Digital Commons Network^™

Southern Great Basin Seismic Network Operations, David Von Seggern, James N. Brune, Rasool Anooshehpoor, Drew Coleman, Don Baepler, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

QAP-3.0 (Scientific Investigation Control) of the University and Community College System of Nevada (UCCSN) Quality Assurance (QA) program requires that, prior to initiating work, a Scientific Investigation Plan (SIP) must be prepared and approved. This SIP is intended to cover the seismic monitoring task performed by the Nevada Seismological Laboratory (NSL). The purpose of this SIP is to describe the high-level planning for the overall task such that it can be referred to by individual scientific notebooks. Due to the continuation nature of this task, this SIP contains language that may be considered generic so that new subtasks …

Proposal For No-Cost Extension And Re-Scope For Unlv Trp Project: Neutron Multiplicity Measurements For The Afci Program (Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative), Denis Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

The U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI) is a program to develop economic and environmental methods to reduce the impact of waste from commercial nuclear fuel cycles. One concept for near-complete destruction of waste isotopes from used nuclear fuel is accelerator-driven transmutation. High-power accelerators would be used to produce high-energy charged particles, which then collide with heavy metal targets to create a cascade of neutrons. These neutrons then cause a nuclear chain reaction in subcritical systems. Fission neutrons then transmute fissile waste isotopes as well as other problematic isotopes such as technetium-99 and iodine-129. To design these systems, complex reactor …

Age And Sex-Specific Rates Of Leaf Regeneration In The Mojave Desert Moss Syntrichia Caninervis, Lloyd Stark, L. Nichols, Nicholas N. Mcletchie, S. D. Smith, C. Zundel

Life Sciences Faculty Research

The extremely skewed female-biased sex ratio in the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis was investigated by assessing the regeneration capacity of detached leaves. Juvenile, green, yellow-green, and brown leaves equating to approximately 0, 2, 6, and 12 yr of age, respectively, were detached from individuals of S. caninervis collected from 10 field populations and grown in a growth chamber for 58 d at a light intensity of 33–128 µmol · m–2 · s–1. Younger leaves (0–2 yr old) tended to have a greater viability, regenerate more quickly, extend their protonemal filaments farther, produce shoots (gametophores) more quickly, produce more shoots, and …

Experimental Determination Of Stiffness Of Joints In Welded Tuff, Jaak J.K. Daemen, George Danko, Amy J. Smiecinski

Publications (YM)

Fourteen uniaxial joint compression tests were run to determine the normal and shear stiffnesses of type 1 fracture joints (healed joints filled with vapor-phase mineral deposits) obtained from the Yucca Mountain site. The uniaxial joint compression results show that these joints behave linearly up to over 85% of their loading history. They are stiff with strengths very close to the strength of the intact rock. Five direct shear tests were run on open, separated, joints. Results obtained from the direct shear testing show that the normal stiffness increases with increasing normal stress. Shearing through asperities gives high joint shear stiffness …

Discerning Academic Preparation And Responsibilities Of Division I And Division Iii Athletic Administrators, Carl Seth Evans

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The field of athletic administration has become a complex enterprise within the university setting. The knowledge base from research and literature is relatively scarce. This study provides additional knowledge to the base of information related to the field of athletic administration. The primary objective of this study was to answer the question, what are the academic qualifications and the responsibilities for athletic administrators? The current study involved a survey completed by 137 current athletic administrators at Division I and III institutions. The participants were asked their academic preparation, responsibilities and opinion on what should be appropriate areas of academic preparation. …

Levels Of Synthetic Musk Compounds In Municipal Wastewater For Potential Estimation Of Biota Exposure In Receiving Waters, Lantis Osemwengie, Shawn Gerstenberger

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

We analyzed water samples from the confluence of three municipal sewage treatment effluent streams, surface water, and whole carp (Cyprinus carpio) for synthetic musks for a period of 7–12 months. The lipid content of each fish was determined and compared with the concentration of musks in the whole fish tissue. Enhanced methods were used for water sampling and musk extraction. The data presented here provide insight as to the relationship between concentrations of synthetic musks in the municipal effluent and associated biota. This study confirmed the presence of polycyclic and nitro musk compounds in sewage effluent, Lake Mead water, and …

Collection Development For New Librarians: Advice From The Trenches, J. Cory Tucker, Matt Torrence

