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Bacterial Biodegradation Of Soluble Crude Oil Hydrocarbons And The Influence Of Protists In Simulated Arctic Seawater And Sea Ice, Heather Ballestero

Doctoral Dissertations

With expected increases in vessel traffic, drilling, and exploration for petroleum and natural gas, the potential for an Arctic oil spill is heightened, yet knowledge of contaminant fate and behavior is limited in this environment. With challenging conditions in the Arctic and limited equipment caches, response will be extremely difficult. In freezing conditions, oil may become encapsulated in ice. Understanding biodegradation potential in this environment can dictate response options for spills that occur in Arctic marine waters. The influence of protists on bacterial biodegradation of water accommodated fractions (WAF) of petroleum hydrocarbons is unknown, yet important because it could enhance …

Multiscale Numerical Modeling And Characterization Of Carbon/Carbon Composites, Borys Drach

Doctoral Dissertations

Carbon/carbon composite is a high-performance material with a unique set of physical and thermo-mechanical properties making it irreplaceable for severe environment aerospace applications. Its complex hierarchical microstructure presents materials scientists and engineers with substantial modeling challenges when it comes to predicting material's behavior under various loading conditions. My research has been focused on characterization, mutliscale modeling and mechanical testing of this composite. A set of new elasticity solutions for the carbon fiber surrounded by multiple layers of pyrolytic carbon represented as a multicoated cylinder is presented on the microscale. On the mesoscale, deterministic and statistical approaches to evaluation of contributions …

Stacker Crane Problem State Space Reduction, Frank Kreimendahl

Master's Theses and Capstones

Many resource delivery problems, from delivery vehicle routing to circuit board assembly, can be expressed as stacker-crane problems (SCPs). In SCPs, a single agent must transfer resources from their starting locations to goal locations by traversing a graph. These problems have been split into many categories based on their graph structure and other problem properties. This thesis examines preemptive stacker-crane problems on four-connected grids, which are common graphs in motion planning domains. A wealth of research has already been done on motion planning on graphs, both for optimal and suboptimal solutions. This thesis focuses on reducing the number of vertices …

A Statistical Analysis For Estimating Fish Number Density With The Use Of A Multibeam Echosounder, Madeline L. Schroth-Miller

Master's Theses and Capstones

Fish number density can be estimated from the normalized second moment of acoustic backscatter intensity [Denbigh et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 90, 457-469 (1991)]. This method assumes that the distribution of fish scattering amplitudes is known and that the fish are randomly distributed following a Poisson volume distribution within regions of constant density. It is most useful at low fish densities, relative to the resolution of the acoustic device being used, since the estimators quickly become noisy as the number of fish per resolution cell increases. New models that include noise contributions are considered. The methods were applied to …

Balancing Ecological And Economic Values In Northern Hardwood Stands: What Are The Trade-Offs?, Daniel Woock Kilham

Master's Theses and Capstones

New England has 32 million acres of forested land, 27.5 million acres are private and 13.5 million of those private forests are family owned. Two of the main landowner objectives of privately owned forests in New England are generating income and promoting biodiversity and nature. Objectives were to develop a rapid ecological assessment method to aid management of private forests and to determine any trade-offs between economic and ecological values. We measured economic and ecological values in our study site in New Hampshire, and simulated four harvest treatments to determine the effects of different silvicultural approaches. Ecological values were measured …

Intelligent Aerial Store & Foreword Packet Repeater, William P. Mcdonnell

Master's Theses and Capstones

A communication framework capable of rapid deployment and adaptive wireless support was designed and implemented using an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a 900 MHz, frequency- hopping transceiver configured as a store and forward packet repeater. Users with or without line of sight propagation between one another can automatically connect through the packet repeater and employ the aerial platform for extended data transfer. The airborne vehicle accommodates dynamic re-positioning in response to varying radio link conditions, thus supporting communication between highly mobile and/or line of sight-obstructed users even as the network topology evolves. Using open source and custom written software …

Minhlp: Module To Identify New Hampshire License Plates, Sunitha Raghurajan

Master's Theses and Capstones

A license plate, referred to simply as a plate or vehicle registration plate, is a small plastic or metal plate attached to a motor vehicle for official identification purposes. Most governments require a registration plate to be attached to both the front and rear of a vehicle, although certain jurisdictions or vehicle types, such as motorcycles, require only one plate, which is usually attached to the rear of the vehicle.

