Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / On day five of combat operations during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, advances by coalition forces were nearly halted by a dust storm, initiated by the passage of a synoptically driven cold front. This storm impacted ground and air operations across the entire Area of Responsibility, and delayed an impending ground attack on the Iraqi capital. Military meteorologists were able to assist military planners in mitigating at least some of the effects of this storm. This thesis examines the synoptic conditions leading to the severe dust storm, evaluates the numerical weather prediction model performance in predicting the event, and reviews metrics pertaining to the overall impacts on the Operation IRAQI FREEDOM combined air campaign. In general, the numerical model guidance correctly predicted the location and onset of the dust storms on 25 March, 2003. As a result of this forecast guidance, mission planners were able to front load Air Tasking Orders with extra sorties prior to the onset of the dust storm, and were able to make changes to planned weapons loads, favoring GPS-guided munitions. / Captain, United States Air Force

Wandering Sagebrush is a collection of eight unified short stories. The main themes of the thesis include: the struggle of identity and how one finds the people and places to call family and home. The stories focus on family we make, family we lose, family we choose, and the decisions one makes in the name of family.

The archaeology of the Northern Rio Grande region of New Mexico has recently received an increased amount scholarly attention. In particular, understanding past trends in demographics, agricultural productivity, violence, and social networks have been primary goals of archaeological research. Understanding patterns in animal exploitation has, however, received far less attention due to a small yet growing regional zooarchaeological database. Through the identification of animal remains from a site called Ponsipa (occupied ca. A.D. 1300 to 1600), this thesis adds one large dataset to this growing database. In addition, this thesis expands on the pre-impoundment distribution of an endangered native freshwater fish species in the state of New Mexico called the blue sucker (Cycleptus elongatus). The blue sucker is a unique fish that is currently experiencing range reduction across all of its known North American distribution due to anthropogenic habitat fragmentation and degradation. Skeletal remains that were identified from Ponsipa represent the farthest known northern record of its occurrence in the state of New Mexico and highlight the extent of range restriction of the species in the area. The data concerning the historical biogeography of the blue sucker from Ponsipa have implications for the effective conservation and restoration of blue sucker located in the Rio Grande Basin.

As interações tróficas de 31 espécies de peixes e 2 de lulas da Baía do Araçá, São Sebastião (SP), foram investigadas por meio dos isótopos estáveis de carbono (δ13C) e nitrogênio (δ15N). Os valores de δ13C das espécies variaram entre -17,2‰ e -12,1‰, e os de δ15N, entre 10,0‰ e 14,5‰. Os valores de δ13C dos produtores e consumidores permitiram indicar que as espécies analisadas participam das teias tróficas, pelágica e bentônica, e têm como base da cadeia alimentar o fitoplâncton, os microfitobentos e a matéria orgânica dos sedimentos. Maiores valores de δ13C nos peixes e lulas foram registrados no verão, associados a valores mais altos na base. As posições tróficas das espécies variaram entre 3,18 e 4,72, indicando que atuam como consumidores secundários e terciários. A composição da dieta dos peixes, avaliada pelo modelo de mistura isotópica, apontou elevada contribuição de presas como Polychaeta, Tanaidacea e Ophiuroidea, grupos com alta abundância na Baía do Araçá e no Canal de São Sebastião. A ingestão de presas disponíveis no interior da baía e no canal evidenciou a importância desses peixes e lulas como carreadores de nutrientes, realizando tanto acoplamento pelágico-bentônico, como entre as regiões sublitoral e entremarés da Baía do Araçá. / The trophic interactions of 31 fish species and 2 squid species of the Araçá Bay, São Sebastião (São Paulo, Brazil), were investigated through carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes. The δ13C of the species ranged from -17.2‰ to -12.1‰, and the δ15N, from 10.0‰ to 14.5‰. The δ13C data of the producers and consumers indicated that the species analysed are part of the pelagic and benthic trophic webs, and have phytoplankton, microphytobenthos and organic matter from the sediment as the base of the food web. Higher values of δ13C were registered in the summer, linked to the higher values at the base. The trophic positions of the species varied between 3.18 e 4.72, an indication that they act as secondary and tertiary-quaternary consumers. The diet composition of fish, evaluated trough the isotope mixing model, showed high contribution of prey, such as Polychaeta, Tanaidacea and Ophiuroidea, groups highly abundant in the Bay and the adjacent São Sebastião Channel. The intake of available prey in the intertidal region and in the Channel revealed the importance of the fish and squid as nutrient pathway links, coupling the pelagic-benthic systems and the sublittoral and intertidal regions of the Araçá Bay.

