Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Examining The Variability In Planetary Boundary Layer Height Over Thailand: Correlations With Enso And Aerosol Optical Depth, Sirapong Sooktawee, Khwanruthai Renuhom, Siriwan Kaewket, Aduldech Patpai, Pramet Kaewmesri, Thongchai Kanabkaew, Pichnaree Lalitaporn

Applied Environmental Research

Thailand has been facing air pollution, e.g., PM2.5, and impacts from climate phenomena, e.g., the El Niño‒Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Both air pollution and climate interact with each other. Changes in the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) can affect PM2.5, represented by the aerosol optical depth (AOD), and are influenced by ENSO related to changes in the PBLH. The relationships among the PBLH, ENSO, and AOD were investigated via an empirical orthogonal function (EOF), which decomposes the spatiotemporal data of the PBLH into spatial patterns and corresponding time series. Correlation analysis was used to determine the relationships between the PBL variability …

Spatial And Temporal Pattern Assessment Of Agricultural Drought Sensitivity And Its Potential Impact On Economic Crops In Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, Suwit Ongsomwang, Siripon Kamontum

Applied Environmental Research

Agricultural drought sensitivity (ADS) is highly diverse across regions, primarily due to differences in climate, soil types, and farming practices. Agricultural drought impacts depend on drought intensity, severity, duration and timing relative to crop growth stages. Therefore, spatial and temporal pattern assessments of ADS and its potential impact on economic crops in three scenarios via multicriteria decision-making methods were conducted. As a result, the spatial distributions of the ADS index and its classification at 3 m7, 3 m10 and 6 m10, covering the planting and growing periods, displayed different patterns. The percentages of moderate, high and very high severity levels …

Exploring The Co-Composting Potentials Of Raw Grease Trap And Grease Trap-Derived Soaps: Insights Into Grease Trap Modification, Calcium Supplementation, And Microbial Community Analysis, Pokchat Chutivisut, Panaya Kotchaplai, Bualuang Faiyue, Nattapong Tuntiwiwattanapun

Applied Environmental Research

Managing waste with grease traps poses a challenge because of the potential environmental issues associated with its disposal. In this study, two approaches were investigated to increase the biodegradability of grease trap waste: 1) converting raw grease trap waste into soap and 2) supplementing grease trap soap as inoculum with calcium material. The preparation of grease trap soap was optimized to attain a soap yield of 103% by utilizing a water-to-ethanol ratio of 9:1 at 80 °C for a processing time of 3 hours. A comparison of the composting results revealed higher nitrate yields with increased ratios of grease trap …

Nationwide Household Food Waste Generation Rates In Rural And Urban Settings: Evidence In Thailand, Vilasinee Krutprong, Chanathip Pharino

Applied Environmental Research

To achieve sustainable development goals, addressing food waste requires evidence-based solutions grounded in a nuanced understanding of waste generation rates and the factors influencing them. This study explores the intricate dynamics of food waste generation in Thai households, encompassing both liquid and solid waste streams. Empirical data were collected from 2,700 diverse households across urban and rural areas over a four-week period. The study revealed an average food waste generation rate of 0.332±0.003 kg per capita per day when liquids were included and 0.228± 0.002 kg per capita per day when liquids were excluded. Surprisingly, rural households generated more food …

The Role Of Remittances In Economic Growth And Environmental Sustainability: A Cross-Country Analysis, Bishnu B. Khatri, Omkar Poudel, Pradeep Acharya

Applied Environmental Research

Although remittances significantly influence economic stability, their role in sustainable growth and environmental impact remains uncertain. While these financial inflows enhance household welfare, their effects on gross domestic product (GDP), carbon emissions, and trade openness require further exploration. This study investigates the economic and environmental linkages of remittances in India, Mexico, China, the Philippines, and Pakistan, the top five remittance-receiving countries. Using panel data analysis, this study employs Dumitrescu Hurlin causality tests and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) to assess the long-term and causal relationships between urbanization, trade openness, GDP per capita, carbon emissions, and remittances. Data from the World …

