Digital Commons Network^™

Reconciling Holocene Alluvial Records In Buckskin Wash, Southern Utah, Jonathan E. Harvey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Most approaches to interpreting alluvial records in drylands fall into one of two categories: (1) The "arroyo problem," wherein workers study cycles of streambed aggradation and degradation in broad, unconstricted alluvial valleys; and (2) paleoflood hydrology, where alluvial sequences in constricted bedrock canyons are interpreted as paleoflood deposits from streams with stable channel grade and geometry. Both approaches can be valid in their end-member settings, but there is confusion about how the two record types relate in a single drainage. We address this disconnect in Buckskin Wash, an ephemeral stream that consists of a broad alluvial reach draining into a …

Parshall Flume Staff Gauge Location And Entrance Wingwall Discharge Calibration Corrections, Bryan J. Heiner

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Utah Water Research Laboratory, in conjunction with the State of Utah, initiated a study to determine the accuracy of a wide variety of flow measurement devices in Utah. The project selected 70 sites with flow measurement devices throughout the state. During the assessment each device had its physical condition and flow measurement accuracy documented.

Although a wide variety of flow measurement devices were tested, the majority were Parshall flumes. Many of the assessed Parshall flumes were not measuring flow to the specified ±5 percent design accuracy. Problems in flow measurement were due to issues with the staff gauge location …

Desert Solecisms: The Revitalization Of Self And Community Through Edward Abbey, The Cold War, And The Sacred Fire Circle, Lyra Hilliard

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This creative thesis is a braided narrative in which I explore the promised lands of Utah through my travels in the summer of 2008, the Cold War defense industry, and the early career of writer Edward Abbey. America's domestic and foreign policy shifts in the first decade of the Cold War contributed to the rise of modern environmentalism and to the creation of countless new religious movements in the late 1960s and early 1970s. To illustrate the cataclysmic upheavals of this era, each chapter of this thesis has been organized according to anthropologist Anthony F. C. Wallace's schema of revitalization …

Relative Performance Comparison And Loss Estimation Of Seismically Isolated And Fixed-Based Buildings Using Pbee Approach, Prayag J. Sayani

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Current design codes generally use an equivalent linear approach for preliminary design of a seismic isolation system. The equivalent linear approach is based on effective parameters, rather than physical parameters of the system, and may not accurately account for the nonlinearity of the isolation system. The second chapter evaluates an alternative normalized strength characterization against the equivalent linear characterization. Following considerations for evaluation are included: (1) ability to effectively account for variations in ground motion intensity, (2) ability to effectively describe the energy dissipation capacity of the isolation system, and (3) conducive to developing design equations that can be implemented …

Methodology To Derive Resource Aware Context Adaptable Architectures For Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Harikrishna Samala

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The design of a common architecture that can support multiple data-flow patterns (or contexts) embedded in complex control flow structures, in applications like multimedia processing, is particularly challenging when the target platform is a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) with a heterogeneous mixture of device primitives. This thesis presents scheduling and mapping algorithms that use a novel area cost metric to generate resource aware context adaptable architectures. Results of a rigorous analysis of the methodology on multiple test cases are presented. Results are compared against published techniques and show an area savings and execution time savings of 46% each.

The Question Concerning The Cooptation Of The Sundance Film Festival: An Analysis Of The Commodification Of Independent Cinema, Matt Dee Cottrell

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The Sundance Film Festival has transformed from being a fringe festival to a leading showcase for independent cinema. This research shows that studios now descend upon the festival to acquire films for commercial distribution. The Sundance Film Festival seems to currently operate as a marketplace for films rather than an independent festival. This research seeks to examine how Hollywood studios have been able to infiltrate and commodify independent projects from the Sundance Film Festival and what the potential ramifications are for emerging independent filmmakers seeking to have their projects screened at the festival. In other words, have Hollywood studios coopted …

Factors Associated With Physical Activity Behaviors Among Rural Adolescents, Kenli A. Urruty

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The "obesity epidemic" in the United States is a current health concern that has sparked research interest in physical activity as a means of weight management. However, little research has examined the physical activity behaviors of rural adolescents. The goal of the current study was to use a biopsychosocial framework to examine the physical activity behaviors of a sample of rural adolescents, and explore factors associated with physical activity participation.

