Digital Commons Network^™

When Coal Was King, Rachele Trzcinski

Theses

My work is my research. Thinking and learning are a part of my process. The lessons and challenges in one project are merely stepping stones for the next. My body of work becomes a long series that shows a connection between each piece, slowly growing and exploring. My ideas stem from my immediate surroundings. I am a reporter and my artwork is my article.

I have been researching the coal mining and other related industries of Scranton, Pennsylvania and its surrounding areas. An area that helped build the industrial revolution in America’s early years, only to be neglected once the …

Multiwavelength Imaging Of Planetary Nebulae: Resolving & Disentangling Structure, Marcus J. Freeman

Theses

Planetary nebulae (PNe) represent the late stages of low-mass stellar evolution. The formation of the myriad of PNe morphologies involves processes that are present in many other astrophysical systems such as the wind-blown bubbles of massive stars. In this dissertation we present the result of an X-ray study of PNe, and two modeling projects that incorporate the resulting data with the goal of furthering our understanding of their X-ray properties and morphologies, and the 3D multiwavelength structure of PNe. This work expands the Chandra Planetary Nebula Survey (ChanPlaNS), which was designed to investigate X-ray emission from PNe, frm 35 to …

Series Solutions Of Multi-Term Fractional Differential Equations, Yousef Ibrahim Al-Srihin

Theses

In this thesis, we introduce a new series solutions for multi-term fractional differential equations of Caputo’s type. The idea is similar to the well-known Taylor Series method, but we overcome the difficulty of computing iterated fractional derivatives, which do not commuted in general. To illustrate the efficiency of the new algorithm, we apply it for several types of multi-term fractional differential equations and compare the results with the ones obtained by the well-known Adomian decomposition method (ADM).

Homology Based Motif Generation, Cameron Baker

Theses

Generating motifs from known active sites and matching those motifs to an uncharacterized protein is a classic way of determining protein function. Until now, the generation of motifs has been based purely on enzymatic function. This approach does not account for situations where highly different active sites can arrive at the same function by processes like convergent evolution. As such, a secondary metric on which to base the generation of motifs is necessary. This metric exists in the form of UniProt designation for homologous proteins on a global scale or PFam for designation of homologous proteins at the active site …

Heavy Ball With Friction Method For The Elastography Inverse Problem, Oladayo Eluyefa

Theses

The primary objective of this thesis is to develop a fast and efficient computational framework for the nonlinear inverse problem of identifying a variable coefficient in a system of partial differential equation modelling the response of an incompressible elastic object under some known body forces and boundary traction. The main novelty of this contribution is to use, for the first time, of the so-called heavy ball with friction method for inverse problems. The heavy ball with friction dynamical system is a nonlinear oscillator with damping. The key idea is to pose the inverse problem as an optimization problem, derive its …

Evaluation Of Reproductive Strategies In Captive California Yellowtail (Seriola Dorsalis) Using Genetic Parentage Analyses, Elizabeth K. Smith, Mark Drawbridge Ms, John Hyde Phd, Geoffrey Morse Phd

Theses

A good understanding of spawning dynamics of species in aquaculture is vital in order to maximize egg production and quality as well as efficient allocation of food and space resources. The breeding program of California yellowtail (CYT; Seriola dorsalis previously Seriola lalandi) at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI) is set up such that up to 30 wild caught brood fish can broadcast spawn in a group setting, just as CYT reproduce in the wild. The population of brood fish were originally caught offshore from Southern California, and are maintained under ambient sea water and natural lighting conditions. The spawning season …

Modeling And Analysis Of Or Nurse Scheduling Using Mathematical Programming And Simulation, Clayton Tontarski

Theses

Nurse scheduling is a complex problem. The act of assigning each nurse to a specific shift for each day of a scheduling horizon, while ensuring to fulfill the demand of the operating rooms (ORs) is very time consuming. Current methods used in practice often develop solutions that are suboptimal, resulting in low nurse utilization, low nurse satisfaction, patient delays, or overtime pay for nurses. In this paper we propose an approach that utilizes simulation, simulation-based optimization, and mathematical programming as tools for solving complex nurse scheduling problems. We discuss how the simulation-based optimization generates multiple alternative shift plans, defined as …

A Secure Neuromemristive Primitive To Mitigate Correlation Power Analysis On Sha-3 Hash Function, James B. Thesing

Theses

Passing messages to soldiers on the battle field, conducting online banking, and downloading files on the internet are very different applications that all share one thing in common, concerns over security of the data being processed. Data security depends on the cryptographic systems that take into account both the algorithmic weakness and the weaknesses of the hardware devices they are implemented on. The current dominant hardware design medium is complementary metal-oxide-semi-conductor (CMOS). CMOS has been shown to leak more power as the technology node size decreases. The leaked power has a strong correlation with the bits being manipulated inside a …