The U.S. Southwest is a semi-arid region affected by numerous environmental problems. Chicana/o communities have been directly affected by such problems, especially ever since the region was annexed from Mexico by the United States in the mid-nineteenth century. From this moment onwards they lost their environmental sovereignty, mostly through their dispossession of the natural resources.   This environmental humanities dissertation focuses on the ethics, politics, and practices around water (management), for water is a key natural resource and a central element of Chicana/o cultural identity. It explores the ways in which Chicana/o culture is interconnected with environmental practices and sites in subaltern literary works about the Chicana/o experience. It investigates how the hegemonic Anglo-American environmental, political, and economic practices have challenged and undermined Chicana/o culture, identity, and wellbeing, and how this has been addressed in fiction; and it questions whether establishing such a connection adds any useful insights to the larger discussion on the global socio-environmental crisis. This dissertation also analyzes the writer activist character of the subaltern narratives of the corpus, with attention to the relevance of rhetoric in subverting and constructing environmental discourses and ethics.   By examining regional and border narratives, as well as fiction and non-fiction narratives about the socio-environmental struggles of other ethnic minorities in the Southwest and in other parts of the world, this dissertation puts literature about the Chicana/o experience in a regional, national, and transnational context. It moreover explores the pivotal role of literature in reclaiming environmental sovereignty, in asserting cultural identities, and in countering the environmental crisis by imagining alternative managerial practices and socio-environmental relations, as much as in challenging cultural hegemonies. / <p>QC 20170508</p>

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:31:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Benice_Folador.pdf: 5125092 bytes, checksum: ccb5c23907c37a7f812bddbf7882c6db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-07 / The survey shows permanent preservation areas and use of potential conflicts in the sector East-Central Plateau of Francisco Beltrão, Southwest of Paraná. The analysis was performed based on the recognition of the physical topography and hydrography characteristics as well as the existing land use in the area using geoprocessing techniques. The sectors of APP were individualized according to the Brazilian Forest Code in force. The study area presents 139,061.81 ha, of which 26,515.60 ha are considered environmentally sensitive areas. In accordance with the APP categories analyzed APP (relief elevations, slope above 30°, hydrography), and what the Forest Code defines as APP, 19% of the area study are protected by law. Types of APP in the area studied, the preservation along the waterways accounts for the largest size of protected areas (15,218.93ha). The lowest shares among the APP corresponding to the slopes greater than 45° (2,190.23ha), and APP category Morro (1,155.59 ha). It was identified five classes of land use in central-eastern sector of the Plateau Francisco Beltrão: crops harvested representing 9.20% of total; forest, with 25.43% of the total, urban area 3.05% of the total, crop developing the total 31.88% and 30.43% exposed soil. The conflict areas of use are concentrated along the river bank Chopim and its tributaries near the confluence. The areas of conflict related to the springs channels are distributed randomly across the study area. The APP occupied by forests was considered appropriate use of land and add up to total of 13,103.70 ha. Those areas that were indicated by variables such as topography and hydrography of APP and that the land use analysis showed occupation either with the developing crop, harvested crops, bare soil or urban area, were considered inappropriate land use. These represent the area of 12,128.50 ha in east-central sector of the Plateau Francisco Beltrão. / A pesquisa apresenta as áreas de preservação permanente e de conflitos potenciais de uso no setor centro-leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão, Sudoeste do Paraná. A análise foi efetuada a partir do reconhecimento das características físicas de relevo e hidrografia, bem como do uso do solo existente na área, utilizando-se de técnicas do geoprocessamento. Os setores de APP foram individualizados de acordo com o trata o Código Florestal Brasileiro vigente. A área estudada apresenta 139.061,81ha, dos quais 26.515,60 ha são consideradas áreas sensíveis ao meio ambiente. De acordo com as categorias de APP analisadas (elevações do relevo, declividade acima de 30º, hidrografia), e com o que define o Código Florestal como APP, 19% da área de estudo são protegidas pela legislação. Dos tipos de APP existentes na área estudada, a preservação ao longo dos cursos d água responde pela maior extensão das áreas protegidas (15.218,93ha). As menores participações entre as APP correspondem às encostas com declividade superior a 45° (2.190,23ha), e as APP de categoria Morro (1.155,59 ha). Identificou-se cinco classes de uso do solo no setor centro leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão: lavoura colhida, representa 9,20% do total; floresta, com 25,43% do total; área urbana 3,05% do total; lavoura em desenvolvimento 31,88% do total e solo exposto 30,43%. As áreas de conflito de uso concentram-se ao longo da margem do rio Chopim, bem como de seus afluentes nas proximidades da confluência. As áreas de conflito relacionadas as nascentes de canais constituem grande número, distribuídas aleatoriamente em toda a área de estudo. As APP ocupadas com florestas foram consideradas uso adequado do solo e perfazem total de 13.103,70ha. Aquelas áreas que foram indicadas pelas variáveis relevo e hidrografia como de APP e que a análise de uso do solo mostrou ocupação, seja com lavoura em desenvolvimento, lavoura colhida, área urbana ou solo exposto, foram consideradas uso inadequado do solo. Essas representam área de 12.128,50ha no setor centro-leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão.

