Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Epa Region 8 Optimized Ufp-Qapp Review Crosswalk, Environmental Protection Agency, Emma Rott

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Non-Perturbative Aspects Of Gauge Theories Through A Complex Parametrization, Antonina Maj

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explores a complex matrix parametrization of four-dimensional non-Abelian gauge theories as a means of gaining analytical insights into (3+1)-dimensional QCD. The low-energy scale of non-Abelian gauge theories remains an elusive area of research even after decades of work. A key challenge lies in identifying physical, gauge-invariant degrees of freedom that are relevant to non-perturbative phenomena. In this dissertation we develop a complex parametrization of gauge fields on which gauge transformations act homogeneously, thereby enabling a manifestly gauge-invariant analytical formulation of the theory.

Chapter one constructs the complex gauge-invariant parametrization for gauge theories living on both complex projective space …

Quantum Entanglement Correlations In The Proton On The Light-Front, Eric Kolbusz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In this work we gather results on information theory applied to proton tomography. We start by analyzing the quantum entanglement of momentum, spin-flavor, and color degrees of freedom (d.o.f.) in the leading valence-quark state of the proton on the light front using standard information theoretical tools, leveraging model wavefunctions by Brodsky and Schlumpf to obtain numerical predictions. Light-cone perturbation theory allows us to introduce the one-gluon correction in the sub-leading Fock state and study the entanglement of the gluonic d.o.f. We find weak entanglement in the spatial d.o.f. of the valence quarks, and significantly stronger entanglement in the analogous d.o.f. …

The Weight Of Complicity: A Network Analysis Of Ecocide In Palestine, Marilyn Moy

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This paper combines multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) with a network graph visualization to examine corporate and institutional involvement in ecocide in Palestine from 1917 to the present. Using a weighted sum model based on UN human rights principles and UNEP guidelines, actors are evaluated across three criteria: directness, scale, and duration of harm. A dataset of 50+ entities, including Caterpillar, Elbit Systems, and the Jewish National Fund, reveals a dense network of responsibility, with major enablers in the construction, tech, and military sectors. Findings highlight the severe impacts of the 2023–present assault on Gaza and demonstrate that ecocide is a …

The Density Distribution Of The Material Around Betelgeuse, Iman Behbehani

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star visible in the constellation Orion. Its windy and highly convective surface results in a complicated mass loss pattern difficult to understand and replicate in simulations. The ejected mass can form a shell around the star we consider the circumstellar material (CSM). In this study, we use ALMA interferometric observations to find the structure of Betelgeuse's CSM, and connect to the mass loss mechanisms that could form it. We measure a bipolar circumstellar structure with a position angle of 42.3$\pm 7.0^\circ$. We observe asymmetries in the form of hot spots in the north east of …

Novel Machine Learning Methods For Quasar Variability And Strong Gravitational Lensing, Joshua Fagin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Machine learning methods are well suited to handle the unprecedented data volume expected from upcoming wide-field surveys. The European Space Agency's Euclid telescope was launched in July 2023 and is expected to observe billions of galaxies at high resolution, including tens of thousands of strongly lensed galaxies. The Rubin Observatory Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) will monitor tens of millions of quasars throughout its ten-year lifetime, thousands of which will be strongly lensed. This flood of data will enable measuring lens galaxy mass distributions and substructure, as well as probing quasar accretion disk structure and black hole properties …

An Interpolating Regime For The Extreme Values Of A Random Zeta Model, Christine K. Chang

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

We study the large values of a random model of the Riemann zeta function over short intervals. The extreme value statistics depend on the interval size: the log-correlated regime governs intervals of order one while the i.i.d. regime emerges over longer intervals. The main focus is to describe the transition between these two well-understood regimes as the interval varies in length. This thesis shows that there is an intermediate regime where the behavior of the zeta model’s maxima cannot be entirely captured by either extreme— i.i.d. or fully log-correlated. This suggests that the Riemann zeta function exhibits correlations around its …

Nonlinear Optics Through Femtosecond Light-Matter Interactions, Shah Faisal B. Mazhar

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation offers experimental and theoretical insights into nonlinear light-matter interactions induced by intense femtosecond (fs) laser pulses. It investigates key phenomena, including stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) from phonon and magnon quasiparticles, supercontinuum (SC) generation via self-phase modulation (SPM), conical emission (CE) arising from four-wave mixing (4WM), and modulation instability (MI) driven by cross-phase modulation (XPM) between SRS and SC processes. These effects are studied in diverse media using state-of-the-art femtosecond lasers.

