Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Multi-Wavelength Determination Of The Total Luminosity And Star Formation Rate Of The Milky Way, Joshua L. Mascoop

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The star formation rate (SFR) of the Milky Way is poorly understood in comparison to the SFR of other galaxies. In order to better find the Galaxy's place in the universe, it is imperative to understand the star formation activity occurring within it. We characterize the Galactic \hii\ region luminosity function (LF) at multiple infrared and radio wavelengths using a sample of 797 first Galactic quadrant \hii regions compiled from the WISE Catalog of Galactic \hii Regions. This sample is statistically complete for all regions powered by single stars of type O9.5V and earlier.

We find that neither a single …

Advances In Machine Learning Aided Seismic Interpretation And Inversion For Subsurface Characterization, Tobi Micheal Ore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Geophysical data are used to “remotely sense” the subsurface to illuminate structures, stratigraphy, and features that are of interest in the exploration for energy, suitable storage for carbon dioxide, geothermal development, and environmental considerations. The interpretations of these data typically are regarded as partially an art, as it depends on the experience of the interpreter. This is further exacerbated with the big data era as this data is large and takes several days, even longer, to manually interpret. To bridge this gap of speed and subjective bias, machine learning has been successfully applied to automate the geophysical interpretation process. This …

The Performance Of Marginal Modeling Methods For Rare Events With Application To Opioid Overdose Mortality And Morbidity, Shawn Nigam

Theses and Dissertations--Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Opioid misuse is a nationwide epidemic, with Kentucky having one of the highest opioid overdose-related fatality rates across all US states. These rates have increased significantly over the past decade, with particularly large increases during the COVID-19 pandemic. This dissertation aims to study the behavior of these increases and the methods for the marginal modeling of count outcomes related to opioid overdose.

Opioid overdose-related fatality rates in Kentucky increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this chapter, we characterize the changes in opioid overdose fatality rates in Kentucky and identify associations between potential factors and fatality rates. County-level opioid overdose …

Stigma And Efficacy Beliefs Regarding Opioid Use Disorder Treatment And Naloxone In Communities Participating In The Healing Communities Study Intervention, Nicky Lewis, Barry Eggleston, Redonna K. Chandler, Dawn Goddard-Eckrich, Jamie E. Luster, Dacia Beard, Emma Rodgers, Rouba A. Chahine, Philip M. Westgate, Shoshana N. Benjamin, Janae Holloway, Thomas Clarke, R. Craig Lefebvre, Michael D. Stein, Donald W. Helme, Jennifer Reynolds, Sharon L. Walsh, Darcy Freedman, Nabila El-Bassel, Kara Stephens, Anita Silwal, Michelle R. Lofwall, Janet E. Childerhose, Hilary L. Surratt, Brooke N. Crockett, Amy L. Farmer, James L. David, Laura Fanucchi, Judy Harness, Ben Wilburn, Kelli Bursey, Kristin Mattson, Sarah Mann, Rebecca D. Jackson, Aimee Shadwick, Katherine Calver, Deborah Chassler, Jennifer Kimball, Nancy Regan, Jeffrey H. Samet, Rachel Sword-Cruz, Michael D. Slater

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Background The HEALing Communities Study (HCS) included health campaigns as part of a community-engaged intervention to reduce opioid-related overdose deaths in 67 highly impacted communities across Kentucky, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio. Five campaigns were developed with community input to provide information on opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose prevention, reduce stigma, and build demand for evidence-based practices (EBPs). An evaluation examined the recognition of campaign messages about naloxone and whether stigma and efficacy beliefs regarding OUD treatment and naloxone changed in HCS intervention communities.

