Digital Commons Network^™

Spatially Variable Hydrologic Impact And Biomass Production Tradeoffs Associated With Eucalyptus (E. Grandis) Cultivation For Biofuel Production In Entre Rios, Argentina, Azad Heidari, David Watkins, Alex Mayer, Tamara Propato, Santiago Verón, Diego De Abelleyra

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Climate change and energy security promote using renewable sources of energy such as biofuels. High woody biomass production achieved from short-rotation intensive plantations is a strategy that is increasing in many parts of the world. However, broad expansion of bioenergy feedstock production may have significant environmental consequences. This study investigates the watershed-scale hydrological impacts of Eucalyptus (E. grandis) plantations for energy production in a humid subtropical watershed in Entre Rios province, Argentina. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was calibrated and validated for streamflow, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass production cycles. The model was used to simulate …

Risk Management Decision Making For Security And Trust In Hardware Supply Chains, Zachary A. Collier, Thomas L. Polmateer, James H. Lambert

CESUN Conference

Modern cyber-physical systems are enabled by electronic hardware and embedded systems. The security of these sub-components is a concern during the design and operational phases of cyber-physical system life cycles. Compromised electronics can result in mission-critical failures, unauthorized access, and other severe consequences. As systems become more complex and feature greater connectivity, system owners must make decisions regarding how to mitigate risks and ensure resilience and trust. This paper provides an overview of research efforts related to assessing and managing risks, resilience, and trust with an emphasis on electronic hardware and embedded systems. The research takes a decision-oriented perspective, drawing …

Statistical Analysis And Comparison Of Optical Classification Of Atmospheric Aerosol Lidar Data, Mohammed Alqawba, Norou Diawara, Kwasi G. Afrifa, Mohamed I. Elbakary, Mecit Cetin, Khan Iftekharuddin

Mathematics & Statistics Faculty Publications

In this article, we present a new study for the analysis and classification of atmospheric aerosols in remote sensing LIDAR data. Information on particle size and associated properties are extracted from these remote sensing atmospheric data which are collected by a ground-based LIDAR system. This study first considers optical LIDAR parameter-based classification methods for clustering and classification of different types of harmful aerosol particles in the atmosphere. Since accurate methods for aerosol prediction behaviors are based upon observed data, computational approaches must overcome design limitations, and consider appropriate calibration and estimation accuracy. Consequently, two statistical methods based on generalized linear …

Environmental Exposures In Singapore Schools: An Ecological Study, Divya Periyakoil, Prasanna Hari Das, Clayton Miller, J. Costas Spanos, Ndola Prata

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Global climate change is a clear and present danger to our environment, but the impacts of climate change on human health are less known. People in Asian countries are more susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change and the subsequent environmental exposures because of the high population density, rapid urbanization, and natural geography of the region. The objective of this multidisciplinary collaborative ecological study was to explore the impact of environmental exposures such as temperature (°C), noise (db), humidity (%rh), air conditioning exposure time (hours), and distance traveled to school (km) on the comfort and academic success of school …

The Legacy Of Car-Share And Light-Rail Transit For Mobility And Accessibility Improvements In Economically Marginalized Neighborhoods In The New York Metro Area, Kyeongsu Kim

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explores the value of the car-share program and a new light rail system with respect to their impact on mobility and accessibility improvements in economically and transportation access-wise marginalized neighborhoods in NYC and its adjacent communities. It consists of three main essays that took deep dives into how each new service or system altered mobility or accessibility for those in need. The first essay (Chapter 2) investigates car-share vehicle utilization rates of the Zipcar across NYC. It assesses the utilization rates by vehicle type, service location, time period, and weekday usage compared to weekend activity. With a multivariate …

Assessment Of Heavy Metal Concentration In Soils Around Geita The Gold Mine, Tanzania, Mariam G. Mgendi, Mkabwa L. K Manoko, W.J.S. Mwegoha, C. Southway C. Southway

