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Understanding How Ai Chatbots Act As Gatekeepers When Recommending Destinations, Ayden Alexandra Carmack May 2026

Understanding How Ai Chatbots Act As Gatekeepers When Recommending Destinations, Ayden Alexandra Carmack

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As artificial intelligence chatbots become a primary tool for travel discovery, questions arise about whose destinations get recommended and how. This study examines how ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), and Google Gemini function as algorithmic gatekeepers in travel recommendations, drawing on gatekeeping theory, framing theory, and growing scholarship on AI bias in tourism. Using a content analysis of 135 AI-generated responses to 15 standardized travel prompts (45 per platform, each run three times) this study coded destination selection patterns, dominant narrative frames, and informational omissions across platforms. Results show that 88.9% of recommended destinations were classified as high-income nations, with Japan, …


From Phenology To Yield Zones: Functional Clustering Of Satellite Time Series For Crop Growth Monitoring, Ikram Morso May 2026

From Phenology To Yield Zones: Functional Clustering Of Satellite Time Series For Crop Growth Monitoring, Ikram Morso

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Remote sensing and land surface phenology provide a strong basis for characterizing crop development, but their usefulness for within-field yield-zone delineation depends on whether crop development is analyzed as a phenological trajectory and whether the resulting zones are evaluated with spatially defensible statistics. These questions are especially relevant in soybean production because soybean is one of the most important row crops in the United States and the country’s dominant oilseed crop. This relevance is strong in Arkansas, where soybean is a major component of agricultural production. In soybean production, within-field yield variability reflects the combined influence of soil properties, stand …


Validation Of Rice Tissue Sampling For In-Season Nutrient Management Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Potassium, Tanner Smith May 2026

Validation Of Rice Tissue Sampling For In-Season Nutrient Management Of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, And Potassium, Tanner Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are the 3 most important nutrients involved in rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth and development. Tissue sampling has been proven to be a potential tool to provide inseason information about plant nutrient concentrations at specified timings and growth stages. With increased interest in tissue sampling and improving nutrient management effectiveness, more information is needed to validate plant tissue concentrations at which additional fertilizer inputs may be warranted. Experiments were conducted in 2024 and 2025 at the Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) near Stuttgart, Ark.; Pine Tree Research Station (PTRS) near Colt, Ark.; …


Ꭰꮎꮰꭶ (Missing): A Phenomenological Study Of Native American Student Experiences In The Law School Setting, Christina Allene Shaw May 2026

Ꭰꮎꮰꭶ (Missing): A Phenomenological Study Of Native American Student Experiences In The Law School Setting, Christina Allene Shaw

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The legal landscape for Native American people in the United States is ever evolving and highly nuanced, with its historical foundation anchored into the classical pilasters of American legal jurisprudence. Federal Indian law scholars place that historical foundation within the written opinions of Chief Justice Marshall dating back to the 1820s and 1830s (Fletcher, 2024). Although few law students will likely find themselves closely examining the unassigned readings of the Marshall Trilogy or contemporary federal Indian law, there is one small group of students in law school doing exactly that: Native American law students. American Indians and Alaska Natives are …


Sel & Hil Integrations For Real-Time Cyber Threat Modeling, Risk Assessment, And Result Validation, Zachary Coel Harris May 2026

Sel & Hil Integrations For Real-Time Cyber Threat Modeling, Risk Assessment, And Result Validation, Zachary Coel Harris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The electrical power grid is one of the most critical infrastructure systems, with virtually every other critical system relying on its electricity to operate effectively [1]. One failure in the electrical grid can have cascading effects, reducing, or outright stopping the operation of services vital to people’s lives. Ensuring continuous availability of the electrical grid is vital. This constant need for availability poses a challenge to identify potential cyber-attacks and their impacts. The grid is constantly growing with the addition of DERs (Distributed Energy Resources). Common DERs, such as photovoltaic systems or wind farms, can provide primary or secondary generation …


