Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Novel Electrochemical Detections Of Biologically And Environmentally Relevant Substances, Clarissa E. Tatum

Doctoral Dissertations

Development and studies of new electrochemical methods for the detection of various biologically and environmentally relevant substances are the focus of this dissertation. A dual amperometric sensor, capable of the simultaneous, real-time determination of NO and O,2, has been developed and optimized. Many tests were performed in order to reduce cross-talking between the two sensors, and an electro-deposited polymer, poly-5-amino-1-naphthol, was shown to reduce the cross-talking to insignificant levels. The use of bismuth-based electrodes in the detection of various metals has been explored. A bismuth bulk electrode has been developed, optimized, and used for the individual and simultaneous determination of …

Tantalum Carbene And Imide Complexes. Synthesis, Characterization, And Pathways Of Formation, Julia Kathryn Covington Abbott

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on two different types of organometallic compounds, carbenes and imides. The first project deals with the archetypal Schrock carbene, and the second project studies complexes that contain metal-nitrogen bonds, both amides and imides.

A summary of the research in this dissertation is discussed in Chapter 1. Chapter 2 begins the studies of the archetypal Schrock carbene (Bu^tCH₂)₃Ta=CHBu^t. The studies include the synthesis of deuterated compounds (Bu^tCD₂)₃TaCl₂ and Bu^tCD₂Li, observation and identification of the intermediate, Ta(CD₂Bu^{t …}

Spin-Lattice Coupling In The Iron-Pnictide High-Temperature Superconductors, Daniel E Parshall

Doctoral Dissertations

The recent discovery of the iron-pnictide superconductors has generated tremendous excitement, in part because there are many tantalizing similarities to the cuprate superconductors. As with the cuprates, it is strongly suspected that the spins contribute to superconductivity.

There seems to be a strong relationship between the lattice and magnetism in this system. Several authors have discussed the possibility of spin-phonon coupling, but direct experimental evidence has remained elusive.

This work discusses the relationship between the spins and the lattice in the $BaFe_{2}As_{2}$ family. We demonstrate the presence of negative thermal expansion in these materials, which is a strong indicator of …

A Visual Approach To Automated Text Mining And Knowledge Discovery, Andrey A. Puretskiy

Doctoral Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation has been on improving the non-negative tensor factorization technique of text mining. The improvements have been made in both pre-processing and post-processing stages, with the goal of making the non-negative tensor factorization algorithm accessible to the casual user. The improved implementation allows the user to construct and modify the contents of the tensor, experiment with relative term weights and trust measures, and experiment with the total number of algorithm output features. Non-negative tensor factorization output feature production is closely integrated with a visual post-processing tool, FutureLens, that allows the user to perform in depth analysis …

Human Decomposition Ecology At The University Of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility, Franklin Edward Damann

Doctoral Dissertations

The University of Tennessee Anthropology Research Facility (ARF) is well known for its unique history as a site of human decomposition research in a natural environment. It has been integral to our understanding of the processes of human decomposition. Over the last 30 years 1,089 bodies have decomposed at this 1.28 acre facility, producing a density of 850 corpses per acre of land. This project evaluated the abiotic and biotic characteristics of the soil exposed to various levels of human decomposition in order to determine the effect on the physicochemical properties and the indigenous bacterial communities.

Specifically, 75 soil samples …

The Importance Of Chain Connectivity In The Formation Of Non-Covalent Interactions Between Polymers And Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes And Its Impact On Dispersion, Dias Linton

Doctoral Dissertations

Polymer nanocomposites have garnered incredible promise in the field of material science due to the excellent mechanical strength, thermal and electrical conductivities of the nanoparticles and the extension of these properties to the processing flexibility inherent to plastics. However, practical realization of these nanoparticle-based materials has been hindered by the tendency of these nanoparticles to aggregate as a result of strong inter-particle forces. In this dissertation, we investigate the formation of non-covalent charge transfer interactions between polymers and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with the goal of optimizing interfacial adhesion and homogeneity of nanocomposites without modifying the SWNT native surface.