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences

Health issues related to gold mining cannot be underestimated. Gold mining produce acid mine drainage (AMD), which in turn releases heavy metals into the nearby environment, hence causing environmental pollution. Heavy metals are naturally very toxic, thus pose a great health concern especially when their concentration exceeds the recommended permissible limits. In this study, concentrations of five heavy metals—including Pb, Ni, Cr, Cu and Zn—were assessed in the soil around Geita Gold Mine (GGM). A total of 17 sampling sites were established from which the soil samples were collected at 0-15cm and 15-30cm soil depth. The concentration of both total …

Generation Of 3d Model Of Downtown Sullivan, Jim Speer

2020 Fall Reports (Sullivan)

The City of Sullivan identified the downtown area as an area for improvement and needed a way to depict areas. In ENVI 610, one graduate student was able to address the agreed upon goals of developing a 3D model of the downtown square. Some recommendations for future use of the 3D model were made for land-use planning, drainage systems, elevation, and more.

Uncertainty Quantitative Analysis In Risk Assessment Of Returning To School In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Haibin Li, Jialiang Wang, Haiyan Li

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: After the epidemic, taking the spread of the epidemic in returning to school as an example, a quantitative risk assessment study is conducted. Taking the activity trajectory description of the whole process of susceptible individuals from infection to isolation as a clue, an epidemiological model for risk assessment is established. The number of infected persons in the risk indicators of returning to school is quantified based on the quantified model parameters. According to the value characteristics of the parameters, the number of infected persons is taken as a function of discrete random variables. The probability distribution of the infected …

Optical And Physicochemical Properties Of Atmospherically Processed Brown Carbon Using Novel First-Principle Instrumentation, Benjamin Sumlin

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Atmospheric processing of brown carbon (BrC) – a class of spherical, internally-mixed, light-absorbing organic aerosol – emitted from smoldering biomass combustion is an understudied phenomenon with implications for climate science, air quality models, and satellite retrieval algorithms. BrC aerosols have received significant attention as a strong contributor to atmospheric light absorption in the shorter visible wavelengths and a driver of UV photochemistry. Their complex refractive indices (m=n+ik), size distributions, and carbon oxidation states dictate their optical properties, atmospheric residence times, and chemical interactions, respectively. There is currently a gap in our understanding of these fundamental particle properties and their evolution …

Effect Of Information Technology Capital: Technology Infrastructure, Database, Software, And Brainware Toward Optimize The Use Of Information Technology (Case Study : Uin Sunan Ampel Of Surabaya), Rismawati Br Sitepu, Ilham M.Said, Tanti Handriana, Praptini Yulianti

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This research was conducted to determine the extent of the influence of technology infrastructure costs, software costs, database costs and brainware costs to increase the information technology budget of the Sunan Ampel State Islamic University in Surabaya and efficient use of the budget. The purpose of this study is to prove that there is a positive and significant influence of technology infrastructure costs, software costs, database costs and brainware costs to increase information technology budgets by using validity and reliability tests and classic tests such as the Normality test, Multicollinearity test, autocorrelation test, Heteroskedasticity test , and Linearity test. This …

Proposed Method For Scale Drawing Calculating Depending On Theline Detector And Length Detector, Huda Dheyauldeen Najeeb, Rana Fareed Ghani

Iraqi Journal for Computer Science and Mathematics

A scale drawing is a significant tool in many fields such as geography, mathematics, and astronomyresearch as it has a variety of applications, including Google maps. A new way to benefit from the scale drawing insoccer image is presented in this paper. When the distance of the camera is uncertain, the scale drawing can be usedto determine the relationship between the ball and players to estimate the ball size and determine the zooms in andout.The scale drawing and factor are used in architecture and image processing. After calculating the scale factor, thelength of every part or line in the image …

Viability And Application Of Mounting Personal Pid Voc Sensors To Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Cheryl Lynn Marcham, Scott Burgess, Joseph Cerreta, Patti J. Clark, James P. Solti, Brandon Breault, Joshua G. Marcham

