Digital Commons Network^™

Scattered Light Noise At Ligo Livingston Observatory Induced By Microseismic Ground Motion, Debasmita Nandi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Gravitational waves are “ripples” in the fabric of spacetime and create a minuscule change in the distance between two points. After publishing his theory of general relativity in 1915, Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves as a consequence of the theory. Almost 100 years after the theoretical prediction, gravitational waves were detected for the first time in 2015 by the Advanced LIGO detectors in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. Gravitational waves have a very small amplitude, making it very challenging to detect them. Different types of noise sources either of instrumental or environmental origin can reduce the astrophysical …

Scraping The Earth: Testing Ndvi As An Indicator Of Military Ground Maneuver Within The Israeli Invasion Of The Gaza Strip, Thomas A. Bergeron

LSU Master's Theses

The advancement of open-source (OSINT) and geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) has allowed independent researchers to study human conflict in new ways, with tools that were previously reserved only for state intelligence agencies. In order to advance methodologies, researchers must continue to evaluate new tools to study war.  Valued for its accessibility and moderate spatial resolution, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is one such tool that has not been widely systematically tested for its use in an open-source GEOINT investigation of modern conflict. This study tests NDVI as an indicator of military maneuver by leveraging a mixed-method approach against open-source kinetic …

Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence For Real-Time Quality Assurance In Additive Manufacturing, Md Shafikul Islam

LSU Master's Theses

Additive manufacturing requires quality assurance methods capable of detecting process anomalies before defects propagate across subsequent layers. This thesis develops a trustworthy artificial intelligence framework for real-time surface anomaly detection in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) using laser-derived depth maps and Vision Transformers (ViTs). Conventional convolutional models aggregate global context gradually through stacked local kernels, which can limit their sensitivity to spatially distributed surface deviations. The proposed approach instead tokenizes depth-map patches and applies global self-attention to classify four process conditions: normal printing, under-extrusion, over-extrusion, and empty or void regions. The framework combines token-level attention visualization, vanilla saliency, Integrated Gradients, and …

Teaching Through Sound: Approaches To The Use Of Fixed Media In Pedagogical Viola Etudes, Roberto C. Mochetti Jr.

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines the pedagogical possibilities of fixed media in newly composed viola etudes. While fixed media is commonly treated as accompaniment or as a performance medium, this project argues that it can also serve as an active component of technical and musical training. By providing stable and repeatable sonic environments, fixed media can support forms of listening, intonation, sound production, and performer awareness that are difficult to cultivate through traditional etudes alone. This argument responds to a broader pedagogical gap in string training, where long-established etudes and models of technical development remain central even as contemporary viola performance increasingly …

Quantum Geometry Effects In The Very Early Universe And Black Hole Spacetimes, Meysam Motaharfar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Loop quantum gravity (LQG) techniques applied to symmetry-reduced spacetimes generically resolve the big bang and black hole interior singularities of classical general relativity. In loop quantum cosmology (LQC), the big bang singularity is replaced with a non-singular quantum bounce connecting the pre-bounce contracting and post-bounce expanding branches, while the black hole interior singularity is, in general, replaced with a smooth finite transition surface yielding a black-hole-to-white-hole transition. In this dissertation, we investigate the implications of quantum gravitational singularity resolution for the physics of the very early universe and black holes within the LQG/LQC framework. In the first part, we show …

Direct Measurement Of Stem Position For Gas-Lift Valves While Flowing At High Pressure, Paulo E. Reitz

LSU Master's Theses

The present work challenges the idea of estimating the gas lift valves true dynamic stem position by providing an alternative capable of tracking the real stem position during flow tests. This is of interest for the improvement of performance determination tests and procedures that involve critical safety concerns, complex training and considerable investments, both in time and money. This scenario, together with the strong interest of industry for valve optimization and the scarcity of works available in literature, encouraged this study. An apparatus named Vision System was developed for tracking and measuring the stem position during flow tests. The developed …

