Lateral changes in geology pose a serious problem in data interpretation for any surface geophysical method. Although many geophysical techniques are designed to probe vertically, the source signal invariably spreads laterally, so any lateral variations in geology will affect the measurements and interpretation. This problem is particularly acute for controlled source electromagnetic soundings because only a few techniques are available to interpret the data if lateral effects are present. In this thesis we examine the effects of geological contacts for the time domain electromagnetic sounding method (TDEM). Using two simple two-dimensional models, the truncated thin-sheet and the quarter-space, we examine the system response for several commonly used TDEM sounding configurations. For each system we determine the sensitivity to the contact, establish how to the contact anomaly may be distinguished from other anomalies and, when feasible, develop methods for interpreting the contact geometry and for stripping the contact anomaly from the observed data. Since no numerical models were available when this work was started, data were collected using scale models with a system designed at the University of California at Berkeley. The models were assembled within a table-top modeling tank from sheets or blocks of metal using air or mercury as …

The data engineers and scientists use to determine if the groundwater supply is contaminated are derived from analysis of samples taken largely from monitoring wells. For these data to be reliable several factors must be considered. One factor is the integrity of the monitoring well. In this project, emphasis has been placed on the potential impact on water quality caused by diffusion across the threaded joints of PVC pipe. In this study, the diffusion of trichloroethylene across several common types of threaded joints (i.e., square flush, modified ACME, modified ACME stub, and ACME) has been measured. Samples were obtained from the water inside the pipe sections and analyzed for trichloroethylene by gas chromatography. Breakthrough occurs within days of the samples being placed in the baths. The softened PVC joints of the pipes in the pure trichloroethylene split before the first sample interval of 1.5 weeks. The data show great variability in casting joints from the same manufacturer, and indicate a need for increased precision in the manufacturing of the PVC pipe joints. A one-dimensional diffusion model is used to determine an equivalent gap size through which the diffusion occurs. Flow rates through the threaded joints are calculated by using the …

The objective of this research was to investigate the oxidation behavior of coal and coal pyrite and to correlate the changes in the surface properties induced by oxidation, along with the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of these organic and inorganic materials, with the behavior in physical coal cleaning processes. This provide more fundamental knowledge for understanding the way in which different factors interact in a medium as heterogeneous as coal. Fourteen coal samples of different ranks ranging from high to medium sulfur content were studied by dry oxidation tests at different temperatures and humidities, and by wet oxidation tests using different oxidizing agents. The concentration of surface oxygen functional groups was determined by ion-exchange methods. The changes in the coal composition with oxidation were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques. The wettability of as-received and oxidized coal and coal pyrite samples was assessed by film flotation tests. The electrokinetic behavior of different coals and coal pyrite samples was studied by electrokinetic tests using electrophoresis. Possible oxidation mechanisms have been proposed to explain the changes on the coal surface induced by different oxidation treatments.

A variety of silyl- and alkyl-germylene precursors have been synthesized and subsequently pyrolyzed in the gas phase. Arrhenius parameters were obtained employing a pulsed-stirred flow reactor for these unimolecular decompositions. These precursors are divided into two major categories by mechanism of germylene extrusion: {alpha}-elimination precursors and germylacetylenes. The extrusion of germylenes from germylacetylene precursors is of primary interest. A mechanism is proposed employing a germacyclopropene intermediate. Evidence supporting this mechanism is presented. In the process of exploring germylacetylenes as germylene precursors, an apparent dyatropic rearrangement between germanium and silicon was observed. This rearrangement was subsequently explored.

An analysis is presented of events with a single jet and significant missing transverse energy selected from 4.7 pb{sup {minus}1} of data collected at the Fermilab Tevatron with the CDF detector. The goal is to identify events of the type p{bar p} {yields} Z{sup 0} + jet; Z{sup 0} {yields} {nu}{bar {nu}}. Event selection and backgrounds are discussed. The number of observed monojet events is compared to the number of observed Z{sup 0} {yields} e{sup +}{sup {minus}} events in which the Z{sup 0} is accompanied by a jet. We measure the number of light neutrino species to be N{sub {nu}} = 2.2{plus_minus}1.5 and we place an upper limit on the number of neutrino species at N{sub {nu}} < 5 (90% C.L.).

