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Catastrophic Wildfire Hazard Assessment In Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands Utilizing A Managerial Paradigm, Benjamin D. Baldwin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The impetus for this research was the increasing threat of catastrophic wildfires resulting from the accumulation of fuels across the West. Guided by the priorities, goals, and guiding principles outlined by the national fire plan (NFP), the objective was to identify those areas within a pinyon-juniper woodland-dominated landscape with the highest hazard of catastrophic wildfire. The intent was to help managers prioritize proactive fuels management efforts outside of the wildland urban interface (WUI). Based on a management paradigm, constraints were placed on the data collection, analysis, and model development. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to create a hazard …

Using Geographic Information Systems And Remote Sensing To Analyze Fire Likelihood Areas At The Regional Scale In The Western United States, Russell W. Reading

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly used to examine fire activity. This study uses GIS to determine fire likelihood probabilities at an intermediate scale ( I-kilometer) on a daily basis given readily available data. Layers used for the analysis included slope, aspect, elevation, fuel type, proximity to existing fires, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, relative humidity, average vapor pressure deficit, precipitation, 1-hour fuel moisture, and 10-hour fuel moisture.

There were three objectives of this study: 1. Establish a correlation between burn perimeters and readily available topographic and environmental data, and map the spatial distribution of these as fire likelihood areas; 2. …

Exploring Gifted Education Programs, Services, And Practices In Islamic Schools In The United States, Fatma Anwer Khamis Al-Lawati

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study explored the state of gifted education in Islamic schools in the United States, focusing on school organization and elementary school teachers' practices in planning and implementing instructional and curricular experiences for gifted students and average students. The study utilized mixed methods, combining quantitative and qualitative data. Surveys addressed teacher practices and obtained information about resources available for gifted students in Islamic schools. A focus group method was employed to understand better teachers' practices with gifted students.

The study involved 32 principals and 157 teachers. Five schools participated in the focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics were used to report …

Spatial And Temporal Considerations In Vehicle Path Tracking With An Emphasis On Spatial Robustness, Donald L. Cripps

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This dissertation researches the task and path management of an autonomous vehicle with Ackerman-type steering.

The task management problem was approached as a path training operation in which a human operator drives the desired path through an environment. A training trajectory is converted into a series of path segments that are driveable by the autonomous vehicle by first fitting a general path to the dataset. Next, transition segments are added to the general path to match the vehicle velocity and steering angle rate limit.

The path management problem has been approached by first deriving a kine- matic model of the …

Use Of Ground-Based Canopy Reflectance To Determine Radiation Capture, Nitrogen And Water Status, And Final Yield In Wheat, Glen L. Ritchie

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Ground-based spectral imaging devices offer an important supplement to satellite imagery. Hand-held, ground-based sensors allow rapid, inexpensive measurements that are not affected by the earth’s atmosphere. They also provide a basis for high altitude spectral indices.

We quantified the spectral reflectance characteristics of hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Westbred 936) in research plots subjected to either nitrogen or water stress in a two year study. Both types of stress reduced ground cover, which was evaluated by digital photography and compared with ten spectral reflectance indices. On plots with a similar soil background, simple indices such as the …

Parents' And Teachers' Acceptability Of Treatments For Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: The Effects Of Presentation And Information Delivery, Jason Donald Gage

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed problems affecting school-age children. This disorder can cause significant problems for children who consequently need treatment. Consumers of interventions for ADHD have efficacious treatments to choose from, but such treatment may not be implemented appropriately and effectiveness may decrease. Viewing treatments as 111 acceptable can affect treatment integrity and in turn increase effectiveness. Therefore, it is important that professionals understand how to increase the acceptability of treatments when first presenting treatment options to consumers. The primary purpose of this study was to determine if presenting parents and teachers with additional …

The Influence Of Predator Exclosures And Livestock Grazing On Duck Production At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah, Benjamin C. West

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nest predation is a major factor impacting duck production and recruitment on breeding areas in North America. I surveyed waterfowl managers employed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. state wildlife agencies to determine their beliefs about nest predation and its management. Over 64% of respondents believed that rates of nest success on their management units averaged < 30% between 1996-2000. Managers believed habitat management and direct predator control were the most effective techniques to reduce nest predation. The construction of predator ex closures around nesting habitat also has been recommended to reduce nest predation. Between 1999-200 I, I evaluated the effectiveness of 4 predator ex closures to enhance duck nest success at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Utah. During this period, rates of nest success in the exclosures were slightly higher than that within control plots, but still < 15%. Although published guidelines commonly recommend predator fences < 117 cm in height, I observed red foxes jump the 11 4-cm-high fences. Additional research is needed to identify effective predator fence designs.