Geometric Integrators With Application To Hamiltonian Systems, Hebatallah Jamil Al Sakaji

Theses

Geometric numerical integration is a relatively new area of numerical analysis. The aim is to preserve the geometric properties of the flow of a differential equation such as symplecticity or reversibility. A conventional numerical integrator approximates the flow of the continuous-time equations using only the information about the vector field, ignoring the physical laws and the properties of the original trajectory. In this way, small inaccuracies accumulated over long periods of time will significantly diminish the operational lifespan of such discrete solutions. Geometric integrators, on the other hand, are built in a way that preserve the structure of continuous dynamics, …

Modeling The Controlled Delivery Power Grid, Vinit Madhukar Sahasrabudhe

Theses

Competitive energy markets, stricter regulation, and the integration of distributed renewable energy sources are forcing companies to reengineer energy production and distribution. The Controlled Delivery Power Grid is proposed as a novel approach to transport energy from generators to consumers. In this approach, energy distribution is performed in an asynchronous and distributed fashion. Much like the Internet, energy is delivered as addressable packets, which allow a controlled delivery of energy.

As a proof-of-concept of the controllable delivery grid, two experimental test beds, one with integrated energy storage and another with no energy storage, were designed and built to evaluate the …

Tear Film Dynamics Concerning A Lipid Reservoir, Gregory A. Barron

Theses

We investigate the dynamics of the human multilayer tear film, subject to a reservoir of lipid at the lids. A numerical method is constructed to solve a one-dimensional tear film model, derived using lubrication theory. Three choices for the open eye boundary conditions are explored including a specified lipid to mimic a lipid reservoir, a no lipid flux boundary condition to conserve lipid initially present in the system, and finally mixed lipid flux boundary condition which to our knowledge, has not been previously studied. For the blinking eye, we choose to use no diffusive flux for the lipid boundary condition.

A Methodology To Estimate Supply Chain Cost Of Low Demand Parts, Amey S. Mhapsekar

Theses

As according to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, automobile manufacturers are required to provide spare parts for any model they sell, for a minimum span of 10 years. In the automobile/ aviation industry, the demand for replacement parts is generally met using conventional manufacturing processes such as injection molding (IM) and stocking parts in warehouses. IM proves economical when the demand is high and continuous. The demand for replacement parts is generally low and intermittent and stocking parts in inventory to meet future demands proves expensive and the possibility of stock-outs or parts going obsolete is high.

Rapid Manufacturing (RM) is …

Statistical Study Of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections With Strong Magnetic Fields, Matthew E. Murphy

Theses

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) with strong magnetic fields (B) are typically associated with significant Solar Energetic Particle (SEP) events, high solar wind speed and solar flare events. Successful prediction of the arrival time of a CME at Earth is required to maximize the time available for satellite, infrastructure, and space travel programs to take protective action against the coming flux of high-energy particles. It is known that the magnetic field strength of a CME is linked to the strength of a geomagnetic storm on Earth. Unfortunately, the correlations between strong magnetic field CMEs from the entire sun (especially from the …

Spectrally Based Material Color Equivalency: Modeling And Manipulation, Maxim W. Derhak

Theses

A spectrally based normalization methodology (Wpt normalization) for linearly transforming cone excitations or sensor values (sensor excitations) to a representation that preserves the perceptive concepts of lightness, chroma and hue is proposed resulting in a color space with the axes labeled W , p, t. Wpt (pronounced “Waypoint") has been demonstrated to be an effective material color equivalency space that provides the basis for defining Material Adjustment Transforms that predict the changes in sensor excitations of material spectral reflectance colors due to variations in observer or illuminant. This is contrasted with Chromatic Adaptation Transforms that predict color appearance as defined …

Individual Colorimetric Observers For Personalized Color Imaging, Yuta Asano

Theses

Colors are typically described by three values such as RGB, XYZ, and HSV. This is rooted to the fact that humans possess three types of photoreceptors under photopic conditions, and human color vision can be characterized by a set of three color matching functions (CMFs). CMFs integrate spectra to produce three colorimetric values that are related to visual responses. In reality, large variations in CMFs exist among color-normal populations. Thus, a pair of two spectrally different stimuli might be a match for one person but a mismatch for another person, also known as observer metamerism.