Perpetual Purgatory: Lamennais's Religious Influence On The Persona And Music Of Franz Liszt, Matthew Peter Wood

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

For generations, musicological consensus has treated Liszt’s signature technique of “thematic transformation” as musical form born out of structural and sonic experimentation. This study argues that the impetus for Liszt to create his signature compositional device of thematic transformation proceeds from the influence of the post-Revolutionary liberal Catholicism of the French Abbé Félicité de Lamennais. By exploring the historical, cultural, and artistic intersections between Lamennais’s texts and Liszt’s manuscripts, this dissertation builds on existing scholarship to replace a conventional analysis of thematic transformation with new religio-philosophical analytical lens through which to view Liszt’s most significant contribution to the historical trajectory …

Counted In: Including Female Composers In Orchestral Horn Audition Repertoire, Hope K. Ayers

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The Institute of Composer Diversity and the Boulanger Initiative focus on music written by composers who have been historically excluded from the profession. The focal point of the Institute of Composer Diversity is discovery, study, and programming of such composers through its database and reports, while The Boulanger Initiative advocates for women and all gender-marginalized composers. Because of limited exposure, incomplete records, difficulty of procuring music, and identified bias, female composers’ orchestral works are underrepresented in orchestral programming. Professional orchestral horn audition repertoire is no different, with professional orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, only very recently including a …

Influence Of Genetic Relationships On The Spatial Distribution Of Breeding Eastern Wild Turkeys (Meleagris Gallopavo Silvestris) In West-Central Louisiana, Rachel D. Price

LSU Master's Theses

Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) have a complex social system influenced by dominance hierarchies and exhibit seasonal variation in gregarious behaviors. Previous work has examined the influence of kin relationships on interactions between same sex conspecifics and flock associations, but information on how genetic relatedness influences interactions between individuals remains lacking. We constructed a dyad-based social network using high-resolution GPS data from 179 female and 68 male wild turkeys in west-central Louisiana during the 28-day period before a females’ 1^st nest initiation to quantify interaction probability based on genetic relatedness and age. Our findings suggest that …

Cooperative Evolution For Discovering Scalable Spiking Neural Network Architectures, Catherine C. Rodriquez

LSU Master's Theses

SNNs are a foundational model in neuromorphic computing, where efficient architectures must be discovered for a wide range of applications. Evolutionary methods, such as EONS, offer a flexible approach to this search but become increasingly difficult to scale as task complexity grows due to the rapidly expanding combined topology–parameter search space and associated memory demands. To address this challenge, we propose a co-evolutionary ensemble framework in which a population of candidate SNNs is evolved with fitness defined by each network’s marginal contribution to group performance. Grounded in cooperative game theory and difference evaluation functions from multiagent systems, this formulation provides …

An Analytical And Performance Guide To Jake Heggie's Of Gods And Cats And Thought Unspoken For Baritone And Piano, Wenxin Sha

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation provides a comprehensive performance guide to two song cycles by Jake Heggie: Of Gods and Cats and Thoughts Unspoken for baritone and piano. This study aims to assist singers in preparing these cycles to achieve an expressive performance that is word driven and, just as Mr. Heggie says “Words first, then music.”

Chapter 1 introduces Heggie’s biography and compositional style, emphasizing his text-driven approach, lyrical melodic writing, and close collaboration with poets and performers. Chapter 2 introduces the poets John Hall and Gavin Geoffrey Dillard, and highlights how their texts shape the dramatic and emotional content of the …

Musical Objects, Territories, And Otherness, Andrew Farrar

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the materials that composers work with have become increasingly focused on elements outside traditional pitch relations such as timbre or register, so have their approaches to form. One such stream in modern composition, starting from electronic composers such as Pierre Schaeffer, is the use of ”sound” or ”musical” objects. These materials are marked by their wholistic nature, where qualities such as timbre, density, and con- tour are as important to their identity as pitch relationships. Composers such as Schaeffer, James Tenney, and Denis Smalley have all discussed these sound objects in their writings, though they refer to them under …

Measuring The Economic Effectiveness Of Climate Smart Agriculture In U.S. Rice Production Systems, Adriana Dimas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation evaluates the economic performance and adoption potential of climate-smart irrigation practices in Louisiana rice production systems, with particular emphasis on Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD). Rice producers in the U.S. Mid-South face increasing challenges associated with rising input costs, water management constraints, and climate variability, creating interest in production practices that improve resilience and resource-use efficiency.