A sample of 162 ninth- and tenth-grade students in a rural, western community were recruited for this study. Generally, the sample reported levels of physical activity for both genders that …

An Experimental Comparison Of Middle School Students' Motivation And Preference Toward Text- And Graphic-Based Programming, Stephen E. Williams

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to compare seventh-grade students' motivation and preference toward text-based programming using Visual Basic, and graphics-based programming using Robolab. Motivation was defined by the My Class Activities questionnaire using the dimensions of interest, challenge, choice, and enjoyment. Preference was determined through team and individual student choice. This study was conducted with 122 students from three 6-week technology education classes. This study examined two hypotheses. First, middles school students will be more motivated when using a graphics-based programming language than text-based as measured by the My Class Activities survey. The second hypothesis for this study …

The Influence Of Family Structure And The Role Of Siblings On Early Language Development Of Latino Preschool Children, Eduardo Aguiles Ortiz

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between family structure including family size, number of parents at home, and presence of an older sibling at home, and the language development of young Latino children. I used data from the Head Start--Family and Child Experiences Survey (FACES) year 2000, which included information on 746 Latino preschool children and their families in different Head Start programs nationwide. A subgroup of 369 children were identified as English-language learners (ELL) because they were determined to be primarily Spanish speaking. Some of the findings indicate that more than two thirds of children …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Effects Of The Arizona Instrument To Measure Standards (Aims) Test On Arizona High School Math And English Curriculum And Instruction, Joseph Leland Heywood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This is a doctoral dissertation centered on a qualitative research case study on teachers' perceptions of the effects of a particular high-stakes test—the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) on high school English and math curriculum and instruction. Specifically, this case study involved three focus group interviews at three Arizona high schools. Participants were experienced English and math teachers at each school site. To broaden the perspective gained from the focus group interviews, the study included classroom observations and document analysis. Two of the high schools chosen are located on the Navajo Reservation and were specifically chosen to include an …

Quantifying Surface Water And Groundwater Interactions In A High-Gradient Mountain Stream For Solute Transport, Noah M. Schmadel

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A study reach in a mountain stream highly influenced by groundwater was selected to test common data collection strategies used to characterize and quantify groundwater exchange processes necessary to predict solute transport. The data types collected include: high frequency discharge estimates with the use of rating curves, dilution gauging techniques with instantaneous tracer experiments, groundwater table and stream water surface elevations, vertical head gradients, and hydraulic conductivity estimates. The first two data types were categorized as stream gauging and the remaining three data types as site characterization. The stream gauging data were used to quantify net changes in stream discharge …

Native Earth Electric Field Measurements Using Small Spacecraft In Low Earth Orbit, John A. Pratt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use of small satellites to measure the native electric field of the earth has historically presented many problems as a result of the generally modest pointing capabilities of small satellites. In spite of this, the cost of small satellites makes them ideal for just such scientific missions. This thesis details many of the constraints of electric field measuring missions as well as the requirements on any spacecraft designed to accomplish such. The data from a small sounding rocket mission is then analyzed and its usefulness discussed. Possible other methods for use are also discussed.

A Comparison Of Soil Moisture And Hillslope-Stream Connectivity Between Aspen And Conifer-Dominated Hillslopes Of A First Order Catchment In Northern Utah, Amy R. Burke

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Mountain headwater catchments in the semi-arid Intermountain West are important sources of surface water because these high elevations receive more precipitation than neighboring lowlands. The hydrology of these mountain catchments is especially important as the region faces water shortages and conflicts. Conifer encroachment on aspen stands has been observed across the western US and can result in a decline in water yield. The overall objective of this study was to further our understanding of hillslope-stream connectivity in a headwater catchment of Northern Utah and any observable differences in this connection between aspen and conifer hillslopes. Hillslopes are the fundamental unit …

Memory Architecture Template For Fast Block Matching Algorithms On Field Programmable Gate Arrays, Shant Chandrakar

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Fast Block Matching (FBM) algorithms for video compression are well suited for acceleration using parallel data-path architectures on Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). However, designing an efficient on-chip memory subsystem to provide the required throughput to this parallel data-path architecture is a complex problem. This thesis presents a memory architecture template that can be parameterized for a given FBM algorithm, number of parallel Processing Elements (PEs), and block size. The template can be parameterized with well known exploration techniques to design efficient on-chip memory subsystems. The memory subsystems are derived for two existing FBM algorithms and are implemented on a …

Summer Home Range Fidelity In Adult Female Elk (Cervus Elaphus) In Northwestern Colorado, April M. Brough

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Understanding the degree of spatial fidelity of individuals within a species increases our ability to manage appropriately. Elk (Cervus elaphus) is a highly managed species in the Intermountain West, but there is little research evaluating summer home range fidelity of individual elk. We evaluated fidelity of 72 adult female elk to individual summer-fall home ranges in the White River study area in northwestern Colorado during two consecutive summers. Based on individual kernel-estimated utilization distributions, we used (1) the Volume of Intersection (VI) statistic and (2) interannual distances between centers of mass to compare summer range overlap and distribution. …

Effects Of Coyote Removal On Pronghorn And Mule Deer Populations In Wyoming, Dylan Earl Brown

