Engineering Commons^™

The Impact Of Satellite Sensor Viewing Geometry On Time-Series Analysis Of Volcanic Emissions, Verity Flower, Simon A. Carn, Robert Wright

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Time-series analysis techniques are being increasingly used to process satellite observations of volcanic gas emissions and heat flux, with the aim of identifying cyclic behaviour that could inform hazard assessment or elucidate volcanic processes. However, it can be difficult to distinguish cyclic variations due to geophysical processes from those that are artefacts of the observation technique. Here, we conduct a comprehensive investigation into the origin of cyclicity in volcanic observations by analysing daily, global satellite measurements of volcanic SO2 loading by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) and thermal infrared anomalies detected by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). We use …

A Global Catalogue Of Large So < Inf> 2 Sources And Emissions Derived From The Ozone Monitoring Instrument, Vitali E. Fioletov, Chris A. Mclinden, Nickolay Krotkov, Can Li, Joanna Joiner, Nicolas Theys, S. Carn, Mike D. Moran

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite sensor processed with the new principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm were used to detect large point emission sources or clusters of sources. The total of 491 continuously emitting point sources releasing from about 30 kt yr-1 to more than 4000 kt yr-1 of SO2 per year have been identified and grouped by country and by primary source origin: volcanoes (76 sources); power plants (297); smelters (53); and sources related to the oil and gas industry (65). The sources were identified using different methods, including through OMI measurements themselves applied …

Atomistic‐Scale Investigation Of Effective Stress Principle Of Saturated Porous Materials By Molecular Dynamics, Chao Zhang, Zhen Liu, Peng Deng

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Publications

The effective stress principle is one of the most fundamental concepts in the mechanics of porous materials. Several mathematical expressions have been proposed for this fundamental principle, leading to unsettled debates on the validity and applicability of the principle and its mathematical descriptions. Recent developments in atomistic modeling techniques make it possible to understand multiphase systems at the atomistic scale. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulation is explored as a tool to investigate the stress formulation in porous materials. A molecular dynamics framework, including molecular models of phases, interatomic potentials, initial configuration, and simulation procedure, is presented. Numerical simulations based …

Lengthscale Effects On Exchange Coupling In Co-Pt L10 + L12 Nanochessboards, Eric P. Vetter, Liwei D. Geng, Priya Ghatwai, Dustin A. Gilbert, Yongmei M. Jin, William A. Soffa, Jerrold A. Floro

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The Co-Pt nanochessboard is a quasi-periodic, nanocomposite tiling of L10 and L12 magnetic phases that offers a novel structure for the investigation of exchange coupling, relevant to permanent magnet applications. Periodicity of the tiling is controlled by the rate of cooling through the eutectoid isotherm, resulting in control over the L10-L12 exchange coupling. First order reversal curve analysis reveals a transition from partial coupling to nearly complete exchange-coupling in a Co40.2Pt59.8 nanochessboard structured alloy as the periodicity is reduced below the critical correlation length. Micromagnetic simulations give insights into how exchange coupling manifests in the tiling, and its impact on …

Two-Temperature Dual-Phase-Lags Theory In A Thermoelastic Solid Half-Space Due To An Inclined Load, Ashraf M. Zenkour, Ahmed E. Abouelregal, Khaled A. Alnefaie, Nidal H. Abu-Hamdeh, Abdulmalik A. Aljinaidi, Elias C. Aifantis

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This article addresses the thermoelastic interaction due to inclined load on a homogeneous isotropic half-space in context of two-temperature generalized theory of thermoelasticity with dual-phase-lags. It is assumed that the inclined load is a linear combination of both normal and tangential loads. The governing equations are solved by using the normal mode analysis. The variations of the displacement, stress, conductive temperature, and thermodynamic temperature distributions with the horizontal distance have been shown graphically. Results of some earlier workers have also been deduced from the present investigation as special cases. Some comparisons are graphically presented to estimate the effects of the …

Cellno Trap: Novel Device For Quantitative, Real-Time, Direct Measurement Of Nitric Oxide From Cultured Raw 267.4 Macrophages, Weilue He, Megan C. Frost