Wildlife managers have argued that periodic disturbance of vegetation should be a component of management on waterfowl breeding areas. Although many techniques are available to manipulate vegetation, grazing by domestic livestock has been controversial. Some researchers have reported that livestock grazing …

Coyote Foraging Ecology, Vigilance, And Behavioral Cascades In Response To Gray Wolf Reintroduction In Yellowstone National Park, T. Adam Switalski

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Vigilance behavior can aid in the detection of predators and may also play a role in observation of conspecifics, in food acquisition, and in the prevention of kleptoparasitism. However, in most occasions, vigilance is most important as an antipredator function. Generally, factors that increase the risk of predation also increase the amount of vigilance. We examined whether the reintroduction of the large predator, the wolf, in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) would influence coyote vigilance and foraging ecology. From December 1997 to July 2000, we collected 1743 h of coyote activity budgets. Coyote home ranges occurred within wolf territories (termed high-use …

Identifying Paths To Successful Marriage And Family Therapy Research: External Factors Within The Publications Of Three Eminent Marriage And Family Therapy Researchers, Sarah Rebecca Sancher Droubay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In an attempt to identify a possible pathway to successful research in marriage and family therapy (MFT), publications of three eminent MFT researchers—James Alexander, John Gottman, and Howard Liddle—were content analyzed. These 208 journal articles, books, book chapters, and dissertations were examined for external factors and patterns across time.

Results supported the importance of doing clinical work, having a sustained research interest area, obtaining funding, and maximizing the utility of one's research samples. Implications and recommendations for future researchers, research training, career paths in clinical research, and further research are given.

The Role Of Bandgap In The Secondary Electron Emission Of Small Bandgap Semiconductors: Studies Of Graphitic Carbon, Neal E. Nickles

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The question of whether the small bandgaps of semiconductors play a significant role in their secondary electron emission properties is investigated by studying evaporated graphitic amorphous carbon, which has a roughly 0.5 eV bandgap, in comparison with microcrystalline graphite, which has zero bandgap. The graphitic amorphous carbon is found to have a 30% increase in its maximum secondary electron yield over that of two microcrystalline graphite samples with comparable secondary electron yields: highly oriented pyrolytic graphite and colloidal graphite. The potentially confounding influence of the vacuum level has been isolated through the measurement of the photoelectron onset energy of the …

Evapotranspiration Using A Satellite-Based Surface Energy Balance With Standardized Ground Control, Ricardo Trezza

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study evaluated the potential of using the Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) as a means for estimating evapotranspiration (ET) for local and regional scales in Southern Idaho. The original SEBAL model was refined during this study to provide better estimation of ET in agricultural areas and to make more reliable estimates of ET from other surfaces as well, including mountainous terrain. The modified version of SEBAL used in this study, termed as SEBAL_ID (lD stands for Idaho) includes standardization of the two SEBAL "anchor" pixels, the use of a water balance …

The Role Of Parents As Formal Math Instructors Of Prekindergarten Children, Monica Jane Blanch

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was designed to explore the relationship between maternal attitudes about math, mothers' attitudes about their prekindergarten child's math abilities, mother-child math interactions, and prekindergarten children's math achievement. Using a Vygotskian framework, an intervention was developed. An intervention group of 18 mother-child dyads from Hyrum, Utah, area and a comparison group of 17 mother-child dyads from the Weston, Idaho, area were invited to participate in this research project. Measures included the Early Mathematics Concepts (EMC) assessment, the School Readiness Composite (SRC) of the Bracken Basic Concepts Scale-Revised (BBCS-R), My Attitudes Scale (MAS), and My Attitudes About My Child's Abilities …