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

I studied the relationship between coyote (Canis latrans) removal and pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) density and fawn:doe ratios in southwest Wyoming and northeast Utah in 2007 and 2008. Coyote removal variables studied included the number of coyotes removed, ground hours worked, total hours worked, coyotes removed/aerial gunning hour, coyotes removed/ground work hour, and coyotes removed/total effort hour. None of the variables explained changes observed in fawn:doe ratios of pronghorn or mule deer. The number of coyotes removed, ground hours worked, total hours worked, and coyotes removed/aerial gunning hour were positively …

Automatic People Counting And Matching, John Sallay

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis explores software algorithm for implementing a people counting and matching system to be used on a bus. A special camera is used, known as a texel camera, that generates depth and color information for a scene. This added information greatly facilitates both the tasks of matching and counting.

Although people counting is a relatively mature field, there are several situations in which current technologies are not able to count correctly. Several of these difficult situations are tested with 82% counting accuracy.

The idea of matching people on a bus is also developed. The goal is not to identify …

Covert Botnet Design And Defense Analysis, Brandon Lyle Shirley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Intrusion defense system (IDS) development has been largely reactionary in nature. This is especially troubling given that botnets are capable of compromising and controlling thousands of computers before security professionals develop a mitigation technique. As new exploits are created, new mitigation techniques are developed to detect infections and, where possible, remove them. This thesis breaks from this tradition of reacting to malware. Instead, it looks at possible malicious software models through analyzing existing defense systems for exploitable weaknesses.

First, this thesis presents a new specialized botnet that circumvents current network intrusion detection mechanisms. The proposed botnet coordinates external communication among …

Effects Of Starch Addition On Low Fat Rennet Curd Properties And Their Partitioning Between Curd And Whey, Kelly Marie Larsen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study determined the impact of starches on the properties of low fat rennet curd as measured by microstructural and instrumental analysis. In experiment 1, 17 starches were initially screened for swelling power, impact of curd yield at 5 g/L and 10 g/L in milk, and settling in rennet-induced partially acidified low fat curd.

Starches examined were narrowed down to five in experiment 2; they included: modified waxy corn starch, waxy rice starch, instant tapioca starch, dextrin, and a modified tapioca starch. These starches were added to skim milk to make rennet-induced partially acidified milk gels. Gels were made by …

A Comparison Theorem For The Topological And Algebraic Classification Of Quaternionic Toric 8-Manifolds, Piotr Runge

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In order to discuss topological properties of quaternionic toric 8-manifolds, we introduce the notion of an algebraic morphism in the category of toric spaces. We show that the classification of quaternionic toric 8-manifolds with respect to an algebraic isomorphism is finer than the oriented topological classification. We construct infinite families of quaternionic toric 8-manifolds in the same oriented homeomorphism type but algebraically distinct. To prove that the elements within each family are of the same oriented homeomorphism type, and that we have representatives of all such types of a quaternionic toric 8-manifold, we present and use a method of evaluating …

Statistical Analysis Of Linear Analog Circuits Using Gaussian Message Passing In Factor Graphs, Miti Phadnis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis introduces a novel application of factor graphs to the domain of analog circuits. It proposes a technique of leveraging factor graphs for performing statistical yield analysis of analog circuits that is much faster than the standard Monte Carlo/Simulation Program With Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) simulation techniques. We have designed a tool chain to model an analog circuit and its corresponding factor graph and then use a Gaussian message passing approach along the edges of the graph for yield calculation. The tool is also capable of estimating unknown parameters of the circuit given known output statistics through backward message …

A Domain-Specific Design Tool For Verifying Spacecraft System Behavior, Sravanthi Venigalla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this report we present a graphical tool, Behavioral Analysis of Spacecraft Systems (BASS), that can be used by spacecraft designers to perform system-level behavioral analysis of small satellites. The domain-specific spacecraft meta-model is created in the visual modeling tool Generic Modeling Environment (GME) such that spacecraft designs created using the meta-model appear familiar to the spacecraft designers. Users can model scenarios that are to be verified for the design in BASS. The graphical models are assigned formal semantics facilitating the creation of formally verifiable spacecraft models. The C++ application that translates the modeling objects to equivalent mathematical representation of …

Age Effects On Iron-Based Pipes In Water Distribution Systems, Ryan T. Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Pipes in water distribution systems may change as they age. The accumulation of corrosion byproducts and suspended particles on the inside wall of aged pipes can increase pipe roughness and reduce pipe diameter. To quantify the hydraulic effects of irregular accumulation on the pipe walls, eleven aged pipes ranging in diameter from 0.020-m (0.75-in) to 0.100-m (4-in) and with varying degrees of turberculation were located and subjected to laboratory testing. The laboratory test results were used to determine a relationship between pipe diameter reduction and Hazen-Williams C. This relationship, combined with a manipulation of the Hazen-Williams equation, provided a simple …

Geologic Mapping, Alluvial Stratigraphy, And Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating Of The Kanab Creek Area, Southern Utah, Michelle Carlene Summa

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

At the turn of the century, Kanab Creek incised 30-meters into its alluvium, leaving behind fluvial terraces and thick basin fill sediments exposed along arroyo walls. Research objectives were to determine the timing and causes of past valley-filling and arroyo-cutting episodes along a 20 km-long reach of Kanab Creek in southern Utah. Fluvial deposits were mapped at the 1:12,000 scale and sediments were described and dated using Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and radiocarbon dating.

