Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Phenology To Assist In Hyperspectral Species Classification Of A Northern Hardwood Forest, Gretchen Sprehe

Theses

Tree species have unique spectral reflectance patterns that allows them to be both compared to other objects and to other types of trees. Increasing the spectral separation of such images may assist with surveying and forestry inventories. In past studies, most classifications were done with summer leaves, which darken and become very similar shades of green. This study utilized the phenology of trees to investigate how the changing colors of young or senescing leaves may assist in species classification based on aerial images. Images were taken of the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is mainly dominated by sugar maple (Acer …

To Catch The Sun, Virginia M. Orzel

Theses

Not Included

Formulation And Implementation Of Environmental Strategies In Printing Firms: A Comparison Between The U.S. And Germany, Diana B. Mross

Theses

This thesis will guide the reader through the investigation process of a research area previously ignored in the research literature: the formulation and implementation of environmental strategies in printing companies. It will address strategies in printing firms, primarily from a cultural and structural point of view, which are formulated and implemented to help protect the environment and to save resources. The investigation will include a review of previous literature regarding strategy, environmental management and technology, and health and safety management. It will introduce the research questions, the methodology, and the analysis of research findings.

Through the exploratory case study method, …

Modeling Multiple Scattering And Absorption For A Differential Absorption Lidar System, Daniel D. Blevins

Theses

The Digital Image and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) model has been developed and utilized to support research at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) for over a decade. The model is an established, first-principles-based scene simulation tool that has been focused on passive multi- and hyper-spectral sensing from the visible to long wave infrared (0.4 to 14 pm). Leveraging photon mapping techniques utilized by the computer graphics community, a first-principles-based elastic Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) model was incorporated into the passive radiometry framework so that the model calculates arbitrary, time-gated photon counts at the sensor for atmospheric, topographic, …

Pltw/Cims Workcell Design, Brett Handley

Theses

Not included.

Symphony Of Nostalgia, Amena Saeed

Theses

Not included.

Comparison Of Hyperspectral Imagery Target Detection Algorithm Chains, David C. Grimm

Theses

Detection of a known target in an image has several different approaches. The complexity and number of steps involved in the target detection process makes a comparison of the different possible algorithm chains desirable. Of the different steps involved, some have a more significant impact than others on the final result the ability to find a target in an image. These more important steps often include atmospheric compensation, noise and dimensionality reduction, background characterization, and detection (matched filtering for this research). A brief overview of the algorithms to be compared for each step will be presented.

This research seeks to …

Web Service Infrastructure For Supply Chain, Pradip R. Chandratre

Theses

Managing a supply chain is one of the most complicated tasks today when erratic changes in demand must be met as soon as possible for staying competitive, while dealing with multitude of business partners that are involved in the chain. It is imperative that any changes in a corporation's product/service demand be immediately communicated with its suppliers and logistic service providers. This task of communication has long been overtaken by computerized systems from the telephones and fax machines. The computer technologies being used so far to connect two businesses are proving to be too rigid in today's world of mergers, …

Deployment Experiments For Ballooning On Mars (Debom), Aimee Nicolette Lemieux

Theses

One mode of planetary research involves balloons. They are relatively low cost, cover more area than a rover, obtain better resolution than an orbiter, and can collect data about the atmosphere [2]. From the study of their atmospheres, scientists believe that six planets and one moon of Saturn (Titan) can support balloon flights. According to scientists, Mars atmosphere may present the fewest challenges, allowing for a quicker timeline in using balloons [2]. At NASA's Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), experimental research has been conducted on one meter model Montgolfiere, Paraballoons, and Para-Montgolfiere balloons. The balloons were constructed of thin (0.6 mil), …

Effect Of Added C4-Alcohols On The Structure Of Microemulsion Droplets Measured By Small-Angle Neutron Scattering., Elvis A. Zambrano

Theses

The role of C₄-alcohols (n-butanol, 2-butanol and tert-butanol) in four component microemulsions is studied using neutron scattering. These microemulsions are dispersions of nanoscale droplets consisting of a core of water surrounded by a surfactant-stabilized shell. The particles are suspended in an oil (octane) continuum. The addition of a co-surfactant, such as a short-chain alcohol, modifies the droplet size and structure, as well as the rigidity of the surrounding shell. In this work, we investigate water-in-oil microemulsions employing small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments performed at the NIST Center for Neutron Research. Using this technique, it is possible to probe …

Implementation Of Urban Corridors Will Ease Environmental Impacts Between Residential And Industrial Zones, Tameria M. Warren

Theses

The objective of this work was to investigate the environmental conditions or patterns that impact cities and urban landscapes and to identify the reasonable buffers or corridors that can ease these impacts, primarily between industrial and residential areas. The hypothesis is that urban cities do face environmental impacts from various sources, a primary source being industrial practices, and that the implementation of corridors or buffers will minimize these impacts and possibly improve the environmental and socioeconomic conditions of the surrounding residential areas and the cities as a whole. The research included defining the structure of urban areas, investigating environmental impacts …