Nanocomposites …

Bioeconomic And Biophilic Intersect In Nature Centers - A Case Study Of One Nature Center, Carolyn Jeanne Price

Doctoral Dissertations

The purposes of this research were 1) to understand what stakeholders in one nature center are "thinking"about the focus of their center and the niche it occupies; 2) to characterize the role of one nature center in its local community; 3) to examine the nature center in terms of established characteristics of a "best" nature center; 4) to compare stakeholder perceptions with perceptions of directors of exemplar nature centers and environmental education organizations; and 5) to characterize visitor and member stakeholder perceptions and motivations in terms of the extrinsic value of ecosystem services, bioeconomics, versus the intrinsic value of nature, …

Bayesian Logistic Regression Model For Siting Biomass-Using Facilities, Xia Huang

Masters Theses

Key sources of oil for western markets are located in complex geopolitical environments that increase economic and social risk. The amalgamation of economic, environmental, social and national security concerns for petroleum-based economies have created a renewed emphasis on alternative sources of energy which include biomass. The stability of sustainable biomass markets hinges on improved methods to predict and visualize business risk and cost to the supply chain.

This thesis develops Bayesian logistic regression models, with comparisons of classical maximum likelihood models, to quantify significant factors that influence the siting of biomass-using facilities and predict potential locations in the 13-state Southeastern …

Differential Equation Models And Numerical Methods For Reverse Engineering Genetic Regulatory Networks, Mi Un Yoon

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation develops and analyzes differential equation-based mathematical models and efficient numerical methods and algorithms for genetic regulatory network identification. The primary objectives of the dissertation are to design, analyze, and test a general variational framework and numerical methods for seeking its approximate solutions for reverse engineering genetic regulatory networks from microarray datasets using the approach based on differential equation modeling. In the proposed variational framework, no structure assumption on the genetic network is presumed, instead, the network is solely determined by the microarray profile of the network components and is identified through a well chosen variational principle which minimizes …

Transport Of Explosive Residue Surrogates In Saturated Porous Media, Bethsheba Lavoie

Masters Theses

Contamination of soils by munitions constituents is pervasive on Department of Defense operational ranges. Low-order detonations result in the heterogeneous distribution of explosives residues (ER) at shallow depths. At a limited number of ranges ER contamination of groundwater has been observed.

Previous studies have shown that the downward migration of colloid-sized contaminants can significantly impact groundwater quality. The goal of this study was to investigate if colloid transport plays a role in the migration of ER contaminants. Our primary objective was to determine the transport potential of fine (<5>um) ER particles under ideal conditions for colloid transport. A secondary …

Geophysical Study At Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park, Manchester, Tennessee, Stephen Jay Yerka

Masters Theses

The Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park covers over 800 acres within Manchester, Tennessee, and is owned and managed by the Tennessee Division of State Parks. The central archaeological site within the park boundary is The Old Stone Fort mounds that enclose about 50 acres on a plateau above the convergence of the Big Duck and the Little Duck Rivers. The hilltop enclosure dates to the Middle Woodland Period, and radiocarbon dates obtained at the site range from the first to the fifth century A. D. Because of its size and apparent complexity, previous investigations of the site have been …

A Survey Of Crayfish In The Pigeon River And Its Tributaries In Tennessee And North Carolina, David Casey B. Dunn

Masters Theses

The Pigeon River watershed has been the focus of a ¬¬major recovery project to reintroduce fish and other aquatic species into the river where they were historically present. A paper mill at Pigeon River Kilometer/Mile (PRKM 102.1/PRM 63.2) began operations in 1908 and discharged effluents which had a detrimental impact on the aquatic wildlife. Recent modifications to the mill have significantly improved effluent quality such that most aquatic organisms are recolonizing the river. The present study is a baseline survey of crayfish species in the Pigeon River and its tributaries; it also includes a comparison of the mean Catch Per …

Analytical Computation Of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Modes And N-Width Approximations For The Heat Equation With Boundary Control, Tasha N. Fernandez

Masters Theses

Model reduction is a powerful and ubiquitous tool used to reduce the complexity of a dynamical system while preserving the input-output behavior. It has been applied throughout many different disciplines, including controls, fluid and structural dynamics. Model reduction via proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is utilized for of control of partial differential equations. In this thesis, the analytical expressions of POD modes are derived for the heat equation. The autocorrelation function of the latter is viewed as the kernel of a self adjoint compact operator, and the POD modes and corresponding eigenvalues are computed by solving homogeneous integral equations of the …

Applied Ecosystem Services In Working Forests: A Direct Market Valuation, Darin Stuart Hale

