Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Historical Tsunami Observability For Izu–Bonin–Mariana Sources, Walter Szeliga, Rachelle Reisinger, Breanyn T. Macinnes

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The Izu–Bonin–Mariana Subduction System (IBM) is one of the longest subduction zones in the world with no instrumental history of shallow focus, great earthquakes (Mw > 8). Over the last 50 years, researchers have speculated on the reason for the absence of large magnitude, shallow seismicity on this plate interface, exploring factors from plate age to convergence rate. We approach the question from a different point of view: what if the IBM has hosted great earthquakes and no documentable evidence was left? To address the question of observability, we model expected tsunami wave heights from nine great earthquake scenarios on the …

Contra-Thermodynamic Halolactonization Of Lactam-Tethered 5-Aryl-4(E)-Pentenoic Acids For The Flexible And Stereocontrolled Synthesis Of Fused Lactam-Halolactones, Timothy K. Beng, Claire Borg, Morgan J. Rodriguez

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

Halolactonization of alkenoic acids enables the construction of oxygen-heterocycles via intramolecular halonium-induced nucleophilic addition. Although the literature is currently inundated with halolactonizations of 5-aryl-4(E)-pentenoic acids that predictably afford the 6-endo cyclization adducts, methods that reliably alter the innate regioselectivity bias to instead deliver the thermodynamically less favored 5-exo cyclization products are relatively rare. Here, we attempt to bridge this gap and have found mild conditions for contra-thermodynamic halolactonization of lactam-tethered 5-aryl-4(E)-pentenoic acids that lead to the formation of trans-fused lactam-γ-lactones. The natural proclivity for these 5-aryl-4(E)-pentenoic acids to undergo 6-endo cyclization is overridden and 5-exo-trig cyclization predominates. The success of …

Sea Level Rise Estimation On The Pacific Coast From Southern California To Vancouver Island, Xiaoxing He, Jean-Philippe Montillet, Rui Fernandes, Timothy I. Melbourne, Weiping Jiang, Zhengkai Huang

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Previous studies have estimated the sea level rise (SLR) at various locations on the west coast of the USA and Vancouver Island in Canada. Here, we construct an entire SLR profile from Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest to San Diego in Southern California. First, we process global navigation satellite system (GNSS) measurements at 405 stations blanketing the whole coast to generate a profile of vertical land motion (VLM) known to bias century-long tide gauge (TG) measurements recording relative SLR (RSLR). We are then able to estimate the absolute SLR (ASLR) by correcting the SLR with the VLM. Our study …

Developing Research Data Management Services In A Regional Comprehensive University: The Case Of Central Washington University, Ping Fu, Maurice Blackson, Maura Valentino

Library Scholarship

This study aims to analyze the needs of researchers in a regional comprehensive university for research data management services; discuss the options for developing a research data management program at the university; and then propose a phased three-year implementation plan for the university libraries. The method was to design a survey to collect information from researchers and assess and evaluate their needs for research data management services. The results show that researchers’ needs in a regional comprehensive university could be quite different from those of researchers in a research-intensive university. Also, the results verify the hypothesis that researchers in the …

Weighted Incremental–Decremental Support Vector Machines For Concept Drift With Shifting Window, Honorius Gâlmeanu, Răzvan Andonie

Computer Science Faculty Scholarship

We study the problem of learning the data samples’ distribution as it changes in time. This change, known as concept drift, complicates the task of training a model, as the predictions become less and less accurate. It is known that Support Vector Machines (SVMs) can learn weighted input instances and that they can also be trained online (incremental–decremental learning). Combining these two SVM properties, the open problem is to define an online SVM concept drift model with shifting weighted window. The classic SVM model should be retrained from scratch after each window shift. We introduce the Weighted Incremental–Decremental SVM (WIDSVM), …

Magpies: Math & Girls + Inspiration = Success: Creating And Implementing A Virtual Math Circle For Girls, Lauren L. Rose, Amanda Landi, Jazmin Zamora Flores, Cathy Zhang, Shea Roccaforte, Julia Crager