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Nitric oxide (NO), is arguably one of the most important small signaling molecules in biological systems. It regulates various biological responses in both physiological and pathological conditions, often time producing seemingly contradictory results. The details of the effects of NO are highly dependent on the level of NO that cells experience and the temporal aspect of when and how long cells are exposed to NO. Herein, we present a novel measurement system (CellNO trap) that allows real-time NO measurement via chemiluminescence detection from general adhesive cultured cells using standard cell culture media and reagents that does not perturb the cells …

Adjusting Particle-Size Distributions To Account For Aggregation In Tephra-Deposit Model Forecasts, Larry G. Mastin, Alexa R. Van Eaton, Adam J. Durant

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Volcanic ash transport and dispersion (VATD) models are used to forecast tephra deposition during volcanic eruptions. Model accuracy is limited by the fact that fine-ash aggregates (clumps into clusters), thus altering patterns of deposition. In most models this is accounted for by ad hoc changes to model input, representing fine ash as aggregates with density ρagg, and a log-normal size distribution with median μagg and standard deviation σagg. Optimal values may vary between eruptions. To test the variance, we used the Ash3d tephra model to simulate four deposits: 18 May 1980 Mount St. Helens; 16-17 September 1992 Crater Peak (Mount …

Improving Automated Global Detection Of Volcanic So2 Plumes Using The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (Omi), Verity Flower, Thomas Oommen, Simon Carn

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Volcanic eruptions pose an ever-present threat to human populations around the globe, but many active volcanoes remain poorly monitored. In regions where ground-based monitoring is present the effects of volcanic eruptions can be moderated through observational alerts to both local populations and service providers such as air traffic control. However, in regions where volcano monitoring is limited satellite-based remote sensing provides a global data source that can be utilized to provide near real time identification of volcanic activity. This paper details the development of an automated volcanic plume detection method utilizing daily, global observations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by the …

Open Source Laser Polymer Welding System: Design And Characterization Of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Multilayer Welds, John Laureto, Serguei V. Dessiatoun, Michael M. Ohadi, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

The use of lasers to weld polymer sheets provides a means of highly-adaptive and custom additive manufacturing for a wide array of industrial, medical, and end user/consumer applications. This paper provides an open source design for a laser polymer welding system, which can be fabricated with low-cost fused filament fabrication and off-the-shelf mechanical and electrical parts. The system is controlled with free and open source software and firmware. The operation of the machine is validated and the performance of the system is quantified for the mechanical properties (peak load) and weld width of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) lap welds …

Extending Wid To Train Mechanical Engineering Gtas To Evaluate Student Writing, Nancy Barr

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Publications

Beyond first-year composition, the typical undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum provides few opportunities to develop writing skills without a concerted effort by faculty to incorporate writing into their courses. One underutilized path for BSME students to strengthen those skills is the required sequence of laboratory courses, where students write several lab reports, evaluated by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), many of whom speak English as a second language. Historically, engineering GTAs have not been trained in evaluating student writing in a way that helps students improve their technical communication skills, a method known as formative assessment. Formative assessment can be a key …

Exergy Study On The Effect Of Material Parameters And Operating Conditions On The Anode Diffusion Polarization Of The Sofc, Khalid Zouhri, Seong Young Lee

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In the presented work, a model is created in order to investigate the effect of different material parameters and operating conditions on the anode diffusion overpotential, which influence the exergy and energy efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). In this research, it was demonstrated that the anode material parameters and operating conditions of the device components such as porosity, tortuosity, pore diameter, temperature, pressure and current density of the anode have various effects on the anode diffusion overpotential, which consequently affect the exergy and energy efficiency of the SOFC. The model has provided a strong direction on how …

Developing The Greatest Blue Economy: Water Productivity, Fresh Water Depletion, And Virtual Water Trade In The Great Lakes Basin, A. L. Mayer, Stanley Mubako, Benjamin L. Ruddell