Methods Data were collected through surveys offered on Facebook/Instagram to members of communities participating in …

Structural And Magnetic Properties Of Molecular Beam Epitaxy (Mnsb2te4)X(Sb2te3)1−X Topological Materials With Exceedingly High Curie Temperature, Candice R. Forrester, Christophe Testelin, Kaushini Wickramasinghe, Ido Levy, Dominique Demaille, David Hrabovsky, Xiaxin Ding, Lisa Krusin-Elbaum, Gustavo Lopez, Maria C. Tamargo

Publications and Research

Tuning the properties of magnetic topological materials is of interest to realize exotic physical phenomena, new quantum phases and quasiparticles, and topological spintronic devices. However, current topological materials exhibit Curie temperature (T_C) values far below those needed for practical applications. In recent years, significant progress has been made to control and optimize T_C, particularly through defect-engineering of these structures. Most recently, we reported T_C values up to 80 K for (MnSb₂Te₄)_x(Sb₂Te₃)_1−x when 0.7 ≤ x ≤ 0.85 by controlling the composition x and the …

On Cyclically 4-Connected Cubic Graphs, R. J. Kingan, S. R. Kingan

Publications and Research

A 3-connected cubic graph is cyclically 4-connected if it has at least n ≥ 8 vertices and when removal of a set of three edges results in a disconnected graph, only one component has cycles. By introducing the notion of cycle spread to quantify the distance between pairs of edges, we get a new characterization of cyclically 4-connected graphs. Let Q_n and V_n denote the ladder and Möbius ladder on n ≥ 8 vertices, respectively. We prove that a 3-connected cubic graph G is cyclically 4-connected if and only if G is either the Petersen graph, Q …

It Is Normal: The Probability Distribution Of Temperature Extremes, Nir Y. Krakauer

Publications and Research

The probability of heat extremes is often estimated using the non-stationary generalized extreme value distribution (GEVD) applied to time series of annual maximum temperature. Here, this practice was assessed using a global sample of temperature time series, from reanalysis (both at the grid point and the region scale) as well as station observations. This assessment used forecast negative log-likelihood as the main performance measure, which is particularly sensitive to the most extreme heat waves. It was found that the computationally simpler normal distribution outperforms the GEVD in providing probabilistic year-ahead forecasts of temperature extremes. Given these findings, it is suggested …

Time-Efficient Filtering Of Imaging Polarimetric Data By Checking Physical Realizability Of Experimental Mueller Matrices, Tatiana Novikova, Alexey Ovchinnikov, Gleb Pogudin, Jessica C. Ramella-Roman

Publications and Research

Motivation: Imaging Mueller polarimetry has already proved its potential for biomedicine, remote sensing, and metrology. The real-time applications of this modality require both video rate image acquisition and fast data post-processing algorithms. First, one must check the physical realizability of the experimental Mueller matrices in order to filter out non-physical data, i.e. to test the positive semi-definiteness of the 4 × 4 Hermitian coherency matrix calculated from the elements of corresponding Mueller matrix pixel-wise. For this purpose, we compared the execution time for the calculations of (i) eigenvalues, (ii) Cholesky decomposition, (iii) Sylvester’s criterion, and (iv) coefficients of the characteristic …

Effective Size Of A Parity-Time-Symmetric Dimer, Li Ge

Publications and Research

Parity-time (PT)-symmetric dimers were introduced to highlight the unusual properties of non-Hermitian systems that are invariant after a combined parity and time reversal operation. They are also the building blocks of a variety of symmetry and topologically protected structures, especially on integrated photonic platforms. As the name suggests, it consists of two coupled oscillators, which can be optical, mechanical, electronic, and so on in nature. In this article, we show that its effective size, defined by the number of lattice sites inversely proportional to the lattice momentum, is surprisingly three instead of two from the perspective of energy quantization. More …

Luminescent Solar Concentrators For Greenhouse Applications Based On Highly Luminescent Carbon Quantum Dots, Kambiz Hosseinpanahi, Mohammad Hossein Abbaspour-Fard, Mahmoud Reza Golzarian, Elaheh K. Goharshadi, Alberto Vomiero

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are promising luminophores for luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) in transparent photovoltaic greenhouse covers due to their high ultraviolet (UV)-light absorption coefficient, which is vital for plant growth. Herein, high quantum yield (75%) and large Stokes shift (0.706 eV) CQDs are synthesized by a simple, fast, cheap, and mass scalable method. A comprehensive study on the LSC engineering is carried out. Thin layers of CQDs with different concentrations of 1, 3, and 5 wt% and different number of layers (1–5) are coated on glass and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) waveguides, sized 5 × 5 × 0.6 and 15 …