Microplastic Contamination In Commercially Important Bivalves Of Sorsogon Bay, Philippines, Sarina M.B. Arciga, Charmaine A. Malon, Kenneth N. Ballaran

Applied Environmental Research

Sorsogon Bay, a key fishing ground in the Philippines, is known for its commercially important bivalve species: Perna viridis, Atrina pectinata, and Paphia undulata. Despite their ecological and economic value, limited research has been conducted on microplastic contamination in bivalves harvested from this area. This study aimed to assess the abundance and types of microplastics in commercially important bivalves (P. viridis, A. pectinata, and P. undulata) from Sorsogon Bay, Philippines. Commercial bivalve samples were randomly collected, digested with 10% w/v potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution, filtered (8 µm), and examined under a compound microscope. …

Sediment Grain Size Analysis And Characteristics Of Sedimentation Processes In The Bang Berd-Khao Tham Thong Beach, Chumphon Province, Rawadee Meeprasit, Sujaree Bureekul, Suriyan Saramul

Applied Environmental Research

This study investigated the sedimentological characteristics of the Bang Berd-Khao Tham Thong beach system, which is located along the western shore of the central Gulf of Thailand, an area that is minimally disturbed by human activity and is ideal for studying natural coastal processes. Sediment samples were collected from both coastal and marine environments across four sampling periods (July 2022, September 2022, April 2023, and June 2023). The analysis focused on the grain size distribution, sorting, skewness, kurtosis, and sediment composition, revealing a predominance of medium sand in coastal sediments and increased silt and clay contents in marine sediments. The …

Effects Of Herbicides On 2,4-D-Resistant Soil Microorganisms In Maize Cultivation In Lopburi Province, Thailand, Boontarik Chimchart, Jitra Kokaew, Amnat Eamvijarn, Kanokon Bunpha, Sontaya Khamtib, Monchai Manassila, Tawatchai Inboonchuay

Applied Environmental Research

This study aimed to assess the impact of herbicide application on soil micro-organism density and to identify microorganisms resistant to 2,4-D-dimethyl-ammonium (2,4-D) for potential biodegradation. Research was conducted in maize plots in Lopburi Province, where 2,4-D was applied at a rate of 120 g of active ingredient per 160 m2. The soil samples were collected at various intervals: before application; 2 and 4 hours postapplication; and 1, 3, and 7 days after application. The analyses included soil property and microorganism population analyses. The results indicated that 2,4-D applications significantly increased bacteria and fungi in the treated plots compared with those …

Low-Temperature Catalytic Oxidation Of White Spirit Vapor In Air By Binary Oxides Of Feo-Mnox Supported On Oms-2 Material, Ngo Quoc Nguyen, Pham Duy Quang, Nguyen Ha Nhu, Le Thi Van Anh, Nguyen Thi Thuy, Vo Thanh Hang, Le Van Thang, Nguyen Thi Le Lien, Nguyen Trung Thanh, Nguyen Nhat Huy

Applied Environmental Research

In this work, catalysts of iron and manganese oxides supported on OMS-2 were prepared and applied to remove white spirit (WS) in air. Among the fabricated catalysts, the FeO-MnOx/OMS-2 catalyst with a surface Fe+Mn loading of 15% (Fe:Mn = 6:4) exhibited the highest catalytic performance, achieving a high WS removal efficiency of 97.91% at 200 °C. The catalyst retained the cryptomelane-type tunnel structure of OMS-2 and possessed enhanced redox activity due to the synergistic interaction between surface Fe and Mn species. The physico-chemical properties were characterized via BET, EDS, FTIR, XRD, and SEM. The suitable conditions for WS oxidation were …

Investigating Spatial And Temporal Changes In Vegetation Via Remote Sensing Indicators And Revealing Their Trends In The Central Desert Of Iran, Peyman Akbarzadeh, Shima Nikoo, Mehran Akbarzadeh