Publications

Using a UAS-mounted sensor to allow for a rapid response to areas that may be difficult to reach or potentially dangerous to human health can increase the situational awareness of first responders of an aircraft crash site through the remote detection, identification, and quantification of airborne hazardous materials. The primary purpose of this research was to evaluate the remote sensing viability and application of integrating existing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) sensors with small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology to detect potentially hazardous airborne contaminants in emergency leak or spill response situations. By mounting the personal photoionization detector (PID) with volatile organic compound …

Moving Beyond ‘More Crop Per Drop’: Insights From Two Decades Of Research On Agricultural Water Productivity, Meredith Giordano, Susanne M. Scheierling, David O. Tréguer, Hugh Turral, Peter G. Mccornick

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

Concern over increasing water scarcity has led to the introduction of the concept of agricultural water productivity and an emphasis on interventions to achieve ‘more crop per drop’. Yet, a strong debate continues on how the concept is to be defined and used. Drawing largely from the irrigation literature, the origins of the concept and its methodological developments are reviewed, and its use in applied work over two decades is discussed. Based on this analysis of conceptual and applied research, key insights into the concept’s contributions and limitations are presented, as well as opportunities for further refinements.

Adaptive Two-Stage Edge-Centric Architecture For Deeply-Learned Embedded Real-Time Target Classification In Aerospace Sense-And-Avoidance Applications, Nicholas A. Speranza

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

With the growing number of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, current network-centric architectures present limitations in meeting real-time and time-critical requirements. Current methods utilizing centralized off-platform processing have inherent energy inefficiencies, scalability challenges, performance concerns, and cyber vulnerabilities. In this dissertation, an adaptive, two-stage, energy-efficient, edge-centric architecture is proposed to address these limitations. A novel, edge-centric Sense-and-Avoidance architecture framework is presented, and a corresponding prototype is developed using commercial hardware to validate the proposed architecture. Instead of a network-centric approach, processing is distributed at the logical edge of the sensors, and organized as Detection and Classification Subsystems. Classical machine vision algorithms are …

2020-2021 Annual Security And Fire Report - Weatherford Campus, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

ANNUAL SECURITY & FIRE REPORTS

This is the 2020-2021 Annual Security and Fire Report of the Sayre Campus by Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

A 3d Point Cloud Deep Learning Approach Using Lidar To Identify Ancient Maya Archaeological Sites, Heather Richards-Rissetto, David Newton, Aziza Al Zadjali

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

Airborne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) systems allow archaeologists to capture 3D data of anthropogenic landscapes with a level of precision that permits the identification of archaeological sites in difficult to reach and inaccessible regions. These benefits have come with a deluge of LIDAR data that requires significant and costly manual labor to interpret and analyze. In order to address this challenge, researchers have explored the use of state-of-the-art automated object recognition algorithms from the field of deep learning with success. This previous research, however, has been limited to the exploration of deep learning processes that work with only 2D …

Off-Grid Energy System To Empower The People Of El Chorro In Peru, Henry Baldwin, Moon Cheong, Jenny Kane, Sofia Maeztu, Skylar Widman

ENGS 89/90 Reports

Significance & Objectives: In 2006, more than six million people living in rural regions of Peru lacked access to electricity, resulting in a lower quality of life, limited educational opportunities, difficult means of communication, and worsened healthcare. Furthermore, the use of kerosene lamps and candles exacerbates respiratory illnesses, and dimmed lights can cause unnecessary eye strain with long term consequences. While the traditional strategy for increasing access to electricity is based around expanding the national electric grid, the complex terrain and remote location of many rural communities in Peru make this infeasible. In conjunction with WindAid, our goal is to …

Warner Rail Trail, Andres Rosales, Evan Christo, Keoni Ocalvey, Chris Drake, Savannah Cochran, Camille Pauley

ENGS 89/90 Reports

The goal of our project is to facilitate the design and development of the Bagley Fields to Warner Village section of the Concord Lake Sunapee Rail Trail (CLSRT). This section of trail has three primary goals, in no particular order: (1) to connect the town of Warner with its surrounding natural environment, (2) to provide safe access for everyone, including children, to the Bagley Field recreational facilities, and (3) to establish a challenging, key connection point along the planned 34-mile multi-use trail. The trail section may also serve as a form of alternative transportation for local residents.