The first component of this study analyzes the profitability and risk efficiency of alternative irrigation systems using stochastic simulation and Stochastic Efficiency with Respect to a Function (SERF). Results indicate that Hybrid AWD systems in Morehouse Parish consistently generated the highest risk-adjusted …

Implications Of Weather Variability On Corn Yield In The U.S., Gideon Ayettey

LSU Master's Theses

Climate variability is a major source of risk to U.S. crop production, disrupting planting schedules and threatening yields. While prior research has explored the implications of weather shocks on crop yields, this study investigates the indirect channel via which weather variability impacts corn yield through planting delays in the U.S. Previous research has shown that U.S. corn production is highly vulnerable to short-term climate variability (Hu & Buyanovsky, 2003). We use county-level data from 2015 to 2024 for the top five corn-producing states and use a 2-stage least squares method to measure the effect. However, in our specification, planting day …

Assessing Integrated Pest Management Protocols For The Invasive Aquatic Weed Giant Salvinia (Salvinia Molesta), Samantha Lee Prinsloo

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) is free-floating aquatic fern that originates from South America. Through human introduction, giant salvinia has escaped its native range and is listed as an invasive species across multiple continents causing negative socio-economic and environmental impacts. This research aimed to expand our understanding of integrated pest management for controlling giant salvinia by combining chemical and biological control. The objectives were to assess the effects of rainfastness, carrier volume, and growth stage on herbicide efficacy, assess augmented biological control and optimal weevil release densities, assess weevil populations in the field, determine herbicide and surfactant toxicity to …

Statistical Evaluation Of A New Orleans Historic Rainfall Dataset (1840–1893), Arielle C. Filostrat

LSU Master's Theses

This study evaluates the climatic credibility of a newly identified historical rainfall dataset for New Orleans, Louisiana, spanning 1840–1893. The New Orleans Historical Dataset (NOHD) is compared to a modern observational record from the Audubon rain gauge (1893–2024) to determine whether nineteenth-century rainfall observations are consistent with known precipitation behavior in the region. Establishing the reliability of early records is critical for extending climatological baselines and improving understanding of long-term rainfall variability.

Historical rainfall observations were first evaluated through archival review using the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal and other nineteenth-century meteorological records to verify notable rainfall events. Daily …

Examining The Effects Of Interdependent Group Contingencies As A Classwide Intervention To Reduce Unsafe Behavior On The Playground, Elizabeth K. Linton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of different class wide interdependent group contingencies on unsafe playground behavior and student preferences for each intervention. In Experiment 1, we assessed the effects of the Good Behavior Game (GBG) on unsafe behavior across three third-grade classes. The GBG effectively reduced unsafe playground behavior relative to baseline, though student-choice data indicated that students did not prefer the intervention. This finding prompted Experiment 2, in which we evaluated synchronous schedule of reinforcement (SSR) as a classwide interdependent group contingency and compared its effectiveness and preference to the GBG. Participants in Experiment …

A Stochastic Maximum Principle For Singular Mean-Field Regime-Switching Optimal Control, Maalvladedon Ganet Some, Edward Korveh

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

In this paper, we investigate a mean-field singular stochastic optimal control problem for systems governed by mean-field regime-switching singular stochastic differential equations. The state process is assumed to depend on both a regular and a singular control, and the coefficient associated with the singular component is allowed to be regime dependent. We derive both necessary and sufficient singular stochastic maximum principles. Because the regular control domain is not assumed to be convex, we employ the spike variation technique and obtain the necessary maximum principle by introducing a second-order adjoint process. As an application, we use the main theoretical results to …

Generalized Delayed Black–Scholes Formula, Bi Gole Hubert Le, Auguste Aman

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

The aim of this paper is to derive an explicit pricing formula for European options when the underlying asset follows a linear generalized delay differential equation in two distinct financial markets. The pricing methodology is based on the construction of an equivalent martingale measure using Girsanov’s theorem. Our models preserve both the no-arbitrage condition and market completeness. As such, this work extends the framework previously developed by Arriojas et al. in [16], providing a broader class of delay-based option pricing models.

