Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 8 of 8
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
A Climatology Of Convective And Non-Convective High-Wind Events Across The Eastern United States During 1973-2015, Victoria Murley
A Climatology Of Convective And Non-Convective High-Wind Events Across The Eastern United States During 1973-2015, Victoria Murley
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
High-wind events (HWE) occur across every region of the United States (U.S.) and result in hundreds of fatalities, as well as thousands of dollars in damages annually. HWEs are classified as sustained high-winds or high-wind gusts and can be generated from convective or non-convective weather systems. This study investigates high-wind observations across the eastern U.S. during a 43-year climatological period (1973-2015) for spatial and temporal variations in wind speed and direction. Hourly surface wind observations were gathered from the National Centers for Environmental Information Data Center Integrated Surface Database (NCEI-ISD). This dataset includes qualitycontrolled wind observations from 391 first-order weather …
Investigating The Influence Of Esri Story Map Design On Partcipation In Sustainability-Related Activities, Brittany Grace Austin
Investigating The Influence Of Esri Story Map Design On Partcipation In Sustainability-Related Activities, Brittany Grace Austin
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Decades of scientific inquiry have conveyed evidence in support of sustainability efforts to mitigate some of the greatest challenges and dilemmas facing modern and future societies. The solutions to these dilemmas may not be achievable in the short-term, yet, through increased public participation in sustainable community development, smallscale, localized solutions can be obtained. This preliminary research explored the influence of Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) story map designs on participation in sustainability-related activities among individuals who expressed interest in sustainable lifestyles. Specifically, this exploratory study was designed to demonstrate the applicability of interactive web geographic information systems (GIS) applications as …
Zero-Waste Planning At Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study Of Western Kentucky University, Kianoosh Ebrahimi
Zero-Waste Planning At Higher Education Institutions: A Case Study Of Western Kentucky University, Kianoosh Ebrahimi
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Over the past two decades, the number of universities that pursue zero-waste strategies has steadily increased. However, more study is required on several interrelated factors, policy barriers, and infrastructural fundamentals, which each influence the efficiency of waste management structures (WM) at universities. In this work, the role of the aforementioned factors in implementing an efficient sustainable WM program at higher education institutions was investigated, using Western Kentucky University (WKU) as a case study. The objectives of this study were to identify and assess what type of WM strategies should be priorities for a university that may lack stringent WM infrastructure. …
A Mixed Methods Assessment Of The Development, Use, And Educational Effectiveness Of University Campus Sustainability Tours, Ellen R. Barringer
A Mixed Methods Assessment Of The Development, Use, And Educational Effectiveness Of University Campus Sustainability Tours, Ellen R. Barringer
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Campus sustainability tours are available at dozens of colleges and universities across the United States. These tours are considered a vital tool in interpreting the environmental and sustainable aspects of a campus to educate the campus community. Minimal quantitative data have been collected regarding their development, use, and effectiveness. In order to develop a dataset regarding the use of campus sustainability tours, surveys and interviews were sent to universities with such tours to discuss use and methods of development. A campus-wide electronic survey was sent to the Western Kentucky University (WKU) main campus community to determine their experiences with the …
Geologic Factors Affecting Hydrocarbon Occurrence In Paleovalleys Of The Mississippian-Pennsylvanian Unconformity In The Illinois Basin, Jeremy Taylor London
Geologic Factors Affecting Hydrocarbon Occurrence In Paleovalleys Of The Mississippian-Pennsylvanian Unconformity In The Illinois Basin, Jeremy Taylor London
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Paleovalleys associated with the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity have been identified as potential targets for hydrocarbon exploration in the Illinois Basin. Though there is little literature addressing the geologic factors controlling hydrocarbon accumulation in sub-Pennsylvanian paleovalleys basin-wide, much work has been done to identify the Mississippian-Pennsylvanian unconformity, characterize the Chesterian and basal Pennsylvanian lithology, map the sub-Pennsylvanian paleogeology and delineate the pre-Pennsylvanian paleovalleys in the Illinois Basin. This study uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to determine the geologic factors controlling the distribution of hydrocarbon-bearing sub-Pennsylvanian paleovalley fill in the Illinois Basin. A methodology was developed to identify densely-drilled areas without associated petroleum …
Global Digital Elevation Model Accuracy Assessment In The Himalaya, Nepal, Luke G. Miles
Global Digital Elevation Model Accuracy Assessment In The Himalaya, Nepal, Luke G. Miles
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) are digital representations of surface topography or terrain. Collection of DEM data can be done directly through surveying and taking ground control point (GCP) data in the field or indirectly with remote sensing using a variety of techniques. The accuracies of DEM data can be problematic, especially in rugged terrain or when differing data acquisition techniques are combined. For the present study, ground data were taken in various protected areas in the mountainous regions of Nepal. Elevation, slope, and aspect were measured at nearly 2000 locations. These ground data were imported into a Geographic Information System …
Creation Of A Spatial Decision Support System As A Risk Assessment Tool Based On Kentucky Tornado Climatology, Christopher Michael Blinn
Creation Of A Spatial Decision Support System As A Risk Assessment Tool Based On Kentucky Tornado Climatology, Christopher Michael Blinn
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Tornadoes are one of Mother Nature’s deadliest phenomena. They affect a large region of the United States. The risk of tornadoes is contingent on dynamic atmospheric conditions that are most likely during spring but which can occur anytime of the year, making the storms challenging to forecast. Using geographical information systems (GIS), a web-based spatial decision support system (SDSS) was created to help understand the spatial dimension of tornado risk assessment. The risk values are calculated using Tornado Days rather than taking a crude density measurement. The SDSS hosts GIS web services that are displayed on an Adobe Flex application. …
Spatial Analysis Of Fatal Automobile Crashes In Kentucky, William Nathan Oris
Spatial Analysis Of Fatal Automobile Crashes In Kentucky, William Nathan Oris
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects
Fatal automobile crashes have claimed the lives of over 33,000 people each year in the United States since 1995. As in any point event, fatal crash events do not occur randomly in time or space. The objectives of this study were to identify spatial patterns and hot spots in FARS (Fatal Analysis Reporting System) fatal crash events based on temporal and demographic characteristics. The methods employed included 1) rate calculation using FARS points and average daily traffic flow; 2) planar kernel density estimation of FARS crash events based on temporal and demographic attributes within the data; and 3) two case …