Applied Environmental Research

Vegetation changes can significantly affect the conditions and productivity of ecosystems. Consequently, studying vegetation dynamics across various temporal and spatial scales has emerged as a critical environmental concern. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in vegetation cover via vegetation indices, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), ratio vegetation index (RVI), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), and difference vegetation index (DVI), derived from multitemporal Landsat 5, 7, and 8 satellite images processed via the Google Earth Engine. The study area is located in the Damghan arid and desert watershed, which represents the central desert of Iran. Furthermore, …

Halotolerant Biodegradation And Detoxification Of Synthetic Dyes By Marine-Derived Penicillium Oxalicum M6a: Metabolite Profiling And Ecotoxicity Assessment, Ugochukwu Okechukwu Ozojiofor, Mohammed Sani Abdulsalami, Nkechi Eucharia Egbe, Ahmed Ali Haroun, Yakubu Magaji

Applied Environmental Research

The complex aromatic structures of synthetic dyes in contaminated water bodies make them difficult to degrade, posing a serious environmental challenge and representing a significant emerging pollutant that warrants urgent intervention. This study evaluated the biodegradation and detoxification potential of a halotolerant, marine-derived fungal strain, Penicillium oxalicum M6A, isolated from the Nigerian coastline, against Indigo carmine (IC) and Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR). The effects of pH, temperature, salinity, and dye concentration on degradation efficiency, alongside enzymatic activity, were assessed. FTIR and GC‒MS analyses were employed to identify degradation products and predict metabolic pathways, whereas toxicity was evaluated in three …

Kinetics Of Hexavalent Chromium Adsorption And Reduction By Living Cells Of The Marine Bacterium Bacillus Cereus, Jittima Charoenpanich, Wachiraphorn Cherdchoo, Jutamas Pantab, Jariya Supakrit

Applied Environmental Research

This study identified Bacillus cereus, an efficient Cr(VI) bioreducer, isolated from marine sediment in Thailand. Batch experiments verified the complete removal of 25 mg L-1Cr(VI) from synthetic wastewater (pH 7.0) after 6 days at 37 °C, 50 rpm,and a biomass concentration of 25% (v/v) culture inoculum. The Freundlich isotherm model demonstrated the best correlation with the Cr(VI) adsorption equilibrium data in the 25–100 mg L-1concentration range (R2= 0.9831). Kinetic analyses indicated that the removal of Cr(VI) by living B. cereusfollowed a pseudo-second-order adsorption model (R2= 0.9875) and a pseudo-second-order reduction model (R2= 0.9807). The adsorption rate can be accuratelycharacterizedvia the …

Bibliometric And Visualisation Analysis Of Biomass Burning Research In Thailand (1997-2024), Weerachon Sawangproh, Arika Bridhikitti

Applied Environmental Research

Biomass burning is a major driver of air pollution and climate-related impacts in Thailand, but a national-level synthesis of research efforts is lacking. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric and qualitative review of 256 peer-reviewed publications from 1997–2024, using Scopus-indexeddata to explore research trends, thematic patterns, and existing gaps. The analysis reveals a strong emphasis on atmospheric chemistry, air quality modeling, and remote sensing, which collectively account for more than 60% of the research landscape.Studies frequently focus on pollutants such as PM2.5,PAHs, carbon monoxide, and heavy metals, with biomass burning identified as a dominant source, especiallyduring the dry season in …

Landslide Susceptibility Mapping Via Dempster-Shafer, Statistical Index, And Certainty Factor Models In Gis And Their Comparison At Pidie Recency In Aceh, Indonesia, Septianto Aldiansyah, Amniar Ati, Fitriyani Saudi

