Digital Commons Network^™

The Stochastic Behavior Of Soil Moisture And Its Role In Catchment Response Models, Nangantani Davies Godfrey Mtundu

Dissertations and Theses

The object of current efforts at investigating catchment response is to derive a physically based stochastic model of the watershed. Recent studies have, however, indicated that a limiting factor in deriving such models is the dependence of hydrologic response on initial soil moisture. The dependence affects the distributions and moments of the hydrological processes being investigated. A stochastic model of soil moisture dynamics is developed in the form of a pair of stochastic differential equations (SDE's) of the Ito type. The sources of stochasticity are linked to the random inputs of rainfall and evapotranspiration (ET). One of the SDE's describes …

Electricity Demand Forecasting In A Changing Regional Context: The Application Of The Multiple Perspective Concept To The Prediction Process, James Christopher Sapp

Dissertations and Theses

In 1982, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a marketer of hydroelectric power in the Pacific Northwest, found itself in a new role which required it to acquire power resources needed to meet the demands of the region's utilities. In particular, it had to deal with the Washington Public Power Supply System's nuclear plant cost escalations. In response, BPA prepared its first independent regional power forecast. The forecast development process was intricate and multidimensional and involved a variety of interested parties. Application of the Multiple Perspective Concept uncovers strengths and weaknesses in this process by illuminating its technical, organizational and personal …

Parallel Approximate String Matching Applied To Occluded Object Recognition, David Smith

Dissertations and Theses

This thesis develops an algorithm for approximate string matching and applies it to the problem of partially occluded object recognition. The algorithm measures the similarity of differing strings by scanning for matching substrings between strings. The length and number of matching substrings determines the amount of similarity. A classification algorithm is developed using the approximate string matching algorithm for the identification and classification of objects. A previously developed method of shape description is used for object representation.

Threshold Characteristics Of Multimode Laser Oscillators, Mehdi Khoshnevissan

Dissertations and Theses

The threshold characteristics of multimode laser oscillators are considered in detail, and a new model is given for semiconductor diode lasers. Analytical expressions and numerical solutions are obtained for mode amplitudes, and over-all spectral characteristics of lasers operating above and below threshold. The theoretical results are i n agreement with experimental data. The band-ta-band absorption is included in the model and i t ' s effect is studied on the mixed broadening.

Numerical Solutions Of Continuous Wave Beam In Nonlinear Media, Jeffrey Huang

Dissertations and Theses

Deformation of a Gaussian beam is observed when it propagates through a plasma. Self-focusing of the beam may be observed when the intensity of the laser increases the index of refraction of plasma gas.

Due to the difficulties in solving the nonlinear partial differential equation in Maxwell's wave equation, a numerical technique has been developed in favor of the traditional analytical method. Result of numerical solution shows consistency with the analytical method. This further suggests the validity of the numerical technique employed.

A three dimensional graphics package was used to depict the numerical data obtained from the calculation. Plots from …

Portland State Magazine, Portland State University. Office Of University Communications

Portland State Magazine

PSU’s alumni magazine, published quarterly. In this issue: Joan Strong Buell (MA ’81) provides a place of comfort and care for those close to death at Hospice House; the Middle East Studies Center is back on campus under the direction of Grant Farr; and more.

Improving Crystallographic Macromolecular Images: The Real-Space Approach, A. D. Podjarny, T. N. Bhat, Martin Zwick

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

Macromolecular crystallographicy is a unique tool for imaging the structures of proteins and nucleic acids. Images are obtained from the Fourier transform of the diffraction pattern of the crystal by use of X-ray, neutron, and / or electron scattering. When X-ray and neutron scattering are used only diffraction amplitudes are experimentally measured, and phases have to be obtained. Multiple isomorphous replacement (MIR) has been the technique of choice for solving this phase problem in the determination of most macromolecular structures. Unfortunately, the method is extremely time consuming, especially when compared with the solution techniques available for small molecules; moreover, structure …

Responsible Education For Professional Psychology: Cultivation Of Public Interest, Richard H. Dana

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

This paper affirms a belief that the psychology profession can still be invested with a moral quality, or public interest, expressed by responsible education. Transformation from egocentric to sociocentric practices can be fostered by values, curriculum, students, and faculty. Suggestions for program development stem from acknowledgement of desiderata for professional education in the public interest that include the humanity of students, a sense of community, power. sharing by students and faculty, integration of knowledge and practice, training for advocacy roles, and continuity of training.

