Digital Commons Network^™

Characteristics Of The Pore And Seepage System Of Deep Coalbed Methane In The Baijiahai Uplift, Junggar Basin, Xinjiang, Chen Heqing, Yang Zhaobiao, Li Daoqing, Xu Miaomiao, Liang Yuhui, Liu Changqing, Wang Yuqiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

[Objective] Xinjiang boasts abundant deep coalbed methane (CBM) resources, with Jurassic coal seams in the Baijiahai uplift of the Junggar Basin identified as a favorable target area for deep CBM exploration and exploitation. The pore and seepage system of deep CBM directly determines its recoverability. [Methods] Based on appraisal well Caimei 2-004H drilled the most recently in the Xinjiang oilfield in 2023, this study investigated in detail the pore and seepage system of coals in the Jurassic Xishanyao Formation in the Baijiahai uplift using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP), low-temperature liquid nitrogen adsorption, and carbon …

Remote Sensing Monitoring And Spatiotemporal Characteristics Of Co2 And Ch4 Concentrations In Coal-Electricity Production Bases, Xu Yanfei, Chen Yongchun, Li Jing, Liu Xiaozhou, Miao Wei, Zhao Derong, Rui Chengqi

Coal Geology & Exploration

[Objective] CO₂ and CH₄ are identified as the primary greenhouse gases emitted from energy production in coal-electricity production bases. Mointoring these emissions and analyzing their spatiotemporal distribution are essential components of building a carbon monitoring system in the study area. [Methods] This study investigated Huainan City, Anhui Province as an example to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics of CO₂ and CH₄ in coal-electricity production bases. Specifically, this study examined the CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations in the study area based on data from the GOSAT，OCO-2, and Sentinel-5P satellites，determining the column concentration changes and distribution of CO …

A High-Resolution Method For Processing Coal Measures Seismic Data Based On Anisotropic Medium Theories And Its Application, Li Huiting, Chang Suoliang, Zhang Sheng, Guan Wenyuan, Zhao Xing, Wang Weiqian, Tantai Mingjun, Gao Kaixin

Coal Geology & Exploration

[Objective] The increasing importance of the exploration and exploitation of deep resources poses new requirements for high-precision seismic exploration. Given that conventional isotropy-based data processing methods are no longer applicable to the coal-bearing strata with strong anisotropy. [Methods] This study proposed a method for processing seismic data based on theories of both transverse isotropy medium with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI) media and transverse isotropy with a horizontal axis of symmetry (HTI) media. First, to characterize the depositional characteristics of coal-bearing strata, this study analyzed the features of VTI media, revealing that high-order dynamic correction can effectively eliminate anisotropy-induced event …

Evaluation Of An Autonomous Acoustic Surveying Technique For Grassland Bird Communities In Nebraska, Grace E. Schuster, Leroy J. Walston, Andrew R. Little

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

Monitoring trends in wildlife communities is integral to making informed land management decisions and applying conservation strategies. Birds inhabit most niches in every environment and because of this they are widely accepted as an indicator species for environmental health. Traditionally, point counts are the common method to survey bird populations, however, passive acoustic monitoring approaches using autonomous recording units have been shown to be cost-effective alternatives to point count surveys. Advancements in automatic acoustic classification technologies, such as BirdNET, can aid in these efforts by quickly processing large volumes of acoustic recordings to identify bird species. While the utility of …

A Country-Level Primary-Final-Useful (Cl-Pfu) Energy And Exergy Database: Overview Of Its Construction And 1971–2020 World-Level Efficiency Results, Paul E. Brockway, Matthew Kuperus Heun, Zeke Marshall, Emmanuel Aramendia, Paul Steenwyk, Thomas Relph, Michelle Widjanarko, Jeonghoo (James) Kim, Anjana Sainju, Julian Irtube

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Societal exergy analysis examines the flows of energy and exergy through societies, from primary (e.g. oil) to final (e.g. gasoline) to useful (e.g. propulsion) energy stages. By extending the study of energy to the useful stage, new insights into the under-represented role of energy in economic growth have been made. However, currently (a) country coverage is patchy and incomplete, (b) available data are based on varying methods and assumptions including efficiencies based on economic rather than engineering data, and (c) datasets are constructed using piecemeal computational approaches. To address these gaps, we construct a country-level primary-final-useful (CL-PFU) energy and exergy …