“Menopause Is Universal, But No One Prepared Us”: An Inductive Thematic Analysis Of R/Menopause, Alissa Lauren Hardwick May 2026

“Menopause Is Universal, But No One Prepared Us”: An Inductive Thematic Analysis Of R/Menopause, Alissa Lauren Hardwick

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Menopause is a universal biological transition, yet women’s lived experiences of its emotional, cognitive, relational, and healthcare dimensions remain comparatively underrepresented in research. Guided by critical feminist theory and feminist standpoint epistemology, this study examined how women in the r/Menopause online community described experiences of depression and anxiety during the menopausal transition, how they narrated healthcare encounters, and how they made sense of shifting identity and social value. By treating self-authored online narratives as situated forms of knowledge, the study aimed to illuminate how menopausal distress is interpreted and negotiated in everyday discourse. An inductive qualitative reflexive thematic analysis was …


From Classroom To Courtroom: How Educational Strains Shape Juvenile Delinquency, Hailey Elizabeth Houston May 2026

From Classroom To Courtroom: How Educational Strains Shape Juvenile Delinquency, Hailey Elizabeth Houston

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Juvenile delinquency is a significant social issue with consequences that extend into adulthood and impact future success of youth. Although prior research has explored various factors that affect juvenile delinquency, notable gaps remain – notably a lack of literature on how educational strain effects juvenile delinquency with a focus on rural areas. This study addresses these gaps by examining the effects of educational strain, such as poor academic performance and lack of teacher support, on rural adolescents’ engagement in juvenile delinquency. Data for this study was obtained from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an online …


Lumbopelvic Kinematics And Muscular Co-Contractions In Walking Prior To And Immediately Following A Bout Of Prolonged Standing., Stephanie Cotariu May 2026

Lumbopelvic Kinematics And Muscular Co-Contractions In Walking Prior To And Immediately Following A Bout Of Prolonged Standing., Stephanie Cotariu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Prolonged standing is a common daily activity in a wide array of occupations, and approximately 44% of sample populations develop low back pain (LBP) during prolonged standing. Prolonged standing-induced LBP developers (“Pain Developers”) are three times more likely to develop clinical LBP and can therefore be considered a pre-clinical LBP population. Changes in typical gait have been observed in LBP patients, and walking has been hypothesized as being protective or preventive against LBP development. However, it is unknown whether Pain Developers exhibit similar kinematic adaptations to chronic LBP patients during common daily activities, such as walking. The exact muscular …


Solid Embedded Telemetry, Pranav Balasubramanian Natarajan May 2026

Solid Embedded Telemetry, Pranav Balasubramanian Natarajan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the integration of the Solid decentralized data framework within embedded and legacy energy control systems to enable secure, access-controlled, and interoperable data exchange. Two implementations were developed to evaluate Solid’s practical applicability: an ESP32 client implementing Solid-OIDC authentication and telemetry publication to a Solid Pod, and a Modbus-to-Solid bridge translating Modbus RTU communications into RDF-based data for bidirectional control. Experimental evaluation highlighted the effects of task scheduling and blocking operations on the ESP32, and polling-based communication latency within the Modbus bridge. These findings reveal the architectural and computational trade-offs involved in extending Solid to constrained or protocol-bound …


Effects Of Wetting And Drying On Nutrient Mobilization In Aquatic Systems, Karessa Grace De La Paz May 2026

Effects Of Wetting And Drying On Nutrient Mobilization In Aquatic Systems, Karessa Grace De La Paz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Wetting and drying cycles are a fundamental, but underexplored, control on nutrient mobilization and transport in aquatic ecosystems. Such intermittency impacts approximately 60% of the world's streams and rivers, and the extent is expected to increase with future climate change. Additionally, aging reservoir infrastructure is driving restoration efforts, like large-scale drawdowns, that can expose benthic sediments to extended dry periods before refilling. Despite the prevalence of wet-dry cycles, how they influence nutrient transport and mobilization across different aquatic ecosystems remains poorly understood. To address this gap, this thesis presents two complementary studies exploring nutrient dynamics in Arkansas aquatic ecosystems that …