Journal of Math Circles

During the academic year 2020-2021, we ran a virtual math outreach program for upper elementary and middle school girls, MAGPIES: Math & Girls + Inspiration = Success. Monthly sessions were held over Zoom, beginning with a short introduction by a guest presenter, followed by breakout rooms led by undergraduates paired with more experienced facilitators (upper division and graduated math majors and volunteer math educators). The online community was created purposefully to be an inclusive and collaborative environment for the attending girls, and the lessons were designed to provide a learning experience for all levels of participants. Examples of sessions include …

Monitoring Whitebark Pine Stand Health In The Central Washington Cascades, Nancy H. Parra, Teresa J. Lorenz, Taza D. Schaming, Alison Scoville

Student Published Works

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) plays a vital role in colonizing newly disturbed areas, providing shade for other tree species to germinate, and supplying food for a variety of birds and mammals, such as Clark’s Nutcrackers (Nucifraga columbiana) and grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis). Decline of whitebark pine populations has been attributed to several factors, including white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) outbreaks, and fire exclusion. In 2009, the U.S. Forest Service began to install permanent plots in whitebark pine stands in Washington and Oregon as …

Nitrogen Fixation Rates In Forested Mountain Streams: Are Sediment Microbes More Important Than Previously Thought?, Erica A. H. Bakker, Carmella Vizza, Clay Arango, Sarah S. Roley

Biology Faculty Scholarship

1. Biological nitrogen (N) fixation, the microbial conversion of N₂ gas to ammonia, makes N available to food webs. Low-N streams often have a high relative abundance of N-fixing taxa, suggesting that N fixation is an important N source in these systems. Despite this potential, stream N fixation has not been well-characterised, particularly compared to lakes and marine environments. One unknown is the relative contributions of various N-fixing organisms, particularly heterotrophic microbes.
2. In low-N streams in the Cascade Mountains (Washington, USA), three groups of N-fixers predominate: cyanobacteria (Nostoc paramelioides) colonies that house a midge symbiont (Cricotopus spp.), …

Stereocontrolled Access To Δ-Lactone-Fused-Γ-Lactams Bearing Angular Benzylic Quaternary Stereocenters, Timothy K. Beng, Morgan J. Rodriguez, Claire Borg

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

C-fused γ-lactam-lactones are resident in several bioactive molecules, including anticancer agents such as omuralide. In this embodiment, we report mild conditions for the catalytic halolactonization of lactam-tethered 5-aryl-4(E)-pentenoic acids. The use of dichloromethane as the solvent and Ph₃PS as the catalyst led to predominant 6-endo-trig cyclization and furnished the trans-fused-γ-lactam-δ-lactones. The transformation is modular, regioselective, chemoselective, and diastereoselective. The γ-lactam-δ-lactones bear angular quaternary benzylic stereocenters, which is noteworthy since the presence of a quaternary carbon in bioactive small molecules often promotes an element of conformational restriction that imparts potency, selectivity, and metabolic stability. The …

Revisiting Prejudiced Polygons: Adapting A Familiar Activity During A Time Of Unknowns, Anne M. Ho, Jaime J. Mccauley, Tara T. Craig

Journal of Math Circles

This article describes the design process behind various iterations of Prejudiced Polygons, a Math Circles activity about segregation. In particular, we frame our discussion around two guiding principles from User Experience (UX) Design in thinking about the interconnected components of a Math Circles session, which includes all the people, the physical or virtual setting, the technology, and the world context. Additionally, we describe how we think about developing a “low floor" and “high ceiling" for math content, social issues content, as well as technology and access.