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The Great Lakes basin hosts the world's most abundant surface fresh water reserve. Historically an industrial and natural resource powerhouse, the region has suffered economic stagnation in recent decades. Meanwhile, growing water resource scarcity around the world is creating pressure on water-intensive human activities. This situation creates the potential for the Great Lakes region to sustainably utilize its relative water wealth for economic benefit. We combine economic production and trade datasets with water consumption data and models of surface water depletion in the region. We find that, on average, the current economy does not create significant impacts on surface waters, …

Determination Of Specific Heat Capacity On Composite Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials And Asphalt Mixtures By Heat Exchange System, Biao Ma, Xue-Yan Zhou, Jiang Liu, Zhanping You, Kun Wei, Xiao-Feng Huang

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Previous research has shown that composite shape-stabilized phase change material (CPCM) has a remarkable capacity for thermal storage and stabilization, and it can be directly applied to highway construction without leakage. However, recent studies on temperature changing behaviors of CPCM and asphalt mixture cannot intuitively reflect the thermoregulation mechanism and efficiency of CPCM on asphalt mixture. The objective of this paper is to determine the specific heat capacity of CPCM and asphalt mixtures mixed with CPCM using the heat exchange system and the data acquisition system. Studies have shown that the temperature-rise curve of 5 °C CPCM has an obvious …

Optimal Scheduling Of Pev Charging/Discharging In Microgrids With Combined Objectives, Chong Cao, Ming Cheng, Bo Chen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

While renewable power generation and vehicle electrification are promising solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it faces great challenges to effectively integrate them in a power grid. The weather-dependent power generation of renewable energy sources, such as Photovoltaic (PV) arrays, could introduce significant intermittency to a power grid. Meanwhile, uncontrolled PEV charging may cause load surge in a power grid. This paper studies the optimization of PEV charging/discharging scheduling to reduce customer cost and improve grid performance. Optimization algorithms are developed for three cases: 1) minimize cost, 2) minimize power deviation from a pre-defined power profile, and 3) combine objective …

Field Tests Of Cement Fly-Ash Steel-Slag Pile Composite Foundation, Bing Zhang, Shuai Cui

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Publications

Steel slag is one of the main waste materials in the steelmaking process. As a result, a tremendous amount of steel slag is produced and deposited into storing yards every year. Recycling of the abandoned steel slag is of great environmental and economic value. This study investigates the usage of steel-slag concrete with fly ash as a kind of composite foundation pile material, which can be applied to multi-pile composition foundations for ground improvement involving different pile types. The micromorphology of the concrete, which uses steel slag as aggregate, is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The bearing characteristics of …

Spring 2016 Biomedical Engineering Newsletter, Department Of Biomedical Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Biomedical Engineering Newsletters

Table of Contents

• Focus on Cardiovascular Research
• BMES Rising Star Feng Zhao
• Magnetoelastic: Sensing more with less
• Portage Health/Michigan Tech Partnership
• Remembering Dr. Michael Neuman

Ethanol Based Foamed Asphalt As Potential Alternative For Low Emission Asphalt Technology, Mohd Rosli Mohd Hasan, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Foamed asphalt typically relies on water as a foaming agent because water becomes gaseous at elevated temperatures, generating numerous tiny bubbles in the asphalt and causing spontaneous foaming. In this study, ethanol was used as a potential alternative to water as a foaming agent. Ethanol is expected to be a physical blowing agent in the same manner as water, except it requires less energy to foam due to its 78 °C boiling point. This study compares the performance of water and ethanol as foaming agents through the measurements of rotational viscosity, the reduction in temperature during foaming, and volatile loss. …

The Circuit, Spring 2016, Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Newsletters

Table of Contents:

• Gift Acknowledgements
• Catching up with Professor John Lukowski
• Faculty News
• Institute of Computing and Cybersystems
• Christopher Middlebrook, The Optical Connection
• Lucia Gauchia, Extending Battery Life
• Student News
• Alumni Spotlight
• Swenson Family Legacy
• New Staff