The interplay among SRS, SC, 4WM, and MI is examined to probe vibrational modes and temperature-dependent magnetic excitations in condensed-matter systems. Experiments are conducted on anisotropic uniaxial calcite …

Leveraging Stellar Chemistry For A Global View Into The Atmospheres Of Brown Dwarfs And Giant Exoplanets, Emily Calamari

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In the era of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), it is now possible to examine substellar mass atmospheres in unparalleled detail and precision. However, unraveling the complicated thermodynamics and chemistry in these atmospheres remains a challenge. Atmospheric retrievals are a leading data-driven technique capable of recovering an object’s fundamental parameters such as mass, radius, effective temperature, gravity, cloud structure and composition and chemical abundances. However, in directly imaged or isolated worlds, constraining and/or interpreting these fundamental parameters can be difficult, particularly as retrieval models try to parameterize the overall impact of clouds.

For my dissertation, I turned to main …

Multi-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (Nmr) Characterization Of Novel Materials, Tawhid Pranto

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The increasing reliance on batteries in commercial products, coupled with the environmental challenges posed by climate change and the limitations of fossil fuel consumption, has created strong financial and environmental incentives to explore innovative energy storage solutions. Renewable energy sources are being actively developed, but their intermittent nature necessitates efficient storage technologies, driving significant research into improving the performance of batteries, fuel cells, and capacitors.

This thesis focuses on the application of advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to study and understand novel materials for energy storage applications, with an emphasis on electrolytes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries and all-solid-state batteries. …

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Characterization For The Study Of Beyond Lithium-Ion Battery Electrolytes, Allen Zheng

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

To achieve a sustainable future, key issues in the energy and construction sectors such as the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and recycling of waste construction materials must be addressed. While fossil fuels offer a high energy density source of quick, consistent energy, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and hydroelectric offer intermittent energy output, requiring energy storage systems to maintain steady energy availability for consumers. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and grid storage due to their high energy density, low self-discharge, and rechargeability. However, they are limited by high …

Developments In The Lithographic Engineering Of Bi2sr2cacu2o8+Delta Mesa Terahertz-Emitting Devices, Sarah Elghazoly

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Devices microfabricated from the high-temperature superconducting cuprate Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+𝛿 (Bi-2212) are a promising source of coherent terahertz radiation within the ’terahertz gap’ (0.3- 1.5 THz). A current-biased mesa patterned into the surface of a single crystal will produce electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz regime due to the naturally occurring Josephson junctions formed by the stacks of superconducting cuprate oxide planes in the material separated by insulating BiO and SrO barrier layers. Previous research has shown that by fabricating these mesas such that the geometry supports resonant cavity Fabry-Perot modes, the junctions within the mesa …

Refining Orbits And Revealing Origins: A Study Of Giant Exoplanets Around Low-Mass Stars, Angeli Sandoval

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The study of gas giants around low-mass stars offers important insight into planet formation. Core accretion models predict that these planets should have a low likelihood of forming due to the limited disk masses of their host low-mass stars. However, NASA space missions such as Kepler and TESS have revealed an emerging population of Saturn- and Jupiter-like planets around M-dwarfs (referred to as giant exoplanets orbiting M-dwarfs or GEMS) that challenge these expectations. This thesis investigates the detection, confirmation, and analysis of GEMS through pipeline development and a detailed analysis of two systems.

