Digital Commons Network^™

A Drilling-Punching-Hole Protection Integrated Hydraulic Caving Technology For Broken Soft And Low-Permeability Coal Seams, Yao Ningping, Hao Shijun, Zhang Jinbao, Wei Hongchao, Nie Chao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective and Method For broken soft and low-permeability coal seams, gas drainage achieved through permeability enhancement and pressure relief by cross-seam hydraulic caving in coal seam floor faces problems including serious borehole collapse in the drilled coal seam intervals, low construction efficiency, and poor gas drainage performance. To address these problems, this study proposed a high-efficiency drilling-punching-hole protection integrated gas drainage technology, which enabled hydraulic caving, permeability enhancement, and pressure relief. Furthermore, this study developed a drilling-punching-hole protection integrated caving device. Through laboratory experiments conducted under pressure conversion and central channels equipped with controllable opening/closing mechanisms, this study selected the …

Cross-Modal Lidar-Camera Joint Calibration For Heading And Mining Face In Coal Mines, Yang Wenjuan, Ren Zhiteng, Zhang Xuhui, Du Yuyang, Li Changpeng, Zhang Chao, Xu Jie, Wan Jicheng, Lei Mengyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective In underground coal mines, it is challenging to extract the features of the heading and mining face stably under insufficient illumination, significant dust interference, and sparse point clouds. This severely undermines the accuracy and robustness of camera-LiDAR joint calibration based on underground unstructured scene characteristics.Methods Targeting complex operating conditions, including fully mechanized mining face and tunneling roadways, this study developed a LiDAR-camera joint calibration method based on cross-depth feature coupling. In this method, an improved random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm for multi-plane fitting was designed for feature extraction. By integrating normal vector-based pre-clustering and an adaptive iteration mechanism, …

Note: Greenvent – Revolutionizing Methane Management With Hybrid Energy Processing In Mine Ventilation, Roman J. Jędrzejczyk, Damian K. Chlebda, Jacek Dańczak, Piotr Rosikowski, Monika A. Koperska, Robert E. Hayes, Joseph P. Mmbaga, Robert Hildebrandt, Joanna Profic-Paczkowska

Journal of Sustainable Mining

Methane plays a significant role in intensifying the greenhouse effect, possessing a global warming potential more than twenty times greater than that of CO₂ when measured on a carbon-dioxide-equivalent basis. Hence, identifying efficient methods to mitigate methane emissions is crucial for safeguarding the environment, ensuring economic viability, and maintaining practicality. Globally, research initiatives are dedicated to crafting an effective catalyst system for methane oxidation, which involves developing catalysts, comprehending their characteristics, and determining the best way of bonding them to structural supports to enhance functionality. Notably, systems that incorporate metals from the non-noble d-block of the periodic table as …

A Probabilistic Deep Learning Framework For Retrieving Chlorophyll-A From Hyperspectral Imagery: Integrating Channel Attention And Mixture Density Networks, Wenzhao Li, Surendra Maharjan, Rejoice Thomas, Junde Chen, Hesham Morgan, Michael J. Garay, Olga V. Kalashnikova, Shahryar Fazli, Charles Ichoku, Hesham El-Askary

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Accurate monitoring of Chlorophyll-a (Chla) is critical for assessing aquatic ecosystem health, yet ecological complexity often leads to ambiguous spectral signatures in satellite data. Traditional deterministic models assume a one-to-one mapping between spectra and pigments, often failing to capture these high-dimensional analytical challenges. In this study, we propose a novel deep learning architecture, the Channel Attention-Mixture Density Network (CA-MDN), to retrieve Chla from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) hyperspectral mission. The CA-MDN integrates an attention mechanism to dynamically select ecologically relevant spectral bands and employs a probabilistic output layer to quantify …

Re: Approval Letter For The Final Repository Siting Study (Rss) Detailed Evaluation And Recommendations Report (Dated February 11, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Promoting Water Security Of South-To-North Water Diversion Project For National Water Network, Quanfa Zhang, Guihua Liu, Chesheng Zhan, Xiaobo Ren

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The South-to-North Water Diversion Project is a crucial infrastructure initiative aiming at optimizing nation-wide distribution of water resources, meanwhile fostering sustainable economic and social development, and ensuring the well-being of the people. The project, with its extensive scope and high technical complexity, particularly in the middle and west routes located in biodiversity hotspots such as the Qinling Mountains and the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, may alter local microclimates, potentially triggering meteorological disasters such as droughts, thunderstorms, and hail, along with secondary hazards. The implementation of the project may also disrupt the local hydrological conditions, disturb the balance of the existing atmospheric-vegetation-soil system, …

Monitoring Strategies In Cave Microclimate Studies, Nenad Buzjak, Dalibor Paar, Aurel Persoiu, Christos Pennos, Franci Gabrovšek, Valerija Rossi