Absolute yields of CO, CO{sub 2}, and H{sub 2}CO formed in reaction of triplet methylene ({tilde X} {sup 3}B{sub 1} {triple_bond} CH{sub 2}) with O{sub 2} were determined using a flash kinetic spectrometer. CH{sub 2} radicals were generated by excimer laser photolysis of ketene and product formation was monitored by time-resolved infrared diode laser absorption. Reaction was carried out in a static gas cell at room temperature at 1--25 torr. Measured product yields were CO, 0.34 {plus_minus} 0.06; CO{sub 2}, 0.40 {plus_minus} 0.08 H{sub 2}CO, 0.16 {plus_minus} 0.04. Rate constants for production of CO and CO{sub 2} were equivalent to the published rate constant for removal of CH{sub 2}. Indirect evidence indicated that yield of OH is 0.30 {plus_minus} 0.05. Ultraviolet spectrum of methyl isothiocyanate (CH{sub 3}NCS {triple_bond} MITC) and quantum yield for dissociation into methyl isocyanide (CH{sub 3}NC) and atomic sulfur at 308 nm, {Phi} 0.98 {plus_minus} 0.24, were measured. MITC is widely used as a fumigant and readily enters the atmosphere during and after application. Results indicate that photodissociation by sunlight is an effective pathway for removal of MITC from atmosphere. A mechanism is proposed to account for the observed formation of methyl isocyanate (CH{sub 3}NCO) as a …

The soil radium content in Florida is highly variable. The range in radium concentrations, where the samples involved in this study are concerned, is from 0.1 pCi/g to 18.5 pCi/g. Low {sup 226}Ra concentrations (0.1 to 5 pCi/g) are evidenced in sands, moderate concentrations (5 to 11 pCi/g) are found in silt and gravel, and high {sup 226}Ra concentrations (>11 pCi/g) are found in soil horizons with shell, clay, and strata with phosphate. Strata containing phosphate yields a high concentration of {sup 226}Ra. The information obtained in this study, soil descriptions with their corresponding {sup 226}Ra concentrations, comes from geological cores drilled by geotechnical consultants with gamma spectrometry analysis performed by high resolution gamma spectroscopy. Concentration; of {sup 226}Ra generally increase with depth. These cores are usually terminated at 20 feet deep, with some cores being shallower than this due to hitting bedrock or encountering the water table. These frequency distributions give the core-logging geologist an approximate concentration of {sup 226}Ra based on the description of the soil. Since the correlation of {sup 226}Ra and soil descriptions can be used as a tool in assigning indoor radon potential, this study is of importance to land managers, contractors, developers, and regulating …

The second order nonlinear optical processes of second harmonic generation and sum frequency generation are powerful and versatile tools for studying all kinds of surfaces. They possess unusual surface sensitivity due to the symmetry properties of the second order nonlinear susceptibility. The technique of infrared-visible sum frequency generation (SFG) is particularly attractive because it offers a viable way to do vibrational spectroscopy on any surfaces accessible to light with submonolayer sensitivity. In this thesis, the author applies SFG to study a number of important water interfaces. At the air/water interface, hydrophobic solid/water and liquid/water interfaces, it was found that approximately 25% of surface water molecules have one of their hydrogen pointing away from the liquid water. The large number of unsatisfied hydrogen bonds contributes significantly to the large interfacial energy of the hydrophobic surfaces. At the hydrophilic fused quartz/water interface and a fatty acid monolayer covered water surface, the structure and orientation of surface water molecules are controlled by the hydrogen bonding of water molecules with the surface OH groups and the electrostatic interaction with the surface field from the ionization of surface groups. A change of pH value in the bulk water can significantly change the relative importance of …

The solid solution region and reaction kinetics of the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub y} (2212) superconductor were examined as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. Crystallization studies from the glassy and molten states were undertaken to determine the phase transformation and kinetics associated with the formation of 2212 and other competing phases. Crystallization of nominal 2212 glasses was found to proceed in two steps with the formation of Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2{minus}x}Ca{sub x}CuO{sub y} (2201) and Cu{sub 2}O followed by Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 3{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y}, CaO, and SrO. The 2212 phase converts from the 2201 phase with increasing temperatures. However, its formation below 800 C was kinetically limited. At 800 C and above, a nearly full conversion to the 2212 phase was achieved after only one minute although considerably longer anneal times were necessary for the system to reach equilibrium. In low oxygen partial pressures, the solidus is reduced to approximately 750 C. Solidification studies revealed an eutectic structure separating the incongruently melting 2212/2201 phases at high oxygen partial pressures from the congruently melting Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 3{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y} (23x) and Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2{minus}x}Ca{sub x}O{sub y} (22x) phases present at low oxygen partial pressures. During solidification in various oxygen …