Understanding The Effects Of Adventure Therapy On Inner City Youths' Sense Of Relatedness, Nicolas Bellegarde May 2026

Understanding The Effects Of Adventure Therapy On Inner City Youths' Sense Of Relatedness, Nicolas Bellegarde

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Adventure therapy is a creative, transtheoretical group-based model of counseling that utilizes kinesthetic activities coupled with metaphors and processing modalities, alongside experiences outdoors, to facilitate insight and motivate healthy communication between group members. Through intentional sequencing and guidance of activities, facilitators aim to improve participants' communication skills, group engagement, and ability to tolerate discomfort and risk while strategically solving problems. In addition, the integration of nature and the outdoors has been demonstrated to improve mental health and well-being, generating a sense of connectedness to the environment and to the group. Adolescence is a time of rapid developmental change characterized by …


Assessment Of The Quality, Practicality, And Economic Viability Of Malted Rice, Bernardo Pontes Guimaraes May 2026

Assessment Of The Quality, Practicality, And Economic Viability Of Malted Rice, Bernardo Pontes Guimaraes

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Climate change threatens the global supply of malting barley, creating a need for sustainable, climate-resilient alternative grains for the brewing industries. This dissertation investigated the chemical, sensorial, practical, and economic viability of using rice as a malting material. First, the malting and brewing qualities of 20 rice samples were evaluated. Results indicated malted rice (MR) had good malting and brewing qualities, including adequate levels of free amino nitrogen (FAN), high amyloglucosidase and limit dextrinase activities. Furthermore, pigmented rice varieties displayed a novel reddish-purple wort color. To identify rice cultivars suited for malting and brewing, the relationship between starch chemistry and …


Recovery And Evaluation Of A Germanium Infrared Camera, Michael Paszek May 2026

Recovery And Evaluation Of A Germanium Infrared Camera, Michael Paszek

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Short-wave infrared imagers made of germanium are a promising way to extend silicon-compatible imaging beyond the visible spectrum. They also use mature CMOS fabrication and readout electronics. This thesis details the recovery, initialization, and evaluation of a germanium focal plane array (FPA) infrared camera system using both a sealed TriWave camera and a modular prototype platform. Functionality was restored to this legacy hardware, and repeatable testing workflows were established for evaluating packaged infrared imagers under controlled indoor and outdoor conditions. The prototype used a custom software interface named Merlott for evaluation, and it followed a standard sequence that included checking …


How Consumer Awareness Of Sustainability And Labor Practices Shape Fast Fashion Purchase Intentions, Sydney Smith May 2026

How Consumer Awareness Of Sustainability And Labor Practices Shape Fast Fashion Purchase Intentions, Sydney Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study examines how consumer awareness of sustainability issues and unethical labor practices influences fast fashion purchase intentions. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behavior and supported by the Symbolic Interaction Theory, the research explores how awareness, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and price sensitive shape consumer decision-making. A quantitative research design was employed using a self-administered online survey distributed via social media platforms. The final sample included 187 participants, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression. Findings revealed that although participants reported moderate to high levels of awareness, this awareness did not significantly …


Does The Medium Make A Difference? A Quantitative Study Of Traditional Versus Social Media, Erin Elaine Bailey May 2026

Does The Medium Make A Difference? A Quantitative Study Of Traditional Versus Social Media, Erin Elaine Bailey

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People are changing why they use social media, what used to be a way to unwind and stay in touch with old friends is now being used for something much different. This study looks into how young adults (ages 18–25) perceive and retain information from social media compared to traditional media. As social media increasingly functions as both an entertainment and news source, the distinction between it and traditional journalism continues to diminish. Using a quota sample of 300 participants, data were collected through a Qualtrics survey measuring media engagement, usage, perceived credibility, and knowledge retention. Participants were exposed to …