Applied Environmental Research

Landslides are natural disasters that are active if there is an interaction of environmental factors that are considered to control them, especially in mountainous areas. This study developed a landslide susceptibility map in Pidie Regency via the Dempster-Shafer (DS), statistical index (SI), and certainty factor (CF) models. A total of 957 landslide events were mapped, 70% of which were used for modeling, whereas the remaining events were used to validate the model output. Fourteen layers of conditioning factors were used: elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, TWI, SPI, STI, NDVI, rainfall, distance from river, distance from road, distance from fault, LULC, and …

Assessment Of Landslide Susceptibility And Settlement Exposure Via Geospatial Techniques In Bulambuli Distrcit, Eastern Uganda, Andrew Mulabbi, John Calvin Esagu, Gertrude Akello, Remigio Turyahabwe

Applied Environmental Research

Landslide susceptibility is a significant concern in Elgon County, Uganda, particularly during the rainy season. This vulnerability is attributable to several factors, including steep slopes, fertile soils, and dense settlements on volcanic ridges. Landslide susceptibility maps are important in mitigating the risk particularly at the local level. The objectives of this study were 1) to model landslide susceptibility via an interpretable machine-learning model, 2) to identify the most influential factors for landslide susceptibility in the study area, and 3) to assess the exposure of settlements to landslide risk. This study employed the XGBoost model trained on nine conditioning factors via …

Exploration Of Indigeneous Biosurfactant-Producing Bacillus Sp. From Petroleum Hydrocarbon-Contaminated Soil In Indonesia, Rizky Danang Susetyo, Wahyu Wilopo, Suwarno Hadisusanto, Endah Retnaningrum

Applied Environmental Research

Hydrocarbonolastic bacteria are valuable for the remediation of petroleum-polluted environments. The production of biosurfactants by such bacteria significantly enhances hydrocarbon bioavailability and increases remediation efficiency. One genus of hydrocarbonolastic bacteria with the potential to produce biosurfactants is Bacillus, yet strain-level diversity and local adaptations remain underexplored.Tthis study aimed to isolate and characterize hydrocarbonolastic bacteria belonging to the Bacillus genus from soil samples collected at Geopetroleum Teksas Wonocolo, Kedewan District, Bojonegoro Regency, Indonesia, which is a historically underreported hydrocarbon site. Additionally, the capacity of Bacillus to synthesize biosurfactants was examined. Bacillus strains capable of biosur-factant production were identified via a polyphasic …

Nanofiltration-Based Recovery Of Sodium Gluconate From Fermentation Broths Of Oil Palm Solid Residue Hydrolysates, Ayla A. Liswani, Aulya R. Arevin, Naufal Baariq, Ibnu M. Idayatullah, Muhamad Sahlan, Masafumi Yohda, Heri Hermansyah, Apriliana C. Khayrani

Applied Environmental Research

Sodium gluconate (SG), a functional organic salt derived from gluconic acid, is widely utilized in various industrial sectors because of its excellent chelating ability, low toxicity, and biodegradability. SGs can be produced sustainably through the neutralization of gluconic acid, which is obtained from the microbial fermen-tation of lignocellulosic biomass such as oil palm fronds (OPFs) and empty fruit bunches (OPEFBs). To meet commercial demands, SGs must be recovered in concentrated form, and nanofiltration (NF) offers a promising membrane-based approach for this purpose. This study aimed to optimize the SG concentration from the fermentation broths of oil palm residue hydrolysates via …

Community Perception And Attitudes Toward Plastics And Microplastic Pollution: A Case Study In The Red River Delta, Vietnam, Dang Hai Mai

Applied Environmental Research

Plastics and microplastic contamination pose increasing threats to human health, food safety, and environmental sustainability. In Vietnam, rapid urbanization, economic growth, and population expansion have contributed to a surge in plastic waste, intensifying pollution across regions such as the Red River Delta. This study adopts the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore community perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions regarding plastic and microplastic pollution. A quantitative research design was employed, with data collected through structured questionnaires administered to 1,305 respondents via a stratified multistage sampling strategy across four provinces in the Red River Delta. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression …

Bibliography For Love Data Week 2025, Arianna Tillman, Isabella Piechota, Annikah Carpio

Library Displays and Bibliographies

A bibliography created to support a display about research data and Love Data Week during January/February 2025 at the Leatherby Libraries at Chapman University.

