Digital Commons Network^™

Modeling Velocity Distributions Of Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen In The Heliosphere, Lucas Robert Dyke

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

As interstellar neutral hydrogen (ISN H) is the most abundant neutral element in the helio- sphere, the region within which the solar wind interacts with the portion of the interstellar medium through which our solar system moves through, it is integral that we aim to under- stand its many properties and interactions within this region. This work details the synthesis and use of a model of ISN H, using trajectory methods to backtrace from a target point at a radial distance of 1 au where explorer probes like Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) and Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) reside. …

Momentum Space Algorithm For Electronic Structure Of Double-Incommensurate Trilayer Graphene, Kenneth Silver Beard

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Numerical algorithms for computing the electronic structure of incommensurate 2D-materials using ab initio models are critical for predicting material properties and guiding experiments. For bilayers, momentum space and continuum models have been introduced to approximate observables of ab initio tight-binding models using a momentum description, despite the lack of periodicity in the tight-binding model required for Bloch theory. A similar structure has been introduced for double-incommensurate trilayers using a continuum model, where the three lattices are mutually incommensurate. However, this description leads to a four-dimensional lattice space, and numerical convergence of the density of states has been observed to be …

Geometric Approaches To Memory Formation In Soft Matter, Gentian Muhaxheri

Dissertations - ALL

The primary focus of this dissertation is the development of a geometric framework for understanding memory formation in systems composed of interacting hysteretic elements, or hysterons. Using tools from bifurcation and catastrophe theory, this work provides a description of how complex memory behaviors emerge from the structure of the system's configuration space and the system bifurcations under external driving. As a concrete model system, we study networks of connected rubber balloons subjected to different inflation protocols. Under pressure control, the system maps naturally onto a Preisach-type system of non-interacting hysterons and exhibits return point memory. In contrast, under volume control, …

Quasiparticle Poisoning Of Superconducting Fluxonium Qubits, Kesavan Manivannan

Dissertations - ALL

Superconducting qubits based on Josephson junctions have emerged as a leading hardware platform in the quest to realize large-scale quantum computers. However, qubit decoherence remains a major hurdle on the path toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. In particular, excess quasiparticle (QP) excitations constitute a significant source of dissipation in superconducting quantum devices. The empirically observed QP density in these systems is orders of magnitude larger than that predicted by Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory. Moreover, QP poisoning due to high-energy particle impacts can cause correlated errors that simultaneously affect multiple qubits, thereby impeding quantum error correction. Although QP-induced decoherence has been extensively studied …

Mapping The Rigid Landscapes Of Disordered Networks And Active Solids, Tyler Hain

Dissertations - ALL

Biological systems are able to exhibit remarkable and exotic mechanical properties by tuning their microscopic internal degrees of freedom in order to accomplish global functions. One of the most interesting mechanical behaviors of some such materials is the ability to transition between stiff solid-like states and soft fluid-like states in order to initiate specific flow patterns or tune their mechanical response. Not only this, but they are able to selectively cross this transition while also being optimized for other functions. In this dissertation I explore numerical and analytical methods for mapping the landscapes of states on the edge of rigidity …

Characterizing Capacitance Of Josephson Junctions For Quantum Devices, Bradley Gordon Cole

Dissertations - ALL

The field of quantum computing is growing at a rapid rate with the promise of dramatic improvements in the ability to solve critical computational problems. A leading approach for implementing fault-tolerant quantum computers is based on superconducting circuits containing Josephson junctions to form qubits. These qubits have many attractive qualities, but predicting the device performance requires detailed knowledge of the junction properties. Thus, precise characterization is crucial for realizing different qubit designs. The coherence of superconducting qubits is limited by several sources in the circuit en- vironment. Building a quantum computer requires effort to reduce gate errors caused by decoherence. …

Evidence For Environmental Stripping In The Coma Cluster, Richard T. Pomeroy, Juan P. Madrid, Conor R. O’Neill, Alexander T. Gagliano

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

The stability and longevity of globular clusters (GCs) make them effective tracers of the dynamical histories of galaxies in cluster environments. We construct a catalog of 23,351 GC candidates in the Coma Cluster using imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys. We cross-match galaxy data from the SIMBAD, NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, and Sloan Digital Sky Survey archives to construct a galaxy sample and model their GC populations using the GC specific frequency. We find several galaxies with significantly smaller GC populations than expected from their luminosities, consistent with either tidal stripping or intrinsically low formation efficiencies. We …

Table Of Contents

Journal of the South Carolina Academy of Science

No abstract provided.