Robust Optimal Consumption, Investment And Reinsurance For Recursive Preferences, Elizabeth Dadzie, Wilfried Kuissi Kamdem, Marcel Ndengo

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

This paper investigates a robust optimal consumption, investment, and reinsurance problem for an insurer with Epstein-Zin recursive preferences operating under model uncertainty. The insurer’s surplus follows the diffusion approximation of the Cramér-Lundberg model, and the insurer can purchase proportional reinsurance. Model ambiguity is characterised by a class of equivalent probability measures, and the insurer, being ambiguity-averse, aims to maximise utility under the worst-case scenario. By solving the associated coupled forward-backward stochastic differential equation (FBSDE), we derive closed-form solutions for the optimal strategies and the value function. Our analysis reveals how ambiguity aversion, risk aversion, and the elasticity of intertemporal substitution …

An Itô Integral For A Two-Sided Lévy Process, Raluca Balan, Jaime Garza

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

In this article, we construct an Itô integral with respect to a two-sided finite-variance Lévy process {L(x)}x∈R, without a Gaussian component. Using Rosenthal inequality for discrete-time martingales, we give an estimate for the p-th moment of this integral, for any even integer p ≥ 2. Then, using Poisson-Malliavin calculus, we show that the Itô integral is an extension of the Hitsuda-Skorokhod integral with respect to the compensated Poisson random measure associated to the Lévy process.

Supersymmetric Quantum Fields Via Quantum Probability, Radhakrishnan Balu

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

The super version of imprimitivity theorem is available now to describe global supersymmetry of systems using the representations of super Lie groups (SLG). This result uses the equivalence between super Harish- Chandra pairs and super Lie groups, at the categorical level, and is applicable to super Poincaré group and generalizes a smooth SI to super context. We apply the result to build supersymmetric quantum fields. Towards this end, we set up a super Fock space of a disjoint union of super Hilbert spaces which is equivalent to super tensoring of boson (even) part symmetrically and that of fermion (odd) part …

Convergence To Fractional Brownian Motion For Weighted Random Sums In Besov Space, Ibrahima Mendy

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

We consider infinite sums of weighted i.i.d. random variables, with finite variance and arbitrary distribution, and we derives conditions for the weak convergence in Besov space of normalized sums to fractional Brownian motion (fBm).

Pricing Variance Swaps Using Extended Heston Model, Semere Gebresilasie, Mulue Gebreslasie, Indranil Sengupta

Journal of Stochastic Analysis

Abstract. In this study, we introduce a variance swap for the underlying asset utilizing the Heston model, incorporating a long-term variance that is treated as a stochastic function of time. We develop a closed-form solution for the variance swap under this framework, where the log returns are driven by a compound Poisson process. Our analysis of historical data reveals that long-term variance is not constant; instead, it fluctuates over time, reflecting market dynamics more accurately. By integrating this time-varying long-term variance into the model, we achieve an improvement in prediction performance of approximately 60%. Furthermore, we perform model calibration using …

Movement Ecology And Population Dynamics Of Box-Nesting Black-Bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna Autumnalis) In Louisiana, Katie E. Miranda

LSU Master's Theses

Understanding demographic and behavioral processes underlying population dynamics is essential for effective wildlife management, especially for species subject to harvest pressure or experiencing population shifts. Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks (Dendrocygna autumnalis) are currently undergoing a notable northward range expansion and are increasing in abundance across the southeastern United States, raising management concerns for both ecological and economic reasons. As a result, there is growing public support for a special Black-bellied Whistling-Duck-specific harvest season, yet little research has been conducted on this species, particularly within newly-established populations. To address this gap, I conducted this study with the goal of evaluating seasonal …