Clea Labs For Stellar And Cosmological Astronomy Bottled For Silicon Macintosh, Hansika Reddy Bandela, Yuktha Shetty, Jack C. Straton

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Project CLEA -- CONTEMPORARY LABORATORY EXPERIENCES IN ASTRONOMY -- develops laboratory exercises that illustrate modern astronomical techniques using digital data and color images.

These Labs were developed for Windows, but the authors have bottled them for Silicon Macintosh computers.

Clea Labs For Planetary, Stellar, And Cosmological Astronomy Configured For 64-Bit Windows 11+ Machines, Itan Altamirano, Jack C. Straton

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Project CLEA -- CONTEMPORARY LABORATORY EXPERIENCES IN ASTRONOMY -- develops laboratory exercises that illustrate modern astronomical techniques using digital data and color images.

These Labs were developed for 32-bit Windows machines but PSU student Itan Altamirano reconfigured installation programs to bypass steps that ask for DVDs and allowing these 32-bit programs to work on 64-bit Windows 11+ computers.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Doped Rare-Earth Zinc Alloys, Partha Das

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Rare-Earth-Zinc (RE-Zn) alloys doped with manganese represent a promising class of materials with diverse applications in magnetic, electronic, and thermoelectric devices. These alloys hold significant potential owing to the unique combination of rare-earth elements' properties with the versatility of zinc, augmented by manganese doping. In this study, I present the successful synthesis of ErMn_0.2Zn_11.8 alloys, achieved through self-flux method. The synthesized crystals were characterized using electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, magnetic measurements were performed to investigate the magnetic properties. Future plans include DFT calculations and comparison study between Rare-Earth-Zinc alloys with …

Balancing Performance And Efficiency: An Autoencoder Approach To Api-Based Malware Detection, Selma Bouraoui

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

The constant evolution of malware presents a critical challenge to today's interconnected world. It poses an increasing threat on different scales, spanning from individuals, organizations to critical infrastructures such as government’s security. Hackers continuously develop new techniques to evade detection methods. When confronted with the high volume and variety of malware, conventional approaches tend to struggle to perform in robust, accurate and timely manner. This thesis explores the application of deep learning methods to improve malware detection and classification techniques. By analyzing API call sequences, the proposed approach leverages Autoencoders to compress high-dimensional malware data into more optimized representations that …

Evaluation Of Practical Methods To Determine If A Karst Creek Is Gaining Or Losing: Case Study Of Leith Creek, Elizabeth Jones

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Karst landscapes are abundant in Missouri, with features such as caves, springs, and sinkholes that form through the dissolution of limestone. Leith Creek is a small stream in Polk County, Missouri fed by two springs and the shallow unconfined Springfield Plateau aquifer, a highly karstified aquifer which is made up of limestone and minor interbedded shale-mudstone units. To determine if Leith Creek is gaining or losing, stream flow, water chemistry and temperature sensors were monitored. Stream flow results required multiple visits to take measurements while temperature sensors required two visits, one to install the dataloggers and another to remove the …

The Stochastic Occupation Kernel (Sock) Method For Learning Stochastic Differential Equations, M. L. Wells, Kamel Lahouel, Bruno Jedynak

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We present a novel kernel-based method for learning multivariate stochastic differential equations (SDEs). The method follows a two-step procedure: we first estimate the drift term function, then the (matrix-valued) diffusion function given the drift. Occupation kernels are integral functionals on a reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) that aggregate information over a trajectory. Our approach leverages vector-valued occupation kernels for estimating the drift component of the stochastic process. For diffusion estimation, we extend this framework by introducing operator-valued occupation kernels, enabling the estimation of an auxiliary matrix-valued function as a positive semi-definite operator, from which we readily derive the diffusion estimate. …

