Engineering Commons^™

Post Register Allocation Spill Code Optimization, Christopher Lupo, Kent Wilken

Computer Science and Software Engineering

A highly optimized register allocator should provide an efficient placement of save/restore code for procedures that contain calls. This paper presents a new approach to placing callee-saved save and restore instructions that generalizes Chow's shrink-wrapping technique (Chow 1988). An efficient, profile-guided, hierarchical spill code placement algorithm is used to analyze the structure of a procedure to calculate the minimum dynamic execution count locations to place callee-saved save and restore code. The algorithm is implemented in the Gnu Compiler Collection and has been tested on the SPEC CPU2000 Integer Benchmark suite. Results show that the technique reduces the number of dynamic …

Encryption Of Computer Peripheral Devices, Kelly Robert Norman

Theses and Dissertations

Computer peripherals, such as keyboards, scanners, printers, cameras, and Personal Data Assistants (PDAs) typically communicate with a host PC via an unencrypted protocol, leaving them vulnerable to eavesdropping techniques, such as keyloggers. An encryption system was developed that is simple enough to be used in peripherals that do not have large amounts of processing power and memory. A software driver loaded in the operating system of the host computer communicates with a simple 8-bit microcontroller in the peripheral device. The driver handles key generation, key exchange, and provides decrypted data to the operating system. A key exchange protocol allows the …

Investigation Of Copper Contamination And Corrosion Scale Mineralogy In Aging Drink Water Distributions Systems, Nadja F. Turek

Theses and Dissertations

Research has shown higher levels of copper appear in drinking water conveyed through relatively new copper piping systems; older piping systems typically deliver lower copper levels in their drinking water. This research contributes field data from a real drinking water distribution system, providing a better understanding of this phenomenon, as it relates to treatment considerations and compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule. Copper pipes and copper levels were sampled from drinking water taps of 16 buildings with pipes ranging in age from less than 1 to 48 years. Water samples from each building were collected before and following a …

Assessing The Potential For Improved Scramjet Performance Through Application Of Electromagnetic Flow Control, Martin F. Lindsey

Theses and Dissertations

Hypersonic flight using scramjet propulsion bridges the gap between turbojets and rockets. Recent efforts focus on magnetogasdynamic (MGD) flow control to mitigate the problems of high thermomechanical loads and low efficiencies associated with scramjets. This research is the first flight-scale, three-dimensional computational analysis of a realistic scramjet to assess how MGD flow control improves scramjet performance. Developing a quasi-one dimensional design tool culminated in the first open source scramjet geometry. This geometry was tested with the Air Force Research Laboratory's electromagnetic computational code. To increase fidelity, an algorithm was developed to incorporate thermochemistry, resulting in the only open-source model of …

Modeling Study To Quantify The Benefits Of Groundwater Contaminant Source Remediation, David E. Wagner

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to quantify the benefits of groundwater contaminant source remediation by using a model to simulate how reduction of source mass was related to reduction of contaminant concentration at a receptor. This thesis sought to answer three research questions: (1) how are contaminant source mass reduction and reduction of mass flux leaving the source-zone related; (2) how can we quantify the effect of the important natural attenuation processes that act upon the dissolved contaminant as it travels from the source zone to downgradient receptors, and (3) under specified site conditions, what is the maximum contaminant …

Radiometric Analysis Of Daytime Satellite Detection, Katherine B. Lilevjen

Theses and Dissertations

A radiometric model for daylight satellite detection is developed and used to evaluate the effects of various parameters on signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Detection of reflected sunlight from a low-earth orbit, diffuse, planar satellite by a single-pixel infrared photovoltaic detector is considered. Noise considered includes photon noise from the background and signal, as well as thermal noise. Parameters considered include atmospheric conditions, optical parameters, and detector parameters. The Phillips Laboratory Expert-assisted User System, an atmospheric modeling tool that employs the MODTRAN and FASCODE transmission codes, is used to model wavelength-dependent atmospheric transmission and background radiance. The SNR is found to increase …