Sensitivity Of The West Antarctic Ice Sheet To +2 °C (Swais 2c), Molly O. Patterson, Richard H. Levy, Denise K. Kulhanek, Tina Van De Flierdt, Huw Horgan, Gavin B. Dunbar, Timothy R. Naish, Jeanine Ash, Alex Pyne, Darcy Mandeno, J. Paul Winberry

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) presently holds enough ice to raise global sea level by 4.3 m if completely melted. The unknown response of the WAIS to future warming remains a significant challenge for numerical models in quantifying predictions of future sea level rise. Sea level rise is one of the clearest planet-wide signals of human-induced climate change. The Sensitivity of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to a Warming of 2 ^∘C (SWAIS 2C) Project aims to understand past and current drivers and thresholds of WAIS dynamics to improve projections of the rate and size of ice sheet …

Black Carbon And Organic Carbon Dataset Over The Third Pole, Shichang Kang, Yulan Zhang, Pengfei Chen, Junming Guo, Qianggong Zhang, Zhiyuan Cong, Susan Kaspari, Lekhendra Tripathee, Tanguang Gao, Hewen Niu, Xinyue Zhong, Xintong Chen, Zhaofu Hu, Xiaofei Li, Yang Li, Bigyan Neupane, Fangping Yan, Dipesh Rupakheti, Chaman Gul, Wei Zhang, Guangming Wu, Ling Yang, Zhaoqing Wang, Chaoliu Li

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

The Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings, also known as the Third Pole, play an important role in the global and regional climate and hydrological cycle. Carbonaceous aerosols (CAs), including black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC), can directly or indirectly absorb and scatter solar radiation and change the energy balance on the Earth. CAs, along with the other atmospheric pollutants (e.g., mercury), can be frequently transported over long distances into the inland Tibetan Plateau. During the last decades, a coordinated monitoring network and research program named “Atmospheric Pollution and Cryospheric Changes” (APCC) has been gradually set up and continuously operated …

Analysis Of Skills Sought By Employers Of Bachelors-Level Geoscientists, Gregory Shafer, Karen Viskuptic, Anne E. Egger

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Bachelors-level geoscientists make up the majority of the geoscience workforce, and positions for entry-level geoscientists are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade, with some jobs anticipating upward of 10% growth (National Center for O*NET Development, 2021). Are geoscience departments adequately preparing undergraduate students to succeed in these positions?

Design Of Broadband Helmholtz Resonator Arrays Using The Radiation Impedance Method, Vidhya Rajendran, Andy Piacsek, Tomás Méndez Echenagucia

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences

This paper describes the design process of a low-frequency sound absorptive panel composed of differently tuned Helmholtz resonators (HRs), considering size and fabrication constraints relevant for applications in the building sector. The paper focuses on cylindrical and spiral resonators with embedded necks that are thin and can achieve high absorption. the mutual interaction between the resonators was modeled based on the radiation impedance method and it plays a key component in enhancing the absorption performance of the array. The differential evolution search algorithm was used to design the resonators and modify their mutual interaction to derive the absorption performance of …

Information Bottleneck In Deep Learning - A Semiotic Approach, Bogdan Musat, Razvan Andonie

Computer Science Faculty Scholarship

The information bottleneck principle was recently proposed as a theory meant to explain some of the training dynamics of deep neural architectures. Via information plane analysis, patterns start to emerge in this framework, where two phases can be distinguished: fitting and compression. We take a step further and study the behaviour of the spatial entropy characterizing the layers of convolutional neural networks (CNNs), in relation to the information bottleneck theory. We observe pattern formations which resemble the information bottleneck fitting and compression phases. From the perspective of semiotics, also known as the study of signs and sign-using behavior, the saliency …

Increased Caribbean Seismicity And Volcanism During Minima In Earth's Rotation Rate: Search For A Physical Mechanism And A 2030 Forecast, Roger Bilham, Walter Szeliga, David Mencin, Rebecca Bendick

Geological Sciences Faculty Scholarship

Three quarters of all Mw ≥ 6.6 earthquakes and volcanic eruptions surrounding the Caribbean plate occur preferentially during periods of decadal minima in Earth’s angular spin velocity. This correlation is revealed most clearly as a 4–6 years phase lag following the first derivative of the length of the day (LOD), Earth’s angular deceleration. We show that local strains and displacements resulting from oblateness changes, or plate boundary stresses associated with changes in tropical rotation rates are orders of magnitude lower than those typically associated with earthquake or volcano triggering. Notwithstanding the absence of a satisfactory causal physical mechanism, the relationship …

Binding Interactions Between Mixed-Monlayer Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles (Aunps) And The Serum Protein Albumin, Jennifer Hanigan-Diebel