O ensino fundamental brasileiro passou por grandes transformações nos últimos trinta anos: o acesso foi praticamente universalizado, os municípios ganharam importância nas políticas educacionais, as instituições privadas se consolidaram, políticas de avaliação foram instituídas e a preocupação com a qualidade do ensino se tornou prioritária. O objetivo da presente dissertação é analisar essas transformações e retratar a situação atual do ensino fundamental. Para isso, a análise se concentrará na mesorregião Sul/Sudoeste de Minas, comparando-a a Minas Gerais e ao Brasil. A dissertação é composta por dois artigos. O primeiro deles adota uma visão mais ampla: ele apresenta as linhas gerais das mudanças no ensino fundamental em 1991, 2000 e 2010, em três níveis regionais (Brasil, Minas Gerais e no Sul/Sudoeste de Minas Gerais), em relação à expectativa de anos de estudo, taxa de frequência bruta e taxa de frequência líquida. Além disso, o artigo também fornece uma visão mais detalhada do ensino fundamental no Sul/Sudoeste de Minas em relação ao número de instituições de ensino básico, número de matrículas por dependência administrativa (federal, estadual, municipal e privada). Por sua vez, o objetivo do segundo artigo é investigar a relação entre gastos públicos e desempenho educacional, concentrando-se no ensino fundamental público municipal do Sul/Sudoeste de Minas Gerais. O primeiro artigo indicou que não há falta de escolas nem de vagas para os alunos, no entanto, há uma forte variação entre a quantidade de escolas e de matrículas dos municípios de pequeno e médio porte. Por sua vez, o segundo artigo indicou que a correlação entre despesas e desempenho escolar é fraca, o que indica que o processo ensino-aprendizagem não depende apenas da quantidade de recursos financeiros. De acordo com a metodologia empregada, os municípios de menor porte são mais eficientes. Portanto, os principais resultados do trabalhos são a constatação de que administrar os recursos aplicados à educação é tão ou mais importante que a quantidade despendida e que a mesorregião Sul/Sudoeste de Minas Gerais não se distância consideravelmente do padrão educacional público brasileiro. / Brazilian elementary education faced major transformations in the last thirty years: access to the education was practically universalized, municipalities gained importance in educational policies, private institutions were consolidated, evaluation policies were instituted and concern with the quality of education became a priority. The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze these transformations and expose the current situation of elementary education in the country. In order to do so, the analysis will focus on the South/Southwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais, comparing it to Minas Gerais state and Brazil. The dissertation is composed by two papers. The first one adopts a broader view: it presents the main lines of changes in elementary education in 1991, 2000 and 2010, at three regional levels (Brazil, Minas Gerais and South/Southwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais) concerning the expected years of study and school frequency rate (both gross and net). In addition to that, the paper also provides a more detailed view of elementary education in the South/Southwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais concerning the number of basic education schools and number of enrollments per administrative dependency (federal, state, municipal and private). In turn, the purpose of the second paper is to investigate the relationship between public expenditures with education and educational performance focusing on municipal public elementary education in the South/Southwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais. The first paper found no shortage of schools or places for students, however there is a strong variation between the number of schools and enrollment of small-sized municipalities and the medium ones. On the other hand, the second paper showed that the correlation between expenditure and school performance is weak, indicating that the teaching-learning process does not depend exclusively on the amount of financial resources. According to the methodology employed, smaller municipalities are more efficient than medium and large ones. Therefore, the main results of the study are the observation that managing the resources applied to education is more important than the amount spent and that the South/Southwest mesoregion of Minas Gerais does not differ considerably from the Brazilian public educational profile.