Re: Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Revised Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Residential Parcels) (Dated June 7, 2024), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Establishment Of A Research Site At The Kennedy Mountain Campus For The Observation Of Airborne Particulate Matter, Alyssa Knaus

Undergraduate Theses, Capstones, and Recitals

This thesis explored particulate matter (PM) concentrations at two sites within the Colorado Front Range. The study utilized two models of PurpleAir PM sensors, Flex and SD-II, to provide real-time, accessible data on PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 mass concentrations with the goal of establishing the first research site at the Kennedy Mountain Campus (KMC). The first of the two sites used during this study was at a suburban location outside of Denver, CO. This period was used as an instrument intercomparison period in order to conduct instrument analysis. The initial findings from this period found significant correlations between PM concentration …

Visualization Of Indiana And Northern Long-Eared Bats Using Spline Surfaces To Enable Targeted Land Management, Devin Escue

Geography and the Environment: Graduate Student Capstones

This project introduces a Bat Visualization Tool to help manage habitats for threatened bat species while considering broader ecosystem dynamics. It integrates data from acoustic bat surveys at the Corriell Nature Preserve in Iowa. The tool attaches spatial context to non-spatial survey data, weights species calls based on statistical p-values, and creates visual bat species distribution maps using spline surfaces. It also generates future survey locations based on these patterns. By using geospatial analysis and statistics, the tool identifies priority areas for conservation actions, focusing on factors like forest composition, roosting preferences, and land cover types that affect bat habitat …

Piloting A Drain Gauge As A Method Of Measuring Runoff From Ecoroofs In Portland, Trinity Perrin

University Honors Theses

The following paper will be exploring a pilot methodology of a drain gauge system I built that’s used to calculate stormwater runoff from ecoroofs in Portland, Oregon. The drain gauge is a less studied technique for measuring ecoroof runoff, but holds high potential for developing better monitoring and management of ecoroofs within the city of Portland. What separates this stormwater runoff capturing device apart from other stormwater runoff calculation techniques is its adaptable design and simple installation. The drain weir can be placed in any roof drain that an ecoroof has been installed simply by placing it into a roof …

Modified Method For Assessing The Required Expenditures And Estimated Time Of Hard Coal Mine Liquidation, Andrzej Chmiela, Małgorzata Wysocka, Adam Smoliński

Journal of Sustainable Mining

The restructuring of hard coal mining requires significant budgetary expenditures. A comprehensive scientific approach may facilitate the rationalisation and minimisation of mine closure costs. This study proposes a method for the preliminary estimation of the costs and time required for the potential liquidation of a hard coal mine. In addition to a literature review, a statistical analysis and a case study, personal interviews were conducted with individuals with direct management over the restructuring, reclamation and liquidation processes pertaining to mines undergoing closure.

The assessment method is based on an analysis of the mine liquidation costs, divided into successive years of …

Re: Comments On The 2024 Draft Final Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Interim Site- Wide Groundwater Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated November 29, 2023), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Of The Draft Final Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Repository And Haul Route Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated June 10, 2024), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Monitoring Air Fluxes In Caves Using Digital Flow Metres, Claudio Pastore, Amir Sedaghatkish, Eric Weber, Nicolas Schmid, Pierre-Yves Jeannin, Marc Luetscher

International Journal of Speleology

Precise measurements of airflow within caves are increasingly demanded to assess heat and mass transfers and their impacts on the karst environment, including subsurface ecosystems, hydrochemistry of karst water and secondary mineral precipitates. In this study, we introduce a new, low-cost and lightweight device adapted to monitoring air fluxes in caves which addresses the need for reliable measurements, low power consumption, durability and affordability. The device was calibrated in a wind tunnel, showing the high accuracy and precision of the device. Field-related uncertainties were further investigated in a ventilated cave to determine the effect of local airflow conditions on the …

An Economic Remodel: The Genesis Of Modern Corporate Sustainability, Caitlin R. Doak

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

My thesis aims to understand and analyze what is catalyzing the advancement of sustainability in corporate agendas. After my internship at Deloitte and four years of Dartmouth undergrad, I recognized some important themes emerging in the sustainability landscape. Sustainability is at the forefront of policy and stakeholder engagement right now. Shareholders, consumers, regulators, policy makers, are all putting pressure on CSuite executives to redefine materiality and increase transparency in order to properly understand sustainability-related risks and opportunities within companies. Climate and nature-related disclosures are becoming just as important as financial disclosures because companies are being evaluated holistically, and a company’s …