Library Faculty Research

There are many challenges facing new librarians in the academic environment, including collection development. This article analyzes the topic of collection development and how it relates to new professionals in the field of librarianship. The article contains a literature review of papers discussing the collection development curriculum in library and information science programs, expected skills required of collection development offices, and library training programs for new librarians. The article also provides practical advise by recent graduates and their collection development experiences. Topics of discussion include acclimation to a new environment, collection development policies and procedures, liaison work, resource selection, and …

A Fast And Simple Algorithm For Computing M-Shortest Paths In State Graph, M. Sherwood, Laxmi P. Gewali, Henry Selvaraj, Venkatesan Muthukumar

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

We consider the problem of computing m shortest paths between a source node s and a target node t in a stage graph. Polynomial time algorithms known to solve this problem use complicated data structures. This paper proposes a very simple algorithm for computing all m shortest paths in a stage graph efficiently. The proposed algorithm does not use any complicated data structure and can be implemented in a straightforward way by using only array data structure. This problem appears as a sub-problem for planning risk reduced multiple k-legged trajectories for aerial vehicles.

Friends Of Red Rock Canyon Quarterly Meeting, Public Lands Institute

Presentations (PLI)

The Public Lands Institute is dedicated to strengthening the national fabric that is essential for the protection, conservation, and management of public lands.

Oliver Ranch Science School Complex & Wild Horse And Burro Facility: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending June 30, 2004, Margaret N. Rees

Oliver Ranch Project

Assist in project coordination between numerous stakeholders such as the Clark County School System, Desert Research Institute, Community College of Southern Nevada, UNR Cooperative Extension, Nevada State College, local museums, state parks, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, and the public to ensure appropriate educational curricular activities and venues are provided for in the conceptual design of the School and the Wild Horse and Burro facility where appropriate as well as assist in the NEPA process as needed. The activities will be conducted at least in part by university faculty, staff and students as part of the university’s research, teaching, and service …

Oliver Ranch Science School Complex & Wild Horse And Burro Facility: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Ending December 31, 2004, Margaret N. Rees

Oliver Ranch Project

Assist in project coordination between numerous stakeholders such as the Clark County School System, Desert Research Institute, Community College of Southern Nevada, UNR Cooperative Extension, Nevada State College, local museums, state parks, non-profit organizations, federal agencies, and the public to ensure appropriate educational curricular activities and venues are provided for in the conceptual design of the School and the Wild Horse and Burro facility where appropriate as well as assist in the NEPA process as needed. The activities will be conducted at least in part by university faculty, staff and students as part of the university’s research, teaching, and service …

Ecological Species Groups Of South Carolina's Jocassee Gorges, Southern Appalachian Mountains, Scott R. Abella, Victor B. Shelburne

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ecological species groups, consisting of assemblages of co-occurring plant species exhibiting similar environmental affinities, were developed for ground-flora and tree strata in late- successional forests on a 13,000 ha southern Appalachian landscape. We distinguished 11 ground-flora groups that included 50 species and six tree groups comprised of 19 species. Ground-flora groups ranged from a xeric Vaccinium group (including Vaccinium pallidum, Euphorbia corollata, and Piptochaetium avenaceum) to a mesic Rhododendron group (typified by Rhododendron maximum, Mitchella repens, and Hexastylis heterophylla). Tree groups ranged from a Quercus coccinea group to a Tsuga canadensis group. Consistent with previous research, species groups exhibited a …

Ecology Of Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia Humifusa) In Oak Openings Preserve, Northwestern Ohio, Scott R. Abella, John F. Jaeger

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear cactus) is listed as potentially threatened in Ohio, and we examined the characteristics of O. humifusa sites in Oak Openings Preserve in northwestern Ohio’s Oak Openings region in an attempt to provide data that may help protect this species. Opuntia humifusa occurrences were associated with loose sands of the xeric Udipsamment Ottokee and Oakville soil series on sites that had been cleared before the 1940s during failed agricultural attempts. Shading by encroaching canopy trees is a threat to several O. humifusa populations in Oak Openings Preserve, and treatments that reduce canopy cover at these sites …

Tree Thinning And Prescribed Burning Effects On Ground Flora In Arizona Ponderosa Pine Forests: A Review, Scott R. Abella

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

Ground flora is an important response variable to monitor after tree thinning and prescribed burning treatments designed to restore Arizona ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa P.& C. Lawson) forests. This paper reviews published literature on the effects of thinning and burning on ground flora in Arizona ponderosa pine forests in five main categories of research: ground flora biomass, species diversity, plant community composition, population processes, and individual species ecology. Research published to date suggests that thinning and burning generally increase ground flora biomass, whereas other categories of research such as community composition and population processes have been little studied in Arizona …

