Digital Commons Network^™

Alien Invaders! Pre-Visit, Support Materials: Introduced And Invasive Species (Grade 6), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

Worksheets to accompany pre-visit lesson about invasive fish.

Inventory And Monitoring Of Aquatic Bird Species On Lakes Mead And Mohave 2004 - 2006, Joseph Barnes

Wildlife Monitoring

This project was completed as part of a task agreements awarded by the National Park Service (NPS), Lake Mead National Recreation Area (LAME), to the Public Lands Institute (PLI) at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). This final report was completed under a task agreement ending on September 30, 2006, and was completed in support of an NPS project funded by the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (PLMA) to inventory and monitor shoreline and near-shore natural resources on Lakes Mead and Mohave (DOI 2005). This report details inventory and monitoring efforts on shoreline and aquatic bird species between …

Low-Energy Nondipole Effects In Molecular Nitrogen Valence-Shell Photoionization, Oliver Hemmers, Renaud Guillemin, D. Rolles, A. Wolska, Dennis W. Lindle, E. P. Kanter, B. Krassig, S. H. Southworth, R. Wehlitz, B. Zimmermann, V. Mckoy, P. W. Langhoff

Environmental Studies Faculty Publications

Observations are reported for the first time of significant nondipole effects in the photoionization of the outer-valence orbitals of diatomic molecules. Measured nondipole angular-distribution parameters for the 3σ_g, 1π_u, and 2σ_u shells of N₂ exhibit spectral variations with incident photon energies from thresholds to ∼200  eV which are attributed via concomitant calculations to particular final-state symmetry waves arising from (E1)⊗(M1,E2) radiation-matter interactions first-order in photon momentum. Comparisons with previously reported K-edge studies in N₂ verify linear scaling with photon momentum, accounting in part for the significantly enhanced nondipole behavior observed in inner-shell ionization …

Precarious Rock Methodology For Seismic Hazard: Physical Testing, Numerical Modeling And Coherence Studies, Rasool Anooshehpoor, Matthew D. Purvance, James N. Brune, Leiph A. Preston, John G. Anderson, Ken Smith, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

This report covers the following projects: Shake table tests of precarious rock methodology, field tests of precarious rocks at Yucca Mountain and comparison of the results with PSHA predictions, study of the coherence of the wave field in the ESF, and a limited survey of precarious rocks south of the proposed repository footprint. A series of shake table experiments have been carried out at the University of Nevada, Reno Large Scale Structures Laboratory. The bulk of the experiments involved scaling acceleration time histories (uniaxial forcing) from 0.1g to the point where the objects on the shake table overturned a specified …

Education In The Environment: A Hands-On Student Research And Outdoor Learning Experience: Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending August 31, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

During the past three months, the focus of the university’s efforts has included the following highlights:

• Forever Earth was scheduled for 13 days and benefited 110 individuals.
• The National Park Service piloted the concept of using Forever Earth as a mobile visitor center during busy summer weekends. During five outings, Park Service interpreters contacted 1,365 visitors.
• Forever Earth curricula for 5th, 6th, and 7th grades have been completed.
• A Preliminary Implementation Plan was created by the SNAP Conservation Education and Interpretation team.
• A report on the Clark County School District Teacher Survey: Attitudes, Perceptions, Barriers, and Desires for Field Trip …

High Temperature Heat Exchanger Project: Quarterly Progress Report April 1, 2006 Through June 30, 2006, Anthony Hechanova

Publications (NSTD)

Numerical Analyses of the Ceramatec Sulfuric Acid Decomposer. Comparisons with experiments for the Ceramatec sulfuric acid decomposer coupon with eight straight channels for four different geometries and four different flow rates were performed. All of the operation and boundary conditions for the calculations were the same as in the Ceramatec experiments. Good agreement was found. The overall pressure drop difference between calculations and experiments for most of the cases is within 10%.