Religion, Crime, And The Mediating Effects Of Social Control And Self-Control, Parker Bowman May 2026

Religion, Crime, And The Mediating Effects Of Social Control And Self-Control, Parker Bowman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Past research on the relationship between religion and crime has found the two variables have a significant negative correlation. Currently, there are two main mechanisms used to explain this relationship: social control and self-control. Social control theorists argue that participation in religious organizations decreases criminal behaviors by increasing social bonds. Self-control theorists argue that religious norms and values decrease criminal behavior by increasing an individual's self-control. While both mechanisms have been well supported by research, there remains the question of which is the stronger mediator of the religion-crime relationship. This study seeks to answer this question by comparing the effects …


Exploring Retention And Satisfaction Among Arkansas County-Level Cooperative Extension Employees: A Job Embeddedness Perspective, Rebecca M. Simon Dec 2025

Exploring Retention And Satisfaction Among Arkansas County-Level Cooperative Extension Employees: A Job Embeddedness Perspective, Rebecca M. Simon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Abstract This quantitative study investigated the retention of county-level employees within the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service (CES) using Job Embeddedness Theory (JET) as the theoretical framework. The research aimed to describe levels of job embeddedness, job satisfaction, and intent to stay, and to examine the relationships among these variables. A census of 328 CES employees was conducted, yielding a 53% response rate. Data were collected through a validated online survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Results indicated high scores in organizational fit and sacrifice dimensions, while links to organization and community were comparatively lower. Age …


Work-Related Pathology At Tell El-Amarna: The Physical Cost Of Building A New Capital City In The New Kingdom, Egypt, Heidi Suzanne Davis Dec 2025

Work-Related Pathology At Tell El-Amarna: The Physical Cost Of Building A New Capital City In The New Kingdom, Egypt, Heidi Suzanne Davis

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines patterns of work-related indicators of physical stress in a skeletal sample from the non-elite adult population of the South Tombs Cemetery (STC) of Amarna, Egypt. Assessing work-related pathology using an integrative model of physical stress, this study considers the interactions of demographic parameters of age, sex, and injury recurrence, along with archaeological and documentary data to provide a biocultural contextual approach to physical stress in this population. The STC sample is compared to other samples from Egyptian and Nubian sites as well as historical samples believed to be under high physical demands and stressful conditions. The STC …


Spiral, William Edward Krauland Dec 2025

Spiral, William Edward Krauland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Spiral is an audio programme comprised of six individual, but related, parts. Installed in Rogers, Arkansas at the historical Rogers Milk Processing Plant, colloquially known as “The Creamery”, on the evening on November 7th, Spiral presented the audience with complex entanglements of noise, both gentle and harsh, field recordings, feedback, and synthesized melody. Built in parts, each section of the audio programme used elements from the others, spiraling on itself, attempting a deeper understanding of its own structure and meaning through both moments of centrifugal and centripetal force. Let us consider the following “thesis” a supplement or a reflection on …


Toward A Better Understanding Of Friction, Adhesion, And Stud Bearing Shear Transfer At The Steel-Concrete Interface Of Composite Bridge Girders, Callie Grace James Dec 2025

Toward A Better Understanding Of Friction, Adhesion, And Stud Bearing Shear Transfer At The Steel-Concrete Interface Of Composite Bridge Girders, Callie Grace James

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Following curing of the concrete deck, load transfer between the concrete and steel components in a composite bridge girder is possible through three mechanisms: 1) mechanical contact (bearing) between the embedded shear connectors and surrounding cured concrete, 2) adhesion between the cured concrete and steel-section top flange, and 3) friction between the contacting materials Understanding the mechanisms of bearing, adhesion, and friction shear transfer at the steel-concrete interface of composite bridge girders is necessary for efficient proportioning of headed shear connectors (or studs) in design. To better understand the roles that stud bearing, adhesion, and friction play in composite girder …


Essays On The Economics Of Farmland Valuation And Investment In U.S. Agriculture, Colson Tester Dec 2025