Passive Multiple Beam Combination In Optical Fibers Via Stimulated Brillouin Scattering, Kirk C. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Many active methods of scaling laser brightness have been demonstrated in recent years. The goal of this research was to demonstrate the feasibility of passively combining multiple laser beams using Stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) in a long multimode optical fiber. This method of combination employed a “Gatling gun” fiber array that allowed several collimated beams to be focused by a lens into an optical fiber. The retroreflected Stokes beam is passed through the center of the beam combiner for analysis. In addition to experimental methodology and equipment used, the theoretical and historical background of SBS in optical fibers is provided. …

Poster Session, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Limestone-Based Material for Arsenic Removal from Drinking Water, Chelsea Campbell and others, Dept of Chemistry, WKU
• Opportunistic Water Education, Amanda Abnee Gumbert, Extension Associate for Environmental and Natural Resources Issues, UK
• Ten-Year Solute Concentration Patterns in Two Streams of Contrasting Land-Use in Western Kentucky and Tennessee, Susan P. Hendricks, Hancock Biological Station, Murray State University
• Pathogen TMDL Development using Load Duration Curves for Two Stream Segments in Rockcastle County, Kentucky, Joseph M. Ferguson, Kentucky DOW
• Beargrass Creek Water Quality Tool and TMDLs, Ward Wilson and others, Tetra Tech
• Pathogen and Sediment Transport in Muddy Creek …

Session 2d: Modeling, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Simplification of Access to Hydrologic Data for Kentucky through an Online, Interactive GIS Tool, K. R. Odom and M. A. Ayers, USGS, Louisville
• The Kentucky Watershed Modeling Information Portal’s User Needs Assessment, Data Matrix and Use Case, K. L. Schaffer, K. R. Odom, and others, FMSM and USGS
• A Comparison of Manually and DEM Delineated Watersheds, Andrew Kellie, Jane Benson, and Mike Kemp, Dept of Industrial and Engineering Technology, Murray State University
• Of Farm Ponds and Sinkholes: Automated Feature Extraction from Kentucky’s NAIP Imagery, Demetrio Zourarakis, Kentucky Division of Geographic Information

Session 2c: Planning, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• US EPA’s New Guidance on Watershed-Based Plans for Restoration and Protection, Barry Tonning, Tetra Tech, Mount Sterling, KY
• Louisville Water Company – Wellhead Protection Plan, Marsha L. Taylor Meyer, Louisville Water Company
• Lessons Learned Reforesting the Bluegrass, H. David Gabbard, LFUCG, Lexington, KY
• Low-Flow Characteristics of Streams in Kentucky, G.R. Martin, D.W. Evans, and K.R. Odom, USGS, Louisville

Session 2b: Sediments, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The New Contractor EPSC Certification Program Developed by the City of Bowling Green Kentucky: Educating and Involving Contractors in NPDES Phase II Compliance, Jeff Lashlee, City of Bowling Green, Beth Chesson, CEC, Inc., and April Barker, AMEC Earth and Environmental, Nashville, TN
• Kentucky Best Management Practices for Controlling Erosion, Sediment, and Pollutant Runoff from Construction Sites: Planning and Technical Specifications Manual, Richard Walker and Barry Tonning, Tetra Tech, Lexington
• Sediment Monitoring Efforts in the Upper Green River Basin in Support of the Kentucky Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, S.T. Kenworthy, Dept of Geography and Geology, WKU
• Land-Use Fingerprinting …

Session 2a: Nonpoint Source, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Little River Watershed Delineation and “Misbehaved” Karst Drainage, J.A. Ray and R.J. Blair, Kentucky Division of Water
• Comprehensive Commonwealth Water Education Project, David Howarth, Keith Mountain, and Kristen Dunaway, Dept of Geography and Geosciences, U of L
• Assessment of Water Quality Trends in the Upper Cumberland River Basin: Focus on Pathogen Impairment, Lindell Ormsbee and Ramesh Teegavarapu, KWRRI, UK
• Watershed & Land Use Planning: A BMP Technology Transfer Project (A Case Study of the Dry Run Watershed Basin), Rachel Phillips, Brad Frazier, and Sandy Camargo, Georgetown/Scott County Planning Commission