Understanding The Needs And Practices Of Cut Flower Growers In Louisiana, Jessie M. Hoover

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The specialty cut flower industry is expanding nationwide, including southeastern states such as Louisiana. Existing studies and market analyses focus on national trends of other regions with established floriculture networks, leaving a critical gap in understanding the unique challenges and opportunities faced by growers in Louisiana. This lack of data limits the ability of extension professionals, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to develop targeted strategies that support local production and market development. This study used qualitative case study methods to investigate the practices, challenges, and needs of 13 specialty cut flower growers in Louisiana. The study utilized Urie Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1986) …

Identification Of Small Molecules That Enhance Aminoglycoside-Mediated Suppression Of Cftr And Nf1 Nonsense Mutations, Joshua Sammons, Jianguo Chen, Kari Thrasher, Lianwu Fu, Ming Du, Hui Wen, J. Robert Bostwick, Paige Vinson, Omar Moukha-Chafiq, Corinne Augelli-Szafran, Kim M. Keeling, Deeann Wallis, Robert A. Kesterson, Steven M. Rowe, David M. Bedwell

Genetically Engineered Models Core Publications

Nonsense suppression rescues functional protein from mRNAs containing in-frame premature termination codons (PTCs). This approach employs small molecules that promote insertion of tRNAs at a PTC during translation (called “readthrough”), enabling translation to continue past the PTC to generate a full-length, functional protein. Some aminoglycosides such as G418 promote readthrough; however, their long-term use is thwarted by toxicity and modest potency. ELX-02, a novel synthetic aminoglycoside, was developed to have both enhanced readthrough activity and reduced toxicity in mammalian cells compared to traditional aminoglycosides. Recent studies suggest that at safe doses, aminoglycosides like ELX-02 may not possess sufficient efficacy to …

A Pedagogical Exploration Of Haydn's Early Keyboard Sonatas: No.7 In C Major, No.8 In G Major, And No.11 In G Major, Chun Ka Lam

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines the pedagogical exploration of Joseph Haydn’s early keyboard sonatas, Sonata No. 7 in C Major (Hob. XVI:7), Sonata No. 8 in G Major (Hob. XVI:8), and Sonata No. 11 in G Major (Hob. XVI:11). These Sonatas target intermediate-level piano students. In this study, I am going to explore Classical-era techniques, including articulation, phrasing, dynamic contrast, and ornamentation, which mainly focus on technical and musical challenges. This study highlights the development of important skills for more advanced repertoire.

Effects Of Peer Tutoring Training Duration And Group Piano Level On Harmonization And Transposition Achievement And Learning Attitudes Of Undergraduate Non-Keyboard Music Students, Jinnan Liu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among peer tutoring training duration, group piano level, and undergraduate non-keyboard music students’ achievement in harmonization and transposition, as well as their learning attitude following peer tutoring. Based on the literature on cooperative learning, peer-assisted learning, and reciprocal peer tutoring, this study examined whether differences in training duration and group piano level were related to student performance and learning experiences in university group piano.

A quasi-experimental 2  2 design was used. The independent variables were peer tutoring training duration (2-day vs. 4-day) and group piano level (Group Piano II vs. …

The Case For Ice Rises At Ross Bank Since The Middle Miocene, William Weber

LSU Master's Theses

Many tens of ice rises exist at the marine margins of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Isle-type ice rises in particular are those where an ice shelf is pinned to an underlying submarine bank. Recent and ongoing studies show that Ross Bank, on the middle continental shelf of central Ross Sea, was the former site of an important Ross Ice Shelf ice rise during the advance and retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) in the last glacial cycle. Ross Bank is a broad and anomalously shallow water platform whose crest rises to 170 m water depth. Despite their importance …