International Journal of Speleology

Cave atmospheres are spatially confined but dynamical systems that influence subterranean ecosystems, geomorphological processes, registration and preservation of climatic signals in sedimentary archives, cultural heritage, and conservation management. Despite major advances in cave climatology, methodological approaches to microclimate monitoring remain fragmented and are in some cases still shaped by the long-standing assumption that cave air temperature simply reflects the mean annual surface temperature. This paper revisits that assumption and develops an experience- and literature-based methodological framework for cave microclimate research. Key terminology is addressed by distinguishing between cave climate, cave microclimate, and cave meteorology, and by situating microclimatic variability within …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter With Comments For Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final 2026 Interim Site-Wide Surface Water Monitoring Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated February 4, 2026), Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Satellites, Urban Heat, And Environmental Justice: Community As The Bridge Between Analysis And Action, Joshua B. Fisher, Ambar Rivera, Ava Cison, Ashley Agatep, Kainani Tacazon, Sophia Spiegleman, Alison Mckenery, Rio E. Fisher, Reginald Archer, Jason A. Douglas

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Heat waves are increasing in frequency, intensity, magnitude, and duration, causing a disproportionate impact on marginalized communities exposed to urban heat islands. Newly emerging spaceborne thermal sensing instruments, such as ECOSTRESS and Hydrosat, now have the capabilities to measure urban surface temperatures accurately at the block level (< 100 m) and with enough frequency to capture transient heat waves (daily to subweekly). Such data are critical for monitoring and informing policy and mitigation efforts, such as resurfacing, green space, cooling stations, and medical mobilization. These serve to advance environmental justice and reduce health risks—and deaths—among the most vulnerable: minority, low-income, elderly, those with physical- and mental-health preconditions, unhoused, children, and outdoor workers. While scientists have increasingly used satellite data to quantify urban heat islands and risks to communities, there remains a significant gap in action resulting from such analyses—a figurative and literal “valley of death.” Reviewing over 500 scientific publications, we identify a critical lack of engagement with the communities being analyzed (10.9%; n = 58); yet, community engagement is key to bridging such analysis with subsequent action. Here, we demonstrate how participatory community engagement directly with data and analysis leads to increased policy changes and mitigation efforts. Our framework has immediate implications for how scientists may augment their work and thought processes to achieve …

Electrocatalytic Degradation Of Methylene Blue Using Rgo, Sb2o3, And Rgo-Sb2o3 Composite Ink-Based Electrodes, Maria Irene Myers Armas, Andrea M. Fletes, Thomas Eubanks, Arnulfo Mar, Jason Parsons, Helia Magali Morales

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences Faculty Publications

Water pollution from industrial dyes is a critical challenge due to the resistance of these types of compounds to degradation and potentially harmful effects on living organisms and human health. In this study, the electrochemical degradation of methylene blue (MB) was investigated using ink-based copper foam electrodes with reduced graphene oxide (rGO), antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), and rGO/Sb2O3 composites. The materials used to synthesize the electrodes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), which showed the successful synthesis of GO, rGO, and the Sb2O3-rGO composite. Additionally, the synthesized electrodes were examined using SEM. The MB degradation was studied using kinetic behavior and …

Whose Water Is It, Anyway? Federalism And Texas V. New Mexico, Bryon Louk

Arkansas Law Review

When a problem erupts between two states, interstate compacts provide a solution without the need for a nationwide decision. Rather than waiting for federal consensus, the states can, with Congressional approval, compact to solve their problems. However, the Supreme Court’s decision in Texas v. New Mexico (Texas II) has threatened interstate compacts, ignored principles of federalism, and overextended its original jurisdiction. It has allowed the United States to force Texas and New Mexico to keep fighting over a compact, even when the states have resolved their issues on their own.

First, this Comment will describe the legal background of compact …

Re: Conditional Approval Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Draft Final Potential Logan, Montana, Borrow Source Site Environmental Assessment Checklist, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Re: Approval Letter For The Draft Final 2026 Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) Mcdermott Basin Creek Water Treatment Plant Subsurface Fill Borrow Submittal #1, Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Metal-Free Nitrogen-Enriched Graphitic Carbon Nitride Architectures For Advanced Supercapacitor Energy Storage: Design, Synthesis, And Electrochemical Performance Optimization, Loujain Gamal Mohamed

Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This thesis addresses the urgent global requirement for efficient energy storage materials by developing and characterizing advanced graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4)-based electrode materials for supercapacitors. A facile, low-cost thermal polymerization method produces 2D nitrogen-rich GCN nanosheets exhibiting excellent electrochemical stability and wide voltage windows, enabling symmetric devices with 19.33 Wh/kg energy density and remarkable cycling stability over 21,000 cycles. To overcome intrinsic limitations of pristine GCN, a 3D/2D metal free composite with bio-derived carbon (Bio-Cx) is synthesized, delivering high capacitance, wide potential windows, and ultrahigh energy density of 53.72 Wh/kg in asymmetric configurations paired with mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon (MPNDC). …