We present analysis of Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) of New Hampshire (NH) plates using open source products. This thesis contains an implementation of a demonstrated model and analysis of …

Image Pre-Processing To Improve Data Matrix Barcode Read Rates, Nathan P. Brouwer

Master's Theses and Capstones

The main goal of this study is to research image processing methods in attempts to develop a robust approach to image pre-preprocessing of Data Matrix barcode images that will improve barcode read rates in an open source fashion. This is demonstrated by element state classification to re-create the ideal binary matrix corresponding to the intended barcode layout through pattern recognition theory.

The research consisted of implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of many image processing algorithms types, as well as evaluating key features that clearly delineate different element states. The algorithms developed highlight the use of morphological erosion and region growing …

Theoretical Analysis Of The Reaction Of Peroxymethyl Radical With Atomic Hydrogen And Of Dibenzofuran With Atomic Chlorine, Mikhail Zhukovskiy

Master's Theses and Capstones

Experimental determination of rate constants for gas phase radical reactions is challenging. When rate constants necessary for modeling complex processes in atmospheric and combustion science are unknown, theoretical predictions are useful. We used Variational Transition State Theory with Multidimensional Tunneling (VTST/MT) with Density Functional Theory (DFT) to calculate the rate constant and isotope effects for reaction between the peroxymethyl radical and the hydrogen atom.

Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) are a group of extremely toxic compounds formed during waste incineration. Currently, their chemical degradation in the atmosphere is poorly understood. While some experimental and theoretical results regarding the reaction of PCDFs with …

The Writing Of Students With Asperger's Syndrome, Christine Zrimsek

Master's Theses and Capstones

The writing of 5 adolescent boys with Asperger's syndrome between the ages of 13 - 18 was examined relative to age and gender-matched typically-developing children. The investigator collected writing samples across three genres: narrative, expository, and persuasive. The samples were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively using a variety of measures. Consistent with the investigator's expectations, results indicated that, relative to controls, students with Asperger's syndrome performed significantly poorer on higher-order aspects of writing: coherence, cohesion, and perspective-taking while not significantly different on spelling, a lower-order aspect. An unpredicted finding was that the children with Asperger's syndrome made significantly more grammatical …

Development Of Unsaturated Flow Functions For Low Impact Development Stormwater Management Systems Filter Media And Flow Routines For Hydrological Modeling Of Permeable Pavement Systems, Iulia Aurelia Barbu

Doctoral Dissertations

Low Impact Development - Stormwater Management (LID-SWM) systems are relatively new technologies that were developed in order to meet the water quality criteria imposed by the Clean Water Act. LID-SWM is also used to replicate the natural hydrology of developed sites. However, the hydrological benefits of LID systems cannot be accurately predicted with the existing simulation models. Currently used software packages represent LID systems as storage units and do not specifically represent water routing through the systems' hydraulically restrictive sublayers. Since the LID's functionality at system level is not fully understood, the relationships of design variables and the systems' hydrological …

Run For Your Life: Spectacle Primaries And The Success Of 'Failed' Primary Candidates, Sean Patrick Mckinley

Master's Theses and Capstones

This thesis qualitatively examines the personal career outcomes of major presidential primary candidates from 1976-2008. It argues that the primary process fundamentally changed with the introduction of reform in the 1970s. It has continued to evolve into the "spectacle primary," a system whereby mere participation, not necessarily electoral success, can convey manifold benefits to subsequent careers in the public or private sectors. It also finds far less risk in primary participation than conventional wisdom might assume. Therefore, this thesis holds that prospective candidates when weighing a presidential primary bid, should consider these ulterior benefits beyond electoral success and all else …

Evaluation And Optimization Of Bioretention Design For Nitrogen And Phosphorus Removal, Robin M. Stone