The Impact Of Domain Name Server (Dns) Over Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (Https) On Cyber Security: Limitations, Challenges, And Detection Techniques, Muhammad Dawood, Shanshan Tu, Chuangbai Xiao, Muhammad Haris, Hisham Alasmary, Muhammad Waqas, Sadaqat Ur Rehman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The DNS over HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) (DoH) is a new technology that encrypts DNS traffic, enhancing the privacy and security of end-users. However, the adoption of DoH is still facing several research challenges, such as ensuring security, compatibility, standardization, performance, privacy, and increasing user awareness. DoH significantly impacts network security, including better end-user privacy and security, challenges for network security professionals, increasing usage of encrypted malware communication, and difficulty adapting DNS-based security measures. Therefore, it is important to understand the impact of DoH on network security and develop new privacy-preserving techniques to allow the analysis of DoH traffic …

Microbes Of Biotechnological Importance In Acidic Saline Lakes In The Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia, Katelyn Boase, Talitha Santini, Elizabeth Watkin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Acidic salt lakes are environments that harbor an array of biologically challenging conditions. Through 16S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and ITS amplicon sequencing of eight such lakes across the Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, we aim to understand the microbial ecology of these lakes with a focus on iron- and sulfur-oxidizing and reducing microorganisms that have theoretical application in biomining industries. In spite of the biological challenges to life in these lakes, the microbial communities were highly diverse. Redundancy analysis of soil samples revealed sulfur, ammonium, organic carbon, and potassium were significant diversities of the microbial community composition. The most abundant …

Editorial: Rock Physics Of Unconventional Reservoirs: Volume Ii, Qiaomu Qi, Lidong Dai, Maxim Lebedev, Tobias Müller, Junfang Zhang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

No abstract provided.

2024 Directory Of Landscape Professionals Trained In Ecological Landscaping For Water Quality Protection, Julia Peterson

UNH Cooperative Extension

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Arctic And Atlantic Basin Cyclone Predictability From A Climatology And Case Study Perspective, Peyton Capute

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Arctic cyclones (ACs) can transport warm, moist air into the Arctic region, which combined with strong winds may lead to rapid declines in sea ice during the summer. As a consequence, accurate sea ice predictions during the summer may rely on being able to predict cyclone-related wind speed and direction, which critically depends on the cyclone track and intensity. Despite this, there are relatively few studies that have documented the predictability of ACs during the summer, beyond a few case studies. In addition, there has been no extensive comparison of whether these cyclones are more or less predictable relative to …

Multi-Activity Student Knowledge And Behavior Modeling Via Transfer Learning, Siqian Zhao

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Online education systems have grown in popularity over the past few years, providing abundant opportunities for students to learn. As the number of students using these systems grows, it promotes the development of the Educational Data Mining (EDM) field, which leverages statistical, machine learning, and data mining technologies to explore large-scale educational data and develop methods to better understand student learning.

In this dissertation, we investigate two essential topics in EDM: Student Knowledge Tracing (KT) and Behavior Modeling (BM). KT aims to quantify and model student knowledge gained from learning activities, while BM focuses on tasks such as modeling student …

Examining Downshear Reformation In Tropical Cyclones, Nathalie Rivera Torres

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The development of a new low-level circulation center in tropical cyclones, known as downshear reformation, can lead to sudden changes in storm structure and intensity, representing a challenge in forecasting tropical cyclones. This phenomenon is commonly observed in weak tropical cyclones (e.g., tropical depressions, tropical storms) experiencing moderate to strong vertical wind shear (> 5 m s-1), when the vertical wind shear organizes convection in the downshear region of the tropical cyclone, and lower-tropospheric vorticity is generated within the intense convection. Downshear reformation has been proposed as a mechanism for intensification, sometimes rapidly, in tropical cyclones under unfavorable environmental wind …

A Corona Theorem For Multipliers On The Dirichlet Space, Alea Wittig

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

An analogue to Wolff's ideal problem for the multiplier algebra of the Dirichlet space, the main theorem provides sufficient conditions to classify membership of an arbitrary function in an infinitely generated ideal of the multiplier algebra.