Public Education And Outreach On Radioactive Waste Management Issues At The Nevada Test Site, Helen R. Neill

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Education Finance Reform In New York: Calculating The Cost Of A Sound Basic Education "In New York City", William D. Duncombe, Anna Lukemeyer, John Yinger

Public Policy and Leadership Faculty Research

In June, 2003, the New York State Court of Appeals altered the education-finance landscape with its ruling in Campaign for Fiscal Equity v. New York. This ruling called for “[r]eforms to the current system of financing school funding” designed to ensure “that every school in New York City would have the resources necessary for providing the opportunity for a sound basic education.” This ruling addressed a wide range of issues, but also declared that “the funding level necessary to provide City students with the opportunity for a sound basic education is an ascertainable starting point.” This policy brief addresses the …

Colorado College State Of The Rockies Report Card, Walter E. Hecox, F. Patrick Holmes

Publications (SD)

No abstract provided.

Mobile Robotic Car Design, Pushkin Kachroo, Patricia Mellodge

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

This book enables hobbyists to build their own robotic car, about 1/10th the size of a standard vehicle, for under $1000 -- and learn the mechanical and electrical theory and design secrets behind it. * Step-by-step instructions for building the vehicle, from theory and design to hardware and software implementation * Discussions on mathematical modeling, control design theory, sensors, servos, motors, controllers, and environmental sensing * Printed circuit board files for the car can be downloaded for free from accompanying website

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Porter Troutman, Steven Grubaugh, Jian Wang, Randall L. Astramovich, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Kyle Higgins, Lori Navarrete, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Carli Kyles, Cecilia Maldonado-Daniels, R. R. Apache, Chizu Jaret, Karla V. Kingsley, Nancy Sileo

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Quantization With Knowledge Base Applied To Geometrical Nesting Problem, Grzegorz Chmaj, Leszek Koszalka

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

Nesting algorithms deal with placing two-dimensional shapes on the given canvas. In this paper a binary way of solving the nesting problem is proposed. Geometric shapes are quantized into binary form, which is used to operate on them. After finishing nesting they are converted back into original geometrical form. Investigations showed, that there is a big influence of quantization accuracy for the nesting effect. However, greater accuracy results with longer time of computation. The proposed knowledge base system is able to strongly reduce the computational time.

Radiation Transport Modeling Using Parallel Computational Techniques, William Culbreth, Denis Beller

Reactor Campaign (TRP)

The second year of this project involved modeling several aspects of the LANCSE beam experiments:

• Modeling targets of varying diameter in air, in a vacuum, and in the presence of humid air;
• Modeling various proton beam profiles;
• Modeling the effects of off-axis proton beam impingement on the target;
• Modeling the asymmetry introduced by the steel table below the target;
• Modeling the effect of varying ratios of Pb to Bi and the effect of impurities; and
• Modeling the system, including other structures within the test room.

With the experience gained through modeling these systems, the UNLV researchers plan, with the assistance …

Investigation Of Optical Spectroscopy Techniques For On-Line Materials Accountability In The Solvent Extraction Process, Gary Cerefice, Kenneth Czerwinski

Safeguards Campaign (TRP)

The goal of this project is to examine the potential for using optical spectroscopy techniques, such as UV-Visible Spectroscopy and Laser Fluorescence Spectroscopy, for special nuclear materials accountability applications for the UREX+ and other solvent extraction processes. To increase the inherent proliferation resistance of the solvent extraction process, it is necessary to develop on-line techniques to directly measure the concentrations of special nuclear materials in-process. By providing on-line materials accountability for the processes, the potential for covert diversion of the materials streams becomes much more difficult to implement. On-line monitoring of material streams will also allow for improved plant operation, …

Corrosion Of Steel By Lead Bismuth Eutectic, John Farley, Allen L. Johnson, Dale L. Perry

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

There is an active international interest in lead-bismuth eutectic and similar liquid lead systems because of the relevance to the transmutation of nuclear waste, fast reactors, and spallation neutron sources. A successful program in nuclear waste processing that includes transmutation in accelerator-driven systems and fast reactors, would significantly decrease the space requirements for geological repositories.