Optical Coherence Tomography Harmonization With Anatomy-Guided Latent Metric Schrödinger Bridges, Shuwen Wei, Blake E. Dewey, Samuel W. Remedios, Bruno Jedynak, Shimeng Wang, Peter Calabresi, Shiv Saidha, Aaron Carass, Multiple Additional Authors

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

Medical image harmonization aims to reduce the differences in appearance caused by scanner hardware variations to allow for consistent and reliable comparisons across devices. Harmonization based on paired images from different devices has limited applicability in real-world clinical settings. On the other hand, unpaired harmonization typically does not guarantee anatomy consistency, which is problematic because anatomical information preservation is paramount. The Schrödinger bridge framework has achieved state-of-the-art style transfer performance with natural images by matching distributions of unpaired images, but this approach can also introduce anatomy changes when applied to medical images. We show that such changes occur because the …

Recontextualizing Engagement With Data Visualizations In The Context Of The Socio-Ecological, Eva Thanheiser, Laurie Rubel, Beth Herbel-Eisenmann, Courtney Koestler

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

We explore how data visualizations (DVs) are representational tools that can be used to narrate certain aspects of a context but silence others. Using multiple DVs allows for contrasting the DVs and likely provides opportunities for critical reading and exploring the entanglement of political and ecological dimensions of an issue. We start by integrating two sets of practices, Notice, Wonder, Feel, Act and Reimagine (NW-FAR) (Kahn, et al., 2022) and critical graph reading, Framing, Formatting, Narrating (FFN) (Rubel, et al., 2021) towards taking a socio-political stance and supporting students to read data visualizations and develop critical data literacy. We look …

Highly Sensitive Diffractive Optical Structures For Detection Of Volatile Organic Compounds, Faolan Radford Mcgovern

Doctoral

From aerospace to agriculture, sensors play a fundamental role in many aspects of modern life. Sensors form an integral part of the complex systems and devices required for the continued functioning and development of services and industries across society. The use of sensors is paramount in areas affecting human health, one such area being the monitoring of indoor air quality, in particular the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Human contact with VOCs has been associated with many health complications, including skin and eye irritation, cardiovascular damage, and cancers. Optical, electrical, gravimetric, and chemical sensors have been developed for VOC …

Surface Modifications Of Titanium Alloys For Biomedical Applications, Justynne Fabian

Doctoral

Hip implant failure remains a critical concern in healthcare, primarily driven by poor bone integration and bacterial infection. These issues contribute to a rising number of revision surgeries, posing significant challenges that must be addressed, particularly in light of an ageing global population. Titanium surface anodisation emerges as a promising solution for biomedical applications, offering a cost-effective, controllable, and efficient process. The anodisation technique results in the formation of titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2 NTs) on the metal surface. These nanostructures offer several advantages, including enhanced mechanical properties, and potential for surface modification through the incorporation of antibacterial and osteoinductive properties. …

Classification Of Indonesian Sign Language (Sibi) Using Data Mining Algorithms K-Nearest Neighbor And Random Forest, Muhammad Zaki Wirawan, Achmad Afif, Anik Nur Handayani, Imanuel Hitipeuw, Osamu Fukuda

Knowledge Engineering and Data Science

This study aims to address the communication hallenges faced by the Indonesian deaf community by developing an automatic classification model for Sistem Bahasa Isyarat Indonesia (SIBI) using data mining techniques. The main objective is to identify a practical algorithm for recognizing SIBI hand gestures to enhance accessibility and inclusiveness in digital communication. A comprehensive dataset consisting of 32,850 gesture samples representing SIBI alphabet signs was collected and processed through feature extraction, data cleaning, and normalization using Z-Transform and Min-Max methods. Two classification algorithms, K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) and Random Forest, were implemented and evaluated using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, …