Gsi: Geo Scene Investigation! Post-Visit Lessons, Support Materials: The Story In Art (Grade 7), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

Student worksheet and teacher's sample for creating a geologic landscape.

Gsi: Geo Scene Investigation! Pre-Visit, Support Materials: Topographic And Geologic Maps (Grade 7), Discover Mojave: Forever Earth

Curriculum materials (FE)

Student worksheets for reading Lake Mead area topographic maps.

Viscoelastic Flow In Rotating Curved Pipes, Yitung Chen, Huajun Chen, Jinsuo Zhang, Benzhao Zhang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Fully developed viscoelastic flows in rotating curved pipes with circular cross section are investigated theoretically and numerically employing the Oldroyd-B fluid model. Based on Dean’s approximation, a perturbation solution up to the secondary order is obtained. The governing equations are also solved numerically by the finite volume method. The theoretical and numerical solutions agree with each other very well. The results indicate that the rotation, as well as the curvature and elasticity, plays an important role in affecting the friction factor, the secondary flow pattern and intensity. The co-rotation enhances effects of curvature and elasticity on the secondary flow. For …

Evidence Of An Active Enso And Pdq During The Mid-Holocene From A Costa Rican Speleothem, April D. Azouz

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the most important source of inter-annual climate variability in the tropics, its Holocene history is poorly understood, particularly in Central America. A high resolution (-3.8 years/sample) paleoclimate record of Central American rainfall variability has been reconstructed from a U /Th-dated stalagmite (7890 to 6490 yrs B.P.) from Costa Rica to constrain the onset and variability of ENSO throughout the Holocene, and to determine its role in generating regional climate anomalies. I suggest drier conditions, forced by El Nino, are represented by higher 5180 values, and are correlative with higher 513C values, indicating that …

Factors Contributing To Dust Emissions In Clark County, Nevada Quarterly Progress Report: Period Ending July 15, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Dust Emissions from Public Lands

• Hiring of post-doctoral scholar is currently being finalized.

• Modification to task agreement has been processed.

Extreme Ground Motion Studies, John G. Anderson, James N. Brune, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

This project consists of two separate investigations into extreme ground motions due to seismic events. First, it includes field studies of geological formations that should put an upper bound on extreme ground motions that have happened at the site of the formations. The locations are critically selected to provide the most effective constraints possible on the validity of the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for Yucca Mountain. Second, this project surveys recorded ground motions from around the world, and aims to draw general conclusions from these as to the conditions where extreme ground motions are observed.

Inside Unlv, Cate Weeks, Shane Bevell, Diane Russell, Leora Baron

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Relationships Between Pacific And Atlantic Ocean Sea Surface Temperatures And U.S. Streamflow Variability, Glenn A. Tootle, Thomas C. Piechota

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

An evaluation of Pacific and Atlantic Ocean sea surface temperatures (SSTs) and continental U.S. streamflow was performed to identify coupled regions of SST and continental U.S. streamflow variability. Both SSTs and streamflow displayed temporal variability when applying the singular value decomposition (SVD) statistical method. Initially, an extended temporal evaluation was performed using the entire period of record (i.e., all years from 1951 to 2002). This was followed by an interdecadal-temporal evaluation for the Pacific (Atlantic) Ocean based on the phase of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) (Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)). Finally, an extended temporal evaluation was performed using detrended SST …

Unlv Magazine, Carol C. Harter, Karen Sharp, Gian Galassi, Tony Allen, Jennifer Lawson, Shane Bevell, Lori Bachand, Regina Vaccari, Pete Codella, Cate Weeks, Erin O'Donnell, Diane Russell, Phil Hagen

UNLV Magazine

No abstract provided.