All Master's Theses

This study investigated the protein adsorption interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with three different functionalized 5 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in order to determine the binding affinity and total amount of protein adsorbed to each AuNP surface chemistry. AuNPs were synthesized using two different capping agents to display three different surface chemistries: a neutral ω-functionalized thiol ligand (mercapto-ethoxy-ethoxy-ethanol, MEEE), a thiol ligand that is negatively charged at pH 7.4 (mercaptohexanoic acid, MHA), and a mixture of the two ligands (mixed-ligand AuNPs). The interactions of this library of AuNPs with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated using UV-visible absorbance spectroscopy, …

Assessing The Effects Of Instream Large Wood On Floodplain Aquifer Recharge And Storage At Indian Creek, Kittitas County, Washington, Usa, Stephen Bartlett

All Master's Theses

Numerous stream restoration projects in the Yakima River Basin in Washington have placed large wood (LW) into tributary channels. One intended effect is to divert water onto floodplains to increase groundwater (GW) recharge and seasonal storage in shallow alluvial aquifers during spring high flows with the intention of releasing GW into streams during the drier summer months. Large wood was emplaced in the Indian Creek tributary of the Teanaway River in Kittitas County, Washington beginning in 2016. Potential changes in the groundwater recharge in the adjacent floodplain before and after the LW installation were investigated through stratigraphic analysis, stream-flow modeling, …

The Effects Of Channel Incision And Land Use On Surface-Water/Groundwater Interactions In The Teanaway River Basin, Washington, Usa, Joseph Petralia

All Master's Theses

The Teanaway River basin, a major tributary to the Yakima River, is host to several restoration projects with the intention of returning the river channel to a more natural state and improving riparian habitat. These projects may also increase aquifer storage and potentially increase summertime streamflows. This study of the Teanaway Valley Family Farm, an 88-hectare parcel on the main-stem Teanaway River that was recently purchased by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, provides hydrogeologic data that will inform these restoration projects. Following the purchase of this land, ten wells were installed within and slightly above the floodplain in order …

Decadal-Scale Effects Of Large Wood Restoration On Channel Morphology And Groundwater Connectivity, Taneum Creek, Wa, Samuel Fixler

All Master's Theses

The importance of large wood (LW) in creating channel complexity is widely recognized; however, few LW projects have been in place long enough to track meaningful channel changes on a decadal timescale. Taneum Creek, located in central Washington, is one of the earliest LW restoration areas (2008) in the Yakima River Basin and the central Cascade Mountains. The flood in 2011, with an estimated discharge of 69 m³/s (2,400-2,800 cfs), provided further channel change by mobilizing LW and channel sediments. Three reaches with similar channel characteristics and LW additions were compared with a control reach without LW additions …

Wilderness And The Geotag: Exploring The Claim That "Geotagging Ruins Nature" In The Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Wa, Mara Gans

All Master's Theses

This research explores the claim that “geotagging ruins nature” by quantifying and qualifying patterns in geotag use and visitors’ experiences in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, in Washington, United States. Many have raised concerns that geotags increase recreational visitation to public lands, which subsequently contributes to negative resource impacts. Others, however, claim that geotagging has made the outdoors more accessible to less privileged communities and raise concerns that condemning geotags will perpetuate the exclusion of certain groups from outdoor recreation. This debate is studied within federally designated Wilderness, which is legally defined as “untrammeled by man,” a definition rooted in problematic …

A Contentious Crop: Exploring The Regulatory Debate Of Solar Power Production Facilities In Kittitas County, Washington, Daphne Condon

All Master's Theses

Between 2010 and 2018, Kittitas County, Washington faced an influx of Solar Power Production Facility (SPPF) proposals that challenged its traditional rural land management governance. Despite state support of decarbonized energy, variegated interpretations of project permitting procedures induced heated contentions amongst stakeholders. To explore this, this research constructs a multijurisdictional legal framework for SPPF advancement. It uses these laws to divulge the permitting processes of three case study projects founded in Kittitas County’s renewable energy history: The Wild Horse Wind Facility, the Iron Horse Solar Project, and the Columbia Solar Projects. Through a mixed methodology of project archival analysis and …