An Online Guide For Traveling In Southern Spain Using Gui Design And Actionscripting, Yun-Ju Peng

Theses

My project is a personal travel experience website as well as a traveling aid for those who are interested in southern Spain, including Cordoba, Seville and Granada. To differentiate it from the traditional media, I've created an online travel book with many movies, flamenco guitar music, attractive Spain photos and other interesting features for users to enjoy. With user-friendly interface and appealing parts, my thesis enables users to experience how and what southern Spain looks like. The users can not only flip the pages, jump to a specific page directly by clicking the part they want, they can also play …

The Mother Immaculate, Calvert J. Waller Iii

Theses

Not included.

Experimental And Theoretical Study Of A Uv Disinfection System For Water Treatment, Wei Yang

Theses

An innovative energy saving ultraviolet disinfection reactor has been developed and tested. The technical approach taken is to establish a relationship between the power consumption and the design features of a UV disinfection system, and then determine these design features by minimizing the power consumption function.

The circular-array type (CAT) UV reactor design consists of four short straight UV bulbs located circumferentially outside a quartz tube. A 4 inches diameter prototype was tested with a water flow rate of 1 1 GPM. Experimental results showed that the CAT UV reactor requires 30% less power consumption (9.6W) compared with a commercial …

What Prospective College Students Say Matters During The College Selection Process, Kari L. Steger

Theses

For most prospective college students, selecting a college is a highly involved, lengthy process. While past research has examined how high school students determine their college choice subsets and what information sources they use most during the college selection process, further research is needed to determine the most effective means of reaching prospective students. The current study employs focus group research to examine students' college selection processes to gain a better understanding of the types of information students seek during their college selection process, the media they use to find it, and the people whose guidance they seek when making …

Aquagp: Approximate Query Answering Using Genetic Programming, Jason Brandon Peltzer

Theses

Speed, cost, and accuracy are crucial performance parameters while evaluating the quality of a query using any Database Management System (DBMS). For some queries it may be possible to approximate the answer using an approximate query answering algorithm or tool. Also, for certain queries, it may not be critical to determine the perfect/exact results so long as the following conditions are true: (a) a high percentage of the relevant data is retrieved correctly, (b) irrelevant or extra data is minimized, and (c) an approximate answer (if available) results in a significant savings in terms of the overall query cost and …

Us Army Military Base Closures In Germany - Evaluation Of Eh&S Activities, Sandra L. Torres

Theses

This research assessed the effectiveness of existing Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Management programs for two army installations located in Germany that were scheduled for closure. These two base closures were separated by a period of four years. This research qualitatively assessed the control measures in place, the effectiveness of these measures, and the final status of EH&S issues upon completion of the base closure process.

EH&S programs were evaluated using interviews of employees involved in the base closure in order to determine what processes were in place to minimize environmental impacts, what actions were taken to ensure the health …

Evaluation Of Numerical, Analytical, And Experimental Particle Deposition In Simple And Lung Geometries, Pamela M. Snyder

Theses

Particle deposition is utilized to determine exposure limits, design inhaled medications, and study pulmonary disorders that are a result of airborne pathogens. This information can be obtained from analytical equations, experimental studies, empirical relationships, and numerical analysis.

This research utilizes analytical equations, empirical relationships, and experimental data to investigate the accuracy of three Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software packages; Fluent Discrete Phase Model (DPM), Fluent Fine Particle Model (FPM) and CFX. The sedimentation, molecular diffusion and impaction deposition mechanisms are investigated in a straight tube, bifurcating tube, and three generation lung geometry.

Sedimentation is evaluated in the straight tube for …

The Current And The String, Kristin C. Callahan

Theses

A descriptive narration of a project to create an interactive installation of video art and narration representing memory as it is altered by mood and circumstance, as seen through the relationship between father and daughter as it develops through her adolescence into adulthood. Includes shot list, production stills, text of the poem that narrates the video, and a DVD-R with the installation video followed by footage of viewers interacting with the installation.

Our Features And Our Fictions, Maria Fernanda Satizabal-Ruales

Theses

Not included.

Focus: An Efficient Solar Cooking System, Sampada Peshwe

Theses

Not included.

Effect Of Casting Conditions On The Crystallization And Resulting Morphology In Compatibilized And Uncompatibilized Poly (Ethylene Oxide )-Poly (Vinylidene Fluoride) Blends, Tejas Upasani

Theses

This thesis describes the effect of casting conditions on the crystallization and resulting morphology in compatibilized and uncompatibilized blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly (vinylidene fluoride). Two systems based on grades of PVDF were used: Kynar 301, pure PVDF, and Kynar7201, a 80:20 copolymer of PVDF and hexafluoro propylene. Poly (methyl methacrylate) and poly (vinyl acetate) were used as compatibilizers. Acetonitrile and tetrahydrofuran were used as common solvents to prepare the polymer blends. Two casting conditions were employed. In the first, hot polymer solutions were precipitated in cold hexane. In the second, the hot solutions were cast on aluminum pans. …

Shanghai Beauty, Ding Ye

Theses

Not included.