In Chapter 1, I provide background information …

The Role Of Water In Peptide Behavior And Peptide-Based Water-Responsive Crystals, Janel Jannette Rivera Cancel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Water plays a crucial role in shaping the behavior and function of biomolecules across the liquid, supercooled, and glassy states. This thesis presents a dual approach combining computational simulations and experimental investigations to explore the influence of water on biomolecular systems, particularly peptide-based materials. We employ molecular dynamics simulations to study the hydration-dependent structural dynamics of homopolymer peptides. Simulations were carried out across a range of temperatures and pressures to analyze changes in hydration and structural stability, shedding light on the behavior of peptides under supercooled and glassy conditions. These studies are especially relevant for understanding biomolecular stability in cryopreservation. …

Reinforcement Learning Based Resource Management In Edge Systems, Motahare Mounesan

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Modern end-user applications that are highly compute- and data-intensive, while being extremely latency- and accuracy-sensitive, are increasingly reliant on distributed computing. This paradigm spans a range of architectures, from cloud computing to in-device processing. Cloud computing, though scalable, often incurs high latency and cost, constraints that are particularly problematic for time-sensitive applications. In contrast, in-device computing on end or IoT devices is limited by resource constraints, making it inadequate for many complex workloads. Edge computing presents a compelling alternative by bringing computation closer to data sources, thereby reducing end-to-end latency and improving responsiveness. However, the inherent decentralized and dynamic nature …

Satellite-Host Galaxy Co-Evolution With Next-Generation Regulator Models, Austen Gabrielpillai

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The evolution of satellites galaxies is an unsolved problem in galaxy formation. Recent observations such as the SAGA and ELVES surveys find tension in HI contents and star formation of satellites around their central host galaxies when compared to our own local environment, the Milky Way. These processes are potentially highly influenced by the host's circumgalactic medium (CGM), and to constrain these cases requires accurate and fast modeling of satellites-host interactions. In this work, we present our methodology for evolving z = 0 surviving satellites alongside their central galaxy in sapphire, a CGM regulator co-evolution model of galaxy formation. …

Deep Learning For Land Use Classification: A Systematic Review Of Hs-Lidar Imagery, Muhammad Zia Ur Rehman, Syed Mohammed Shamsul Islam, David Blake, Anwaar Ulhaq, Naeem Janjua

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Remote sensing (RS) technologies have significantly advanced Earth observation capabilities, enhancing the characterization and identification of surface materials through both spaceborne and airborne systems. These advancements are crucial for improving environmental monitoring and urban planning. As RS datasets have become more accessible, their increased complexity has necessitated a shift from traditional machine learning techniques to more robust deep learning approaches, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer-based models known for their superior feature extraction capabilities. This systematic review focuses on the application of these deep learning techniques in land use classification, emphasizing the fusion of hyperspectral (HS) and LiDAR data. …

Patterns Of Ecological Quality In Portuguese Transitional Waters Over The Last Five Decades: A Framework Based On Benthic Foraminifera For The Sado Estuary, J. Moreno, F. Moreno, F. Fatela, E. Leorri, M. Leira, P. Masqué, M. C. Freitas

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study aimed to examine the validity of benthic foraminifera-based indices – Foraminiferal Stress Index (FSI), diversity index Exp(H'bc), and Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR) – for evaluating estuarine environmental conditions and supporting palaeoecological reconstructions, focusing on the Sado estuary (southwest Portugal). Located near heavily industrialized urban areas and designated as a Nature Reserve, this estuary faces human pressures and high natural values, leading to management conflicts. Foraminiferal assemblages were analysed in surface sediment samples, with known concentrations of several metal(loid)s, and in dated core samples. Correlations were found between metal(loid)s, organic matter, grain size, and salinity (as a proxy for …

Machine Learning-Based Electric Vehicle Charging Demand Forecasting: A Systematized Literature Review, Maher Alaraj, Mohammed Radi, Elaf Alsisi, Munir Majdalawieh, Mohamed Darwish