Session 1d: Monitoring, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• An Examination of Statewide Watershed Watch Project Monitoring Data for 2005 Using GIS, Ken Cooke, Kentucky Division of Water, Frankfort
• Taking Watershed Watch to the Next Level: Grabbing the Attention of Local Elected Officials, Ken Cooke, Kentucky Division of Water, H. David Gabbard, LFUCG, Lexington
• Water Quality Data from Citizen Monitoring in the Licking River Region Kentucky 1998-2005: Trends and Issues, M.F. Hult, Daniel Carter Beard Environmental Center, and B.C. Reeder, Center for Environmental Education, Morehead State University
• Water Quality in the Upper Licking River Basin 2003-2005, Brian Reeder and others, Dept of Biological and Environmental …

Session 1c: Superfund, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• The University of Kentucky Superfund Basic Research Program: Overview and Examples of Research Projects, Bernhard Hennig, Leonidas Bachas, and Lindell Ormsbee, UK
• Reductive Dechlorination of Toxic Organics by Bimetallic Nanoparticles in Polyacrylic Acid (PAA) Functionalized MF Membranes, Jian Xu and Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Dept Chemical and Materials Engineering, UK
• Chlorinated Organic Compounds Destruction by Modified Fenton Reaction Involving Immobilized Iron-Chelate, YongChao Li, Leonidas Bachas, and Dibakar Bhattacharyya, Dept Chemical and Materials Engineering, UK
• An Outreach Program Translates Basic Research for Superfund Communities to Improve Health through Nutrition, Lisa Gaetke and Sandra Bastin, Dept Nutrition and Food Science, …

Session 1b: Groundwater, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• A Brief History and Current State of Groundwater Protection in Kentucky, James Webb, Beverly Oliver, and Peter Goodmann, Kentucky DOW, Groundwater Branch
• Summary of Groundwater Quality Data in the Jackson Purchase Region, Kentucky, E.G. Beck, J.S. Dinger, and P.C. Inkenbrandt, KGS
• Groundwater-Quality Assessment and Shallow Aquifer Model of Calloway County, Kentucky, P.C. Inkenbrandt, E.G. Beck, and J.S. Dinger, KGS
• Suspended Sediment and Pathogen Transport in Two Inner Bluegrass Karst Ground-Water Basins, A.E. Fryar and others, Dept Earth and Environmental Sciences, UK
• Locating and Mapping Domestic Water Wells in Marshall County, Kentucky, Wendy D. Langhi, Western …

Session 1a: Water Quality, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

• Use of Sunfish and Stoneroller Minnows as Sentinel Monitors of PCB Contamination in Freshwater Streams in Kentucky, D.J. Price and W.J. Birge, Dept of Biology, UK
• Inferring Causes of Biological Impairment in Appalachian Streams: Watershed-Based Problem Formulation and Integration of Multiple Lines of Evidence, Jon Ludwig and others, Tetra Tech
• Relative Importance of Water and Dietary Cadmium: Toxicity to Ceriodaphnia Dubia, Agus Sofyan and W.J. Birge, Dept of Biology, UK
• The Graywater Story at Curtis Pike, Jack Kieffer and others, Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest, Mt. Vernon

Proceedings Of 2006 Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium, Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute, University Of Kentucky

Kentucky Water Resources Annual Symposium

This symposium was funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with Clean Water Act, Section 319(h) grant money through the Kentucky Division of Water and the Kentucky Waterways Alliance, #C9994861-00.

Planning for this conference was conducted as part of the state water resources research annual program with the support and collaboration of the Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Kentucky Research Foundation, under Grant Agreement No. 01HQGR0133.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the abstract authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies, either expressed …

Formal Mitigation Strategies For The Insider Threat: A Security Model And Risk Analysis Framework, Jonathan W. Butts

Theses and Dissertations

The advancement of technology and reliance on information systems have fostered an environment of sharing and trust. The rapid growth and dependence on these systems, however, creates an increased risk associated with the insider threat. The insider threat is one of the most challenging problems facing the security of information systems because the insider already has capabilities within the system. Despite research efforts to prevent and detect insiders, organizations remain susceptible to this threat because of inadequate security policies and a willingness of some individuals to betray their organization. To investigate these issues, a formal security model and risk analysis …

Learning Real-Time A* Path Planner For Unmanned Air Vehicle Target Sensing, Jason K. Howlett, Timothy W. Mclain, Michael A. Goodrich