Stratigraphic Model Of The Southern Portion Of The Jim Bridger Coal Field, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, Paul S. Maywood

Dissertations and Theses

Uppermost Lance and lowermost Fort Union Formation sediments are found in outcrop in the southern portion of the Jim Bridger coal field, located on the northeast flank of the Rock Springs Uplift in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. Twenty-nine surface sections and 581 subsurface (borehole) sections were evaluated and used to construct a stratigraphic model.

Stratigraphic correlations with economically mineable coal seams in the Fort Union Formation north and south of the study area combined with definition of questionable local formational boundary locations are significant objectives in this investigation.

Elastic-Plastic Analysis Of Axisymmetrically Loaded Isotropic Circular And Annular Plates Undergoing Large Deflections, Aiman Raji Akileh

Dissertations and Theses

The concept of load analogy is used in the elastic and elastic-plastic analysis of isotropic circular and annular plates undergoing moderately large deflection. The effects of the nonlinear terms of lateral displacement and the plastic strains are considered as additional fictitious lateral loads, edge moments, and in-plane forces acting on the plate. The solution of an elastic or elastic-plastic Von Karman type plate is hence reduced to a set of two equivalent elastic plate problems with small displacements, namely, a plane problem in elasticity and a linear elastic plate bending problem. The method of finite element is employed to solve …

Metal Waveguide Modeling Of Tapered Quadratic Index Media, Lee W. Casperson, Bahram Zandi

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The basic electromagnetic properties of tapered graded index fibers are equivalent to the properties of a class of concave metallic waveguides. Although useful in their own right, such metal waveguides also provide a straightforward and inexpensive means for studying the characteristics of more complicated tapered media.

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet December 1986, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The December 1986 Monthly packet includes the December agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held November 1986.

Application Of Transportation Economics To The Evaluation Of Urban Transit Service, Robert Cervero, Douglass Lee, Anthony M. Rufolo

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

This presentation outline was prepared for use in a Workshop on Application of Transportation Economics to the Evaluation of Urban Transit Service held in Portland, OR, August 4-5, 1986. The outline is intended to facilitate replication of the Workshop in other locations, either with the same or different instructors. The outline is not designed to serve as a selfpaced instruction manual, however. Experienced economists with considerable knowledge and experience in transportation are necessry.

The purpose of workshops supported with this presentation outline is to provide transit professionals with the basiceconomic concepts needed to evaluate the impact of a change in …

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet November 1986, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The November 1986 Monthly packet includes the November agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held October 1986.

An Investigation Of Resolution And Addressability Requirements For Digital Display Systems Used In Word-Processing And Computer-Aided-Drafting Applications, Stephen T. Knox

Dissertations and Theses

Two hardware factors contributing to the overall image quality of digital CRTs are display resolution and addressability. The relationship between these two factors and human performance was modeled by a metric of display quality, the Resolution Addressability Ratio (RAR), and investigated within the contexts of Word-Processing (WP) and Computer-Aided-Drafting (CAD) tasks. The findings indicate a perceptual limit to MTF bandwidth improvements, and significant differences in display quality requirements between the two applications. The regression of image quality as a function of RAR metric values resulted in an r² = 0.94 for the WP task and an r² = 0.79 for …

Rain: Journal Of The Center For Urban Education, Eco-Net

RAIN: Journal of Appropriate Technology

Volume 12, Number 4

The Northwest Information Economy; Communicating with a Laser; Management is a Team Sport; Liabilities and Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards

RAIN began in October 1974 as a publication of ECO-NET, an environmental education network funded by the Hill Foundation and an Environmental Education grant. Its office was based in the Environmental Education Center at Portland State University. With a focus on the Pacific Northwest, particularly Oregon, RAIN originally described itself as a “bulletin board” with an “emphasis on environmental/energy related and communications kinds of information” and interested in “the evolutionary possibilities of inter-disciplinary connections.”

