Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Economic Analysis Of The Florida Everglades Restoration, Jeffrey Robert Czajkowski

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An economic valuation methodology was developed in order to monetarily quantify the benefits resulting from the Indian River Lagoon - South (IRLS) $995 million Everglades restoration project. Service flows of the IRLS were identified and their associated economic baseline values were estimated utilizing existing research. A water quality baseline for the IRLS was also established and compared with the best available standards. Benefits accruing beyond the baseline values given the completion of the IRLS restoration were estimated via benefit transfer to be approximately $159 million annually, importantly factoring in the established IRLS water quality baseline.

Given these benefit results of …

Exclusive Electrodisintegration Of Three-Nucleon Systems, Tigran Abrahamyan

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to develop a theory of high-energy exclusive electrodisintegration of three-nucleon systems on the example of 3He(e, e'NN)N reaction with knocked-out nucleon in the final state.

The scattering amplitudes and differential cross section of the reaction were calculated in details within the Generalized Eikonal Approximation(GEA). The manifestly covariant nature of Feynman diagrams derived in GEA allowed us to preserve both the relativistic dynamics and kinematics of the scattering while identifying the low momentum nuclear part of the amplitude with a nonrelativistic nuclear wave function. Numerical calculations of the residual system's total and relative momentum distribution …

Environmental Analysis Of Polar Herbicides In Complex Organic-Rich Matrices By High Performance Liquid Chromatography Atmospheric Pressure Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Hplc-Api-Ms), Luis Arroyo-Mora

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A comprehensive forensic investigation of sensitive ecosystems in the Everglades Area is presented. Assessing the background levels of contamination in these ecosystems represents a vital resource to build up forensic evidence required to enforce future environmental crimes within the studied areas. This investigation presents the development and validation of a fractionation and isolation method for two families of herbicides commonly applied in the vicinity of the study area, including phenoxy acids like 2,4-D, MCPA, and silvex; as well as the most common triazine-based herbicides like atrazine, prometyne, simazine and related metabolites like DIA and DEA. Accelerated solvent extraction (ASE) and …

Characterizing Fracture Distribution In Layered Rocks Using Geographic Information System-Based Techniques, Kajari Ghosh

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fractures are discrete planar features that are heterogeneously distributed throughout the earth's upper crust. Methods commonly used to quantify fracture populations typically yield singular values/indexes for the attribute of interest. These values are useful in characterizing the bulk properties of a fracture population, but are unable to address the inherent spatial heterogeneities of the fracture network.

This study explores techniques to map fractures and capture the spatial heterogeneity of fracture networks within a Geographic Information System (GIS). The study was performed on exposures of the intensely fractured Monterey Formation in Santa Barbara, California. Results of the GIS-based spatial analysis provide …

Particle Identification With Aerogel Ĉerenkov Detectors, Michael Carl

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Two detectors for charged particle identification have been built and tested. First, a test setup for a diffusion box threshold detector, using a 5 cm thick aerogel radiator has been designed and tested at the KEK PS facility in Japan. Using white Millipore paper as a diffuse reflector inside a diffusion box, the Ĉerenkov light gets scattered randomly until it hits one of the photomultipliers. On average up to 20 photoelectrons detected for pions at 1.2 GeV/c have been observed. Second, collection of Ĉerenkov light with an acrylic wavelength shifting plate was investigated. The test setup consisted of a plate, …

Cross-Section Measurements For The Near Ultra-Violet Absorption Spectra Of Glyoxal At The 280 Nanometer Wavelength, Abigail Diaz

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Glyoxal and other dicarbonyl compounds have been detected in tropospheric air in rural areas and polluted urban areas. Accurate absorption cross-sections for the near UV spectrum of glyoxal are important since the value of this chemical characteristic is necessary for calculating effective quantum yields and ultimately the rates and products of photolysis. In this study, comprehensive measurements were made for the 2 80 nm gas-phase absorption spectrum of glyoxal. In addition, molecular orbital calculations were carried out and the results used as a guide to identify the vibration responsible for the weak structure features of the continuous area of the …

Nonparametric Assessment Of Safety Levels In Ecological Risk Assessment (Era), Limei Chen

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In ecological risk assessment (ERA), it is important to know whether the exposure that animal species receive from a chemical concentration exceeds the desired safety level. This study examined several statistical methods currently being used in ecological risk assessment and reviewed several statistical procedures related to this subject in the literature. Two large sample nonparametric tests were developed for this study. Monte Carlo study showed that these tests performed well even when the sample size was moderately large. A real data set was used to show that the new methodologies provide a good method for assessing the potential risks of …

Development And Evaluation Of A Geographic Information System Based Method To Estimate Flooding Susceptibility In An Area Of Broward County, Florida, Carolyn J. Anderson

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to develop a GIS-based multi-class index overlay model to determine areas susceptible to inland flooding during extreme precipitation events in Broward County, Florida. Data layers used in the method include Airborne Laser Terrain Mapper (ALTM) elevation data, excess precipitation depth determined through performing a Soil Conservation Service (SCS) Curve Number (CN) analysis, and the slope of the terrain. The method includes a calibration procedure that uses "weights and scores" criteria obtained from Hurricane Irene (1999) records, a reported 100-year precipitation event, Doppler radar data and documented flooding locations. Results are displayed in maps of …

Development Of Microsatellite Markers In Cannabis Sativa For Fingerprinting And Genetic Relatedness Analyses, Hussain J. Al-Ghanim

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microsatellite markers were developed for Cannabis sativa L. (marijuana) to estimate the level of polymorphism, usefulness for DNA typing (genotype identification), and to measure the genetic relationships between the different plants. Twelve different oligonucleotide probes were used to screen an enriched microsatellite library of Cannabis sativa in which 49% of the clones contained microsatellite sequences. Characterization of microsatellite loci in Cannabis revealed that GA/CT was the most abundant class of isolated microsatellites representing 50% overall. Eleven polymorphic SSR markers were developed, derived from dinucleotide motifs and eight from trinucleotide motifs. A total of 52 alleles were detected averaging 4.7 alleles/locus. …