Observer metamerism is a serious …

Signature Simulation And Characterization Of Mixed Solids In The Visible And Thermal Regimes, Tyler D. Carson

Theses

Solid target signatures vary due to geometry, chemical composition and scene radiometry. Although radiative transfer models and function-fit physical models may describe certain targets in limited depth, the ability to incorporate all three of these signature variables is difficult. This work describes a method to simulate the transient signatures of mixed solids and soils by first considering scene geometry that was synthetically created using 3-d physics engines. Through the assignment of spectral data from the Nonconventional Exploitation Factors Data System (NEFDS) and other libraries, synthetic scenes are represented as a chemical mixture of particles. Finally, first principles radiometry is modeled …

Changes In Properties Of Coal As A Result Of Continued Bioconversion, Rohit Pandey

Theses

Microbial actions on coal have long been identified as a source of methane in coalbeds. Andrew Scott (1995) was the first to propose imitating the natural process of biogenic gasification, possibly leading to recharging coalbed methane (CBM) reservoirs, or setting up natural gas reservoirs in non-producing coalbeds. This study was aimed at identifying the changes in coal properties that affect gas deliverability in coal-gas reservoirs, when treated with microbial consortia to generate/enhance gas production. The experimental work tested the sorption and diffusion properties for the coal treated and, more importantly, the variation in the relevant parameters with continued bio-conversion since …

Design Of A Neuromemristive Echo State Network Architecture, Qutaiba Mohammed Saleh

Theses

Echo state neural networks (ESNs) provide an efficient classification technique for spatiotemporal signals. The feedback connections in the ESN enable feature extraction in both spatial and temporal components in time series data. This property has been used in several application domains such as image and video analysis, anomaly detection, and speech recognition. The software implementations of the ESN demonstrated efficiency in processing such applications, and have low design cost and flexibility. However, hardware implementation is necessary for power constrained resources applications such as therapeutic and mobile devices. Moreover, software realization consumes an order or more power compared to the hardware …

Measuring The Terahertz Refractive Index Of Boron-Doped Silicon Using A Photoconducting Antenna Terahertz Generator, Brendan P. Mcnamara

Theses

The frequency range commonly referred to as the terahertz gap occurs between the infrared and microwave regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. This range of frequencies is highly suited to investigating the free carrier interactions of materials, as the range is particularly sensitive to these interactions. Using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS), it is possible to measure the effect these interactions have on a terahertz pulse and, using classical optical techniques, determine the terahertz refractive index of a given material, which is directly related to the free carrier spectrum of said material. Knowing the refractive index of a material in the THz …

A Switched System Identification Approach To Spindle Modeling, Mohsin Farooq

Theses

Due to new advances in convex optimization, in particular, semidefinite programming, previously infeasible problems are now in the realm of possibility. Mainly, there have been new breakthroughs in the model- ing of signals as the output of switched dynamical systems where the switching indicates underlying events of interest. This method is known as hybrid system identification. These problems can be formulated as polynomial optimization problems by which, through algebraic refor- mulations, convex optimization approaches now exist.

In this work, we explore the application of these new approaches, which lay at the intersection of systems and control with machine learning, for …

Revealing Influence: Exploring British Identity, Sexual Power, And Lyric Ambiguity In Spenser, Keats, And Tennyson, Sarah Curtis

Theses

The poets of the Romantic period and before learned their craft by reading poetry. John Keats fell in love with poetry when he was about seventeen and became a powerhouse in the canon of poetic literature by reading and thinking about poetry—what it is, how it’s made, and its value. Although critics regularly consider multiple sources, and even trace influence from one poet to another, influence is rarely the focus of critical analysis, but is instead a method of that analysis. Influence is not merely a tool, but a lens through which to understand more fully how poetry’s form and …

Factors Affecting Terrigenous Sedimentation In Coastal Bays With Coral Reefs: Implications For Monitoring The Effectiveness Of Watershed Restoration, Whitney Sears

Theses

In the Caribbean, sedimentation has been identified as a serious threat to coral reef communities. Although land-based sediment delivery to coastal waters harboring coral reefs occurs under natural conditions, human activities in the watersheds above reefs increases the erosion and delivery of terrigenous sediment to the reefs. Delivery of terrigenous sediment into marine areas below developed watersheds affects sedimentation rates, alters the composition and texture of sediments that are suspended in the water column, and/or sediments that are deposited on the sea floor and on corals.