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro 2 -Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix Neutronic Evaluation Of Mgo-Zro2 Inert Fuels, E. Fridman, A. Galperin, E. Shwageraus

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

In the second year of the “Dissolution, Reactor, and Environmental Behavior of ZrO₂-MgO Inert Fuel Matrix” project initiated and directed by UNLV, the Ben-Gurion University (BGU) group research was focused on the development of practical PWR core nuclear design fully loaded with Reactor Grade (RG) Pu fuel incorporated in fertile free matrix. The design strategy was based on the basic feasibility study results performed at BGU in the Year 1 of the project.

Cooperative Conservation: Increasing Capacity Through Community Partnerships - Interagency Volunteer Program: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Get Outdoors Nevada

• Volunteer database increased 12% over last quarter. Database now contains 2,471 records.
• Website activity increased, recording an average of 52,987 hits per month, with an average of 4,596 pages viewed per month (28% increase in pages viewed).
• Spring training sessions were delivered to 180 community volunteers.
• 1,400 public lands volunteers were recognized during National Volunteer Week.
• Volunteer events were successfully executed in Red Rock Canyon NCA and the Spring Mountains NRA, with 189 community volunteers contributing more than 1,000 hours.

Interagency Science And Research: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Interagency Science and Research Strategy

• The Desert Research Institute has completed one of two information collection (Vital Signs) workshops scheduled for May and August 2006.
• The Science and Research Team charter was approved by the SNAP Board
• A short-term (Phase I) science and research strategy has been completed, with the initial beta-test scheduled for Round 7 proposals.
• Productive relationships with Clark County are being developed.
• Interagency Science and Research Team meetings are conducted approximately once per month.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area Sensitive Wildlife Species Monitoring And Analysis: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Wildlife Monitoring

• Tortoise and tortoise habitat monitoring was conducted on the Northshore Road construction project, on the Southern Nevada Water Authority intake pipe project, the Frontier Telephone-Willow Beach project and the movie film at Temple Bar.
• A total of 25 tortoise education classes were given to 90 individuals.
• Evaluation of 3 potential sites for relict leopard frog translocations conducted but sites were not recommended.
• Head-starting and translocation efforts for relict leopard frogs continued. 1183 animals translocated so far this year.
• Relict Leopard Frog Conservation Team meeting held and yearly report completed.
• Continuation of data management and QA of GPS collar information from …

Afci Quarterly Input – Unlv April 1 Through June 30, 2006, Harry Reid Center For Environmental Studies. Nuclear Science And Technology Division

Transmutation Research Program Reports (TRP)

Quarterly report highlighting research projects, activities and objectives of the Transmutation Research Program at the Nuclear Science & Technology Division, Harry Reid Research Center.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas supports the AFCI through research and development of technologies for economic and environmentally sound refinement of spent nuclear fuel. The UNLV program has four components: infrastructure, international collaboration, student-based research, and management and program support.

Red Rock Desert Learning Center: Evaluation Of Curriculum: Final Report, Lori Olafson, Gregory Schraw

Reports (RRLC)

The UNLV Center for Evaluation and Assessment developed an assessment instrument to evaluate curriculum for the proposed Red Rock Desert Learning Center science school’s fifth grade program. A 25-item Likert-type scale was created and administered before and after 68 pre-service and in-service teachers participated in each of five curriculum pilot sessions. The survey consisted of questions related to knowledge, pedagogy, and attitudes. Two open-ended questions were included on the post-survey.

Findings revealed significant gains in knowledge, pedagogy, and attitudes in each of five events from pre- to post-test. Gains over time were greatest for knowledge. Some events were rated more …

Petrogenesis Of Pleistocene Basalts In The Norris-Mammoth Corridor, Yellowstone National Park, Kristeen Marie Bennett

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The basalts of the Norris-Mammoth corridor within the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field have an outcrop erupted volume of ~94 km³. Basalt in the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field is minor in volume compared to 3,700 km³ of felsic lavas, domes, and pyroclastic rocks. The tholeiitic eruptive products formed small Hawaiian-style shield volcanoes. A newly identified volcanic vent, called the Panther Creek vent, within the Swan Lake Flat basalt stratigraphic unit, was primarily Strombolian in its eruption style. This vent is the first recognized cinder cone in Yellowstone National Park.