Contrasting Coastal Dune Environments In Chile, Aurora Christianson

Student Research Symposium (SRS)

Emerging coastalization and urbanization threats to the prehistoric Concón Dunes and Humedal de Mantagua coastal area of Chile is being investigated by researchers via uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). Four UAS were utilized: Anzu Raptor T, DJI Mavic 3E, DJI Mavic 3M, and DJI Air 3 to collect various images of the coastal dunes. Multispectral and RGB cameras gather images by photogrammetry to create orthomosaics and monitor vegetation indexes in Pix4Dmapper. Thermal cameras provided images in rainbow, white hot infrared, and black hot infrared schemes to monitor wildlife and vegetation. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was calculated to visualize overall …

Re: Comment Letter For The Butte Priority Soils Operable Unit (Bpsou) 2026 Revised Draft Final Backfill And Cover Soil Quality Assurance Project Plan (Qapp) (Dated January 5, 2026), Molly Roby

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final Repository Siting Study (Rss) Detailed Evaluation And Recommendations Report, Atlantic Richfield Company, Butte Silver Bow

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-28 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Efficacy Of Storytelling In Education About Climate Change, Nina Adjanin, Srijana Katuwal, Heidi Sevestre, Gordon Brooks

Mid-Western Educational Researcher

From bedtime tales to digital narratives, stories wield unparalleled influence, shaping perceptions, and fostering empathy. Through mediums like social media and digital platforms, storytelling becomes a tool for advocacy, amplifying voices, and catalyzing social change. In this qualitative study, 107 higher education students from diverse backgrounds participated. The purpose of this study was to uncover salient beliefs about climate change stories on popular social media platforms among full-time college students. The results are based on three key components of the theory of planned behavior (TPB): affective beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs. The respondents expressed both positive and negative attitudes …

Silver Bow Creek Conservation Area Final Principles For A Greener Cleanup Report, Woodard & Curran

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Phosphorus Adsorption And Desorption Characteristics On Micronutrient Doped Biochar, Moe Kikuchi '27

Annual Student Research Poster Session

The increasing global demand for food necessitates efficient agricultural practices; however, the overuse of phosphorus (P) fertilizers presents a major environmental concern. Advanced materials, including biochar, offer promising strategies for mitigating these effects. Biochar, a carbonaceous material derived from biomass, can be functionalized with micronutrients such as magnesium (Mg) or iron (Fe) to enhance its P adsorption and retention characteristics so that the ion-doped biochar could serve as a sustained nutrient release fertilizer besides improving soil health. This study investigated the adsorption and desorption behavior of dissolved P (200 µM/g and 400 µM/g) in three types of biochars: raw (BC), …

Hold Paramount The Health, Safety, And Welfare Of The Public And The Planet, Daniel B. Oerther

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-06 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-28 Site Evaluation Summary Reportfinal 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-28 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-13 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-22 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-20 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Final 2022 Unreclaimed Sites Sampling: Ur-12 Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Watersmart Farms - Desalination: Brine Management Review, V Ravisankar, E Wendell, S Aktar, B Husbands, L Li, J K. Ruprecht

Natural resources commissioned reports

All desalination technologies generate residual wastes. Waste-stream management poses both cost and implementation challenges that may critically impact project viability, environmental health, and proximate land use. Brine management encompasses brine minimisation and concentration, dilution, and disposal techniques. The scope of this report is to:

• Summarise commercially available approaches to aid in the selection of the best available technology (BAT) for future inland, small-scale desalination plants;
• Provide general performance metrics such as system recovery, energy consumption and costs; and
• List alternative desalination technologies to reverse osmosis (RO) that may mitigate specific residual waste management challenges.

The choice of technology for brine …

A High-Resolution Daily Precipitation Fusion Framework Integrating Radar, Satellite, And Nwp Data Using Machine Learning Over South Korea, Hyoju Park, Hiroyuki Miyazaki, Menas Kafatos, Seung Hee Kim, Yangwon Lee

Institute for ECHO Articles and Research

Accurate precipitation mapping is essential for effective disaster management; however, individual radar, satellite, and numerical weather prediction products often struggle in the topographically complex terrain of South Korea. This study proposes a high-resolution (~500 m) daily precipitation fusion framework that integrates Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) radar, Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Integrated Multi-Satellite Retrievals for GPM (IMERG), and Local Data Assimilation and Prediction System (LDAPS) data. The framework employs a Random Forest model augmented with a monthly Empirical Cumulative Distribution Function (ECDF) correction. Auxiliary predictors are incorporated to enhance physical interpretability and stability, including terrain attributes to represent orographic effects, land-cover …