Characterization Of The Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Of The Macaca Fascicularis, Gregory Matuszek

Theses

In an attempt to establish Macaca fascicularis as a viable animal model for disease studies, characterization of the MHC class I genes is necessary. The necessity arises because the MHC class I molecules have a functional role in immune response. Pig-tailed macaques Macaca nemestrina) and rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), two species closely related to Macaca fascicularis have been commonly used to model HIV infection and are well characterized in regards to their MHC class I molecules. As an initial step in establishing M. fascicularis as an animal model, we have cloned and characterized both classical and nonclassical MHC class I …

Evaluation Of Errors In National Energy Forecasts, Denys Sakva

Theses

Energy forecasts are widely used by the U.S. government, politicians, think tanks, and utility companies. While short-term forecasts were reasonably accurate, medium and long-range forecasts have almost always been highly erroneous. In the U.S. many energy policy decisions are driven by Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) forecasts prepared by Energy Information Association (EIA). This thesis evaluates accuracy of AEO reports from 1982 to 2003. Parameters evaluated are: total energy consumption, energy consumption by sector, sector specific parameters, and major model assumptions. Error decomposition and regression analysis are used to appraise accuracy of forecasts. I found that often underlying parameters used to …

Regulation Of Sparc Gene Expression By The Activator Protein 1 Transcription Factor, Joseph William Briggs

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Overexpression of the c-Jun proto-oncogene in MCF7 breast cancer cells results in a variety of phenotypic changes related to malignant progression including a shift to estrogen independent growth, increased cell motility and invasion. Concurrent with these phenotypic changes are alterations to cellular gene expression patterns. One gene that becomes highly upregulated is SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine). Increased SPARC expression is associated with malignant progression in a variety of different cancers, although little is known regarding the mechanisms of SPARC gene regulation. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the mechanisms by which c-Jun …

The Application Of A System Of Systems Analysis To Assessments Of National Power, George T. Hodermarsky

Graduate Program in International Studies Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation proposes an approach and methodology for the utilization of the fundamentals of systems theory as an aid to national security decision-making. At its core is an examination of the elements of nations' or non-state actor's power resources. The product of the analysis is the compilation of a set of nodes, and the relationships between these, upon which actions may be taken to achieve desired effects. Since the boundaries between the subsystems of power resources are flexible and permeable, and there will be interactions between elements in different subsystems, a system of systems approach is essential so that the …

Benthic Fisheries Ecology In A Changing Environment: Unraveling Process To Achieve Prediction, Mark J. Butler Iv

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Marine fisheries and the ecosystems that sustain them are increasingly beset by environmental deterioration, and the problem is particularly acute in coastal zones where human Populations are increasing. In the best of circumstances, fishery managers are faced with the multiple, often conflicting, demands of resource users, politicians, and scientists when considering strategies for resource management. A further challenge is that management decisions must be made against a backdrop of a deteriorating environment and the shifting status of coastal ecosystem integrity. Traditional tools for single-species management may be inadequate in these settings. Furthermore. the necessary empirical data to appropriately parameterize models …

Complex System Contextual Framework (Cscf): A Grounded-Theory Construction For The Articulation Of System Context In Addressing Complex Systems Problems, W. B. Max Crownover

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The complexity of problems facing society continues to grow, and decision-makers and problem-solvers are finding many of today's emerging problems to be beyond their capability to adequately address. There is agreement in the literature that problems of this nature are complex system problems, inextricably linked to some highly complex system of systems. Establishing a clear understanding of the specific complex system context is fundamental to the process of understanding and analyzing complex systems and complex system problems across all of the different systems-based disciplines. While complex system context is widely referred to in systems literature, there is no clear characterization …

The Influence Of Ammonia And Carbon Dioxide On The Sorption Of A Basic Organic Pollutant To A Mineral Surface, Maneerat Ongwandee, Glenn Morrison, S. S. Bettinger

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Indoor surfaces have a sorptive capacity for organic pollutants which may be significantly influenced by other gases and the pH of the surface. in this research, we examine the influence of a common indoor gaseous acid, CO₂, and base, NH₃, on the adsorption of a volatile organic base, trimethylamine (TMA), to a mineral surface, zirconium silicate beads. Varying ammonia and CO₂ within concentration ranges of indoor relevance substantially influences the sorptive capacity of this mineral surface. Increasing the CO₂ mixing ratio to 1000 p.p.m. enhances surface capacity of TMA by 40-50%; increasing the NH3 …