Testing And Qualification Of Low-Voltage Power Supplies For The Atlas Tile Hadronic Calorimeter Phase-Ii Upgrade, Justice A. Jones

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

The High Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) places increased thermal and operational demands on detector electronics, requiring highly reliable power systems. The ATLAS Tile Hadronic Calorimeter (TileCal) uses low-voltage power supply (LVPS) bricks to power front-end electronics, but these units operate in inaccessible regions, making failures difficult to repair. Therefore, rigorous qualification procedures are essential. This work focuses on improving LVPS reliability through a structured burn-in process. Each unit undergoes pre-burn-in electrical verification using a Single Test Stand (STS), followed by sustained operation under load and elevated temperature, and post-burn-in requalification. Standard cooling conditions limit temperatures to …

Spectro-Polarimetric Observations Of Tev Sources (Spots): First Results, Joleen Barnard, B. Van Soelen, I. P. Van Der Westhuizen, M. Böttcher, A. Martin-Carrillo, H. M. Schutte, S. Van Der Merwe, M. Zacharias

Michigan Tech Publications

Blazars are jetted active galactic nuclei, with the jet aligned along the observer’s line of sight. Their spectral energy distributions are dominated by non-thermal emission, with an underlying thermal component at optical/ultraviolet wavelengths. However, the underlying jet magnetic field structure and particle acceleration mechanisms requirements for the non-thermal emission are still under debate. Polarization measurements can provide critical insights, and we investigate the optical polarization properties of TeV-emitting blazars using long-term optical monitoring. We present results from the first 21 months of the Spectro-Polarimetric Observations of TeV Sources campaign, using the Southern African Large Telescope, of 14 blazars. Overall, observations …

The Physics And Biology Of High-Risk Falls: Biomechanical Analysis And Physics Assists In Understanding Why The Threshold For High-Risk Was Lowered To 10 Feet, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Recent revisions to the National Guideline for the Field Triage of Injured Patients lowered the high-risk fall threshold from >20 feet  to >10 feet for all ages. Guideline changes are multifactorial and typically reflect epidemiologic registry data, injury severity trends, and systems-level performance feedback. However, biomechanical analysis assists in understanding the importance of the change.

Objective: To demonstrate that a 10-foot fall generates sufficient kinetic energy and deceleration forces to exceed structural tolerance thresholds in multiple human tissues, and to show that fundamental physics independently supports the recent trauma protocol change.

Methods: Application of gravitational motion equations (v = …

Kl Dra As A Benchmark Laboratory For Accretion-Disk Physics: Constraints From Tess And Ground-Based Surveys, Luis E. Salazar Manzano, Liliana E. Rivera Sandoval, Jean-Marie Hameury, Craig O. Heinke, Iwona Kotko, Thomas J. Maccarone, Manuel Pichardo Marcano

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present the longest-term optical analysis of the AM CVn system KL Dra using ∼11 yr of monitoring from TESS and wide-field ground-based surveys. The continuous TESS coverage allows us to characterise its frequent outbursts with unprecedented detail, providing the first comprehensive study of an AM CVn during outbursts and enabling detailed modelling of these systems. The superoutbursts in KL Dra generally include a precursor and are followed by a series of rebrightenings after which a sequence of 3–4 large amplitude normal outbursts is observed. We fit parametric profiles to each superoutburst component (precursor, rise to plateau, plateau, and decay), …

Impact Of Intravenous Thrombolysis On Aspiration Thrombectomy Outcomes: An Imperative Trial Subgroup Analysis, Yi-Qian Qian, Yan Wang, Soumya Mohanty, Siyuan Chen

Physics & Astronomy Faculty Publications

Bayesian methods for the detection of continuous gravitational waves (CGWs) in pulsar timing array (PTA) data incur substantial computational costs that grow rapidly due to the number of noise and signal parameters characterizing the fitted model being proportional to the size of the PTA. This computational burden limits the scalability of these methods for large-scale PTAs comprising hundreds of pulsars anticipated from next-generation radio astronomy facilities. In this work, we introduce a computationally efficient frequentist method designed to circumvent this challenge. This is achieved by combining an adaptive spline fitting algorithm that nonparametrically suppresses red noise, thereby eliminating the need …