Informational Principles And Structures In Quantum Theory, Yang Yu

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This thesis examines the concept of information within the realm of quantum physics, investigating the nuanced relationship between information and physical laws as applied to quantum systems. With no consensus on a single definition of information in the physical sciences, our exploration is partitioned into two significant studies, each addressing distinct aspects of information in quantum contexts.

In the first study, we concentrate on the information that can be obtained from measurement results on identical quantum systems. The traditional approach of using Shannon entropy is limited due to its applicability primarily to discrete probability distributions. By incorporating a Bayesian update …

The Importance Of Ice Microphysics In Storm Electrification, Yichen Cai

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

Evanescent but powerful, lightning is the vast scale release of storm energy from accumulation of minuscule cloud particle interactions. Although lightning occurrence seems random, thunderstorms “electrify” themselves in methodical ways and show structured patterns. This study explores the role of ice microphysics in thunderstorm charging and discharge through numerical simulation.

A squall line has been simulated ideally and realistically with generally consistent conclusions. Drastically different amount of lightning was produced when using three different microphysical models: Depending on the choice of charging scheme, the National Severe Storm Laboratory (NSSL) two-moment model appropriately captures or overestimate the amount observed by the …

The Effectiveness Of Cybersecurity Training, Courtney Knight

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study seeks to answer the question of what kinds of cybersecurity training are effective by reviewing the existing literature, analyzing for gaps, and bridging the connection with known learning techniques. The research is exploratory in nature, and is inductive – intending to develop a theory. Additionally, this study seeks to offer a taxonomy of cybersecurity training methods to be evaluated.

This study did not include security operation center (SOC), cyber incident response teams (CIRTs), or other types of advanced cybersecurity professional training. This research specifically focuses on training to improve the average employee and population’s tactical cybersecurity skills.

Several …

Investigating The Uncertainties Of Forecasting Ne Cold Season Precipitation In Numerical Weather Prediction Models, Yanna Chen

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

A major winter storm on March 2, 2018, posed significant challenges in predicting precipitation type (P-type) in the northeast U.S., particularly the Hudson Valley. While National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts predicted a mix of rain and snow, observations showed predominantly snow, with errors in snow depth forecasts of 8-12 inches near Albany.

This study used the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to investigate how model physics (microphysics, cumulus, boundary layer, and radiation schemes) and domain configuration influenced snow depth predictions. Results revealed significant sensitivities to cumulus and radiation schemes, as well as the vertical resolution in the middle troposphere. …

Molecular-Level Design Of Heterometallic Precursors For Rechargeable Battery Cathode Materials, Yuxuan Zhang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

The synthetic methods for rechargeable battery cathodes are rapidly evolving along with the continuous advancement of the materials themselves. Utilizing precursors for the synthesis of Li- and Na-ion cathode materials are known to ensure a phase-pure product with isotropic element distribution, thereby further enhancing the electrochemical properties of the cathode material. As more cathode materials with complex compositions continue to emerge, the strategies for designing the corresponding precursors are also getting diversified. One of the most promising directions is the employment of single-source precursors (SSPs), defined as molecules that contain all necessary elements in the proper ratio and decomposable under …

An Analysis Of Precision: Occlusion And Perspective Geometry’S Role In 6d Pose Estimation, Jeffrey Choate, Derek Worth, Scott Nykl, Clark N. Taylor, Brett J. Borghetti, Christine M. Schubert Kabban

Faculty Publications

Achieving precise 6 degrees of freedom (6D) pose estimation of rigid objects from color images is a critical challenge with wide-ranging applications in robotics and close-contact aircraft operations. This study investigates key techniques in the application of YOLOv5 object detection convolutional neural network (CNN) for 6D pose localization of aircraft using only color imagery. Traditional object detection labeling methods suffer from inaccuracies due to perspective geometry and being limited to visible key points. This research demonstrates that with precise labeling, a CNN can predict object features with near-pixel accuracy, effectively learning the distinct appearance of the object due to perspective …