Materials in these systems must be able to tolerate high neutron fluxes, high temperatures, and chemical corrosion. For lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems, there is an additional challenge because the corrosive behaviors of materials in LBE are not well understood. Most of the available information …

Environment-Induced Degradation And Crack-Growth Studies Of Candidate Target Materials, Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The primary objective of this task is to evaluate the effect of environmental and mechanical parameters on environment induced degradations of candidate target structural materials for applications in spallation-neutron-target systems, such as accelerator-driven systems for the transmutation of waste. The materials selected for evaluation and characterization are martensitic stainless steels including Alloys HT-9, EP-823 and Type 422 stainless steel (SS).

More recently, this experimental program has been expanded to evaluate the effect of molten lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) on the corrosion behavior of target structural materials in the presence of oxygen. Since the Materials Performance Laboratory (MPL) at UNLV currently cannot …

Modeling Corrosion In Oxygen Controlled Lbe Systems With Coupling Of Chemical Kinetics And Hydrodynamics, Samir Moujaes, Yitung Chen

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The corrosion of structural materials is a major concern for the use of lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) systems for nuclear applications such as in transmuter targets or fast reactors. Corrosion in liquid metal systems can occur through various processes, including, for example, dissolution, formation of inter-metallic compounds at the interface, and penetration of liquid metal along grain boundaries. Predicting the rate of these processes depends on numerous system operational factors: temperature, system geometry, thermal gradients, solid and liquid compositions, and velocity of the liquid metal, to name a few. Corrosion, along with mechanical and/or hydraulic factors, often contributes to component failure. …

Development Of A Mechanistic Understanding Of High-Temperature Deformation Of Alloy Ep-823, Ajit K. Roy, Brendan O'Toole

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The focus of this work is to determine the effect of elevated temperatures on the tensile properties of Alloy EP-823 and other martensitic alloys having similar compositions. The information obtained through this work describing the mechanism of elevated-temperature deformation will assist in developing suitable target structural materials possessing enhanced LBE corrosion resistance at process temperatures, allowing the continued development and eventual deployment of these technologies.

Developing A Sensing System For The Measurement Of Oxygen Concentration In Liquid Pb-Bi Eutectic, Yingtao Jiang, Bingmei Fu, Woosoon Yim

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a candidate as a spallation target in sub-critical transmutation systems and as a coolant in nuclear programs. One of the primary concerns with LBE systems is the corrosion of stainless steel, the primary structural material used in nuclear systems. To mitigate this problem, trace levels of oxygen can be introduced into the system, causing the formation of a protective oxide layer at the interface between the LBE and steel. To protect the steel components, this oxide layer must be properly maintained. However, too much oxygen will produce unwanted oxide precipitation within the coolant and elsewhere in …

Use Of Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy For Stress-Strain Measurements, Ajit K. Roy

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

Metals and alloys, when subjected to tensile loading beyond a limiting value, can undergo plastic deformation resulting in lattice defects such as voids and dislocations. These imperfections may interact with the crystal lattice, producing a higher state of internal stresses characterized by reduced ductility. Residual stresses can also be generated in welded structures due to rapid rate of solidification, and dissimilar metallurgical microstructures between the weld and the base metals. Premature failures can be experienced in engineering metals and alloys due to the presence of these residual stresses. Specific thermal treatments commonly known as stress relief operations can relieve these …

Development Of Nanostructure Based Corrosion-Barrier Coatings On Steel For Transmutation Applications: Quaterly Report, Biswajit Das

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

During the past quarter, this project employed one graduate student and two undergraduate student researchers and made the following accomplishments :

• Acquisition of steel samples for experiments

• Design and fabrication of specialized anodization apparatus to accommodate steel samples

• Investigation of adhesiveness of aluminum on steel

• Investigation of effects of anodizing acids on steel to identify most appropriate acid and a suitable barrier material

Stress Corrosion Cracking Of Target Material, Mohammad K. Hossain

Transmutation Sciences Materials (TRP)

The primary objective of this paper is to evaluate the effect of hydrogen on environment assisted cracking of candidate target materials for transmutation applications. Transmutation refers to transformation of long-lived actinides and fission products from spent nuclear fuels (SNF), and occurs when the nucleus of an atom changes because of natural radioactive decay, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, neutron capture, or other related processes. Martensitic Alloy EP 823 was selected to be the candidate alloy for this investigation. During the initial phase, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of this alloy was evaluated in neutral (pH: 6-7) and acidic (pH: 2-3) …