Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Pollinator Power: Supporting Bees Through Ecoregion Specific Planting Guides, Maya Thomas

Scripps Senior Theses

The pollination of flowering crops by bees is an invaluable ecosystem service that supports biodiversity and much of the global agricultural system. Pollinators move pollen between the male structures of a plant to the female structures of a plant of the same species. This fertilizes the female plant, which then produces the next generation. This process also provides the pollinator with the nectar or pollen it needs to survive. While some plants transfer pollen through different means, the majority of plants need help from pollinators to reproduce. Depending on the means of pollination, pollination can be classified as abiotic or …

Colonialism And Its Aftermaths In Vieques, Puerto Rico: How U.S. Hegemony Led To Contamination, A Superfund Site, And Local Mistrust, Kaya Mark

Scripps Senior Theses

After sixty-two years of U.S. military testing, the small Puerto Rican island of Vieques and its residents continue to fight against ongoing environmental and social effects of U.S. hegemony. Starting with the arrival of the Spanish, then with U.S. occupation and use of Vieques as a military stopover, Viequense residents are used to U.S. governmental presence on their land. Despite the military’s removal from Vieques in 2003, many local residents have a fundamental lack of trust for the U.S. government. Because of this lack of trust and transparency with U.S. governmental actions in the post- World War II period, residents …

Evolving Art: Modifying Context Free Art With A Genetic Algorithm, Marina Kent

Scripps Senior Theses

Context Free Design Grammar (CFDG) is a programming language for defining recursive structures that can be used to create art. I use CFDG as a design space for genetic programming, experimenting with various options for crossover, mutation, and fitness. In this exploratory work, multiple generations are manually assessed to determine the usefulness of the mutation strategies and fitness functions. I find that simple value mutation and fitness that alters general program structure is not enough to produce an increase of interesting images in CFDG. I discuss these findings as well as future avenues of inquiry for genetic programming in artistic …

Paving The Randomized Gauss-Seidel, Wei Wu

Scripps Senior Theses

The Randomized Gauss-Seidel Method (RGS) is an iterative algorithm that solves overdetermined systems of linear equations Ax = b. This paper studies an update on the RGS method, the Randomized Block Gauss-Seidel Method. At each step, the algorithm greedily minimizes the objective function L(x) = kAx bk2 with respect to a subset of coordinates. This paper describes a Randomized Block Gauss-Seidel Method (RBGS) which uses a randomized control method to choose a subset at each step. This algorithm is the first block RGS method with an expected linear convergence rate which can be described by the properties of the matrix …

Quantifying Carbonyl Sulfide And Other Sulfur-Containing Compounds Over The Santa Barbara Channel, Julia Black

Scripps Senior Theses

Carbonyl sulfide (OCS) is emitted to the atmosphere through the outgassing of ocean surface waters. OCS is also the primary source of sulfur-containing compounds in the stratosphere and contributes to the formation of the stratospheric sulfate layer, an essential controller of the radiative balance of the atmosphere. During the 2016 Student Airborne Research Program (SARP), 15 whole air samples were collected on the NASA DC-8 aircraft over the Santa Barbara Channel. Five additional surface samples were taken at various locations along the Santa Barbara Channel. The samples were analyzed using gas chromatography in the Rowland-Blake lab at UC Irvine, and …

Using Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequence (Caps) Genetic Markers To Determine The Extent Of Hybridization Between Castilleja Affinis And Castilleja Mollis As A Mechanism For Adapting To Climate Change On Santa Rosa Island, Elizabeth Medford

Scripps Senior Theses

Hybridization, the process of interbreeding between individuals of different species, is one method by which plants and animals adapt to a changing environment. One example of such adaptation through hybridization may be occurring on the California Channel Islands with two species of Castilleja. While United State Geological Survey (USGS) researchers have been studying the populations of Castilleja affinis and Castilleja mollis to determine if hybridization is occurring on Santa Rosa Island since the early 1990s, up until this point primarily overt phenotypic characteristics have been used to differentiate between the two species. Genetic methods of differentiation were adopted to …

Utilizing Hydrology And Geomorphology Relationships To Estimate Streamflow Conditions On Maui And O‘Ahu, Hawai‘I, Brytne Okuhata

Scripps Senior Theses

As the population on the island of Maui drastically increases, water resource demands continue to rise. In order to match water demands and to manage water resources, it is important to understand streamflow and drainage basin interactions. If relationships between a drainage basin’s hydrologic and geomorphologic characteristics can be quantified, then streamflow conditions of ungaged streams can potentially be estimated. The baseflow recession constant is an important variable to analyze for water management, yet until this study, recession constants were not calculated for the island of Maui, or Hawai‘i as a whole. Recession constants of currently gaged streams on Maui …

A Cryptographic Attack: Finding The Discrete Logarithm On Elliptic Curves Of Trace One, Tatiana Bradley

Scripps Senior Theses

The crux of elliptic curve cryptography, a popular mechanism for securing data, is an asymmetric problem. The elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem, as it is called, is hoped to be generally hard in one direction but not the other, and it is this asymmetry that makes it secure.