The project area …

Molten Regolith Electrolysis Processing For Lunar Isru: Financial And Physics Analysis Of Spacex Starship Transportation, Cheyenne Harper

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of the following research is to explore molten regolith electrolysis (MRE) methodology for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) of Highlands lunar regolith, to be explored during the initial Artemis missions. An analysis of potential commercial launch providers for MRE-equipment based on technology-readiness level (TRL), payload mass support, and $ USD/kg payload price is provided. SpaceX is ultimately proposed as a launch provider of MRE equipment following multi-factorial analysis, with the SpaceX Starship human landing system (HLS) variant proposed for supporting MRE payload. Finally, customers of regolith-derived oxygen, aluminum, and silicon are distinguished to form the business case for operating …

2020-2021 Annual Security And Fire Report - Sayre Campus, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

ANNUAL SECURITY & FIRE REPORTS

This is the 2020-2021 Annual Security and Fire Report of the Sayre Campus by Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Secondary Risk Theory: Validation Of A Novel Model Of Protection Motivation, Christopher L. Cummings, Sonny Rosenthal, Wei Yi Kong

Research Collection College of Integrative Studies

Protection motivation theory states individuals conduct threat and coping appraisals when deciding how to respond to perceived risks. However, that model does not adequately explain today's risk culture, where engaging in recommended behaviors may create a separate set of real or perceived secondary risks. We argue for and then demonstrate the need for a new model accounting for a secondary threat appraisal, which we call secondary risk theory. In an online experiment, 1,246 participants indicated their intention to take a vaccine after reading about the likelihood and severity of side effects. We manipulated likelihood and severity in a 2 × …

Local Climate Action Planning As A Tool To Harness The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Mitigation And Equity Potential Of Autonomous Vehicles And On-Demand Mobility, Serena Alexander, Asha Weinstein Agrawal, Benjamin Y. Clark

Mineta Transportation Institute

This report focuses on how cities can use climate action plans (CAPs) to ensure that on-demand mobility and autonomous vehicles (AVs) help reduce, rather than increase, green-house gas (GHG) emissions and inequitable impacts from the transportation system. We employed a three-pronged research strategy involving: (1) an analysis of the current literature on on-demand mobility and AVs; (2) a systematic content analysis of 23 CAPs and general plans developed by municipalities in California; and (3) a comparison of findings from the literature and content analysis of plans to identify opportunities for GHG emissions reduction and mobility equity.

Findings indicate that maximizing …

An Investigation Of The Airborne Particulate Matter Related Health Hazards Present In Makerspaces, Justin Keller

Honors Theses

Airborne particulate matter poses several health hazards ranging from pulmonary inflammation to cardiovascular disease. Particulate matter is produced through many fabrication processes common to makerspaces, such as 3D printing and laser cutting. The danger of these particles is worsened when makerspaces are retrofitted into spaces not designed with good ventilation or safety controls, such as libraries and public schools. This thesis evaluates the relationship between makerspaces and hazardous particle generation with both continuous and motion sensor controlled ventilation, showing that the latter creates unsafe working conditions. Both observational and controlled studies were conducted in Bucknell’s Mooney Lab makerspace monitoring particle …

A Study Of Geographic Information System-Based Watershed Processing For Hydrologic Analysis Of Ungauged Watersheds, Philip Adanbe Adalikwu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasing application of geographic information system (GIS) technology in watershed modeling makes is necessary to further evaluate its impacts on runoff characteristics as a basis for improved hydrologic analysis in ungauged watersheds. Experts in the field of water resources and hydrology have recommended the practice of subdivision when modeling a watershed, and the use of observed data from hydrologically similar watershed to calibrate and validate an ungauged watershed’s model. However, previous studies have failed to adequately address the issues of watershed heterogeneity, spatial and temporal variability in physical parameters, GIS data resolution issues, including artifacts in automated extraction of …