All Works

The transport sector significantly contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions, making electromobility crucial in the race toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In recent years, the increasing competition among manufacturers, the development of cheaper batteries, the ongoing policy support, and people’s greater environmental awareness have consistently increased electric vehicles (EVs) adoption. Nevertheless, EVs charging needs—highly influenced by EV drivers’ behavior uncertainty—challenge their integration into the power grid on a massive scale, leading to potential issues, such as overloading and grid instability. Smart charging strategies can mitigate these adverse effects by using information and communication technologies to optimize EV charging …

Pine Fruit Activated Carbon Modified With Cuco2se4 For The Application In High-Performance Battery-Type Supercapacitor, Farshad Tavakoli, Ali A. Ensafi, Behzad Rezaei

Chemistry & Biochemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Biomass has attracted considerable interest in the field of energy storage because of its outstanding characteristics, such as superior charge transport ability, affordability, eco-friendly, structural versatility, and renewability. Moreover, biomass-derived activated carbons, combined with pseudocapacitive materials, have recently gained popularity as efficient electrochemical components for energy storage devices. In this study, activated carbon was prepared from pinecone flowers as the biomass precursor through a process involving alkaline treatment and pyrolytic carbonization in an inert gas environment. Subsequently, CuCo2Se4 nanoparticles (CCS) were synthesized on the Pine Fruit Activated Carbon (PFAC) surface via a hydrothermal method. CCS serves as a pseudocapacitive material …

Short–Range Hard–Sphere Potential And Coulomb Interaction: Deser–Trueman Formula For Rydberg States Of Exotic Atomic Systems, Gregory S. Adkins, Ulrich D. Jentschura

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

In exotic atomic systems with hadronic constituent particles, it is notoriously difficult to estimate the strong-interaction correction to energy levels. It is well known that, due to the strength of the nuclear interaction, the problem cannot be solved using Wigner–Brillouin perturbation theory alone. Recently, high-angular-momentum Rydberg states of exotic atomic systems with hadronic constituents have been identified as promising candidates in the search for new physics in the low-energy sector of the Standard Model. We thus derive a generalized Deser–Trueman formula for the induced energy shift for a general hydrogenic bound state with principal quantum number n and orbital angular …

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter, September 2025, University Of Northern Iowa. Iowa Waste Reduction Center.

Iowa Waste Reduction Center Newsletter

Contents:

--- Meet our Energy Efficiency Extraordinaire
--- Where’re having a party! Will you be there?
--- Textile Brewing Company joins the Platinum Green Brewery Certification Family
--- Iowa DNR composting rules now open for public comment
--- Free Assistance Available
--- Industry News

Guiding Multiple Remote Users In Physical Tasks With Language-Driven Robotic Telepresence, Ruyi Li, Jingfei Guo, Xinyi Zhang, Xuji Zhang, Zeqing Li, Jiannan Li, Jiangtao Gong

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Remote assistance through robotic telepresence could involve both control and memory challenges, particularly in one expert to multiple workers situation. In this work, we proposed a novelty language-driven interface to facilitate remote collaboration through telepresence robots. Through operations and maintenance expert interviews and a scenario simulation study, we identified key pain points in executing one-expert-multiple-workers remote guidance using the telepresence robot and proposed two design goals, which together consist of five sub-design goals with corresponding features. These features were integrated into a standard telepresence robot, resulting in the development of a Collaborative LLM-based Embodied Assistant Robot, named CLEAR Robot. A …

Revised Draft Final 2022 Insufficiently Reclaimed Sites Sampling: Bres No. 38 – Sister Dump Site Evaluation Summary Report, Pioneer Technical Services, Inc.