This paper describes the mathematics (and some of the computer science) necessary to understand and compute an attack on the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem that works in a special case. The algorithm, proposed by Nigel Smart, renders the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem easy in both directions for elliptic curves of …

Comparing Bulk Aerosol Profiles In The Mixed Layer In Coastal Los Angeles And The Inland Empire, Taia Sean Wu

Scripps Senior Theses

Characteristic westerly sea breeze carries air over the Los Angeles Basin in Southern California to the Inland Empire approximately 50 miles inland, directly impacting air quality in both of these two highly polluted regions. As particles play a critical role in air quality and human health, this study compares the bulk aerosol profiles of the Los Angeles pollution "source" and Inland Empire "receptor" regions during the 2013 and 2014 NASA Student Airborne Research Program (SARP) campaigns onboard the NASA DC-8 airborne laboratory. The source and receptor regions were characterized by a series of missed approaches at the Los Angeles International …

Exploration Of Materials Used In 3-Dimensional Printing For The Dental Industry, Holly Chang Hayden

Scripps Senior Theses

A limiting factor in the digitization of dental devices is the availability of materials suitable for use in both dentistry and the new digital technologies. As a rapidly growing industry, three-dimensional printing (3DP) has the potential to disrupt traditional manufacturing and prototyping methods. A review of both restorative materials and the current 3DP materials has lead to a focus on fiber- reinforced composites in the exploration for a new 3DP material. In addition, another area worth exploring and investing in would be 3D bioprinting as it opens up the possibility of regenerative dentistry.

An Examination Of El Niño's And Agricultural Runoff's Effect On Harmful Algal Blooms And California Sea Lion (Zalophus Californianus) Health In Monterey Bay, Nadine Lafeber

Scripps Senior Theses

An increase in marine mammal stranding and die-off events has been observed along the California coast. The exact cause to explain for these recent events is unknown, but El Niño and harmful algal blooms are established sources for temporary decreases in marine mammal health. To determine whether El Niño could be causing and amplifying harmful algal blooms, particularly in Monterey Bay where they occur frequently, data was analyzed from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. Data analysis focused on California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), because they have the largest data set and are directly affected by harmful …

Geographic Relevance For Travel Search: The 2014-2015 Harvey Mudd College Clinic Project For Expedia, Inc., Hannah Long

Scripps Senior Theses

The purpose of this Clinic project is to help Expedia, Inc. expand the search capabilities it offers to its users. In particular, the goal is to help the company respond to unconstrained search queries by generating a method to associate hotels and regions around the world with the higher-level attributes that describe them, such as “family- friendly” or “culturally-rich.” Our team utilized machine-learning algorithms to extract metadata from textual data about hotels and cities. We focused on two machine-learning models: decision trees and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA). The first appeared to be a promising approach, but would require more resources …

A Mathematical Model Of The Effect Of Aspirin On Blood Clotting, Breeana J. Johng

Scripps Senior Theses

In this paper, we provide a mathematical model of the effect of aspirin on blood clotting. The model tracks the enzyme prostaglandin H synthase and an important blood clotting factor, thromboxane A₂, in the form of thromboxane B₂. Through model analysis, we determine conditions under which the reactions of prostaglandin H synthase are self-sustaining. Lastly, through numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the model accurately captures the steady-state chemical concentrations of interest in blood, both with and without aspirin treatment.

Moving Towards A Greener Future: An Investigation Of How Transit-Oriented Development Has The Potential To Redefine Cities Around Sustainability, Margaret E. Smith

Scripps Senior Theses

How does transportation shape the cities we live in? This paper takes a close look at the practice of transit-oriented development to assess its implications for the future of urban areas. Through the design of a hypothetical light rail station in the suburb of Redmond, WA, this paper demonstrates how targeting sustainable development around transit has the potential to influence entire towns to “go green,” and proposes that, moving forward, cities be designed to maximize mobility, livability, and sustainability.

Enhancement On Counting Invariant On Symmetric Virtual Biracks, Melinda Ho

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis introduces a new enhancement for virtual birack counting invariants. We first introduce knots and other general types of knots (oriented knots, framed knots, racks, and biracks). Then we’ll discuss the methods, knot invariants, mathematicians use to identify whether two knots are different. Next we’ll look at knots with virtual crossings and knots with a good involution. Finally, we introduce a new symmetric enhancement for virtual birack counting invariants and provide an example.