Factors Affecting The Harvest Vulnerability Of Trumpeter Swans, Heidi L. Tangermann

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Two species of swan are regularly found in Utah, tundra swans (Cygnus columbianus) and trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator). Tundra swans migrate through Utah. During the fall migration period they are hunted in the state under guidelines established by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Trumpeter swans are occasional visitors to Utah during the same migration period. Because trumpeter swans are difficult to distinguish from tundra swans in flight, they 11 are at risk of being harvested during the swan hunt. In my thesis, I examine the factors that may influence trumpeter swan vulnerability to …

A Macroterrain Landtype Association Classification Model For The Great Basin, Frank L. Dougher

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Three Macroterrain Landtype Association classification models were developed to stratify and categorize Utah's West Desert. These models approached terrain segmentation using an energy-flow paradigm from erosional to transitional to depositional landscape. One model was developed as a slope-backed deterministic model that used slope-threshold limits to discriminate between Landtype Associations. A second model was developed as a stochastic, training-data driven supervised classification, using comparative t-values to classify the landscape to the most similar landtype class. The third model was a probabilistic algorithm, which classified the landscape to the most probable class based on multiple iterations of the stochastic model. These …

Application Of Biophysical Data To An Unsupervised Classification To Map Ecoregional Boundaries In The Desert Southwest, Paxton R. Mcclurg

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

An unsupervised classification was applied to continuous biophysical variables in an attempt to delineate ecoregional boundaries in the desert southwest. Output was then compared with ecoregions delineated by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Forest Service at the national level. An attempt was made to use the same biophysical variables for input into the unsupervised classification as was emphasized by the various agencies with their ecoregional classifications at the desert level. Major constraints included data availability at such a large study area, data resolution, and data that were continuous. This eliminated categorical data …

Sedimentology, Facies Architecture, And Reservoir Characterization Of Lacustrine Rocks, Eocene Green River And Colton Formations, Uinta Basin, Utah, Andrew W. Taylor

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Outcrop and petrographic studies of the Eocene Green River and Colton formations in the Uinta basin, Utah, document the facies architecture and heterogeneity characteristic of lacustrine reservoirs. A southwest-northeast transect of Eocene strata in the Uinta basin records three main marginal lacustrine depositional environments: fluvial, deltaic, and wave-dominated. Heterogeneity exists between and within individual depositional systems.

Reservoir rocks of Outcrops One and Two (the flu vial facies of the Colton Formation and the deltaic facies of the Green River Formation, respectively) consist of 2 to 18 m thick lenticular, tabular, or undulatory channel-fill, distributary channel, and distributary mouth bar deposits …

Educator Supply, Demand, Attrition, And Out-Of-Field Teaching In Utah, Daniel Joseph Robertson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This monograph reports the results of a comprehensive study of teacher supply and demand conditions in Utah. This research was conducted under contract with the Utah State Office of Education. The objectives of this research were as follows: (a) analyze year 2000 staffing patterns of Utah schools and estimate the potential effects of future retirement on current teacher pools; (b) use enrollment projections and base-year pupil-teacher ratios to predict teacher need for each geographic area and content area; (c) assess the supply of educators from Utah colleges of education and identify reasons why newly prepared teachers do not teach in …

Evolution Of A Miocene-Pliocene Low-Angle Normal-Fault System In The Southern Bannock Range, Southeast Idaho, Stephanie M. Carney

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Geologic mapping, basin analysis, and tephrochronologic analysis in the Clifton quadrangle of southeast Idaho indicates that the modern Basin-and-Range topography is only a few million years old and that the bulk of Cenozoic extension was accommodated by slip on an older low-angle normal-fault system, the Bannock detachment system. The detachment system was active between ~12 and < 4 Ma and accommodated ~50 % extension.