Faculty Publications

This paper presents a path planner for sensing closely-spaced targets from a fixed-wing unmanned air vehicle (UAV) having a specified sensor footprint. The planner is based on the learning real-time A* (LRTA*) search algorithm and produces dynamically feasible paths that accomplish the sensing objectives in the shortest possible distance. A tree of candidate paths that span the area of interest is created by assembling primitive turn and straight sections of a specified step size in a sequential fashion from the starting position of the UAV. An LRTA* search of the tree produces feasible paths any time during its execution and …

Long-Term Mechanical Behavior Of Yucca Mountain Tuff And Its Variability, Jaak J.K. Daemen, Lumin Ma, Guohua Zhao

Publications (YM)

The study of the long term mechanical behavior of Yucca Mountain tuffs is important for several reasons. Long term stability of excavations will affect accessibility (e.g. for inspection purposes), and retrievability. Long term instabilities may induce loading of drip shields and/or emplaced waste, thus affecting drip shield and/or waste package corrosion. Failure of excavations will affect airflow, may affect water flow, and may affect temperature distributions. The long term mechanical behavior of “hard” rocks remains an elusive topic, loaded with uncertainties. A variety of approaches have been used to improve the understanding of this complex subject, but it is doubtful …

Polar Phase Screens: A Comparison With Other Methods Of Random Phase Screen Generation, Rebecca J. Eckert

Theses and Dissertations

This research provides the first organized comparison of random phase screen generation methods, including logarithmic polar Fourier series, using structure functions. Random phase screens are essential elements of simulating light propagation through turbulent media. In order to be effective, they must accurately reflect theory and be practical to implement. This research explains and evaluates three methods of generating random phase screens: using a Fourier series upon a polar frequency grid with logarithmic spacing; using the fast Fourier transform, with its Cartesian frequency grid; and using Zernike polynomials. It provides a comparison of the Polar Fourier Series technique with the two …

Comparison Of Ray Tracing Through Ionospheric Models, Shayne C. Aune

Theses and Dissertations

A comparison of ray tracing predictions for transionospheric electromagnetic wave refraction and group delays through ionospheric models is presented. Impacted applications include over-the-horizon RADAR, high frequency communications, direction finding, and satellite communications. The ionospheric models used are version 2.1 of Utah State University's Global Assimilation of Ionospheric Measurements (USU GAIM) model and the 2001 version of the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model. In order to provide ray tracing results applicable to satellite communications for satellites at geosynchronous orbit (GEO), a third ionospheric model is used to extend the sub-2000-km USU GAIM and IRI ionospheric specifications to 36540 km in altitude. …

Threading And Autodocumenting News Videos: A Promising Solution To Rapidly Browse News Topics, Xiao Wu, Chong-Wah Ngo, Qing Li

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

This paper describes the techniques in threading and autodocumenting news stories according to topic themes. Initially, we perform story clustering by exploiting the duality between stories and textual-visual concepts through a co-clustering algorithm. The dependency among stories of a topic is tracked by exploring the textual-visual novelty and redundancy of stories. A novel topic structure that chains the dependencies of stories is then presented to facilitate the fast navigation of the news topic. By pruning the peripheral and redundant news stories in the topic structure, a main thread is extracted for autodocumentary

Neutron Multiplicity Measurements For The Afci Program Final Quarterly Progress Report January-March 2006, Denis Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

This project was developed to test a Russian-built Neutron Multiplicity Detector System (NMDS) for measuring neutrons generated in a central target by a variety of accelerators. To assist in experiment design and evaluation, we use the most advanced high-energy radiation transport code, MCNPX, to model experiments. Experimental results are compared to computational predictions and discrepancies are investigated. Initial plans were to conduct experiments using a 70-MeV proton cyclotron at the Crocker Nuclear Laboratory at the University of California at Davis and/or a 20 to 40 MeV electron linac (linear accelerator) at the Idaho Accelerator Center (IAC) at Idaho State University …

Reactor Physics Studies For The Afci Race Project: Reactor-Accelerator Coupling Experiments Project: Quarterly Progress Report January-March 2006, Denis Beller

Transmutation Sciences Physics (TRP)