Extended Pseudo Invariant Calibration Site-Based Trend-To-Trend Cross-Calibration Of Optical Satellite Sensors, Prathana Khakurel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Satellite sensors have been extremely useful and are in massive demand in the understanding of the Earth’s surface and monitoring of changes. For quantitative analysis and acquiring consistent measurements, absolute radiometric calibration is necessary. The most common vicarious approach of radiometric calibration is cross-calibration, which helps to tie all the sensors to a common radiometric scale for consistent measurement. One of the traditional methods of cross-calibration is performed using temporally and spectrally stable pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS). This technique is limited by adequate cloud-free acquisitions for cross-calibration which would require a longer time to study the differences in sensor measurements. …

Detection Of Change Points In Pseudo-Invariant Calibration Sites Time Series Using Multi-Sensor Satellite Imagery, Neha Khadka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The remote sensing community has extensively used Pseudo-Invariant Calibration Sites (PICS) to monitor the long-term in-flight radiometric calibration of Earth-observing satellites. The use of the PICS has an underlying assumption that these sites are invariant over time. However, the site’s temporal stability has not been assured in the past. This work evaluates the temporal stability of PICS by not only detecting the trend but also locating significant shifts (change points) lying behind the time series. A single time series was formed using the virtual constellation approach in which multiple sensors data were combined for each site to achieve denser temporal …

A Hydrologic Climate Study For An Arid Region, Ali Alsubeai

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Water is the most precious natural resource in arid regions due to the limitation of water resources, expanding population, and increasing volumes of industrial and domestic waste. The purpose of this research was to evaluate methods to estimate water quantity in an arid region. The research consisted of three separate studies. In the first study, hydrologic models used to estimate water quantity were evaluated for suitability of use in arid regions. Most hydrologic models that have been used in arid regions were originally developed for humid regions. Rainfall events in arid regions can be characterized as short-term, high intense rainstorms …

A Comparison Of Artificial Neural Networks And The Statistical Methods In Predicting Mba Student’S Academic Performance, Ojoung Kwon, Harry Hui Xia, Serin Zhang

Journal of International Technology and Information Management

MBA has become one of the most popular and vital professional degrees internationally. The MBA program admission process’s essential task is to choose the best analysis tools to accurately predict applicants’ academic performance potential based on the evaluation criteria in making admission decisions. Prior research finds that the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) are common predictors of MBA academic performance indicated by graduate grade point average (GGPA). Using a sample of 250 MBA students enrolled in a state university with AACSB accreditation from Fall 2010 to Fall 2017, we test and compare the effectiveness …

Comparison Of Dashboard Development Between Waterfall Model And Agile Methodologies, Siribhop Yooyongchuen

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Agile Methodology is a concept that focus on communication between product developers and users. The objective is to make product be rapidly developed and effectively meets users’ needs. Objective of this study is to compare dashboard development method between agile methodology and waterfall model. There are 3 dimensions in comparison; speed of development, users’ satisfaction, and efficiency of dashboard. The study used descriptive and experimental research. The sample is dashboard users in Company L. The study is conducted by establishing timeline of dashboard development, semi-constructed interview, and survey applying Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behavior. The result of …

Quantification Of Climate Variability And Extreme Events In The Great Plains, Angelinah Ntsieng Rasoeu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Climate variability and extreme events continue to worsen resulting in significant impacts to society and the environment. Quantifying precipitation variability, streamflow, and extreme events at local scale is crucial for local planning and management due to spatial and temporal precipitation variability which influences streamflow and thus, water resources. This study uses statistical tools to analyze 1895-2019 (125 years) of historical precipitation data to examine how long-term precipitation varies annually, seasonally, and monthly, and create climate classifications. The results show that annual precipitation is increasing linearly over time ranging from 13.2 in (1976) to 43.1 in (2010) and 5 climate classes …