The Kanab Creek valley can be divided into a narrow, upper terraced reach and a broad lower basin fill reach near Kanab, Utah. The most prominent …

Embedded Spacecraft Thermal Control Using Ultrasonic Consolidation, Jared W. Clements

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research has been completed in order to rapidly manufacture spacecraft thermal control technologies embedded in spacecraft structural panels using ultrasonic consolidation. This rapid manufacturing process enables custom thermal control designs in the time frame necessary for responsive space. Successfully embedded components include temperature sensors, heaters, wire harnessing, pre-manufactured heat pipes, and custom integral heat pipes. High conductivity inserts and custom integral pulsating heat pipes were unsuccessfully attempted. This research shows the viability of rapid manufacturing of spacecraft structures with embedded thermal control using ultrasonic consolidation.

Self-Healing Cellular Automata To Correct Soft Errors In Defective Embedded Program Memories, Varun Voddi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) cells in ultra-low power Integrated Circuits (ICs) based on nanoscale Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) devices are likely to be the most vulnerable to large-scale soft errors. Conventional error correction circuits may not be able to handle the distributed nature of such errors and are susceptible to soft errors themselves. In this thesis, a distributed error correction circuit called Self-Healing Cellular Automata (SHCA) that can repair itself is presented. A possible way to deploy a SHCA in a system of SRAM-based embedded program memories (ePM) for one type of chip multi-processors is also discussed. The …

Live-Load Test And Computer Modeling Of A Pre-Cast Concrete Deck, Steel Girder Bridge, And A Cast-In-Place Concrete Box Girder Bridge, Leonardo A. Pockels

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The scheduled replacement of the 8^th North Bridge, in Salt Lake City, UT, presented a unique opportunity to test a pre-cast concrete deck, steel girder bridge. A live-load test was performed under the directions of Bridge Diagnostic Inc (BDI) and Utah State University. Six different load paths were chosen to be tested. The recorded data was used to calibrate a finite-element model of this superstructure, which was created using solid, shell, and frame elements. A comparison between the measured and finite-element response was performed and it was determined that the finite-element model replicated the measured results within 3.5% of …

Comparison Of Youth Migration Patterns Across Cohorts: Evidence From Two National Longitudinal Surveys Of Youth, Yan Guo

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research is a systematic comparison of youth migration experiences between two birth cohorts, using the first ten rounds of two national longitudinal surveys of youth, NLSY79 and NLSY97. Results show both changes and continuities in youth migration patterns across cohorts for ages16-25. Specifically, youth today have a delayed but stronger migration momentum than the late baby boom generation, the dividing point being at age 22. Women are more likely to migrate than men in the recent cohort, but not in the older cohort. Whites migrate considerably more than blacks and Hispanics consistently across cohorts. The likely life events in …

A Pilot Study Examining The Use Of Technologically Assisted Psychotherapeutic Intervention In The Delivery Of Therapy To Women With Anxiety Residing In Rural Utah Communities, Benjamin K. Farmer

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine change in symptoms of anxiety and satisfaction experienced by participants who received acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) by using technologically assisted psychotherapeutic interventions (TAPI). TAPI utilizes the internet as a medium to make mental health services available and accessible to people residing in rural communities. The participants in this study were women who were experiencing severe levels of anxiety and lived in a rural community. Measures were taken at three different points in the study (pretherapy, posttherapy, and 6-months posttherapy). Participants received therapy over the internet via Macromedia Breeze videoconferencing to reduce …

The Effect Of Irrigation Diversions On The Mountain Whitefish (Prosopium Williamsoni) Population In The Big Lost River, Patrick Allen Kennedy

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Management agencies documented a decline in the mountain whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) population on the Big Lost River, and unscreened diversions were recognized as a potential factor for this decline. Research suggests the Big Lost River mountain whitefish population is genetically unique, and it has been petitioned for protection under the Endangered Species Act. In 2007, a basin-wide synopsis of diversions was conducted to describe relative entrainment and identify diversions that entrained the most mountain whitefish. This larger scaled synopsis facilitated a more precise assessment of entrainment by a subset of diversions in 2008. In 2008, the volume that …