All basaltic units within the Norris-Mammoth corridor, and the …

Education In The Environment: A Hands-On Student Research And Outdoor Learning Experience: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending May 31, 2006, Margaret N. Rees

Reports (PLI Education)

During the past three months, the focus of the university’s efforts has included the following highlights:

• Forever Earth was scheduled for 18 days and benefited more than 400 individuals.
• Curricula for 5th, 6th, and 7th grades were created for the Forever Earth program; pre- and post-trip activities were also written.
• Activities for 5th and 6th grades were field tested on 7 Forever Earth trips.
• A 1000-gallon fuel donation was contributed to the Forever Earth program by Overland Petroleum Company, St. George, Utah.
• The Forever Earth marketing plan was completed.
• 12 Discover Mojave Outdoor World events were conducted for 104 participants; …

Geostatistical And Stochastic Study Of Radio Nuclide Transport In The Unsaturated Zone At Yucca Mountain, Ming Ye, Amy J. Smiecinski, Raymond E. Keeler

Publications (YM)

The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board [Cohon et al. 1998] evaluated the technical and scientific validity of activities undertaken by the Secretary of Energy to characterize Yucca Mountain, Nevada, for its suitability as an underground repository in which to store high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. In the report, the Board pinpointed that the study on groundwater flow and radionuclide transport in the saturated and unsaturated zones below Yucca Mountain should, over the next several years, focus on reducing prediction uncertainty. In its 2002, the Board repeated this concern by stating, “… hydrogeologic processes that affect radionuclide transport …

Science & Research Strategy Charter, Public Lands Institute

Interagency Science and Research Strategy

• Cooperatively established tools to measure ecosystem health are implemented
• Common methodologies for data management are agreed to and implemented
• Compatible database methods are utilized
• Award of funding is fair and transparent
• Establishment of a long-term strategy with tested and implemented proposal process

Criticality Studies Of Dilute Plutonium Mixtures For Urex Processes, Denis Beller

Separations Campaign (TRP)

The completion of criticality experiments for mixtures of higher actinides (HA, includes neptunium, plutonium, americium, and curium) that will be created during the separation of used nuclear fuel has been identified as a requirement to construct prototype plants such as the Engineering-Scale Demonstration (ESD) and the Advanced Fuel Cycle Facility (AFCF) for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP). GNEP is a program to develop a worldwide consensus to enable the expanded use of economical, environmental nuclear energy to meet growing electricity demand. In this program and the Advanced Fuel Cycle R&D program (AFC) that supports it, we are developing economic …

Odonates At The Clark County Wetlands Nature Preserve: A Look At Habitat And Relative Abundance, Erin Jolley

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this study is to identify the various species, relative abundance and habitat of dragonfly and damselfly larvae at the Clark County Wetlands Park Nature Preserve (WPNP). An accurate assessment of these insects can be useful in interpreting potential indications of environmental problems at the Wetlands. From this data, necessary improvements can be made to the dragonfly habitat as well as the habitat of other surrounding organisms. Habitat identification is considered especially important because it is "structured by instream and surrounding topographical features, and is a major determinant of aquatic community potential" (Southwood, 1977). For purposes of this …

Presentation To Snap Board Of Directors, Public Lands Institute

Interagency Science and Research Strategy

• Conduct survey and produce a written report on the various alternative workforce suppliers available to the federal agencies for land management activities; include descriptions of each type of supplier, types of work each can supply, and costs and reimbursement requirements.
• Identify required agreements and/or contracts and suggested adjustments needed in agency staffing to support alternative workforce capabilities.

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2006, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge.

The senior design competition helps to focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects …

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Shane Bevell, Carol C. Harter, Lori Bachand, Cate Weeks, Mamie Peers

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.