Master's Theses and Capstones

Laboratory and field investigations were conducted into the performance of modified bioretention system designs to reduce nutrient loads from stormwater runoff. Bioretention design characteristics of particular interest were filter media composition and structural configuration. A filter media admixture of raw aluminum-based water treatment residuals (WTR) in bioretention soil mix effectively adsorbed orthophosphate in laboratory tests (90-99% median removal efficiencies). WTR dewatered to 33% solids demonstrated consistently higher removal efficiencies (>99%). A bioretention system constructed in Durham, NH in 2011 includes a bioretention soil mix with raw WTR admixture (9% solids) and a structural design modeled after the UNHSC subsurface …

Muskeget Channel Tidal Energy Test Facility, Toby Dewhurst

Master's Theses and Capstones

Conceptual designs were investigated for a tidal hydrokinetic device test facility at Muskeget Channel, MA. Six platform concepts were investigated for devices of various sizes: A floating platform, a submerged buoyant platform, a fixed bottom-mounted gravity foundation, a telescoping bottom-mounted gravity foundation, a fixed four-pile group foundation, and a two-pile surface-piercing structure that could raise and lower a device. A natural berth option was also considered. Designs for each concept were developed for structural soundness, dynamic response, vibration, scour, corrosion, bio-fouling, electrical connection, monitoring, operating limits, ease of turbine installation and access, and cost. The floating platform and two-pile platform …

Combining Angular And Spatial Information From Multibeam Backscatter Data For Improved Unsupervised Acoustic Seabed Segmentation, Alexandre C. Schimel, Yuri Rzhanov, Luciano E. Fonseca, M Mayer, Dirk Immenga

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

Seabed Classification For Trawlability Determined With A Multibeam Echo Sounder On Snakehead Bank In The Gulf Of Alaska, Thomas C. Weber, Chris Rooper, John L. Butler, Darin Jones, Chris Wilson

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

—Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) tend to aggregate near rocky, cobble, or generally rugged areas that are difficult to survey with bottom trawls, and evidence indicates that assemblages of rockfish species may differ between areas accessible to trawling and those areas that are not. Consequently, it is important to determine grounds that are trawlable or untrawlable so that the areas where trawl survey results should be applied are accurately identified. To this end, we used multibeam echosounder data to generate metrics that describe the seafloor: backscatter strength at normal and oblique incidence angles, the variation of the angle-dependent backscatter strength within 10° …

A Procedure For Developing An Acceptance Test For Airborne Bathymetric Lidar Data Application To Noaa Charts In Shallow Waters, Gretchen Imahori, Jeffrey Ferguson, Toshi Wozumi, Dave Scharff, Shachak Pe'eri, Christopher Parrish, Stephen A. White, Inseong Jeong, Jon Sellars, Michael Aslaksen

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) hydrographic data is typically acquired using sonar systems, with a small percent acquired via airborne lidar bathymetry for near‐shore areas. This study investigated an integrated approach for meeting NOAA’s hydrographic survey requirements for near‐shore areas of NOAA charts, using the existing topographic‐bathymetric lidar data from USACE’s National Coastal Mapping Program (NCMP). Because these existing NCMP bathymetric lidar datasets were not collected to NOAA hydrographic surveying standards, it is unclear if, and under what circumstances, they might aid in meeting certain hydrographic surveying requirements. The NCMP’s bathymetric lidar data are evaluated through a comparison to …

Ricamar2013: Rilievi Per La Caratterizzazione Dell'ambiente Marino Nel Golfo Di Pozzuoli. Rapporto Sull'attivita 13 - 31 Maggio 2013, C. Carmisciano, M. Grassi, L. Cocchi, Giuseppe Masetti, M. Filippone, E. Ricci, M. Pratellesi, Roberta Ivaldi, Giovanni Iannaccone, Giovanna Berrino, Guiseppe De Natale, Giovanni Chiodini, Sefano Caliro, Lorenzo Dialti, Matteo Guideri, F. Muccini, Paolo Stefanelli, Giovanni Orsi, Valerio Iafolla, Francesco Italiano, Fabrizia Buongiorno, Salvatore Stramondo, Christian Bignami, Marco Polcari, Malvina Silvestri

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

No abstract provided.

