Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Quantifying The Sensitivity Of Land Use Land Cover Metrics Through Simulation Techniques, Haley Burger

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

As human activities and climate change continue to reshape our landscape, understanding how land use changes over time is becoming increasingly important. Accurate ways to track and analyze these changes are essential for governments, businesses, and communities to make informed decisions. Monitoring agricultural land is particularly critical, as shifts in land use can impact food production and environmental pollutants. One of the primary tools used in the United States to monitor agricultural land is the Cropland Data Layer (CDL), an annual map created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from satellite images. While the CDL is highly accurate, …

Role Of Quartz Grain Size And Saturation On Fault Strength And Frictional Healing, Sapana Regmi

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

Rocks near the Earth's surface (less than 5 kilometers deep) often break and grind against one another to create crushed rock materials known as fault gouge. These fault gouges are filled with fragmented particles and broken rocks, which vary in grain size over time and space due to repeated earthquakes. This variation in grain size distribution along fault gouge can affect the strength of the fault, how it slips during an earthquake and how it 'heals' or recovers strength between earthquakes. Further, fault gouges often contain water from underground sources, which can influence how they slip. Previous studies have examined …

Wildfire And Water Security: Post-Fire Erosion And Sedimentation Threaten Utah's Reservoirs, Quinn Olpin, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling, Aish Chandrasekaran, Patrick Belmont

All Current Publications

As an arid state with limited water, Utah relies heavily on reservoir storage to maintain its water supply throughout the year. This vital water storage, however, is increasingly at risk due to contemporary wildfires. Wildfires pose a risk to water storage because after vegetation burns, erosion typically increases. Eroded soil can be carried by rivers and deposited into reservoirs where it accumulates as sediment, reduces water storage capacity, clogs dam outlets, and degrades water quality. Identifying which watersheds are most vital to maintaining Utah’s water supply, are most threatened by wildfires, and are most prone to high levels of post-fire …

Post-Wildfire Erosion And Sedimentation: An Escalating Threat For Utah Fisheries, Colton James, Kendall Becker, Scott Hotaling, Aish Chandrasekaran, Alex Fiedler, Timothy E. Walsworth, Patrick Belmont

All Current Publications

Wildfires are a natural part of the western U.S. landscape and provide numerous benefits, including enhanced nutrient cycling and habitat rejuvenation. Utah’s fish populations evolved with wildfire as a common disturbance. However, the increasing size and severity of wildfires, combined with Utah’s heavily engineered and fragmented stream networks, pose a contemporary risk to fish populations. This fact sheet reviews wildfire impacts on erosion and Utah's watersheds and fisheries. It outlines measures we can take to prevent post-wildfire fish die-offs.

"...Anything My Friend Shares, I Would Want To Support Them By Clicking On It": Co-Designing Story-Based Interventions Against Clickbait For Teenagers, Ankit Shrestha, Audrey Flood, Bryson Hackler, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

Teenagers' lack of digital sophistication and cyber hygiene makes them vulnerable to social engineering attacks, especially as they start using social media. Clickbait, one of such attacks, is primarily performed through social media to trick users into clicking on malicious links. With teenagers' increasing use of social media, clickbait poses a substantial threat to their online safety. The existing online safety measures for teens mainly focus on parental mediation, which can be perceived as restrictive and privacy-invasive. To this end, researchers recommended empowering teens to deal with online risks. In order to design such interventions for clickbait, we conducted co-design …

A Review Of Automation In Small Satellite Operations, Joseph Melville, Andrew Narvaez, Lee Jasper

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

In the context of congested orbital space, the proliferation of small satellite constellations aims to enhance resilience and responsiveness in on-orbit systems. The escalating number and diversity of small satellites and the need for intersatellite coordination pose operational challenges. Chief among these challenges is that the quantity of operators needed to fully utilize these deployed systems is prohibitively large and expensive; further, operators simply may not be responsive enough to events.

Automated systems, both on-board and ground-based, offer a viable solution to streamline various operational tasks. The integration of automation mitigates the operational burden, minimizes errors originating from human intervention, …

Atom-Chip Compatible Optical Lattice, Robert Leonard, Spencer E. Olson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

A lattice beam configuration which results in an isotropic 3D trap near the surface of an atom chip is described. The lattice is formed near the surface of a reflectively coated atom chip, where three incident beams and three reflected beams intersect. The coherent interference of these six beams form a phase-stable optical lattice which extends to the surface of the atom chip. The lattice is experimentally realized and the trap frequency is measured. Degenerate Raman sideband cooling is performed in the optical lattice, cooling 80 million atoms to 1.1 μK.