Masters Theses

Ecosystem services, or the benefits humans obtain from natural ecosystems, have long been recognized as critical to human health. Efforts have been taken by many to determine the non-market values of these services but few have offered a direct market valuation. Increasing awareness, scarcity, and regulation have fostered transactions, and markets are emerging that can allow for direct valuation and could provide landowners the opportunity to merchandise this natural capital. This paper provides a valuation and comparison, as a case study, of a traditional management scheme, including the marketing of fiber and recreational leases, and an ecosystem services management scheme, …

Terrain Impacts From Vehicle Operations Across Multiple Passes, James Robert Kane

Masters Theses

This study, conducted on August 12th and 13th, 2008 at Fort Riley, Kansas on a clay loam soil, evaluated the terrain impacts of four commonly used tracked and wheeled military vehicles: the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank, M998 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, M985 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, and M113 Armored Personnel Carrier. Disturbed width and impact severity were assessed along 14 spirals subjected to a maximum of eight consecutive passes for a total of 696 impact points. Data indicate that multiple passes produce increased vegetative impacts, with multipass coefficients ranging from 0.98 to 4.44 (compared to the commonly …

The Impact Of Non-Covalent Interactions On The Dispersion Of Fullerenes And Graphene In Polymers, Say Lee Teh

Masters Theses

The work presented in this dissertation attempts to form an understanding of the importance of polymer connectivity and nanoparticle shape and curvature on the formation of non-covalent interactions between polymer and nanoparticles by monitoring the dispersion of nanoparticles in copolymers containing functionalities that can form non-covalent interactions with carbon nanoparticles.

The first portion of this study is to gain a fundamental understanding of the role of electron donating/withdrawing moieties on the dispersion of the fullerenes in copolymers. UV- Vis spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to quantify the miscibility limit of C60 fullerene with the incorporation of electron donor-acceptor interactions …

Diamond Detector Beam Tests, Stefan M Spanier

Physics and Astronomy Publications and Other Works

Photos of Application and Tests of diamond pixel detectors at UTK.

Diamond Particle Detectors, Stefan M Spanier, Matt Hollingsworth

Physics and Astronomy Publications and Other Works

Poster presented at the IEEE Conference 2010 in Knoxville. It shows results for charged particle tracking using single-crystalline diamond pixel detectors.

Note On Scalar Mesons, C. Amsler, T. Gutsche, Stefan M Spanier, N.A. Tornqvist

Physics and Astronomy Publications and Other Works

Review article about the light scalar mesons, experimental and theoretical advances during the previous two years. The nature of several scalar mesons is controversial and they include exotic objects like glue-balls. The note is published in the Review of Particle Properties.

Studies Of Mono-Crystalline Cvd Diamond Pixel Detectors, Stefan M Spanier, Matt Hollingsworth

Physics and Astronomy Publications and Other Works

Proceedings of a presentation at the International Pixel 2010 Conference, Grindelwald, Switzerland.

Cross Sections Fall 2010, Department Of Physics And Astronomy

Cross Sections

No abstract provided.

Correlations In Proton-Proton Collisions At The Lhc, The Cms Collaboration

Physics and Astronomy Publications and Other Works

Results on two-particle angular correlations for charged particles emitted in proton proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 0.9, 2.36, and 7 TeV are presented, using data collected with the CMS detector over a broad range of pseudo-rapidity (h) and azimuthal angle (f). Short-range correlations in Dh, which are studied in minimum bias events, are characterized using a simple “independent cluster” parametrization in order to quantify their strength (cluster size) and their extent in h (cluster decay width). Long-range azimuthal correlations are studied differentially as a function of charged particle multiplicity and particle transverse momentum using a 980 nb^-1 data set …

Steps Toward Butternut (Juglans Cinerea L.) Restoration, Sunshine L. Brosi

Doctoral Dissertations

Butternut (Juglans cinerea L.), a lesser-known relative of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), is a native tree species beneficial for wildlife, valuable for timber, and part of the great diversity of species in the eastern forests of North America. Populations of butternut are being devastated by butternut canker disease, caused by the fungus Sirococcus clavigignenti-juglandacearum (V.M.G. Nair, Kostichka, & Kuntz), which is thought to be introduced to North America. The disease causes multiple branch and stem cankers that eventually girdle trees. Small population sizes, lack of sprouting, and shade intolerance exacerbates the disease and results in permanent losses of butternut …