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Relevant Deformations Of Brane Brick Models, Georgios P. Goulas

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The thesis studies relevant deformations of 2d gauge theories with $\mathcal{N}=(0,2)$ supersymmetry, realized on the worldvolume of D1-branes probing toric Calabi-Yau 4-folds. Brane brick models are the primary means for engineering such theories and streamlining their connection to geometry. In this thesis, we relevant deformations of brane brick models, focusing on a specific class of deformations in which the initial and final theories are both described by brane brick models. Relevant deformations serve as an additional, systematic way of generating these theories, as well as uncovering connections between them. Within the framework of brane engineering, these deformations acquire a geometric …

Maize Yield Stability Under Organic And Conventional Farming Systems In Sub-Humid Agro-Ecozones Of Central Kenya, Milka Kiboi, David Bautze, Felix Matheri, Amritbir Riar, Andreas Fliessbach

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Maize (Zea mays L.) is the main staple crop and is important to the food security and livelihoods of people globally. We evaluated the effects of organic and conventional farming systems on maize grain yield and temporal yield stability under different external input levels in a long-term experiment (2007–2022) at two sites in Kenya. We implemented four farming systems: organic high (Org-High), conventional high (Conv-High), organic low (Org-Low), and conventional low (Conv-Low) in a randomized complete block design. Growth indicators for maize, height, stem diameter, and grain yield were higher in high input systems, but grain yield stability was not. …

Tetrigidae Of Ethiopia: First Species Delimitation Via Dna Barcoding And Description Of Three New Species †, Tarekegn Fite, Hendrik Devriese, Dustin Kulanek, Josip Skejo, Niko Kasalo, Manaye Misganaw, Tadele Tefera, Jandouwe Villinger, Martin Husemann

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Tetrigidae is a caeliferan family of Orthoptera constituting a diverse and relatively ancient lineage of small Orthopterans, which has its greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical areas. However, to date, few studies have been conducted on the identification and description of Tetrigidae species in Ethiopia, and even fewer molecular data are available. Hence, we performed the first species delimitation study via DNA barcoding of species belonging to the genera Paratettix, Leptacrydium, Dasyleurotettix, and Morphopoides from Ethiopia. We provide 35 new sequences of the COI gene belonging to six species of these genera. We show that Ethiopian Tetrigidae can be successfully …

A Unified Dnn Weight Compression Framework Using Reweighted Optimization Methods, Mengchen Fan, Tianyun Zhang, Xiaolong Ma, Jiacheng Guo, Zheng Zhan, Et. Al.

Computer Science Faculty Publications

To address the large model sizes and intensive computation requirements of deep neural networks (DNNs), weight pruning techniques have been proposed and generally fall into two categories: static regularization-based pruning and dynamic regularization-based pruning. However, the static method often leads to either complex operations or reduced accuracy, while the dynamic method requires extensive time to adjust parameters to maintain accuracy while achieving effective pruning. In this paper, we propose a unified robustness-aware framework for DNN weight pruning that dynamically updates regularization terms bounded by the designated constraint. This framework can generate both non-structured sparsity and different kinds of structured sparsity, …

Nonlinear Diffusion, Hydrodynamic Cascades And Jamming In Kinetically Constrained Systems: Insights From Lattice Gas Models, Abhishek Raj

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation investigates non-linear diffusion processes and emergent dynamical phenomena in kinetically constrained lattice gases. Two central models are considered: a one-dimensional lattice gas exhibiting a diffusion cascade triggered by hydrodynamic nonlinearities and a triangular ladder exclusion model that undergoes a jamming transition. The former demonstrates stretched exponential decay consistent with non-perturbative long-time tails, while the latter illustrates how classical-quantum mappings yield insight into glassy dynamics and mobility constraints. Through a combination of numerical simulations, analytical perturbation theory, and mean-field approximations, the work uncovers mechanisms underlying anomalous transport, jamming transitions, and the breakdown of perturbative hydrodynamics.

Role Of Axial Ligation In The Conformational And Redox Properties Of Cytochromes, Morgan Elisabeth Reik

Dartmouth College Ph.D Dissertations

Heme proteins are crucial for many biological processes including respiration, transport, and catalysis. As electron carriers containing redox active metal centers, their electron transfer (ET) properties are tuned by the protein environment, wherein the reduction potential can be influenced by factors such as heme solvent accessibility, charge, the presence of neighboring redox centers, as well as the identity of the axial ligand. The axial ligand in heme proteins is especially crucial for tuning the electronic properties of the metal center, as it affects the driving force of the reaction. However, the redox properties of heme proteins are further modulated by …