Discrete Time Series Forecasting In Non-Invasive Monitoring Of Managed Honey Bee Colonies: Part Ii: Are Hive Weight And In-Hive Temperature Seasonal And Colony-Specific, Vladimir A. Kulyukin, Aleksey V. Kulyukin, William G. Meikle

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

We explored the stationarity, trend, and seasonality of the hive weight and in-hive temperature of ten managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies at a research apiary of the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, Arizona, USA. The hives were monitored with electronic scales and in-hive temperature sensors from June to October 2022. The weight and temperature were recorded every five minutes around the clock. The collected data were curated into 2160 timestamped weight and 2160 timestamped temperature observations. We performed a systematic autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) time series analysis to answer three fundamental questions: (a) Does …

Deep Learning For Absorption-Image Analysis, Jacob Morrey, Isaac Peterson, Robert H. Leonard, Joshua M. Wilson, Francisco Fonta, Matthew B. Squires, Spencer E. Olson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The quantum state of ultracold atoms is often determined through measurement of the spatial distribution of the atom cloud. Absorption imaging of the cloud is regularly used to extract this spatial information. Accurate determination of the parameters which describe the spatial distribution of the cloud is crucial to the success of many ultracold atom applications. In this work, we present modified deep learning image classification models for image regression. To overcome challenges in data collection, we train the model on simulated absorption images. We compare the performance of the deep learning models to least-squares techniques and show that the deep …

Detecting Ionospheric Disturbances Using High Frequency Coastal Radar Transmissions From The West Coast Of The United States, Riley N. Troyer, Kenneth Obenberger, Michael Negale, Eugene Dao, Zsolt Balint, Eric Burnside, Kris Robinson, Jeffrey M. Holmes, Pavel Inchin, Jonathan Snively

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Coastal radar system are located around the world and many happen to transmit at frequencies capable of skywave propagation via the ionosphere. Therefore, they can be detected hundreds to thousands of kilometers away. This paper demonstrates the opportunity to detect 39 Coastal Ocean Dynamics Application Radar transmitters located on the western coast of the United States using three HF radio receivers in Utah and New Mexico. It also illustrates the possibility to use the phase and Doppler measurements of these signals to derive displacements of the refracting ionospheric layer up to meter resolution for the 2023 annular solar eclipse, an …

Utahns’ Awareness Of The Drying Up Of The Great Salt Lake, Ashley Young

Utah People and Environment Poll (UPEP)

The Great Salt Lake provides several benefits for the state of Utah. It supports industry, recreational activities, and aquaculture. It also provides wetland habitat to twelve million migratory birds.¹ Due to drought induced by climate change and human water use, the lake has been shrinking rapidly in a process known as desiccation. The desiccation threatens the lake’s economic and ecological benefits while also posing other potential challenges. Dust from the dry lakebed may also cause health challenges for humans, as the dust contains harmful amounts of arsenic, lithium, copper, and other metals.²

Utah’s ability to combat desiccation of …

Barrier Removal Is A Strategy For Climate Resilience, Sarah E. Null, William Bosen, Gregory Goodrum

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Millions of dams and in-stream barriers have been built worldwide to manage water supply, reduce flood risk, generate hydropower, and support recreation, navigation, and road infrastructure. The National Aquatic Barrier Inventory estimates over 550,000 dams and over 298,000 road-related barriers that fragment streams in the United States¹. As dams age and as droughts and floods become more intense, some dams and barriers have become problems, for example, by outliving their useful life, presenting safety concerns to communities, and impacting ecosystems, especially in a changing climate. These dams – the ones that present safety concerns due to their age …

How Invasive Species Affect Ecosystems, Marion Murray, Meg Kast

All Current Publications

Invasive species can have profound impacts on ecosystems worldwide. In the absence of their natural enemies, invasive species thrive and reproduce quickly. They can have significant ecological and economic effects. This fact sheet outlines the impact of invasive species on biodiversity, nutrient cycles, water quality, and the resulting economic consequences. It also suggests practical tips for responding.

Combining Submicron Spectroscopy Techniques (Afm-Ir And O-Ptir) To Detect And Quantify Nanoplastics In Snow From A Utah Ski Resort, Sara L. Belontz, Janice Brahney, Caroline E. Caplan, Eoghan Dillon, Ting Yan, Gerardo Dominguez

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Atomic force microscopy-based infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR) and optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy are cutting-edge techniques used for precise nanoscale chemical analysis, capable of detecting and characterizing particles smaller than 1 μm. In this study, we applied both techniques to analyze snow subsamples collected from Beaver Mountain, Utah. Quantification by AFM-IR identified a concentration of 1.50 × 10^–1 μg/mL of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate), a copolyester known for its biodegradability and biocompatibility and that was the only polymer detected. Notably, 96% of particles had thicknesses below 1 μm, with the smallest particle recorded at 14 nm in height, demonstrating the advantage …

On Programmatic Aspects Of The Universality, Parameter, And Recursion Theorems Of Classical Computability, Vladimir A. Kulyukin

Computer Science Faculty and Staff Publications

The Universality, Parameter, and Recursion Theorems are three foundational results of classical computability theory. We show how these theorems can be programmatically illustrated and partially validated in Lisp. Our programs can be used as supplementary materials to texts on theoretical computer science, mathematical logic, or metamathematics.