Price, Perceived Value And Customer Satisfaction: A Text-Based Econometric Analysis Of Yelp! Reviews, Eleanor A. Dwyer

Scripps Senior Theses

We examine the antecedents of customer satisfaction in the restaurant sector, paying particular attention to perceived value and price level. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation, we extract latent topics from the text of Yelp! reviews, then analyze the relationship between these topics and satisfaction, measured as the difference between review rating and user average review rating.

San Diego’S Options For Alternate Sources Of Water: A Comparative Analysis Of Water Recycling And Desalination As Alternative Methods To Importing Water, Alana O. Pokorny

Scripps Senior Theses

This paper describes the processes, methods, backgrounds, and economic challenges, of Desalination and Water Recycling and provide current examples of both. To create a baseline with which to compare the two methods, I will also delve into the history of California water policy. This complicated past is the reason water importation into Southern California remains the main method of obtaining water. Yet, as the current drought continues and technology advances, the need for imported water will become obsolete as the methods for recycling and desalinating water become less expensive, more convenient and more equitable. In the conclusion, all the methods …

Biodynamic Agriculture: A Valuable Alternative To The Industrial Farming System, Eden K. Olsen

Scripps Senior Theses

Since the Scientific and Industrial revolutions, advancing technologies and cutting-edge science have enabled our society to continually promote a growing global economy. Industrial growth has increasingly become a top priority for most governments, notably in the agricultural realm. The advances towards agricultural industrialization began in the 17^th century and escalated during the Green Revolution, which examined the possibility of using synthetic fertilizers and mechanization in farming to decrease labor and improve yields. Although seen as economically beneficial, the shift from an agrarian lifestyle to industrial farming has created an ecological, economic, and ideological crisis to our modern world. This …

The Reclamation Of Public Parks: An Analysis Of Environmental Justice In Los Angeles, Allison Rigby

Scripps Senior Theses

People who live in cities are far more likely to suffer the physical and psychological effects of urban environments--high noise levels, automobile emissions, toxic industrial waste, crowded living conditions, and a general scarcity of open space. Combating these issues, public parks do more than provide recreational space. They are fundamental to any efforts focusing on urban revitalization, social justice, and sustainability. In downtown Los Angeles, public parks are rare, especially in low-income communities. Several new public parks have reclaimed abandoned land, unwelcoming spaces, and the City’s brownfields. After years of intense private use and neglect, spent land has been reinvigorated …

Musical Missteps: The Severity Of The Sophomore Slump In The Music Industry, Shane M. Zackery

Scripps Senior Theses

This study looks at alternative models of follow-up album success in order to determine if there is a relationship between the decrease in Metascore ratings (assigned by Metacritic.com) between the first and second album for a musician or band and the 1) music genre or 2) the number of years between the first and second album release. The results support the dominant thought, which suggests that neither belonging to a certain genre of music nor waiting more or less time to drop the second album makes an artist more susceptible to the Sophomore Slump. This finding is important because it …

The Pacific Crest Trail: A History Of America’S Relationship With Western Wilderness, Jenn Livermore

Scripps Senior Theses

The Pacific Crest Trail has become increasingly popular since Clinton Clarke first envisioned such a trail in the 1930’s. By comparing the original motives and experience of the trail to the realities of the trail today, the trail’s fluid narrative becomes apparent. While this narrative is ever changing, over the course of the trail’s history one theme has remained constant – a notably problematic relationship with wilderness rooted in an exaltation of the sublime and post-frontier ideals. This thesis focuses on how the Pacific Crest Trail’s development over the past eighty years has created an experience that, on the surface, …

Metamorphism Of Cretaceous Standstones By Natural Coal-Fires, San Rafael Swell, Utah, Alexa R. Zilberfarb

Scripps Senior Theses

Underground coal fires commonly metamorphose or melt surrounding rocks at temperatures exceeding 1000°C. Numerous “baked” sandstone clinker deposits occur in the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks exposed in the San Rafael Swell, UT. This study examines clinker in three main localities: 1) East Carbon, UT, 2) Helper, UT, and 3) Emery, UT. The extent of pyrometamorphism in these areas is variably developed, but reached high enough temperature in Helper, UT to initiate melting and the production of paralavas. These paralavas were examined compositionally and mineralogically to determine melting conditions, peak temperatures, and mobility of different metals as a result of pyrometamorphism. X-ray …