Meeting Notes 1986-09-01 , Joint Policy Advisory Committee On Transportation

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation

No abstract provided.

The Mechanics Of Flycasting: The Flyline, Graig A. Spolek

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In order to propel a fishing fly through the air toward the distant quarry, a rather massive line, to which the fly is attached, is cast. As the cast line rolls out, the fly actually accelerates horizontally and seems to defy physical law. The phenomenon is modeled simplistically to determine the magnitude of this effect. In the absence of air drag, the fly can accelerate to increase its velocity by an order of magnitude. Air friction dramatically decreases the effect, but some fly accelerationis still predicted. By tapering the flyline in various ways, the fly velocity history can be significantly …

Meeting Notes 1986-07-10 , Joint Policy Advisory Committee On Transportation

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation

No abstract provided.

Land Use Findings: Central City Plan (Draft), Portland (Or.). Bureau Of Planning

Ernie Bonner Collection

No abstract provided.

Analysis And Prediction Of The Water Temperature Of The Mckenzie River, Oregon Using The Equilibrium Temperature Approach, R. Peder Hansen

Dissertations and Theses

A one dimensional, steady flow, unsteady temperature model is used to evaluate the effects of two U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) dams and resulting reservoirs on hourly water temperatures of the mainstem McKenzie River from Delta Park (RM 62.1) to Leaburg Dam (RM 38.8). Both COE projects are on tributaries to the McKenzie River and at present have only bottom withdrawl capabilities.

Water temperatures were simulated using the equilibrium temperature approach with air temperature used to estimate equilibrium temperature and also using computed hourly equilibrium temperature. Results obtained using computed equilibrium temperatures were less satisfactory than results using air …

Meeting Notes 1986-06-12 , Joint Policy Advisory Committee On Transportation

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation

No abstract provided.

Understanding The Dynamics Of Innovation In Urban Transit, Sy Adler

Center for Urban Studies Publications and Reports

Urban transit is the major United States example of a private industry that failed and was taken over by the public sector. The recent re-emergence of the private sector in urban transit, and private sector-like behavior in the public sector, raise a number of interesting theoretical and historical issues and policy questions. This report develops a conceptual model to explain this recent history and outlines likely paths of transit service and institutional innovation. The model has three components: 1) the political and economic roles of urban transport facilities in the land development process; 2) the nature of the political process …

The Engineering Geology Of The Fountain Landslide, Hood River County, Oregon, Susanne L. D'Agnese

Dissertations and Theses

The Fountain Landslide located along I-84, five kilometers east of Cascade Locks, Oregon has moved periodically for over thirty years. Aerial photographs taken prior to recorded movement of the landslide show the headscarp of a large preexisting landslide. In 1952 a cut was made into the toe of the landslide to straighten Highway 30. The recorded movement history begins at this time. Stabilization procedures in the late 1950's focused on dewatering the slide mass. Movement had nearly stopped by 1957. A deeper cut was made into the toe of the landslide in 1966 to widen the highway to the four-laned …

Homelessness As A "Premier Issue" For The City Club Of Portland -- A Report From The Steering Committee On The Homeless, City Club Of Portland (Portland, Or.)

City Club of Portland

No abstract provided.

Meeting Notes 1986-05-08 , Joint Policy Advisory Committee On Transportation

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet May 1986, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The May 1986 Monthly packet includes the May agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held April 1986.

Material Characterisation Of "Kintampo Cigars", E. Kofi Agorsah

Black Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article is about terracotta or clay "cigars" analyzed using X-ray fluorescence and stereo-microscopic analysis of these objects that were found at the Kintampo site.

Meeting Notes 1986-04-10 , Joint Policy Advisory Committee On Transportation

Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Monthly Packet April 1986, Portland State University Faculty Senate

Faculty Senate Monthly Packets

The April 1986 Monthly packet includes the April agenda and appendices and the Faculty Senate minutes and attachments from the meeting held March 1986.