Ecological Acclimation: A Framework To Integrate Fast And Slow Responses To Climate Change, Michael Stemkovski, Joey R. Bernhardt, Benjamin Wong Blonder, John B. Bradford, Kyra Clark-Wolf, Laura E. Dee, Margaret E. K. Evans, Virginia Iglesias, Loretta C. Johnson, Abigail J. Lynch, Sparkle L. Malone, Booke B. Osborne, Melissa A. Pastore, Michael Paterson, Malin L. Pinsky, Christine R. Rollinson, Oliver Selmoni, Jason J. Venkiteswaran, Anthony P. Walker, Nicole K. Ward, John W. Williams, Claire M. Zarakas, Peter B. Adler

Wildland Resources Faculty Publications

1. Ecological responses to climate change occur across vastly different time-scales, from minutes for physiological plasticity to decades or centuries for community turnover and evolutionary adaptation. Accurately predicting the range of ecosystem trajectories will require models that incorporate both fast processes that may keep pace with climate change and slower ones likely to lag behind and generate disequilibrium dynamics. However, the knowledge necessary for this integration is currently fragmented across disciplines.

2. We develop ‘ecological acclimation’ as a unifying framework to emphasize the similarity of dynamics driven by processes operating on dramatically different time-scales and levels of biological organization. The …

Cutthroat Trout In Utah, Hope Northagen, Ethan Gilliam

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is intended to inform anglers, aquatic recreationalists, and backyard conservationists interested in learning about a Utah native species, current restoration steps, and how their actions can help professionals restore native cutthroat trout populations.

The Link Between Environmental Change And Invasive Species, Marion Murray, Meg Kast

All Current Publications

Climate change and invasive species represent two pressing environmental challenges facing our planet. Each poses a threat to global biodiversity and ecosystem stability, and together, they amplify the impacts of the other. As global temperatures rise and ecosystems are disrupted, new conditions are created that allow invasive species to spread more easily, establish themselves in new areas, and outcompete native species.

Usu Luminescence Lab Project 356: Durango Colorado Glacial And Fluvial Deposit Luminescence Age Results, Tammy M. Rittenour

Browse all Datasets

Luminescence dating of outwash terraces and glacial moraines. Project investigated the age of older (Bull Lake?) glacial advance sequences near Durango Colorado. Project was supervised by Dr. Jon Harvey at Fort Lewis College. Research was part of an undergraduate research project conducted by Josh Lingbloom.

Roles Of Organic Agriculture For Water Optimization In Arid And Semi-Arid Regions, Shikha Sharma, Matt A. Yost, Jennifer R. Reeve

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Water scarcity is a critical challenge in arid and semi-arid regions, where agricultural water consumption accounts for a significant portion of freshwater use. Conventional agriculture (CA) methods with high reliance on chemical and mechanical inputs often exacerbate this issue through soil degradation and water loss. This review aims to examine how different organic practices, such as mulching, cover cropping, composting, crop rotation, and no-till (NT) in combination with precision technologies, can contribute to water optimization, and it discusses the opportunities and challenges for the adoption and implementation of those practices. Previous findings show that organic agriculture (OA) may outperform CA …

Revised Unsteady Drag Force And Its Impact On Particle Dynamics At High Reynolds Numbers, Ahmad Talaei, Timothy J. Garrett

Physics Student Research

The accurate modeling of particle motion in viscous fluids at high Reynolds numbers remains a fundamental challenge, particularly under unsteady flow conditions where nonlinear effects dominate. This study introduces a revised unsteady drag formulation, extending its applicability beyond previous studies. By integrating classical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations, the new formulation overcomes the limitations of the Maxey–Riley–Gatignol (MRG) equation, addressing non-physical memory effects associated with Basset drag and extending its applicability to higher Reynolds numbers.