Cross-cutting relationships show that the master detachment fault, the Clifton fault, is the youngest low-angle normal fault of the system, was active at a low angle, and has not been rotated to a low-dip angle through time. Map patterns and relationships indicate that the …

Geometry And Physical Properties Of The Chelungpu Fault, Taiwan, And Their Effect On Fault Rupture, Richard V. Heermance

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Rupture of the Chelungpu fault during the September 21, 1999, 7.6 M_wearthquake in Taiwan caused a 90-Jr,m-long surface rupture with variable displacement along strike. Analysis of core from two holes drilled through the fault zone, combined with geologic mapping and detailed investigation from three outcrops, define the fault geometry and physical properties of the Chelungpu fault in its northern and southern regions. In the northern region, the fault dips 45-60° east parallel to bedding and consists of a narrow (1-20 cm) core of dark-gray, sheared clay gouge at the base of a 30-50 m zone of increased fracture …

Relationships Between Tributary Catchments, Valley-Bottom Width, Debris-Fan Area, And Mainstem Gradient On The Colorado Plateau: A Case Study In Desolation And Gray Canyons On The Green River, Caroline M. Elliott

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The alluvial forms of the rivers that drain the Colorado Plateau are a product of the water and sediment load that tributaries deliver to the trunk streams. Where the Green and Colorado Rivers cross structural barriers, narrow canyons have been incised. In the steep terrain adjacent to many of these canyons debris flows occur in the catchment basins of tributaries and deliver coarse sediment to the mainstem river corridor. Over time, debris flow deposits have aggraded in trunk stream valleys and created landforms known as debris fans. The sizes of these debris fans are related to the accommodation space available …

The Stratigraphic, Sedimentologic, And Paleogeographic Evolution Of The Eocene- Oligocene Grasshopper Extensional Basin, Southwest Montana, Joseph P. Matoush

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Grasshopper basin, located in southwest Montana, is an east-tilted graben bounded by the listric Muddy-Grasshopper fault and the Meriwether Lewis fault on the eastern and western margins of the basin, respectively. This basin contains a complex stratigraphy of intertonguing facies comprised of five unconformity-bounded sequences of Tertiary alluvial, flu vial, deltaic, and lacustrine sedimentary and volcanic rocks. Sequence 1 consists of the Challis volcanic Group (Middle Eocene). The sedimentary rocks of the Medicine Lodge beds (Late Eocene-Late Oligocene) represent sequence 2 and approximately 90% of the basin-fill within Grasshopper basin. Sequence 3 consists 11 of the Sedimentary Rocks of Everson …

Structural And Kinematic Evolution Of Eocene-Oligocene Grasshopper Extensional Basin, Southwest Montana, Julie C. Kickham

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Grasshopper basin of southwest Montana is a complex east-dipping graben containing five unconformity-bounded sequences of Tertiary sedimentary rocks. The Eocene-Oligocene basin lies within the northern Rocky Mountain Basin and Range province. Geologic mapping in five and a half 7.5 minute quadrangles indicates that at least three distinct phases of extension characterize the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of Grasshopper basin from approximately 46 Ma to < Ma.

The significant phases of extension in Grasshopper basin were phases 1 and 3. During the first phase of extension (46-27 Ma) the nonplanar Muddy-Grasshopper fault was initiated and 90% of the basin fill was deposited. At …

Stratigraphy And Paleoecology Of The Morrison Formation, Como Bluff, Wyoming, Melissa V. Connely

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Morrison Formation at Como Bluff, Wyoming, has been historically known for containing a rich source of Late Jurassic vertebrate fossils. However, when collected, most of these fossils were not positioned into a stratigraphic or sedimentologic framework. Research shows that the Morrison Formation at Como Bluff can be divided into three members. These members can be identified by lithologic and paleontological characteristics. The lower Morrison members include the Windy Hill Member and the recently described Lake Como Member. The Windy Hill Member primarily contains near-shore marine sandstone. Megavertebrate fauna is lacking. The Lake Como Member contains illitic clay in red …

Geology Of The Cuesta Ridge Ophiolite Remnant Near San Luis Obispo, California: Evidence For The Tectonic Setting And Origin Of The Coast Range Ophiolite, Cameron A. Snow

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Cuesta Ridge ophiolite is one of the best-preserved remnants of mid-Jurassic ophiolite in California. Geologic mapping and petrologic studies show that it comprises (1) harzburgite mantle tectonite, (2) dunite-rich mantle transition zone (MTZ), (3) wehrlite and pyroxenite, (4) isotropic gabbro, (5) sheeted dike/sill complex, (6) volcanic rocks (7) late-stage dikes and flows, and (8) tuffaceous radiolarian chert.