Essays On The Economics Of Farmland Valuation And Investment In U.S. Agriculture, Colson Tester

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents three empirical essays that collectively advance the understanding of farmland valuation in key U.S. agricultural regions, emphasizing the critical advantages of comprehensive, transaction-based data over traditional survey methods. Farmland represents a significant portion of agricultural wealth, and its accurate valuation is crucial for farmers, investors, and policymakers, influencing everything from credit access to investment strategies. Historically, research has often relied on subjective survey data, which can suffer from biases, inaccuracies, and insufficient granularity. This dissertation addresses these limitations by leveraging extensive datasets of arm’s-length farmland transactions, offering a more precise and market-driven perspective on land values. The …


Computational Fluid Dynamics Based Optimization Method Applied To Hydrokinetic Turbine Devices, Stuart Glenn Fletcher Dec 2025

Computational Fluid Dynamics Based Optimization Method Applied To Hydrokinetic Turbine Devices, Stuart Glenn Fletcher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis presents a computational investigation of optimal kinematic operating parameters governing various hydrokinetic turbines (HKT) systems for the use of power generation within river and tidal environments. Two separate studies are performed. The first study investigates optimal cycle parameters for simple and complex kinematic modes governing the motion of oscillating foil energy harvesters (OFEH). An iterative gradient-ascent optimization method is used to search for local efficiency optima based on an initial set of kinematic parameters. To search the operational space for up to eight degrees of freedom (DOF), a maximin space filling condition was implemented to efficiently compute initial …


Validation Studies Of A Dynamic Hybrid Rans-Les Turbulence Modeling Strategy For Cfd Simulation Of Gas Turbine Component Film Cooling, Cole Simmonds Dec 2025

Validation Studies Of A Dynamic Hybrid Rans-Les Turbulence Modeling Strategy For Cfd Simulation Of Gas Turbine Component Film Cooling, Cole Simmonds

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Computational prediction of the flow physics associated with gas turbine film cooling is important for ensuring effective heat transfer design. These flow fields are highly turbulent and anisotropic, making the accuracy and efficiency of the chosen turbulence model an important aspect of performing high quality computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based analysis. Current industry standard Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) turbulence models such as RANS k-ω SST, while computationally efficient, are subject to relatively high levels of uncertainty in their ability to predict these turbulent flow fields. In contrast, high fidelity methods such as Large Eddy Simulation (LES) are computationally very expensive, while …


Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Air Purification System In Reducing Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens, Abdulaziz Ali Alqahtani Dec 2025

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Air Purification System In Reducing Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis Lameness In Broiler Chickens, Abdulaziz Ali Alqahtani

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is the primary cause of lameness in commercial broiler production and has a profound impact on animal welfare and cost-effectiveness. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effect of an air purification system on mitigating BCO lameness in broiler chickens. One thousand eight hundred broiler chicks were reared in two side-by-side research barns. Eight air filtration units were installed in one building, and none in the other. Treatment groups in both houses included positive control birds on wire flooring to induce BCO, as well as negative control, feed additive, vaccination, and a combination …


Enhancing Tribological Performance Of Graphite Coatings Through Spray Deposition And Adhesion-Promoting Polydopamine Underlayers, Adedoyin Ayomide Abe Dec 2025

Enhancing Tribological Performance Of Graphite Coatings Through Spray Deposition And Adhesion-Promoting Polydopamine Underlayers, Adedoyin Ayomide Abe

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Graphite is a widely studied solid lubricant valued for its low friction and layered structure. However, its application as a durable coating remains constrained by poor adhesion to metal substrates and limited wear resistance under sliding. This dissertation presents a systematic approach to overcoming these limitations by integrating deposition process optimization with surface chemistry modification to develop scalable, high-performance graphite coatings. Unlike many prior studies that focus on polished or idealized surfaces, this work targets steel substrates with elevated roughness levels (Sa ≥ 1 μm), aligning with conditions found in practical engineering components. The first phase of research begins by …