A Hybrid Strategy In Selecting Diverse Combinations Of Innovative Sustainable Materials For Asphalt Pavements, Baron Colbert, Mohd Rosli Mohd Hasan, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This project integrates recent innovations of recycled materials used in designing and building sustainable pavements. An increasing environmental awareness and the demand for improving economic and construction efficiencies, through measures such as construction warrantees and goals to reduce air pollution under the Kyoto Protocol, have increased the efforts to implement sustainable materials in roadways. The objective of this research is to develop a systematic approach toward selecting optimum combinations of sustainable materials for the construction of asphalt pavements. The selected materials, warm mix asphalt (WMA), recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) were incorporated in this study. The …

Multi-Decadal Satellite Measurements Of Global Volcanic Degassing, S. A. Carn, L. Clarisse, A. J. Prata

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Satellite instruments have been providing measurements of global volcanic emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) since 1978, based on observations in the ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and microwave spectral bands. We review recent advances in satellite remote sensing of volcanic gases, focusing on increased instrument sensitivity to tropospheric SO2 emissions and techniques to determine volcanic plume altitude. A synthesis of ~36 years of global UV, IR and microwave satellite measurements yields an updated assessment of the volcanic SO2 flux to the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS) between 1978 and 2014 (~1-Tg/yr). The present availability of multiple UV and IR satellite …

Free And Open-Source Control Software For 3-D Motion And Processing, Bas Wijnen, G. C. Anzalone, Amberlee S. Haselhuhn, Paul G. Sanders, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

RepRap 3-D printers and their derivatives using conventional firmware are limited by: 1) requiring technical knowledge, 2) poor resilience with unreliable hardware, and 3) poor integration in complicated systems. In this paper, a new control system called Franklin, for CNC machines in general and 3-D printers specifically, is presented that enables web-based three dimensional control of additive, subtractive and analytical tools from any Internet connected device. Franklin can be set up and controlled entirely from a web interface; it uses a custom protocol which allows it to continue printing when the connection is temporarily lost, and allows communication with scripts.

Influence Of Oxygen Concentration On The Performance Of Ultra-Thin Rf Magnetron Sputter Deposited Indium Tin Oxide Films As A Top Electrode For Photovoltaic Devices, Jephias Gwamuri, Murugesan Marikkannan, J. Mayandi, Patrick Bowen, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

The opportunity for substantial efficiency enhancements of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar photovoltaic (PV) cells using plasmonic absorbers requires ultra-thin transparent conducting oxide top electrodes with low resistivity and high transmittances in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Fabricating ultra-thin indium tin oxide (ITO) films (sub-50 nm) using conventional methods has presented a number of challenges; however, a novel method involving chemical shaving of thicker (greater than 80 nm) RF sputter deposited high-quality ITO films has been demonstrated. This study investigates the effect of oxygen concentration on the etch rates of RF sputter deposited ITO films to …

Post-Eruption Deformation Processes Measured Using Alos-1 And Uavsar Insar At Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala, Lauren Schaefer, Zhong Lu, Thomas Oommen

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Pacaya volcano is a persistently active basaltic cone complex located in the Central American Volcanic Arc in Guatemala. In May of 2010, violent Volcanic Explosivity Index-3 (VEI-3) eruptions caused significant topographic changes to the edifice, including a linear collapse feature 600 m long originating from the summit, the dispersion of ~20 cm of tephra and ash on the cone, the emplacement of a 5.4 km long lava flow, and ~3 m of co-eruptive movement of the southwest flank. For this study, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images (interferograms) processed from both spaceborne Advanced Land Observing Satellite-1 (ALOS-1) and aerial Uninhabited …

High-Efficiency Solar-Powered 3-D Printers For Sustainable Development, Jephias Gwamuri, Dhiogo Franco, Khalid Khan, Lucia Gauchia, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The release of the open source 3-D printer known as the RepRap (a self-Replicating Rapid prototyper) resulted in the potential for distributed manufacturing of products for significantly lower costs than conventional manufacturing. This development, coupled with open source-appropriate technology (OSAT), has enabled the opportunity for 3-D printers to be used for sustainable development. In this context, OSAT provides the opportunity to modify and improve the physical designs of their printers and desired digitally-shared objects. However, these 3-D printers require electricity while more than a billion people still lack electricity. To enable the utilization of RepRaps in off-grid communities, solar photovoltaic …