This dissertation research is an investigation of the strong optical field ionization of atoms and ions by 120-fs, 614-run laser pulses and 130-fs, 800-nm laser pulses. The experiments have shown ionization that is enhanced above the predictions of sequential tunneling models for He{sup +2}, Ne{sup +2} and Ar{sup +2}. The ion yields for He{sup +l}, Ne{sup +l} and Ar{sup +l} agree well with the theoretical predictions of optical tunneling models. Investigation of the polarization dependence of the ionization indicates that the enhancements are consistent with a nonsequential ionization mechanism in which the linearly polarized field drives the electron wavefunction back toward the ion core and causes double ionization through inelastic e-2e scattering. These investigations have initiated a number of other studies by other groups and are of current scientific interest in the fields of high-irradiance laser-matter interactions and production of high-density plasmas. This work involved: (1) Understanding the characteristic nature of the ion yields produced by tunneling ionization through investigation of analytic solutions for tunneling at optical frequencies. (2) Extensive characterization of the pulses produced by 614-nm and 800-ran ultrashort pulse lasers. Absolute calibration of the irradiance scale produced shows the practicality of the inverse problem--measuring peak laser irradiance using …

The effect in the drawbead simulator test were evaluated for a set of commercially coated steels and a set of laboratory coated steels with underlying surfaces produced by laser textured, shot blast, and electro-discharge textured rolls. In general, surfaces with higher roughness (R{sub a} parameter) measured lower friction in the DBS tests. The requisite roughness amplitude necessary for low friction was moderated somewhat by having a more closely spaced roughness as described by the median wavelength, {lambda}m, of the power spectrum. This effect is due to interaction with the lubricant by the micro-roughness imparted by the galvanizing process. The lubricant tends to be retained better by the surfaces with the micro-roughness, thereby increasing the amount of elasto- and plasto-hydrodynamic support of the load. Other variables, such as large variations in thickness of the sheet can mask the effect of the surface by changing the actual distance of sliding contact during the DBS test. For tests where the amount of sliding is similar, the effect of roughness is significant. The friction measured for EG steels in the DBS test is dominated by deformation of the surface with plowing by the asperities of the tooling adding to that caused by the deformation. …

Amorphous ZrO{sub 2} thin films were deposited in an inductively coupled PECVD system using a Zr {beta}-diketonate, Zr(C{sub 11}H{sub 19}O{sub 2}){sub 4}, as the precursor. The deposits were air annealed at 900C for 5 min to get pure, single phase, oriented, polycrystalline {alpha}-ZrO{sub 2}. Feasibility of using 2 different types of reactors was investigated. The inductively heated horizontal reactor depositions at 600C had a lower deposition rate and the films were non-uniform in thickness with a columnar structure. The resistively heated vertical reactor depositions at 350C had a higher deposition rate and the films were more uniform in thickness with a fine grained microstructure. The statistical design was demonstrated as an effective technique to analyze the effect of process conditions on the rate of deposition and relative (h00) orientation. The factorial design was used to quantify the two responses in terms of the process variables and their mutual interactions. The statistical design for rate of deposition was found to correlate with the trends observed in classical design.

Geophysicists do not associate traveltime variation with density variation in acoustic or elastic wavefield interpretation. Rather, given a constant index of refraction, density variation within the medium of propagation is associated only with amplitudes. This point of view prevails because density does not occur as a variable in classical results such as Snell`s Law or the eikonal equation. Nevertheless, in this paper I predict, analytically, a continuum of density effects on acoustic wavefields-including a dispersive traveltime delay when density variation is rapid. I also examine the ability of a common imaging algorithm to cope with this time delay.

The characterization of electrochemically modified polycrystalline platinum surfaces has been accomplished through the use of four major electrochemical techniques. These were chronoamperometry, chronopotentiommetry, cyclic voltammetry, and linear sweep voltammetry. A systematic study on the under-potential deposition of several transition metals has been performed. The most interesting of these were: Ag, Cu, Cd, and Pb. It was determined, by subjecting the platinum electrode surface to a single potential scan between {minus}0.24 and +1.25 V{sub SCE} while stirring the solution, that the electrocatalytic activity would be regenerated. As a consequence of this study, a much simpler method for producing ultra high purity water from acidic permanganate has been developed. This method results in water that surpasses the water produced by pyrocatalytic distillation. It has also been seen that the wettability of polycrystalline platinum surfaces is greatly dependent on the quantity of oxide present. Oxide-free platinum is hydrophobic and gives a contact angle in the range of 55 to 62 degrees. We have also modified polycrystalline platinum surface with the electrically conducting polymer poly-{rho}-phenylene. This polymer is very stable in dilute sulfuric acid solutions, even under applied oxidative potentials. It is also highly resistant to electrochemical hydrogenation. The wettability of the polymer modified …