Fiscal Incentives For Green Growth: A Mixed-Methods Study Of The State Of Agroforestry And Tree Cover In India, Spriha Pandey

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

Agroforestry is a crucial strategy for diversifying farmer livelihoods and achieving India's climate goals, but its adoption has been hindered by institutional and fiscal obstacles. This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of national government schemes on tree cover increase and expert perceptions of incentives and barriers to agroforestry adoption. Our analysis of national schemes from 2013-2017 reveals that effective fiscal mechanisms and policy cohesion are critical drivers of agroforestry growth. Specifically, we find that increased funding for the Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) is associated with significant increases in tree cover area while funding for the Horticultural Scheme (NHM) is …

Land-Use Governance And Indigenous Engagement In Arctic Alaska And Norway: Successes, Current Gaps, And Paths Forward, Ningning Sun

Environmental Studies Senior Theses

This study aims to analyze the land use governance structures and the role of Indigenous engagement in Alaska and Norway using a comparative approach, with special focus on successful practices, current gaps, and paths forward to achieve equitable governance. Extractive land uses, such as oil and gas extraction and the construction of wind farms, have mixed impacts on Indigenous communities and lead to social and legal issues such as land use conflict and environmental injustice. Previous research has studied land use governance in Arctic countries with regard to Indigenous Peoples, yet there is a lack of literature that spans Alaska …

Draft Final Revised Residential Metals Abatement Program (Rmap) Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Residential Parcels), Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Residential Metals Abatement Program Investigation Summary Report Kennedy Elementary School Post- Remedial Action Surface Dust Sampling, Christopher Berg, Elsie King

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Uncontrolled Surface Flow Areas Remedial Design (Rd) Work Plan, Draft Bpsou Uncontrolled Surface Flow Areas Pre-Design Investigation (Pdi) Work Plan, 2023 Uncontrolled Surface Flow Area Soil Characterization Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) [Dated January 25, 2024], Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Prototype Device For Measuring The Dustiness Of Stone And Lime Dust Used In Explosion Prevention, Adrian Toman, Zdzisław Dyduch, Tomasz Skowronek

Journal of Sustainable Mining

This paper presents the prototype of a device for measuring the dustiness of powdered materials by means of a new measurement method. The currently employed stationary laboratory device, utilised in KD “Barbara”, uses the attenuation of a radiant flux transmitted through a dust cloud induced by a manually generated air blast. The new device uses the same measurement method, but it includes modern elements based on a microprocessor, a laser line generator instead of an LED diode, and a precise multi-channel detector. The generated quantity of the mixture (dust and air) is strictly determined and precisely dosed via buffer containers, …

Tracking Mining Company Electric Vehicles For Sustainable Development Optimization Using Distributed Ledger Technologies, Teodora Hristova

Journal of Sustainable Mining

It is established that based on the industrial revolutions towards Industry 5.0, the population of the Earth and its well-being are increasing. To preserve and improve living conditions the development in all spheres of life is by the paradigm of sustainable development. Through the prism of the mining industry, one step could be the introduction of circular economy measures for digitized tracking of materials, repairs, consumed electricity, safety, and finances. Implementing of electric cars is an option to achieve this goal through automation, manageability, and data traceability via Industry 4.0 technologies. Such are blockchain technologies, IoT, V2V, and others. For …

Western Kentucky University Stormwater Utility Survey 2024, Warren Campbell

SEAS Faculty Publications

The main goal of this survey is to identify as many U.S. Stormwater Utilities (SWUs) as possible. Because many stormwater professionals do not have the time to respond to questionnaires, our primary method of identification was Internet searches. We searched key terms such as “stormwater utility,” “stormwater fee,” and “drainage fee.” We scoured online municipal codes such as Municode, AmLegal, Sterling, LexisNexis, General Code, and others. We searched through many city web websites to find utilities. We have also had many people contact me to update fees and identify new utilities. However, the data primarily comes from Internet sources and …

Electric Vehicle Usage Patterns In Multi-Vehicle Households In The Us: A Machine Learning Study, Vuban Chowdhury, Suman Kumar Mitra, Sarah Hernandez

