M. S.

No description available.

This study has been conducted in order to determine whether yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera Michx.), has the economic and technical potential to be manufactured and marketed as oriented strandboard (OSB) in Elkins, West Virginia and Frederick, Maryland. The estimated annual excess growth of yellow-poplar near Elkins could provide more than enough timber to supply a 120 MMSF OSB facility (3/8-inch basis); however, the estimated annual excess growth of yellow-poplar available near Frederick is insufficient to provide the total wood requirement for a facility of this size. Yellow-poplar is a relatively low density species, and is suitable for the production of OSB. The manufacture of yellow-poplar OSB is viable, employing commercially available technology. OSB is a suitable substitute for softwood plywood sheathing. The panel markets within radii of approximately 300 miles of both Elkins, West Virginia and Frederick, Maryland are sufficient to support the addition of a 120 MMSF OSB facility at either location. Equipment and operating requirements and costs have been estimated for 1982. Using a USDA Forest Service computer program, EVALUE, an internal rate of return on investment (IRR) of 15.2 percent was calculated for Elkins, and 14.3 percent for Frederick. The sensitivity of facility productivity to an increase of 10 percent in the cost of wood, and resin, and to a 10 percent decrease in the price of panels has also been calculated. / M.S.

Thin-skinned models of deformation are currently accepted for the southern Appalachians. The mechanics of this type of deformation are not well understood. The Saltville thrust, a major overthrust in the southern Appalachians, was investigated with respect to deformation mechanics. Thrust termination occurs in the overturned, northwest facing Sinking Creek anticline, at the juncture between the southern and central Appalachians . The primary regional displacement transfer mechanism at the thrust terminus is the transition from faulting to folding. Mesoscopic fabrics show variations in deformation intensity across the anticline, with high strains on the northwest limb, and low strains on the upright southeast limb. Strain accommodation on the overturned limb was by folding, faulting, and cleavage development. Knox Dolomite in the core of the anticline is upward facing and unfolded. Strain patterns and facing data indicate that shear thrusting at depth caused passive regional folding. Subsequent movement caused the thrust to act as a break thrust and cut previously folded strata. Cataclasis is the primary bulk deformation mechanism along the thrust surface. Cataclastic fabrics in dolomites range from protocataclasites to ultracataclasites, and reflect changes in frictional grinding. Foliated cataclasites are described. Fault-rock fabrics indicate that thrust-sheet emplacement occurred through seismic failure, facilitated by transient, abnormally high pore pressures, and aseismic failure accomplished within a layer of cataclastically flowing gouge. Thin fault zones and rapid decreases in deformation intensity away from the fault surface indicate rapid sliding, and a lack of frictional grinding. / M.S.

The primary purposes of this study are to determine the extent to which Appalachian studies courses or units have become part of the middle and secondary public school English curricula in Central Appalachia and, in relation to these courses, to describe content and learning activities, to assess the effectiveness of school library media centers as resources, to identify major institutions and individuals who influence teachers, and to ascertain the extent to which young adult literature is used. Surveys were sent to English teachers and school librarians in 305 schools in 86 counties in Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Response rates were 52% for teachers and 60% for librarians. Frequencies and cross tabulations were computed for variables; the chi-square test for independence was also applied to selected variables. A case study accompanied the statistical data. Major findings include: over a third of the schools include Appalachian studies as part of their English curriculum, though far more as units within other courses than as separate Appalachian studies courses; a vast array of Appalachian authors are represented, many of them very local in nature; most teachers and librarians view the general library collections as adequate, but over half the teachers described the Appalachian collection as inadequate; librarians are viewed more as support staff than as coeducators; several institutions of higher education, public libraries, publishers and bookstores were identified as particularly influential; much confusion exists about what young adult literature is, and it does not appear to be widely used in the curriculum; because of the shared sense of place and culture, a meaningful connection exists between teachers and students. Recommendations for change included strengthening ties between higher education and public school education, implementing telecommunications technology to increase the possibility of greater communication among teachers and access to resources, and establishing an Appalachian resources clearinghouse for teaching materials. Further research should be directed toward surveying a larger geographical area as well as elementary school teachers, and exploring the issue of the effect of Appalachian studies courses on the self-concept of Appalachian students. / Ed. D.

A method is described for implementing group selection regeneration in Appalachian hardwoods. The diverse set of definitions of the method, and the current forest demands are combined to form a flexible system of implementation that can accommodate public as well as private forests. Group selection is used where an uneven-aged silvicultural system is required and multiple objectives demanded. Several types of information are collected in a sample of the forest and then used to make the selection decision of which groups of trees to remove, and which groups to leave. / Master of Science