In the RACE Project of the U.S. Advanced Fuel Cycle Initiative (AFCI), a series of accelerator driven subcritical systems (ADSS) experiments is being conducted at the Idaho State University’s Idaho Accelerator Center (ISU-IAC) and at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, and will be conducted at the Texas A&M University. In these experiments electron accelerators are used to induce bremsstrahlung photon-neutron reactions in heavy-metal targets; this source of 10¹⁰ to 10¹³ n/s initiates fission reactions in the subcritical systems. These systems include a compact, transportable assembly at ISU and TRIGA reactors at UT-Austin and Texas A&M. These …

Dissolution, Reactor, And Environmental Behavior Of Zro2-Mgo Inert Fuel Matrix: Quarterly Report, January 2006 To March 2006, Kiel Steven Holliday, Thomas Hartmann, Kenneth Czerwinski

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

This project will examine inert matrix fuels containing ZrO₂ and MgO as the inert matrix, with the relative amount of MgO varied from 30% to 70% in ZrO₂. Reactor physics calculations will be used to examine suitable quantities of burnable poisons from the candidate elements Gd, Er, or Hf with reactor grade Pu providing the fissile component, with up to 10% of ²³⁹Pu. Ceramics will be synthesized and characterized based on the reactor physics results. The solubility of the fuel ceramics, in reactor conditions, reprocessing conditions, and repository conditions, will be investigated in a manner to …

Crystal Structure And Nano Structure Of Oxide-And Nitride Transmutation Fuel – Refinement Of Transmutation Fuel Processing For Surrogate And Radioactive Fuel Systems: Quarterly Report, January 2006 To March 2006, Chinthaka Silva

Fuels Campaign (TRP)

Transmutation-related research work at the National Laboratories, e.g. Los Alamos National Laboratory, is focused on mono-nitride ceramic fuel forms, and consists of closely coordinated “hot” actinide and “cold” inert and surrogate fuels work. Matrix and surrogate materials work involves three major components: (1) fuel matrix synthesis and fabrication, (2) fuel performance, and (3) fuel materials modeling. The synthesis and fabrication component supports basic material studies, as well as actinide fuel fabrication work through fuel fabrication process development.

This project, task 28, supports the TRP program by delivering structural data on surrogate and radioactive fuels. Crystal structure and nanostructures of the …

Verification Of A Decision Level Fusion Algorithm Using A Proven Atr System And Measured Sar Data, James Douglas Thompson

Theses and Dissertations

Decision level fusion (DLF) algorithms combine outputs of multiple single sensors to make one confident declaration of a target. This research compares performance results of a DLF algorithm using measured data and a proven ATR system with results from simulated data and a modeled ATR system. This comparison indicates that DLF offers significant performance improvements over single sensor looks. However, results based on simulated data and a modeled ATR are slightly optimistic and overestimate results from measured data and a proven ATR system by nearly 10% over all targets tested.

Multiframe Shift Estimation, Stephen A. Bruckart

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop a fundamental framework for a new approach to multiframe translational shift estimation in image processing. This thesis sought to create a new multiframe shift estimator, to theoretically prove and experimentally test key properties of it, and to quantify its performance according to several metrics. The new estimator was modeled successfully and was proven to be an unbiased estimator under certain common image noise conditions. Furthermore its performance was shown to be superior to the cross correlation shift estimator, a robust estimator widely used in similar image processing cases, according to several criteria. …

Nanometal Containing Nanocomposites And Photolithographic Polyaniline Nanofibers, Frank D. Blum, Sunil K. Pillalamarri, Lalani K. Werake, J. Greg Story, Massimo F. Bertino, Akira Tokuhiro

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

A report on recent progress from our laboratories on the nanostructures produced from novel synthesis techniques will be discussed. Using high-energy radiation (γ-rays) we have been able to produce conducting polymer nanofibers and nanorods of polyaniline and polypyrrole without the use of a separate template or capping agent. This technique has been extended, with the addition of metal ions, to a "one pot" synthesis, producing conducting nanocomposites. These nanocomposites contain metal nanoparticles which decorate the conducting nanofibers. We have also recently shown that these systems can be photopatterned to produce novel structures. We believe that these systems will be useful …