Electrical And Computer Engineering Annual Report 2016, Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Annual Reports

• Faculty Directory
• Faculty Highlights
• Faculty Fellow Program
• Multidisciplinary Research Fills Critical Needs
• Better, Faster Technology
• Metamaterials: Searching for the Perfect Lens
• The Nontraditional Power of Demand Dispatch
• Space, Solar Power's Next Frontier
• Kit Cischke, Award-Winning Senior Lecturer
• Faculty Publications
• ECE Academy Class of 2016
• Staff Profile: Michele Kamppinen
• For the Love of Teaching: Jenn Winikus
• Graduate Student Highlights
• Undergraduate Student Highlights
• External Advisory Committee
• Contracts and Grants
• Department Statistics
• AAES National Engineering Award

Me-Em 2015-16 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Alumni: Leading with Simulation
• Education: Simulating the Future
• Faculty: Advancing Simulation
• Graduate Seminar Series
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Department News
• Faculty & Staff
• Alumni
• Donors
• Contracts & Grants
• Patents & Publications

Reviews And Syntheses: Ocean Acidification And Its Potential Impacts On Marine Ecosystems, Khan M.G. Mostofa, Cong-Qiang Liu, Weidong Zhai, Marco Minella, David Vione, Kunshan Gao, Daisuke Minakata, Et.Al

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Publications

Ocean acidification, a complex phenomenon that lowers seawater pH, is the net outcome of several contributions. They include the dissolution of increasing atmospheric CO2 that adds up with dissolved inorganic carbon (dissolved CO2, H2CO3, HCO3−, and CO32−) generated upon mineralization of primary producers (PP) and dissolved organic matter (DOM). The aquatic processes leading to inorganic carbon are substantially affected by increased DOM and nutrients via terrestrial runoff, acidic rainfall, increased PP and algal blooms, nitrification, denitrification, sulfate reduction, global warming (GW), and by atmospheric CO2 itself through enhanced photosynthesis. They are consecutively associated with enhanced ocean acidification, hypoxia in acidified …

Experimental Study Of The Flow Of Ferrofluid In A Porous Media Under A Magnetic Field, Muskaan Khurana

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This research presents results from a laboratory-scale experimental setup that was designed to visualize the behavior of ferrofluid percolation through a porous media. Ferrofluids are colloidal suspensions made of magnetic particles of a few nanometers and stabilized in carrier liquids like water or mineral oil. Ferrofluids get magnetized and align themselves in the direction of a magnetic field when a field gradient is applied.

With the help of this experiment we investigate the viability of controlling fluid flow in porous medium by a magnetic field in vicinity. The experiments show that ferrofluids can be used as a transporting media to …

Sustainability For Shrinking Cities, Justin L. Herrmann, William D. Shuster, Audrey L. Mayer, Ahjond S. Garmestani

College of Forest Resources and Environmental Science Publications

Shrinking cities are widespread throughout the world despite the rapidly increasing global urban population. These cities are attempting to transition to sustainable trajectories to improve the health and well-being of urban residents, to build their capacity to adapt to changing conditions and to cope with major events. The dynamics of shrinking cities are different than the dynamics of growing cities, and therefore intentional research and planning around creating sustainable cities is needed for shrinking cities. We propose research that can be applied to shrinking cities by identifying parallel challenges in growing cities and translating urban research and planning that is …

Shear Driven Suppressed Nucleation Annular Flow-Boiling In Millimeter-Scale Channels: Direct Numerical Simulations, Sharayu Bhasme

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Many contemporary high heat-flux cooling applications are facilitated by mm-scale flow-boilers that operate in the steady annular suppressed nucleation regime (i.e., a thin evaporating liquid film flow covers the heated boiling-surface).

For such cases, this thesis presents a direct numerical simulation (DNS) approach. The steady algorithm and its accuracy are discussed. Representative detailed solutions for annular flow-boiling of FC-72 in a horizontal channel are presented.