acquisition of high-resolution spatiotemporal data remains challenging due to physical constraints, such as moving the probe position and allowing sufficient time for sampling. This paper introduces a novel hybrid approach that combines Kriging for sparse spatial measurement, compressed sensing (CS) for sparse temporal sampling, and dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) for a comprehensive analysis of dual-sparse sampling electromagnetic near-field data. CS optimizes sparse sampling in the time domain, capitalizing on the inherent sparsity within electromagnetic radiated signals, resulting in reliable representation …

An Unsupervised Learning Framework For Determining The Excitation Coefficients Using Near-Field Antenna Measurements, Yanming Zhang, Peifeng Ma, Steven Gao, Lijun Jiang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article presents a novel unsupervised learning framework based on multiscale dynamic mode decomposition for determining the excitation coefficients of antennas using time-domain near-field measurements. The proposed framework integrates temporal multiscale analysis to extract a joint distribution of frequency, damping factors, and spatial modes, enabling precise extraction of excitation frequencies, rising/falling edges, and phases without labeled data. We validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach through two examples involving on-off keying modulation and a phase-shift dipole antenna. It is found that the proposed method performs well in handling nonstationary excitation signals and proves particularly advantageous for calibrating tunable antenna systems. …

Hardness Removal By A Continuous Flow Electrochemical Reactor From Different Types Of Water, Shahad Fadhil Alrubaye, Naseer A. Al Haboubi, Hussein A. Al-Amili, Aiman H. Al-Allaq, Dhuha Ahmed Mohammed

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The present study focuses on the technique of hardness removal by using a novel reactor performing an electrocoagulation (EC) process. The variation of alkalinity is also recorded. Continuous flow experiments were conducted for Total Hardness (TH) removal using a transparent plastic reactor using aluminum plate electrodes that have holes so that the water flows through the plates in a zigzag way. The influence of various operating parameters such as the number of plates (two and four), flow rate (600, 1000 L/h), and water type (Tigris River & rejected water from Reverse Osmosis system RO) was investigated. The results showed that …

Factors Affecting Electrocoagulation Process For Different Water Types: A Review, Shahad Fadhil Abed Al-Rubaye, Naseer A. Alhaboubi, Aiman H. Al-Allaq

Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Raw water must meet specific physical, chemical, and biological requirements to be suitable for drinking. There are various techniques available for treating wastewater, and aside from conventional methods that involve chemicals, electrocoagulation is an efficient and advanced approach. Electrocoagulation has proven effective in treating many pollutants, including bacteria, viruses, iron, fluoride, sulfate, boron, hardness, and turbidity. Total suspended solids, organic and inorganic materials, chemical oxygen demand COD, biochemical oxygen demand BOD, and color. It finds extensive application in treating different types of water and wastewater due to its exceptional ability to remove diverse contaminants. Recently, electrocoagulation has garnered significant attention …

Relationship Between Hotspot And Geography – Meteorology Factors In Thailand And Neighboring Countries, Thanchanok Ngernted

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Air pollution is a critical issue in many countries and has become a significant problem in Southeast Asia. Wildfires, agricultural burning, and biomass burning are major sources of pollution emissions. This study aims to analyze hotspot activity and study the relationship between hotspots and geographic-meteorological factors in Thailand and neighboring countries. MODIS hotspot data were analyzed using the frequency-magnitude distribution (FMD) and geography-meteorology factors. The results indicate that areas with high hotspot activity were mainly found in northwestern to eastern Cambodia and northern Laos. Additionally, northern Laos and some pockets in Myanmar showed high hotspot intensity, capable of generating a …

Environmental Reconstruction In Nong Thale Pron, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Kanokpon Surijamorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Climate change is one of the major factors influencing environmental changes. The study of proxies from geological records can extend climate data into the past, enabling the reconstruction of past environmental changes. This study collected sediment cores from three points at the deepest part of Nong Thale Pron, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province. The sediment core NTP-CP6 was selected for analysis using X-ray fluorescence (XRF), radiocarbon dating, grain size analysis, total organic carbon, total nitrogen, stable carbon isotopes, and n-alkanes. During the Last Glacial Maximum (21–19 ka BP), dry conditions were caused by a strong northeast monsoon and the exposure of …

Debris Flow And Flood Susceptibility Assessment In Phang-Nga Province, Southern Thailand, Aksara Kulsilarak

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Phang-nga, a province in Southern Thailand, is highly susceptible to geohazards such as debris flows and flooding, both of which pose significant risks to human life and property. Two major topographic factors contribute to the potential for debris flow: i) steep mountain slopes and ii) the presence of multiple mountain-front outlets. This study presents the creation of susceptibility maps for debris flow and flood hazards in Phang-nga, using the Frequency Ratio (FR) method. The analysis classified the region into five susceptibility levels: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high, based on natural break classification. For debris flow, moderate susceptibility …

Stakeholder Information Interdependence Mapping For Area-Business Continuity Management: A Case Study Of Flood In Industrial Areas In Thailand, Penpitcha Arayachookiat

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

The great flood of 2011 in Thailand significantly disrupted supply chains and caused substantial economic damage. The concept of Area-Business Continuity Management (Area-BCM) was developed. This concept aims to enable vulnerable areas to maintain operations during crises. This research focuses on understanding the information interdependence among stakeholders involved in Area-BCM. Its objective is to develop an information interdependence map for Area-BCM, using a case study of flood events in three industrial areas in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. The study employed a qualitative research approach, collecting and analyzing data through in-depth interviews with various stakeholders. The data analyzed was then …

Development Of A Forest Fire Detection Device Based On Agent-Based Simulation, Teerapat Tappanom

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study had three main objectives: to identify the factors influencing forest fire spread, to design and develop a forest fire spread model, and to design and develop a forest fire detection device. The researcher utilized scatter plots, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis based on climatic data collected from the Chiang Mai Meteorological Station between 1998 and 2021 to investigate the parameters affecting fire spread. A forest fire spread model was developed using an Agent-Based Model (ABM) in AnyLogic 8.8.3 Personal Learning Edition to estimate the burned area under different scenarios with wind directions set to the north …

Leveraging High Resolution Classifications And Random Forests For Hindcasting Decades Of Mesic Ecosystem Dynamics In The Landsat Time Series, N. E. Kolarik, Nawaraj Shrestha, T. Caughlin, J. S. Brandt

Conservation and Survey Division: Faculty and Staff Publications

No abstract provided.