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Electric vehicles (EVs) play a significant role in reducing carbon emissions. In the US, EVs are mostly owned by multi-vehicle households, and their usage is primarily studied in the context of vehicle miles traveled. This study takes a unique approach by analyzing EV usage through the lens of vehicle choice (between EVs and internal combustion engine vehicles) within multi-vehicle households. A two-step machine-learning framework (clustering and decision trees) is proposed. The framework determines the preferred trip category for EV use and captures the effects of household attributes, driver attributes, built-environment factors, and gas prices on EV use in multi-vehicle households. …

Investigating H2s Occurrence In Bakken Oil-Producing Wells Using Sulfur Isotopes In Gas, Water, And Rock Samples, Alexander V. Chakhmakhchev, Marc D. Kurz, T. Austin Mcrae, Xue Yu, Arash Abarghani, Darren D. Schmidt, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Bethany A. Kurz, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

This work investigated multiple mechanisms that can potentially lead to H₂S in the oil production stream of Bakken wells, including TSR, BSR, source rock generation, migration from deeper or shallower formations that contain H₂S, and geomechanical mechanisms related to reservoir stimulation work.

Herbicides, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Herbicides play a vital role in integrated weed management programs. Knowledge of the mechanisms and activity of herbicides will improve the impact and sustainability of herbicides as a weed management tactic. This fact sheet is a guide to the types of herbicides available and when and how they should be used.

The Effect Of Carbon Pricing On Firm Performance: Worldwide Evidence, Tinghua Duan, Frank Weikai Li, Hong Zhang

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

Economists recommend combating climate change with carbon pricing; however, a major block to pricing emissions is concerns about economic costs. This paper examines the impacts of carbon pricing initiatives on the operating performance and market value of publicly listed firms around the world. Using the staggered enactment of carbon pricing initiatives across jurisdictions and a triple difference approach, we find a significant reduction in the profitability and value of carbon-intensive firms relative to low-emission firms after the enactment of carbon pricing policies. The reduction in firm profits is driven by both a decrease in sales growth and an increase in …

Herbicide Application, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Grains and other field crops factsheets

Herbicides can be applied by a variety of means, including boom sprayers, aerial spraying, misters, blanket wipers, rope wick applicators, weed seekers and back-pack sprayers. This fact sheet reviews the different methods, including nozzles and calibration of equipment, used to apply herbicides.

Field Implementation And Surveillance Of Gas Injection Enhanced Oil Recovery In The Bakken, Jin Zhao, Lu Jin, Nicholas A. Azzolina, Xincheng Wan, Steven A. Smith, Nicholas W. Bosshart, James A. Sorensen

EERC Publications, Papers, & Presentations

A series of activities were performed in this study to explore real-time visualization, forecasting, and control methods for improved reservoir surveillance during EOR processes.

Using Bayesian Multispecies Models To Evaluate Fish And Invertebrate Detection Probability And Distribution In The Hypersaline Bahia Grande Tidal Basin, Roy M. Ulibarri, Catherine M. Eckert, David Hicks, David Montagne, Brandon Jones, David R. Stewart

School of Earth, Environmental, & Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective

In 2000, the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge acquired the Bahia Grande (Texas) management unit, a space that had lain barren and arid for 70 years. A large cooperative partnership launched a restoration project to replenish the basin and recover its original tidal hydrology. In 2005, the construction of a pilot channel successfully restored water throughout the basin, and plans to eventually widen the channel were developed. Our study aims to evaluate an estuarine habitat restoration by assessing ecological drivers and the impacts on species diversity.

Methods

We evaluated species richness, detection/occupancy rates, and species–habitat relationships, and we estimated …

Hydrological Analysis Of Post-Fire Responses Within The Little Creek Watershed Of Swanton Pacific Ranch, Alexander Jeffrey Wiens

Master's Theses

Climate change and a growing wildland-urban interface are associated with an increase in the number and severity of wildfires. While severe wildfires do cause a costly and dangerous impact on the environment and the public, their after-effects comprise important subjects of study. In post-fire hydrologic studies, the reduced infiltration and plant cover that results from wildfires can commonly be associated with increased peakflows and erosion. Phenomena such as the flooding and debris flows in Montecito after the Thomas Fire in late 2017 can have important implications on infrastructure and human lives. Quantifying post-fire peak flows and flooding volumes has therefore …