A Volumetric Study Of Aqueous Butanol Solutions, Priyanka P. Chary

Scripps Senior Theses

Alcohol molecules consist of two distinct regions: a polar, hydrophilic alcohol group, and an aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. These regions interact with solvent water molecules in different ways. While the alcohol group acts as a solvent structure breaker by hydrogen bonding with nearby water molecules, the hydrophobic carbon chain acts instead as a solvent structure maker and causes the surrounding water molecules to align themselves in a Clathrate structure. The presence of these two contrasting solute-solvent interactions affects the properties of the solution, among them the molar volume. The partial molar volume of the alcohol is analyzed with respect to three …

Eradicating Malaria: Improving A Multiple-Timestep Optimization Model Of Malarial Intervention Policy, Taryn M. Ohashi

Scripps Senior Theses

Malaria is a preventable and treatable blood-borne disease whose complications can be fatal. Although many interventions exist in order to reduce the impacts of malaria, the optimal method of distributing these interventions in a geographical area with limited resources must be determined. This thesis refines a model that uses an integer linear program and a compartmental model of epidemiology called an SIR model of ordinary differential equations. The objective of the model is to find an intervention strategy over multiple time steps and multiple geographic regions that minimizes the number of days people spend infected with malaria. In this paper, …

Sustainable Urban Rail Trails: Designing The Cross Kirkland Corridor, Mia Cooledge

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis is a guide to building a sustainable rail-trail, wherein I focus on invasive species removal, green pavement, and creating an inviting space with the inclusion of integrated art. When the City of Kirkland, WA purchased the 5.75 mile long section of railroad going through the city, I approached city manager Kurt Triplett to ask about his plans for the corridor. He liked the idea of aiming for a sustainable trail, so I wrote a guide to building an environmentally friendly trail based on a number of prominent readings on sustainable design.

The Stories Of Environmental Ethicists In Word And Image, Camille Robins

Scripps Senior Theses

The Stories of Environmental Ethicists in Word and Image captures the spirit of three local people: John B. Cobb, Jr., Rosemary Radford Ruether, and Dean Freudenberger. As teachers, writers, activists, and members of the progressive retirement community Pilgrim Place, they’ve had a significant influence on the global environmental movement. The photographs and small essays in this project highlight who they are and what they’ve done, and how they continue to shape contemporary intellectual discourse. An analysis of how portrait photographers use images to tell stories and how they incorporate text in their photographic collections to create fuller, more robust pictures …

Clustering Methods And Their Applications To Adolescent Healthcare Data, Morgan Mayer-Jochimsen

Scripps Senior Theses

Clustering is a mathematical method of data analysis which identifies trends in data by efficiently separating data into a specified number of clusters so is incredibly useful and widely applicable for questions of interrelatedness of data. Two methods of clustering are considered here. K-means clustering defines clusters in relation to the centroid, or center, of a cluster. Spectral clustering establishes connections between all of the data points to be clustered, then eliminates those connections that link dissimilar points. This is represented as an eigenvector problem where the solution is given by the eigenvectors of the Normalized Graph Laplacian. Spectral clustering …

Factoring The Duplication Map On Elliptic Curves For Use In Rank Computations, Tracy Layden

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis examines the rank of elliptic curves. We first examine the correspondences between projective space and affine space, and use the projective point at infinity to establish the group law on elliptic curves. We prove a section of Mordell’s Theorem to establish that the abelian group of rational points on an elliptic curve is finitely generated. We then use homomorphisms established in our proof to find a formula for the rank, and then provide examples of computations.

Public Housing In The United States: Using Sustainable Urbanism To Combat Social Exclusion, Jasmine L. Edo

Scripps Senior Theses

The United States government has taken steps to assure underprivileged citizens housing in the form of public housing through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as various humanitarian programs in the form of homeless shelters. Yet, all housing is not equal. Our freedom to choose where we live and what type of house we live in is one revered aspect of life as a United States citizen. We can express our individuality, creativity, and personality through the architectural style of our homes. In this sense it is hard to ask for equal housing. I am suggesting that …

An Examination Of Oxidative Passivated Surfaces On 19th Century Colt Revolver Barrels, Mckenzie Allison Floyd

Scripps Senior Theses

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to examine a series of six revolver barrels manufactured by the Colt Patent Arms Manufacturing Company between 1853 and 1863. SEM micrographs revealed a vast range of surface morphologies among the corroded samples. XRD diffraction patterns showed varying levels of magnetite on the blackened samples, but hematite could not be identified. EDS was used to map elemental distribution and quantify elemental abundances on the gun surfaces; further investigation using this technique may reveal more definitive information on whether some elements present were deposited during patination.