Through experimental comparisons and direct numerical simulations (DNS), the revised equation of motion is compared to the MRG equation, both during steady-state conditions and non-equilibrium …

A First Look Into Parental Strategies, And Challenges Around Children’S Device Usage In Urban Nepal, Rizu Paudel, Prakriti Dumaru, Ankit Shrestha, Mahdi Nasrullah Al-Ameen

Computer Science Student Research

There have been substantial changes in the landscape of technology use by children in Global South during COVID-19, when the shift to online learning platforms necessitated parents to avail personal devices (e.g., smartphones, computers) for their children to fulfill their educational needs. However, the use of devices by children are not limited to serving educational purpose only. Our study positions itself in a critical post-pandemic period in Nepal, characterized by the increase in device use by children, while a little study to date, investigated parental mediation in this developing country. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 parents, …

Convergence Research For Microplastic Pollution At The Watershed Scale, Heejun Chang, Elise Granek, Amanda Gannon, Jordyn M. Wolfand, Janice Brahney

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Microplastics are found in Earth's atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, pedosphere, and ecosphere. While there is a growing interest and need to solve this grand challenge in both the academic and policy realms, few have engaged with academics, policymakers, and community partners to co-identify the problem, co-design research, and co-produce knowledge in tackling this issue. Using a convergence research framework, we investigated the perception of microplastic pollution among different end users, delivered educational materials to K-12 teachers and practitioners, and identified key sampling points for assessing environmental microplastic concentrations in the Columbia River Basin, United States. Three community partner workshops identified regional …

Gnss Technology, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL presentation on GNSS Technology

Using Oblique, Bistatic Receptions Of Superdarn Signals To Measure Hf Propagation In The Auroral And Polar Cap Region, Riley Troyer, Jeffrey Holmes, Evan Thomas, Simon Shepherd, Eugene Dao, John Carilli

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Experiment Geometry

Three receiver locations:

• Pituffik (formerly Thule)
• Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow)
• USCGC Healy – Beaufort Sea

Two SuperDARN locations:

• Christmas Valley (CVE, CVW)
• Iceland (ICE, ICW)

Enhancing Stability And Emissions In Metal Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals Through Mn2+ Doping, Thi Thu Trinh Phan, Thi Thuy Kieu Nguyen, Trung Kien Mac, Minh Tuan Trinh

Chemistry and Biochemistry Student Research

Metal halide perovskite (MHP) nanocrystals (NCs) offer great potential for high-efficiency optoelectronic devices; however, they suffer from structural softness and chemical instability. Doping MHP NCs can overcome this issue. In this work, we synthesize Mn-doped methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr₃) NCs using the ligand-assisted reprecipitation method and investigate their structural and optical stability. X-ray diffraction confirms Mn²⁺ substitution at Pb²⁺ sites and lattice contraction. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements show a blue shift, significant PL quantum yield enhancement, reaching 72% at 17% Mn²⁺ doping, and a 34% increase compared to undoped samples, attributed to effective defect passivation and …

Comparison Of Gravity Waves Observed By Atmospheric Waves Experiment (Awe) And Simulated By High-Resolution Waccm-X, Jiarong Zhang, Han-Li Liu, Yucheng Zhao, Dominique Pautet, Ludger Scherliess, Michael Taylor

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Outline

Data: AWE and High-Resolution Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model with thermosphere and ionosphere extension (HR-WACCMX) simulation

• Quantify gravity wave (GW) activity
• Compare GW activity observed by AWE and simulated by high-resolution WACCMX
• GW activity over Western Europe

City & Town Perspectives On Water Management In Utah: Descriptive Report Of Survey Findings, Bailey M. Holdaway, Courtney G. Flint

Environment and Society Student Research

In an effort to better understand the water management practices of municipalities in Utah, surveys were conducted with city and town representatives. These surveys aimed to capture insights across a variety of key topics related to water resource management. A brief overview of survey methods is provided followed by findings organized by question topic.

Near-Earth Object (Neo) Surveyor Introduction “Neos”, Brent Carlsen

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

NEOS

- Near-Earth Object Surveyor (NEOS)

- Its Mission

- Its Importance

- How it’s built

- What you will see today

• Where piece parts were made
• Where it will be assembled
• Where it will be tested

Detecting Burn Severity And Vegetation Recovery After Fire Using Dnbr And Dndvi Indices: Insight From The Bosco Difesa Grande, Gravina In Southern Italy, Somayeh Zahabnazouri, Patrick Belmont, Scott David, Peter E. Wigand, Mario Elia, Domenico Capolongo

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Wildfires serve a paradoxical role in landscapes—supporting biodiversity and nutrient cycling while also threatening ecosystems and economies, especially as climate change intensifies their frequency and severity. This study investigates the impact of wildfires and vegetation recovery in the Bosco Difesa Grande forest in southern Italy, focusing on the 2017 and 2021 fire events. Using Google Earth Engine (GEE) accessed in January 2025, we applied remote sensing techniques to assess burn severity and post-fire regrowth. Sentinel-2 imagery was used to compute the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI); burn severity was derived from differenced NBR (dNBR), and …