Geomorphic History And Preservation Of Archaeologically Significant Areas In The Hanford Reach Of The Columbia River, Washington State, Benjamin Deans

All Master's Theses

Archaeological sites near rivers may be preserved through burial, altered by exposure, or destroyed through erosion. Preserved because of the unusual needs of the Manhattan Project, the Hanford Reach is the only remaining free-flowing reach of the Columbia River and ideal for research into the geomorphic settings of archaeological sites along this river. The 1894 (742,000 cfs [20,900 m³/s]) and 1948 (690,000 cfs [19,000 m³/s]) floods were the largest in the historical record through the reach, but their relationship with geomorphic change and site preservation are less understood. To understand how floods have preserved and destroyed …

An Integration Of Art And Mathematics, Henry Jaakola

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mathematics and art are seemingly unrelated fields, requiring different skills and mindsets. Indeed, these disciplines may be difficult to understand for those not immersed in the field. Through art, math can be more relatable and understandable, and with math, art can be imbued with a different kind of order and structure. This project explores the intersection and integration of math and art, and culminates in a physical interdisciplinary product. Using the Padovan Sequence of numbers as a theoretical basis, two artworks are created with different media and designs, yielding unique results. Through these pieces, the order and beauty of number …

Developing And Validating A Standard Operating Procedure For Quantitative Analysis Using Central Washington University's X-Ray Diffractometer, Katherine Lucas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is widely applied in a variety of disciplines to identify crystalline solids in a powdered sample. Recent software advances have made quantitative analysis of samples easier and more accessible, but the quality of the result depends on the sample preparation and data collection procedure. This project focuses on testing methods of sample preparation and XRD data collection and analysis to lay the groundwork for refinement of the existing standard operating procedures at CWU. First, I determined the ball mill grinding time necessary to powder different mineral samples. The addition of hand grinding to ball mill-ground samples produced …

Establishing The Relative Composition Of Functionalized Thiols In Mixed Ligand Gold Nanoparticles By 1h-Nmr Spectroscopy, Matthias Carroll

All Master's Theses

Functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are of interest for their optical and electrical properties, specifically the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and potential applications for medicine and nano-circuitry. In this study, the ligand composition of small (~5 nm diameter) thiol functionalized AuNPs with mixed ligand monolayers was investigated to better understand how the molar feed ratio of ligands used during their synthesis influences the composition of ligands on the particle’s surface. The system under study was a combination of two ω-functionalized thiols, mercapto ethoxy ethoxy ethanol (MEEE) and mercapto pentyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (MPTMA). UV/Visible spectrophotometry, dynamic light scattering, and electron …

Assessing The Mechanics Of Two Earthquake Clusters In The Basin And Range Province, Jamie Hansen

All Master's Theses

The seismicity in the Basin and Range Province of the western United States often manifests as clusters of earthquakes occurring over brief windows of time, lasting from months to years. Two different earthquake clusters occurring between 2014 and 2018, near Challis, Idaho and northwestern Nevada, were assessed in this study. The seismic activity in the southeastern section of the Challis cluster began with a M5.2 earthquake that was likely the main-shock earthquake in an aftershock sequence. The northwestern section of the Challis cluster does have several potential candidates for a main-shock earthquake, but none have been identified as a start …

Interpretable Machine Learning For Self-Service High-Risk Decision Making, Charles Recaido

All Master's Theses

This research contributes to interpretable machine learning via visual knowledge discovery in General Line Coordinates (GLC). The concepts of hyperblocks as interpretable dataset units and GLC are combined to create a visual self-service machine learning model. Two variants of GLC known as Dynamic Scaffold Coordinates (DSC) are proposed. DSC1 and DSC2 can map in a lossless manner multiple dataset attributes to a single two-dimensional (X, Y) Cartesian plane using a dynamic scaffolding graph construction algorithm.

Hyperblock analysis is used to determine visually appealing dataset attribute orders and to reduce line occlusion. It is shown that hyperblocks can generalize decision tree …