Modeling Of Polar Cap Ionospheric Patches And Attendant Plasma Instabilities: Initialization From Data And Parametric Analysis, Mark Redden

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

There is a robust history of theoretical work on ionospheric plasma patches and their attendant plasma fluid irregularities, particularly within the polar cap region.  Within this region though, plasma theory does not always yield tractable problems with succinct analytic solutions that are conceptually illuminating. Observational research methods and techniques, using a multitude of ground-based and in-situ systems, provide insights into this complex environment not always readily achieved through theory alone.  Limitations in observational insights exist; however, due to two inherent shortcomings of such systems; sensor observational persistence (in-situ sounding rocket and satellite plasma sensors) and/or sensor spatial resolution (terrestrial systems …

Automated Analysis Of Radiation Oncology Incident Reports Using Large Language Models, Nathan A. Dobranski

LSU Master's Theses

Patient safety incident reporting in radiation oncology requires expert analysis that is time-intensive and subject to variability. This thesis presents the development and technical validation of a locally deployed large language model (LLM) system for automated incident report analysis across multiple cancer centers. The system was designed for automated summarization and taxonomy assignment of Radiation Oncology Incident Learning System (RO-ILS) reports, operating entirely on local infrastructure to preserve patient privacy. A two-round, multi-rater evaluation methodology was employed, incorporating 600 total expert evaluations from two academic cancer centers. Round 1 established baseline performance using Mistral 7B and Mixtral 8x7B models with …

Designing Enhanced Nonlinearity In Plasmonic Devices With Epsilon-Near-Zero Films, Kevin Tran Le

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (MS) Theses

The growing demand for energy-efficient optical information processing motivates compact nonlinear photonic devices that can operate at low power. Silicon photonics is a mature platform for linear optical functions, but nonlinear operation remains challenging because of its weak Kerr response, two-photon absorption at telecommunication wavelengths, and limited compatibility with deeply subwavelength plasmonic confinement. This thesis computationally investigates epsilon-near-zero thin films integrated into plasmonic waveguide architectures as a route toward stronger light–matter interaction in compact nonlinear devices.

Two waveguide geometries are examined: a hybrid metal-insulator-metal plasmonic slab waveguide incorporating an ultrathin indium tin oxide epsilon-near-zero layer (5–50 nm), and a dielectric-loaded …

Bioshock: An Objectivist Counter Discourse On Ayn Rand’S Atlas Shrugged, Tucker M. Hurst

Undergraduate Honors Thesis Collection

The aim for this thesis is to discuss the themes and story structure of Bioshock with respect to Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged by deconstructing the relationship between both pieces of media as Bioshock representing a counter discourse to Rand’s objectivism. This will be done by examining both stories under a philosophical and economic lens to determine the main pillars of objectivism presented in Atlas Shrugged, then moving on to Bioshock’s dissection of these ideals when enforced on a secluded society. In doing so, not only is a better understanding of Rand’s philosophy obtained by presenting a form of case study …

Implementation Of A Droplet Interface Lipid Bilayer System For Electrical Characterization, Olivia J. Ziemer

Honors Theses

Lipid bilayers are the fundamental structural framework of cell membranes, providing cells with both protection from the environment and interaction with the surrounding environment. Experimental investigation of lipid bilayers and embedded protein channels often involves the formation of an artificial membrane within an electrical circuit. The focus of this project is to implement and verify the functionality of a lipid bilayer characterization technique known as the droplet interface bilayer (DIB), with emphasis on cost-effective system design. To achieve this, the amplifier and software from the ELEMENTS black lipid membrane (BLM) kit were repurposed to reduce the cost of implementing a …

Search For Slow-Moving Magnetic Monopoles With An Improved High-Energy Event Removal Algorithm, Reeshi N. Gihosal

Honors Theses

Fermilab’s NOvA (NuMI Off-axis 𝑣𝑒 Appearance) experiment focuses on understanding the behavior of neutrinos and how they affect the cosmos. A sub-focus of the NOvA experiment is the search for magnetic monopoles. These elusive particles have not yet been observed in nature, leaving their behavior to be mysterious. The Far Detector, located in Ash River, MN, is integral in the search for these particles. This project is on simulated magnetic monopoles with speeds thousandths the speed of light, with focus on the role of slicing algorithms in event reconstruction using the NOvA experiment’s reconstruction algorithm. Using sample data, analysis occurred …