Polymeric Loop Formation At Hard And Soft Interfaces, Earl Ashcraft

Doctoral Dissertations

Copolymers are used to increase the interfacial strength of immiscible components and suppress recombination of the minor phase by steric hindrance. The experiments conducted in these studies are designed to investigate in situ polymer loop formation at soft interfaces and functionalized nanotube surfaces. Block copolymers are the most effective type of copolymer for compatibilization because they extend perpendicular to the interface, allowing good entanglement with the homopolymer chains. Multiblock copolymers are more effective than diblock copolymers for strengthening the interface because they can cross the interface multiple times, forming “loops” in each phase that provide entanglement points for the homopolymer. …

Sources And Transport Pathways Of Fecal Bacteria And Pathogens To Aquifers In Rural Bangladesh, Peter S. K. Knappett

Doctoral Dissertations

During the 1980’s millions of households in Bangladesh switched from drinking surface water to private groundwater wells to reduce their exposure to fecal microorganisms. Sadly, this switch to shallow groundwater resulted in the largest example of drinking water poisoning in history, with approximately 100 million people exposed to high concentrations of naturally occurring Arsenic in the groundwater. Spatial distribution of Arsenic in the shallow aquifers tends to be patchy, so the most economical mitigation option has been lateral switching from high Arsenic wells to nearby low Arsenic wells. The recently developed Arsenic flushing conceptual model, which explains the spatial distribution …

Density Functional Calculation Of X-Ray Absorption Spectra Within The Core Hole Approximation: An Implementation In Nwchem, William Ben Carlen

Doctoral Dissertations

Density functional theory is used to calculate the core excitation spectra of titanium structures. Specifically, the core-hole approximation is used. In this scenario, the excitation energies of core electrons are calculated using the approximation that the core energy level be frozen throughout the relaxation process of the orbitals. This allows a more acurate determination of the resulting X-ray spectra. The method described has been implemented in an NWChem module.

Supported Aqueous-Phase Catalysis For Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization, Ravi Aggarwal

Doctoral Dissertations

Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) which utilizes transition metal based catalysts is a versatile methodology for the synthesis of a wide spectrum of polymers with controlled architectures. However, high concentrations of soluble catalyst required in an ATRP process makes the final polymer colored and toxic. Thus, the catalyst removal/reduction/recycling remains a challenge in the field of ATRP. Supported catalysts on insoluble solids such as silica gel, polystyrene beads, etc. have been used in ATRP to facilitate the catalyst recovery and recycling. However, the ability of the supported catalysts to mediate a polymerization is substantially reduced due to their reduced mobility …

Surface And Subsurface Structures Of The Western Valley And Ridge In Tennessee And Geometry And Kinematics That Permit Reconstruction Of The Tennessee Salient, Southern Appalachians, Jennifer Kathleen Whisner

Doctoral Dissertations

The southern and central Appalachian foreland fold-thrust belt comprises a series of orogen -scale curves that extend from Alabama to New York. One of these is the Tennessee salient, a foreland-convex curve that extends from Cartersville, Georgia, to Roanoke, Virginia. Development of a kinematic model for deformation in the salient has been hindered by a paucity of penetrative deformation in this generally low temperature, low volume-loss portion of the orogen.

Industry seismic reflection lines provide greater resolution of subsurface geometry of both the basement surface and the overlying fold-thrust belt, confirming some previous interpretations and changing others. A series of …

Multidimensional Liquid Chromatography Separations, Jacob N. Fairchild

Doctoral Dissertations

Many mixtures important to research consist of hundreds or even thousands of individual components of interest. These types of mixtures are far too complex to separate by a single chromatographic dimension in any reasonable amount of time. However, if a multidimensional approach is used, where a complex mixture is separated by an initial dimension, simpler fractions of that separation are collected and each of those fractions are analyzed individually, highly complex mixtures can be resolved in relatively short amounts of time. This dissertation serves as a guide to multidimensional chromatography, in particular, two-dimension liquid chromatography. There are many aspects of …

Spatiotemporal Dynamics In A Lower Montane Tropical Rainforest, Robert Michael Lawton

Doctoral Dissertations

Disturbance in a forest’s canopy, whether caused by treefall, limbfall, landslide, or fire determines not only the distribution of well-lit patches at any given time, but also the ways in which the forest changes over time. In this dissertation, I use a 25 year record of treefall gap formation find a novel and highly patterned process of forest disturbance and regeneration, providing a local mechanism by examining the factors that influence the likelihood of treefall. I then develop a stochastic cellular automaton for disturbance and regeneration based on the analysis of this long term data set and illustrate the potential …