The sheeted dike/sill complex is dominated by quartz diorite, with significant modal quartz and hornblende. The volcanic section is dominated by arc tholeiite and boninitic lavas. Boninites, with high MgO, Cr, and Ni comprise 40% of the volcanic rocks. Latestage dikes and …

Tournament Matrices An Overview, Russel O. Carlson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The results of a round robin tournament can be represented as a matrix of zeros and ones, by ordering the players and placing a one in the (i,j) position if player i beat player j, and zeros otherwise. These matrices, called tournament matrices, can be represented by graphs, called tournament graphs. They have been the subject of much research and study, yet there have been few attempts to give a wide exposition on the subject. Those that have been done tend to focus on the graph theoretical aspects of tournaments. S. Ree and Y. Koh did write a brief …

Nonlinear Schrödinger Type Equations With Asymptotically Linear Terms, Francois A. Van Heerden

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

We study the nonlinear Schrödinger type equation

–Δu + (λg(x) + 1)u = f(u)

on the whole space R^N. The nonlinearity f is assumed to be asymptotically linear and g(x) ≥ 0 has a potential well. We do not assume a limit for g(x) as |x| → ∞ . Using variational techniques, we prove the existence of a positive solution for λ large. In the case where f is odd we obtain multiple pairs of solutions. The limiting behavior of solutions as λ → ∞ is also considered.

The Role Of Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos) In Nutrient Transport Into Forests Near A Salmon Stream In Coastal British Columbia, Canada, Arthur Morris

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nutrients from spawned salmon contribute to the fertility of rivers and riparian areas. Adjacent forests, even far from rivers, could receive substantial amounts of nitrogen and other nutrients from salmon. Since brown bears feed heavily on spawning salmon, bears probably influence the movement of nutrients from salmon into surrounding forests. Because salmon-derived nitrogen is high in ¹⁵N, increased isotopic enrichment is expected in forest soils and vegetation if this transport is occurring. Based on relative ¹⁵N enrichment of spawning areas, a quantitative estimate of marine-derived nitrogen (MDN) can be obtained using a linear two-source mixing model. To evaluate …

Adoption Of Range Management Innovations By Utah Livestock Producers, Elizabeth Anne Didier

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Recent years have seen changes in ecological conditions, ownership patterns, and political-legal forces that affect the sustainability of Western range livestock production. Enterprise diversification and implementation of improvements are advocated as ways for ranchers to cope with marginal returns from ranching while better managing resources. However, relatively few ranchers make such substantive changes in their operations, and previous research suggests that rates of adoption may be especially low in Utah.

Using a qualitative approach, this study explored innovation adoption among Utah ranchers. During preliminary interviews with 13 key informants, commitment to traditional ranching lifestyles, the state's settlement pattern, and availability …

A Model Of Plasma Frequency Probes Utilizing Plasma Fluid Equations And Finite Difference Time Domain (Fdtd) Theory, Jeffrey D. Ward

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As man continues to search the unknown, additional tools are needed to develop and analyze new probes. This thesis will present a full wave Finite Difference Time Domain model that is capable of analyzing radio frequency probes immersed in realistic ionospheric plasma. The five moment approximations, Maxwell's equations and the plasma fluid equations, are discretized using a finite difference time domain method. Balmain's and Adachi theories are used to validate the simulation at the gyro and hybrid resonance points. Finally, with the model developed, the simulation is used to analyze a microstrip patch plasma impedance probe immersed in hot collisional …

Post-Tillage Dynamics Of Soil Structural And Hydraulic Properties Induced By Capillary Forces And External Loading, Teamrat Afewerki Ghezzehei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Tillage modifies the soil structure to create conditions favorable for plant growth. However, the resulting loose structure is susceptible to collapse by internal capillary forces and external compactive stresses with concurrent changes in soil hydraulic properties. Presently, limited understanding of these complex processes often leads to consideration of the soil plow-layer as a static porous medium. The objective of this dissertation was to develop physically based modeling of soil structural dynamics at the pore scale, based on soil mechanical and rheological properties. The basic geometrical framework of the models was based on regular packing of monosized spherical aggregates forming unit-cells. …