Taking A Deeper Look: Attributing Tonal Values Of Photolumens To Their Emulsions Using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Anna M. Moore

All Theses

This thesis examines whether tonal variation in photolumens made with historic silver gelatin photographic papers can be linked to differences in elemental composition. Photolumens are cameraless photographic images created by placing objects directly on light-sensitive paper and exposing them to ultraviolet light. Because expired and historic darkroom papers often produce unpredictable colors and tones, this study asks whether visually defined tonal groups also show measurable chemical differences.

Twenty historic paper samples were exposed, documented, and sorted into five tonal groups based on visible image characteristics. Each sample was then analyzed using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) …

Structural Relaxation In Glass-Forming Liquids At Extreme Pressure: Photon-Correlation Spectroscopy And Constrained Thermodynamic Surface Modeling, Kevin Wayne Lyon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Structural relaxation in glass-forming liquids is strongly dependent on both temperature and pressure, yet direct measurement of structural α-relaxation under multi-gigapascal compression has remained experimentally challenging. This work extends depolarized photon correlation spectroscopy (DPCS) to pressures approaching 5 GPa in a diamond anvil cell, representing the highest-pressure implementation of this technique and enabling direct measurement of the structural α-relaxation in a pure liquid at extreme compression. This capability provides access to dynamical regimes previously unexplored by photon correlation spectroscopy and establishes a platform for probing glassy dynamics at high pressure. To describe these measurements, a constrained relaxation-time surface framework is …

Strain Engineering Of Excitonic And Vibrational Properties In Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenides, Sneha Minesh Patel

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Mechanical strain represents a robust and non-invasive method for tuning the electronic and vibrational properties of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). This work examines homogeneous biaxial strain as a symmetry-preserving control parameter that governs excitonic and interlayer dynamics in atomically thin TMDs. In monolayer MoSe2, biaxial tensile strain is intrinsically generated during high-temperature physical vapor deposition due to thermal expansion mismatch with amorphous substrates. Optical spectroscopy demonstrates substantial and tunable excitonic energy shifts exceeding 100 meV per percent strain. Polarization-resolved second harmonic generation confirms the retention of lattice symmetry under biaxial deformation. The investigation is further extended to bilayer MoS2, where …

College Of Natural Sciences Spring Newsletter, College Of Natural Sciences

College of Natural Sciences Newsletters and Reports

[Page 1] Dean's Message
[Page] 2 Awards & Recognitions // Student Spotlights
[Page] 3 Zhang Named to Landsat Science Team // The Power of Teaching
[Page] 4 “Science as Art” Competition Welcomes High School Artists
[Page] 5 Testing for “Forever Chemicals” in Surface Water // New Faculty Spotlight
[Page] 6 Ambassador Initiated Outreach
[Page] 7 57th Annual Geography Convention
[Page] 8 Twice the Impact on On Call with the Prairie Doc
[Page] 9 Making Staple Foods Healthier // Halaweish & Cole-Dai Retire
[Page] 10 Drone Day 2026
[Page] 11 Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Day (SRSCAD)
[Page] 12 Ceremony …

Design And Simulation Of Anti-Resonant Hollow-Core Fiber For Sensing Applications, Pravallika Kante

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents the design and simulation of an 8-tube single-ring anti-resonant hollow-core fiber for sensing applications, with particular emphasis on methane gas detection at the fundamental absorption wavelength of 3.3 µm. Conventional solid-core silica optical fibers exhibit strong multi-phonon material absorption beyond 2.5 µm, rendering them fundamentally unsuitable for efficient light guidance and direct gas sensing at mid-infrared wavelengths. Anti-resonant hollow-core fibers overcome this limitation by guiding light predominantly through an air-filled hollow core via the anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide mechanism, in which the thin silica glass walls of the cladding tubes act as Fabry-Pérot etalons that confine the …

Between Chronicle And Legend: A Two-Scene Environment And Visual Effects Examination Of Physical Accuracy And Emotional Exaggeration On The Honey Creek Bridge Collapse, Alison R. Gaddy