The literature does not clearly describe the potential moral and ethical conflicts that can exist between technology sponsors and the technical communicators whose job it is to present potentially risky technology to the non-technical people most likely to be imperiled by such risk. Equally important, the literature does not address the issue of uncertainty -- not the uncertainty likely to be experienced by the community at risk, but the unreliable processes and methodologies used by technology sponsors to define, quantify, and develop strategies to mitigate technological risks. In this paper, the author goes beyond a description of risk communication, the nature of the generally predictable interaction between technology advocates and non-technically trained individuals, and current trends in the field. Although that kind of information is critical to the success of any risk communication activity, and he has included it when necessary to provide background and perspective, without knowing how and why risk assessment is done, it has limited practical applicability outside the sterile, value-free vacuum in which it is usually framed. Technical communicators, particularly those responsible for communicating potential technological risk, must also understand the social, political, economic, statistical, and ethical issues they will invariably encounter.

Goal of this research is to determine the feasibility of producing low-shrinkage mullite/alumina composites by applying the reaction-bonded alumina (RBAO) process to an aluminum-silicon alloy/alumina system. Mirostructural and compositional changes during heat treatment were studied by removing samples from the furnace at different steps in the heating schedule and then using optical and scanning electron microscopy, EDS and XRD to characterize the powder compacts. Results suggest that the oxidation behavior of the alloy compact is different from the model proposed for the pure Al/alumina system.

This thesis is part of an ongoing project at Iowa State University to develop ANN bases fault diagnostic systems to detect and classify operational transients at nuclear power plants.

The Stanford Linear Collider at SLAC is an e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} collider running at {radical}s {approx} M{sub Z} and has provided an electron beam with longitudinal polarization at the SLC interaction point. The 1992 polarized run data were taken with the SLD detector. The author presents here the measurement of the left-right cross section asymmetry (A{sub LR}) for the 1992 run. The polarized run began in May and ended in September of 1992 at a mean center-of-mass energy of 91.56 GeV. Tower hit information of the liquid argon calorimeter and endcap warm iron calorimeter pads were used for selecting hadronic Z{sup 0} or tau pair events. The SLD detector collected about 11,000 events during this run. The magnitude of the longitudinal polarization of the electron beam was continuously measured by a polarimeter based on Compton scattering, and was monitored by a polarimeter based on Moller scattering. The luminosity-weighted average longitudinal polarization during the 1992 run was measured as 22.4 {+-} 0.6 (syst.)%. From these data, the value of A{sub LR} has been measured to be 0.102 {+-} 0.044 (stat.) {+-} 0.003 (syst.), corresponding to an effective electroweak mixing angle (sin{sup 2}{theta}{sub w}{sup eff}) of 0.2375 {+-} 0.0056 (stat.) {+-} 0.0004 …

The selective removal of target ions from an aqueous solution containing ions of like charge by ligand-modified micellar-enhanced ultrafiltration (LM-MEUF), is presented. In LM-MEUF, surfactant and specially tailored ligand are added to the contaminated stream. The surfactant forms aggregates called micelles, the hydrocarbon core of which the ligand complexed with the target species will solubilize. The surfactant is chosen to have the same charge type as the target ion; therefore, other ions (with similar charge) will not associate with the micelle, which makes the separation of the target ion selective. The solution is then processed by ultrafiltration, using a membrane with pore size small enough to block the passage of the micelles. In this study the divalent copper is the target ion in the solution containing divalent calcium. The surfactant is cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) and the ligand is 4-hexadecyloxybenzyliminodiacetic acid (C{sub 16}BIDA). Experiments were conducted with batch stirred cells and the results have been compared to separation that take place under a variety of conditions in the LM-MEUF process. Rejections of copper of up to 99.8% are observed, with almost no rejection of calcium, showing that LM-MEUF has excellent selectivity and separation efficiency.