Lunar Radiation Environment And Space Weathering From The Cosmic Ray Telescope For The Effects Of Radiation (Crater), Nathan A. Schwadron, T. Baker, B. Blake, A. W. Case, J. F. Cooper, M. Golightly, Andrew P. Jordan, Colin J. Joyce, J. Kasper, K. Kozarev, J. Mislinski, J. Mazur, Harlan E. Spence

Physics & Astronomy

[1] The Cosmic Ray Telescope for the Effects of Radiation (CRaTER) measures linear energy transfer by Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCRs) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEPs) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Mission in a circular, polar lunar orbit. GCR fluxes remain at the highest levels ever observed during the space age. One of the largest SEP events observed by CRaTER during the LRO mission occurred on June 7, 2011. We compare model predictions by the Earth-Moon-Mars Radiation Environment Module (EMMREM) for both dose rates from GCRs and SEPs during this event with results from CRaTER. We find agreement between these …

The First Cosmic Ray Albedo Proton Map Of The Moon, Jody K. Wilson, Harlan E. Spence, Justin Kasper, Michael Golightly, J. B. Blake, J. E. Mazur, L. W. Townsend, A. W. Case, M. D. Looper, C. Zeitlin, Nathan A. Schwadron

Physics & Astronomy

[1] Neutrons emitted from the Moon are produced by the impact of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) within the regolith. GCRs are high-energy particles capable of smashing atomic nuclei in the lunar regolith and producing a shower of energetic protons, neutrons and other subatomic particles. Secondary particles that are ejected out of the regolith become “albedo” particles. The neutron albedo has been used to study the hydrogen content of the lunar regolith, which motivates our study of albedo protons. In principle, the albedo protons should vary as a function of the input GCR source and possibly as a result of surface …

Scientific Basis For Safely Shutting In The Macondo Well After The April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout, Stephen H. Hickman, Paul A. Hsieh, Walter D. Mooney, Catherine B. Enomoto, Philip H. Nelson, Larry A. Mayer, Thomas C. Weber, Kathryn Moran, P. B. Flemings, Marcia Mcnutt

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

As part of the government response to the Deepwater Horizon blowout, a Well Integrity Team evaluated the geologic hazards of shutting in the Macondo Well at the seafloor and determined the conditions under which it could safely be undertaken. Of particular concern was the possibility that, under the anticipated high shut-in pressures, oil could leak out of the well casing below the seafloor. Such a leak could lead to new geologic pathways for hydrocarbon release to the Gulf of Mexico. Evaluating this hazard required analyses of 2D and 3D seismic surveys, seafloor bathymetry, sediment properties, geophysical well logs, and drilling …

Overview Of The 2007 And 2008 Campaigns Conducted As Part Of The Greenland Summit Halogen-HoX Experiment (Gshox), J L. Thomas, Jack E. Dibb, J Stutz, R Von Glasow, Steve Brooks, L Gregory Huey, Barry Lefer

Earth Sciences

From 10 May through 17 June 2007 and 6 June through 9 July 2008 intensive sampling campaigns at Summit, Greenland confirmed that active bromine chemistry is occurring in and above the snow pack at the highest part of the Greenland ice sheet (72°36´ N, 38°25´ W and 3.2 km above sea level). Direct measurements found BrO and soluble gas phase Br⁻ mixing ratios in the low pptv range on many days (maxima < 10 pptv). Conversion of up to 200 pg m⁻³ of gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) to reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) and enhanced OH relative to HO₂ plus RO₂ confirm that active bromine chemistry is …

Focusing On Size And Energy Dependence Of Electron Microbursts From The Van Allen Radiation Belts, Harlan E. Spence, J. B. Blake, A. B. Crew, S. Driscoll, D. M. Klumpar, B. A. Larsen, Jason S. Legere, S. Longworth, E. Mosleh, T. P. O'Brien, Sonya S. Smith, L. Springer, W. Widholm

Physics & Astronomy

No abstract provided.