An Observational Census Of Post-Merger Galaxies And Supermassive Black Hole Pair Evolution, Gregory Walsh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Massive galaxy mergers are a fundamental consequence of the dynamic evolution of the Universe and play a central role in the evolution of galaxies. Because all massive galaxies harbor a central supermassive black hole (SMBH; M ≥ 10⁶ M_⊙), studying these merging systems with electromagnetic (EM) techniques constrains galaxy evolution models and provides a systematic means to examine the astrophysical mechanisms that facilitate the growth of SMBHs. These growing SMBHs are observable across the EM spectrum as Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). Massive galaxy mergers are a natural formation mechanism for an SMBH pair, eventually evolving into an …

On Confidence And Sense Of Belonging In Cybersecurity Students: Analysis & Prediction, Sadaf Amna Sarwari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent years, there has been a rapid expansion of cybersecurity programs across higher education institutions in response to the widening skills gap in the cybersecurity job market. This study adopts quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify factors influencing West Virginia University (WVU)’s LANE Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (LCSEE) students’ confidence and sense of belonging in the cybersecurity field. The results are based on data collected from surveys administered to LCSEE students in April 2022 and April 2023. The responses were analyzed using descriptive & inferential statistics and logistic regression techniques. Additionally, the 2023 data was utilized …

(Non-) Recovery Of An Agricultural Stream From Straightening And Dredging, Aras Anderson Mann

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In recent history, natural, meandering streams have been straightened and dredged to reduce flooding. While this practice can be effective in reducing flooding locally, it often results in the degradation of stream water quality and aquatic ecosystems. A straighter channel inherently increases the stream gradient, which could increase flow velocity, shear stress, and potentially downstream sediment yield. Studies have shown that straightened, channelized streams often begin to return to a meandering pattern 35-50 years post-channelization. Yet cross-sectional surveys and air photo analysis of the stream reach in this study, Deckers Creek, indicate little to no observable trend of the stream …

C–H Alkylation Of Diol Substrates Using Bifunctional Boronic Acid Catalysts, Matthew Ryan Ross

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Boronic acid catalysts in combination with a Lewis base have been used in previous work to perform site-selective C–H alkylation reactions targeting the α-hydroxy C–H bond of diols through a photoredox activated hydrogen atom transfer. This is done by accessing a tetracoordinate boronic acid – Lewis base complex which then mediates the hydrogen atom transfer. The research hypothesizes that combining the boronic acid and Lewis base into one molecule not only simplifies the reaction but also has the potential to unlock C–H alkylation sites previously inaccessible. This is plausible because the Lewis base portion of the synthesized bifunctional boronic acid …

Measuring And Modeling Riparian Wetland Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity, Nutrient Concentrations And Shallow Groundwater Dynamics In An Appalachian Mixed Land Use Catchment, Bidisha Faruque Abesh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The paucity of research on accurate predictions of saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), spatiotemporal analysis of nutrient concentrations relative to water source types (stream and shallow groundwater (SGW)), water flow directions, and land use in riparian wetlands of Appalachian mixed land use catchments underscored the need for this study. Additionally, the lack of SGW flow simulations and stream-SGW interactions using three-dimensional (3D) numerical models (i.e., MODFLOW) in these riparian wetlands further highlighted the research gap. Observed data including soil properties, Ksat, surface water (SW) and SGW levels, and nutrient concentrations, including nitrate (NO3-N), nitrite (NO2-N), ammonium (NH4-N), orthophosphate (PO43-P), total nitrogen …

Ung: A Diagnostic Standard C Library, Jakob Knute Kaivo

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Undefined behavior in C programs is a major source of unreliable software. Many of the most common exploitable software vulnerabilities can be traced directly to undefined behavior. In the increasingly connected world, a successful attack can cost the victim millions of dollars to recover from. While static program analysis aids in identifying undefined behavior, testing indicates that even the best static analysis tools correctly identifies about 35% of these defects. This dissertation introduces UNG’s Not GNU (UNG), a standard C library designed to mitigate undefined behavior. Where others have seen opportunities for optimization, UNG makes every effort to identify undefined …