The effect of incubation temperature on the post-hatching growth and performance capacities of the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina was investigated in the laboratory. Turtle eggs were collected from four sites in New York State and randomly assigned to four incubation temperature treatments to produce males (constant 26{degree}C and downshifted 30-26-30{degree}C) and females (constant 30{degree}C and upshifted 26-30-26{degree}C) under constant and altered temperature regimes. The incubation conditions resulted in 92% males from the constant 26{degree}C group and 93% males from the downshifted group. 100% females resulted from both the constant 30{degree}C group and the upshifted group. Turtles hatching from eggs incubated constantly at 26{degree}C were significantly larger than hatchlings from eggs incubated at a constant 30{degree}C or downshifted. Hatchlings were raised in individual aquaria at 25{degree}C and fed earthworms and fish. After a 9-month growth period, turtles which had been incubated at a constant 30{degree}C gained significantly more mass than did turtles from eggs which had been downshifted or upshifted. There was no extended effect of incubation condition on Post-hatching performance and learning ability as measured by righting and feeding responses. Thus, the mass gain differences seen in this study suggest that physiological differences do result as the consequence of …

Neural networks have become very powerful tools in many fields of interest. This thesis examines the application of neural networks to another rapidly growing field flow visualization. Flow visualization research is used to experimentally determine how fluids behave and to verify computational results obtained analytically. A form of flow visualization, particle image velocimetry (PIV). determines the flow movement by tracking neutrally buoyant particles suspended in the fluid. PIV research has begun to improve rapidly with the advent of digital imagers, which can quickly digitize an image into arrays of grey levels. These grey level arrays are analyzed to determine the location of the tracer particles. Once the particles positions have been determined across multiple image frames, it is possible to track their movements, and hence, the flow of the fluid. This thesis explores the potential of several different neural networks to identify the positions of the tracer particles. Among these networks are Backpropagation, Kohonen (counter-propagation), and Cellular. Each of these algorithms were employed in their basic form, and training and testing were performed on a synthetic grey level array. Modifications were then made to them in attempts to improve the results.

An in vitro system using neuroglia from neonatal rat brain was developed to examine the morphologic, immunocytochemical and biochemical response of oligodendroglia to ionizing radiation. Following acute {gamma}-irradiation at day-in-culture (DIC) 8, oligodendrocyte counts at DIC 14 were 55% to 65% of control values after 2 Gy, and 29% to 36% after 5 Gy. Counts increased to near-normal levels at DIC 21 in the 2 Gy group and to 75% of normal in the 5 Gy group. Myelin basic protein levels (MBP) at DIC 14 were 60% of control values after 2 Gy, and 40% after 5 Gy. At DIC 21, MBP after 2 Gy was 45% greater than that observed at DIC 14, but MBP, as a fraction of age-matched control values, dropped from 60% to 50%. Following 5 Gy, absolute MBP changed little between DIC 14 and DIC 21, but decreased from 40% to 25% of control cultures. The response to split-dose irradiation indicated that nearly all sublethal damage in the oligodendrocyte population (and its precursors) was repaired within 3 h to 4 h. A new compartmental cell model for radiation response in vitro of the oligodendrocyte population is proposed and examined in relation to the potential reaction …

A metal alkoxide sol-gel solution suitable for depositing a thin film of La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}CoO{sub 3} on a porous substrate has been developed; such films should be useful in fuel cell electrode and oxygen separation membrane manufacture. Crack-free films have been deposited on both dense and porous substrates by dip-coating and spin-coating techniques followed by a heat treatment in air. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to determine the chemical structure of metal alkoxide solution system. X-ray diffraction was used to determine crystalline phases formed at various temperatures, while scanning electron microscopy was used to determine physical characteristics of the films. Surface coatings have been successfully applied to porous substrates through the control of the substrate pore size, deposition parameters, and firing parameters. Conditions have been defined for which films can be deposited, and for which the physical and chemical characteristics of the film can be improved. A theoretical discussion of the chemical reactions taking place before and after hydrolysis in the mixed alkoxide solutions is presented, and the conditions necessary for successful synthesis are defined. Applicability of these films as ionic and electronic conductors is discussed.

The author presents and analyzes three approaches to calculating explicit two-dimensional (2D) depth-extrapolation filters for all propagation modes (P, SV, and SH) in transversely isotropic media with vertical and tilted axis of symmetry. These extrapolation filters are used to do 2D poststack depth migration, and also, just as for isotropic media, these 2D filters are used in the McClellan transformation to do poststack 3D depth migration. Furthermore, the same explicit filters can also be used to do depth-extrapolation of prestack data. The explicit filters are derived by generalizations of three different approaches: the modified Taylor series, least-squares, and minimax methods initially developed for isotropic media. The examples here show that the least-squares and minimax methods produce filters with accurate extrapolation (measured in the ability to position steep reflectors) for a wider range of propagation angles than that obtained using the modified Taylor series method. However, for low propagation angles, the modified Taylor series method has smaller amplitude and phase errors than those produced by the least-squares and minimax methods. These results suggest that to get accurate amplitude estimation, modified Taylor series filters would be somewhat preferred in areas with low dips. In areas with larger dips, the least-squares and minimax …