Spectral Absorption Of Biomass Burning Aerosol Determined From Retrieved Single Scattering Albedo During Arctas, C A. Corr, S R. Hall, B E. Anderson, Kirk Ullman, A J. Beyersdorf, Kenn L. Thornhill, Michael J. Cubison, Jose L. Jimenez, Armin Wisthaler, Jack E. Dibb

Earth Sciences

Actinic flux, as well as aerosol chemical and optical properties, were measured aboard the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the ARCTAS (Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites) mission in Spring and Summer 2008. These measurements were used in a radiative transfer code to retrieve spectral (350-550 nm) aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) for biomass burning plumes encountered on 17 April and 29 June. Retrieved SSA values were subsequently used to calculate the absorption Angstrom exponent (AAE) over the 350-500 nm range. Both plumes exhibited enhanced spectral absorption with AAE values that exceeded 1 (6.78 ± …

Calibration Of Multibeam Echo Sounders: A Comparison Between Two Methodologies, Carlo Lanzoni, Thomas C. Weber

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

Multibeam echo sounders (MBES) are widely used in applications like seafloor imaging, fisheries, and habitat mapping. Calibration of acoustic backscatter is an important aspect of understanding and validating the performance of a MBES. Combined transmit/receive beampattern calibrations were performed on a 200 kHz Reson Seabat 7125 MBES in the acoustic tank of the University of New Hampshire utilizing two different methodologies. The first methodology employs fixed standard target spheres and a high accuracy/high resolution rotation mechanism. This method, similar to that proposed by Foote et al ["Protocols forcalibrating multibeam sonar", J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117(4), 2005], is designed for a …

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites Geodb: An S-100 Geospatial Database As An Effective Contribution To The Protection Of The Marine Environment, Giuseppe Masetti, Brian R. Calder, Lee Alexander

Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping

Potentially Polluting Marine Sites (PPMS) are objects on, or areas of, the seabed that may release pollution in the future. A rationale for, and design of, a geospatial database to inventory and manipu-late PPMS is presented. Built as an S-100 Product Specification, it is specified through human-readable UML diagrams and implemented through machine-readable GML files, and includes auxiliary information such as pollution-control resources and potentially vulnerable sites in order to support analyses of the core data. The design and some aspects of implementation are presented, along with metadata requirements and structure, and a perspective on potential uses of the database.

Characteristics Of Tropospheric Ozone Depletion Events In The Arctic Spring: Analysis Of The Arctas, Arcpac, And Arcions Measurements And Satellite Bro Observations, T P. Kurosu, Yuhang Wang, T P. Kurosu, K Chance, A Rozanov, A Richter, S J. Oltmans, A M. Thompson, Jonathan Hair, Marta Fenn, Andrew Weinheimer, Thomas B. Ryerson, S Solberg, L Gregory Huey, J Liao, Jack E. Dibb, J A. Neuman, J Nowak, B Pierce, M Natarajan, J Al-Saadi

Earth Sciences

Arctic ozone depletion events (ODEs) are caused by halogen catalyzed ozone loss. In situ chemistry, advection of ozone-poor air mass, and vertical mixing in the lower troposphere are important factors affecting ODEs. To better characterize the ODEs, we analyze the combined set of surface, ozonesonde, and aircraft in situ measurements of ozone and bromine compounds during the Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS), the Aerosol, Radiation, and Cloud Processes affecting Arctic Climate (ARCPAC), and the Arctic Intensive Ozonesonde Network Study (ARCIONS) experiments (April 2008). Tropospheric BrO columns retrieved from satellite measurements and back …

Unh Receives $3.4m To Address Gender Imbalance In Stem Faculty, Lori Wright

Media Relations

No abstract provided.

An Imaging Neutron/Gamma-Ray Spectrometer, James M. Ryan, Chris Bancroft, Peter F. Bloser, Dominique Fourguette, Liane Larocque, Jason S. Legere, Amanda C. Madden, Mark L. Mcconnell, Jane Pavlich, Greg Ritter, Greg Wassick, Marissa Rouseau

Space Science Center

We present the design and development of a dual-species, neutron/γ-ray imaging spectrometer for the identification and location of radioactive and special nuclear materials (SNM). Real-time detection and identification is important for locating fissile materials. These materials, specifically uranium and plutonium, emit neutrons and γ rays via spontaneous or induced fission. Co-located neutron and γ-ray emissions are a sure sign of fissile material, requiring very few spatially correlated events for a significant detection. Our instrument design detects neutrons and γ rays from all sources in its field of view, constructs images of the emission pattern, and reports the spectra for both …

Unh Celebrates Commercialization Growth; Recognizes Success Of Mathematician Kevin Short, Erika Mantz

Media Relations

No abstract provided.