In order to understand vegetational gradients which develop in response to environmental gradients, the physiological capabilities of each species must be examined in relation to the observed environmental gradient. The distributions of three temperate zone shrub species which occupy different positions on the spur ridges of Brush Mountain may be influenced by their tolerances to light and moisture. Greenhouse studies indicate that <i>R. maximum</i> has a 60 % reduction in photosynthesis at water potentials below -1.0 MPa. <i>R. nudiflorum</i> has only a 30 % reduction and <i>K. latifolia</i> has less than 10 % reduction. Seasonal pressure volume curve determinations, conductance measurements, and water potential measurements of plants in the natural environment indicated that photosynthesis is not affected by water potential in <i>K. latifolia</i>. <i>R. maximum</i> has a significant reduction in conductance during drought which may limit photosynthesis. R. nudiflorum appears to begin senescence prior to severe drought in this area. Greenhouse experiments of adaptability to increasing light intensity show that <i>K. latifolia</i> and <i>R. nudiflorum</i> can significantly increase their light saturation point and maximum rate of photosynthesis in high light environments. <i>R. maximum</i> does not increase its photosynthesis rate in high light environments and appears to undergo chloroplast degradation when grown in high irradiance. Gradient analysis of vegetation on Brush Mountain shows that <i>R. maximum</i> reaches its highest importance in low light, high moisture sites. <i>K. latifolia</i> is most important in low moisture, high irradiance sites. <i>R. nudiflorum</i> is infrequent in the study area but occurs mostly in moderate moisture and irradiance sites. The distributions of <i>R. maximum</i> and <i>K. latifolia</i> appear to match their experimentally determined physiological tolerances. The results for <i>R. nudiflorum</i> are inconclusive. / Master of Science

The Late Silurian-Early Devonian Helderberg Group, Central Appalachians, is a sequence of mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments that was deposited during relative tectonic quiescence on a ramp that built out from low-relief tectonic highlands bordering the eastern side of the Appalachian Basin. Three transgressive-regressive sequences are recognized. Each sequence was deposited over 2-3 m.y.; subsidence rates during deposition were 1 to 2 cm/1000 years. Skeletal grainstone/rudstone formed fringing skeletal banks that formed during regression and prograded away from the eastern side of the basin. Thick Middle Devonian siliciclastic sediments buried the Helderberg Group and updip subaerial exposures accompanying the onset of the Acadian Orogeny. Cementation of the Helderberg Group began on the seafloor, but most cements formed under shallow (<300 m depth) to deep burial (300 m to 4 km) conditions. Regional cathodoluminescent zonation patterns in early, clear calcite cements indicate meteoric groundwaters, that become progressively more reducing away from recharge areas, were involved in shallow burial cementation. Progressive downdip reduction of meteoric groundwaters resulted in updip nonluminescent calcite cements that pass downdip into timecorrelative "subzoned" dull cement and finally, nonzoned dull cements. Calculated stable isotopic compositions of Helderberg shallow burial pore fluids are similar to values in modern coastal meteoric groundwaters. Extensive meteoric groundwater systems developed over a 3-4 m. y. period when the Helderberg Group was subaerially exposed along the eastern basin margin and when Helderberg aquifers were confined by fine-grained sediments at <300 m burial depth. Meteoric groundwaters had recharge areas in eastern tectonic highlands which supplied sufficient hydraulic heads to expel connate marine pore fluids and discharge at least 150 km offshore onto the floor of the Appalachian Basin. Void-filling dull calcite cement formed from deep burial (300 m to 4 km) pore fluids with calculated chemical compositions similar to modern oil field brines. Migration of hydrocarbons and high-temperature, high-pressure brines occurred during Late Paleozoic deformation after Helderberg sediments were totally cemented. Brines probably came from eastern overthrusted terranes and migrated through fractures without altering conodont CAI values. Late hydrocarbons probably had several source rocks. / Ph. D.

The increased impact on mine subsidence during the recent years led to the development of two semi-empirical prediction methods for the eastern United States coalfields. The methods are based on an extensive data bank, which includes a total of twenty three panels, from nine case studies, which were instrumented during this research effort. An extensive field monitoring program, utilizing a digital computer tacheometer, was developed and implemented for this purpose. The first prediction method using a profile function, provides a fast and convenient method for prediction of vertical movements above mine panels of uniform geometry. More specifically the hyperbolic tangent function is utilized, as adapted to regional data. The developed model is capable of accurate general predictions for the Eastem U.S. coalfields. The second method is based on the Budryk-Knothe influence function. The parameters used in this method were mainly determined from the monitored case studies. The use of such a method requires primarily a computer, however, it can negotiate mine sections of complex conditions and can calculate subsidence as well as any other mode of deformation on the surface. For the prediction of the parameters required for the application of both methods a number of relationships between mining and subsidence factors were established through the analysis of the collected data. Computer software were developed for the analysis of the data as well as for the application of the prediction methods. / Ph. D.

Most research on surface subsidence pertains to domestic as well as foreign experiences with longwall mining. Investigations into room-and-pillar subsidence have often been neglected, despite the fact that this is the predominant mining system in this country. However, the recent economic incentives which have caused the need for higher secondary extractions in room-and-pillar mines and the severe subsidence occurrences over certain abandoned mines have placed added emphasis into the subsidence phenomenon above such panels. In this research, a comprehensive subsidence data bank for cases of partial extraction was compiled through both literature sources and unpublished data. Emphasis on Appalachian data was sought in order to minimize geologic variation. The data was then used to validate various published empirical models for subsidence prediction within the U.S. From this analysis, and from the longwall information used in previous research, a more comprehensive prediction method for partial subsidence was obtained. The modeling represents a relationship between various geometric and characteristics. geologic parameters with subsidence profile In addition to the empirical methods, the zone area technique was investigated for a predictive computer model of room-and-pillar subsidence. Alteration of a previous VPI & SU, longwall subsidence, zone area program allowed the formulation of the room-and-pillar model. The resulting zone area program for predicting room-and-pillar subsidence is not only more applicable to partial mining techniques, but also more flexible, allowing for more complex mine geometries and variable mine parameters. / M.S.