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands is an ideal location to study the effects of …

Empirical Measurement And Model Validation Of Infrared Spectra Of Contaminated Surfaces, Sean Archer

Theses

The goal of this thesis was to validate predicted infrared spectra of liquid contaminated surfaces from a micro-scale bi-directional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) model through the use of empirical measurement. Liquid contaminated surfaces generally require more sophisticated radiometric modeling to numerically describe surface properties. The Digital Image and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model utilizes radiative transfer modeling to generate synthetic imagery for a variety of applications. Aside from DIRSIG, a micro-scale model known as microDIRSIG has been developed as a rigorous ray tracing physics-based model that could predict the BRDF of geometric surfaces that are defined as micron to …

Controlling The Transient Interface Shape And Deposition Profile Left By Desiccation Of Colloidal Droplets On Multiple Polymer Surfaces, Peter David Dunning

Theses

A colloidal suspension is a small constituent of insoluble solid particles suspended in a liquid medium. Control over the wetting, evaporation, and deposition patterns left by colloidal suspensions is valuable in many biological, medical, industrial, and agricultural applications. Understanding the governing principles of wetting and evaporative phenomena of these colloidal suspensions may lead to greater control over resultant deposition patterns. Perhaps the most familiar pattern forms when an initially heterogeneous colloidal suspension leaves a dark ring pattern at the edge of a drop. This pattern is referred to as a coffee-stain and it can be seen from dried droplets of …

Puncture Initial Data And Evolution Of Black Hole Binaries With High Speed And High Spin, Ian Ruchlin

Theses

This dissertation explores numerical models of the orbit, inspiral, and merger phases of black hole binaries. We focus on the astrophysically realistic case of black holes with nearly extremal spins, and on high energy black hole collisions. To study the evolution of such systems, we form puncture initial data by solving the four general relativity constraint equations using pseudospectral methods on a compactified collocation point domain. The solutions to these coupled, nonlinear, elliptic differential equations represent the desired configuration at an initial moment. They are then propagated forward through time using a set of hyperbolic evolution equations with the moving …

Using Stochastic Differential Equations To Model Gap-Junction Gating Dynamics In Cardiac Myocytes, Will Consagra

Theses

The cell-to-cell propagation of the cardiac action potential allows for the electro-mechanical coupling of cells, which promotes the coordinated contraction of cardiac tissue, often referred to as the heartbeat. The main structures that promote electrical coupling between adjacent cardiac cells are pore-like proteins called gap junctions that line the membranes of such cells, allowing a channel for electrically charged ions to travel between cells. It is known that the conformational, and hence conducting, properties of gap-junction channels change as a function of local gap-junctional voltage and local ionic concentrations and are stochastic in nature. Many previous models of gap junctions …

Extraction Of Vegetation Biophysical Structure From Small-Footprint Full-Waveform Lidar Signals, Paul Romanczyk

Theses

The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) is a continental scale environmental monitoring initiative tasked with characterizing and understanding ecological phenomenology over a 30-year time frame. To support this mission, NEON collects ground truth measurements, such as organism counts and characterization, carbon flux measurements, etc. To spatially upscale these plot-based measurements, NEON developed an airborne observation platform (AOP), with a high-resolution visible camera, next-generation AVIRIS imaging spectrometer, and a discrete and waveform digitizing light detection and ranging (lidar) system. While visible imaging, imaging spectroscopy, and discrete lidar are relatively mature technologies, our understanding of and associated algorithm development for small-footprint full-waveform …

An Analytical Framework For Assessing The Efficacy Of Small Satellites In Performing Novel Imaging Missions, Oesa A. Weaver

Theses

In the last two decades, small satellites have opened up the use of space to groups other than governments and large corporations, allowing for increased participation and experimentation. This democratization of space was primarily enabled by two factors: improved technology and reduced launch costs. Improved technology allowed the miniaturization of components and reduced overall cost meaning many of the capabilities of larger satellites could be replicated at a fraction of the cost. In addition, new launcher systems that could host many small satellites as ride-shares on manifested vehicles lowered launch costs and simplified the process of getting a satellite into …

Testing And Evaluating Dye Color: A Study Using Spectrophotometry On Technicolor And Eastman Color Motion Picture Film, Melissa Sagen

Theses

The history of color motion picture film is linked to two companies: Technicolor and Eastman Kodak. Technicolor was formed in 1915 by Herbert Kalmus, Daniel Comstock, and W. Burton Wescott, who realized that color film could enhance motion picture entertainment. Introduced in 1932, it was a three-color process that was widely used into the late 1950s. The three-color process utilized a camera with one lens that exposed three black and white negatives simultaneously by splitting the incoming visible light through a prism. The prism would create two beams of light which would then expose one film negative to green light …

Robot Learning Dual-Arm Manipulation Tasks By Trial-And-Error And Multiple Human Demonstrations, Sulabh Kumra

Theses

In robotics, there is a need of an interactive and expedite learning method as experience is expensive. In this research, we propose two different methods to make a humanoid robot learn manipulation tasks: Learning by trial-and-error, and Learning from demonstrations. Just like the way a child learns a new task assigned to him by trying all possible alternatives and further learning from his mistakes, the robot learns in the same manner in learning by trial-and error. We used Q-learning algorithm, in which the robot tries all the possible ways to do a task and creates a matrix that consists of …