Rapid Construction Of Short Gap Crossings Using Indigenous Timber, Jack Everett Hamburger Dec 2025

Rapid Construction Of Short Gap Crossings Using Indigenous Timber, Jack Everett Hamburger

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines multiple design options for constructing short span crossings for the military using indigenous timbers. Using indigenous timbers allows for a significant reduction in resources that must be brought into a site for construction. Construction time is minimized by optimizing the steps to convert indigenous timber into structural members for use as timbers in a short gap crossing. A major objective during this thesis study was to examine approaches for maximizing timber strength for design purposes and reduce timber weight for handling purposes. Wood strength and wood weight are highly dependent on moisture content. Decreasing moisture content addresses …


Reading Between Lines: Mapping El Orinoco Ilustrado, Guillermo Pupo Pernet Dec 2025

Reading Between Lines: Mapping El Orinoco Ilustrado, Guillermo Pupo Pernet

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines El Orinoco Ilustrado (EOI) by Joseph Gumilla as a layered textual and cartographic artifact central to the production of colonial knowledge in the Orinoco River basin. Moving beyond surface narratives of evangelization and exploration, it interrogates the sombras and silencios implanted in the Jesuit chronicle. Through an intradisciplinary approach combining literary analysis, archival research, and visual studies, the study reveals how EOI helped construct imperial visions of space, race, and resource extraction in eighteenth-century Spanish America. The dissertation is structured around six chapters. Chapter One outlines a theoretical framework. Chapter Two provides a longue durée historical context, …


Effects Of Injectable Trace Mineral Timing On Calf Performance And Health Indicators, Marie E. Goulais Dec 2025

Effects Of Injectable Trace Mineral Timing On Calf Performance And Health Indicators, Marie E. Goulais

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One hundred and fourteen calves (average BW= 224kg ± 89kg) were utilized to evaluate the effects of injectable trace mineral (ITM) administration on calf performance and health when administered pre-weaning and at weaning. Calves were blocked by sex, stratified by age, and randomly assigned to one of the following treatment groups: 1) no ITM injection (CON), 2) ITM administered 28 d before weaning (PW), or 3) ITM administration at weaning (WEAN). Calves were vaccinated against respiratory pathogens on D-28 and D0. At weaning, cattle were transported to a local auction market, held overnight and returned the following morning. Body weight …


Just Because They Can, Doesn’T Mean They Will: College Students’ Use And Non-Use Of Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies, Patrick Walter Mcclain Dec 2025

Just Because They Can, Doesn’T Mean They Will: College Students’ Use And Non-Use Of Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies, Patrick Walter Mcclain

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

College students engage in high levels of alcohol consumption, which can increase their risk of alcohol-related negative consequences. To address this, researchers developed Alcohol Protective Behavioral Strategies (APBS), which are actions that students can take before or while drinking to limit their alcohol use and/or reduce their likelihood of experiencing drinking harms. However, students’ APBS use could depend on their perceived usefulness of these strategies, whether they engage in high-risk drinking, or both. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate: (1) what percentage of students (a) perceive each APBS as useful and (b) implement the APBS they find useful, (2) …


Understanding Outer Solar System Ice Composition Through Impact Processes: Simulations And Hydrates, Jill Rebecca Mcdonald Dec 2025

Understanding Outer Solar System Ice Composition Through Impact Processes: Simulations And Hydrates, Jill Rebecca Mcdonald

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work concerns solar system ices, particularly water ice and clathrate hydrates. Water ice is abundant as a mineral in the outer parts of the solar system, providing source material for the formation of clathrates. We explored constituents through a combination of numerical modeling and laboratory experiments. Understanding the differences and similarities between these materials can shed light on planetary habitability, composition, and evolution. Chapter one contains relevant background information. This chapter introduces the ices that will be studied and gives insight into the locations of interest within our solar system. It also explains the mechanics of impact cratering processes …