All Theses

This thesis explores how truth and dramatization intersect in digital storytelling by comparing realistic and stylized simulations of the Honey Creek bridge collapse within the context of the Kate Shelley animated short. At the core of storytelling lies a tension between factual accuracy and dramatic stylization. We investigate that tension by examining how narrative truth is conveyed, distorted, or enhanced through visual dramatization by focusing on the psychology of audience perception and the motivations behind creative embellishment. The practical contribution of this research is the development of two distinct digital scene setups depicting the same Honey Creek bridge collapse event. …

The Trouble Of Energy: Theoretical Foundations Of Loop Quantum Gravity, Hallie Gift

Senior Honors Theses

While general relativity and quantum mechanics have proved to be successful theories with elegant explanations of special cases, an underlying theory is needed to harmonize their copious discrepancies. Popular theories to reconcile the two are broadly termed “quantum gravity,” which refers to theories that introduce a discretized component of gravity either by directly suggesting gravitational quanta or attempting to discretize spacetime geometry. Loop quantum gravity falls under the latter category; it respects the background independence intrinsic to general relativity while attempting to provide an explanation of underlying quantum behavior via Planck-scale-level geometrical discretization. This thesis aims to provide a primer …

Volume 17, Christian O’Neill, Kyara Greene, Savva Sidorov, Laura Bisaillon, Luke Clemmer, Hannah Gordon, Kitt Benson, Taylor Blount, Rachel Danzitz, Nicholas Duellman, Chase Gionis, Hima Fernando, Seth Franzyshen, Onyx Gonzalez, Bryan Lin, Samantha Start, Ysabel Wells, Maggie Duncan

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Cover Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Yulia Uryadova

Ukrainian Resistance in the Face of Russification: Nestor Makhno and Anarchism

by Christian O’Neill

Life Vest by Kyara Greene

Isolation and 16S rRNA Identification of Bacteria from Fire Department Connection Pipe by Savva Sidorov

The Effectiveness of Planned Exercise in Reducing ADHD Symptoms in Children by Laura Bisaillon & Luke Clemmer

Linguistic Analysis on Confidence and Communication Strategies with Disparities Between Sign Fluency and Hearing Impairment by Hannah Gordon

Freedmen in Indian Territory by Kitt …

Membrane Organization Of Rheb And Rhoa: Roles In Function And Allosteric Druggability, Chase M. Hutchins

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Small GTPases of the Ras superfamily are membrane-bound molecular switches that regulate nearly all major cellular processes, and their dysregulation drives cancers, neurological disorders, and metabolic diseases. While anchored to cellular membranes, the catalytic domains of small GTPases undergo orientation dynamics, adopting distinct configurations that can occlude or expose effector-binding surfaces and modulate signaling output. These dynamics have been characterized in the Ras oncoproteins, but whether they extend across the superfamily and influence allosteric druggability has remained unknown.

In this dissertation, I address these questions through Rheb and RhoA, two small GTPases with complementary differences in subfamily lineage, membrane localization, …

Impaired Tunability Of Brain State And Motor Dysfunction In A Mouse Model Of Rett Syndrome, Victoria Kindler Norman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurological disorder, caused by disrupted function of the MECP2 gene, resulting in impaired cognitive and motor functions. Previous studies suggest that although MECP2 has important functions throughout the body, the etiological origins of RTT-related dysfunction should be sought within the brain. However, it remains a mystery how neural population dynamics are altered in the RTT brain and how these alterations relate to motor dysfunction. Previous studies using an RTT mouse model point to abnormal correlations among firing rates of neurons. Here we hypothesize that such disrupted neural activity correlation could be caused by abnormal …

First-Principles Study Of Uranium Mononitride, Roy Noe Herrera Navarro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents a first-principles investigation of uranium mononitride (UN), withemphasis on the connection between uranium 5f electron correlation and defect stability. Electronic-structure calculations were performed within density functional theory using the Vienna Ab initio Simulation Package. Exchange-correlation effects were treated within the generalized gradient approximation, and a Hubbard correction was applied to the uranium 5f manifold. The adopted Hubbard parameter was motivated by first-principles linear-response analysis and considered in the broader context of DFT+DMFT descriptions of correlated uranium systems, including recent interpretations of UN as a Hund-metal system. Bulk UN was studied in unit-cell and 2 x 2 x …