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-12T14:42:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Benice_Folador.pdf: 5125092 bytes, checksum: ccb5c23907c37a7f812bddbf7882c6db (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-10-07 / The survey shows permanent preservation areas and use of potential conflicts in the sector East-Central Plateau of Francisco Beltrão, Southwest of Paraná. The analysis was performed based on the recognition of the physical topography and hydrography characteristics as well as the existing land use in the area using geoprocessing techniques. The sectors of APP were individualized according to the Brazilian Forest Code in force. The study area presents 139,061.81 ha, of which 26,515.60 ha are considered environmentally sensitive areas. In accordance with the APP categories analyzed APP (relief elevations, slope above 30°, hydrography), and what the Forest Code defines as APP, 19% of the area study are protected by law. Types of APP in the area studied, the preservation along the waterways accounts for the largest size of protected areas (15,218.93ha). The lowest shares among the APP corresponding to the slopes greater than 45° (2,190.23ha), and APP category Morro (1,155.59 ha). It was identified five classes of land use in central-eastern sector of the Plateau Francisco Beltrão: crops harvested representing 9.20% of total; forest, with 25.43% of the total, urban area 3.05% of the total, crop developing the total 31.88% and 30.43% exposed soil. The conflict areas of use are concentrated along the river bank Chopim and its tributaries near the confluence. The areas of conflict related to the springs channels are distributed randomly across the study area. The APP occupied by forests was considered appropriate use of land and add up to total of 13,103.70 ha. Those areas that were indicated by variables such as topography and hydrography of APP and that the land use analysis showed occupation either with the developing crop, harvested crops, bare soil or urban area, were considered inappropriate land use. These represent the area of 12,128.50 ha in east-central sector of the Plateau Francisco Beltrão. / A pesquisa apresenta as áreas de preservação permanente e de conflitos potenciais de uso no setor centro-leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão, Sudoeste do Paraná. A análise foi efetuada a partir do reconhecimento das características físicas de relevo e hidrografia, bem como do uso do solo existente na área, utilizando-se de técnicas do geoprocessamento. Os setores de APP foram individualizados de acordo com o trata o Código Florestal Brasileiro vigente. A área estudada apresenta 139.061,81ha, dos quais 26.515,60 ha são consideradas áreas sensíveis ao meio ambiente. De acordo com as categorias de APP analisadas (elevações do relevo, declividade acima de 30º, hidrografia), e com o que define o Código Florestal como APP, 19% da área de estudo são protegidas pela legislação. Dos tipos de APP existentes na área estudada, a preservação ao longo dos cursos d água responde pela maior extensão das áreas protegidas (15.218,93ha). As menores participações entre as APP correspondem às encostas com declividade superior a 45° (2.190,23ha), e as APP de categoria Morro (1.155,59 ha). Identificou-se cinco classes de uso do solo no setor centro leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão: lavoura colhida, representa 9,20% do total; floresta, com 25,43% do total; área urbana 3,05% do total; lavoura em desenvolvimento 31,88% do total e solo exposto 30,43%. As áreas de conflito de uso concentram-se ao longo da margem do rio Chopim, bem como de seus afluentes nas proximidades da confluência. As áreas de conflito relacionadas as nascentes de canais constituem grande número, distribuídas aleatoriamente em toda a área de estudo. As APP ocupadas com florestas foram consideradas uso adequado do solo e perfazem total de 13.103,70ha. Aquelas áreas que foram indicadas pelas variáveis relevo e hidrografia como de APP e que a análise de uso do solo mostrou ocupação, seja com lavoura em desenvolvimento, lavoura colhida, área urbana ou solo exposto, foram consideradas uso inadequado do solo. Essas representam área de 12.128,50ha no setor centro-leste do Planalto de Francisco Beltrão.

From the Proceedings of the 1972 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - May 5-6, 1972, Prescott, Arizona / Numerous reports from the southwest claim that soil moisture prior to rainfall-runoff event has no influence on the resulting flow volumes and peak rates. Runoff occurs from many storms that would not be expected to produce runoff, and an explanation lies in the occurrence of antecedent rains. This hypothesis is tested by dividing runoff events into 2 subsets--one with no rain within the preceding 120 hours, and the other with some rain within the preceding 24 hours--and to test the null hypothesis. The hypothesis was tested with rainfall and runoff data from a 40-acre agricultural research service watershed west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, using the Wilcoxon's rank sum test. Various levels of statistical significance are discussed, and shown graphically, to conclude conclusively that antecedent rainfall influences runoff from a semiarid watershed.

This project sets forth a Mexican American cultural studies treatment of a US Southwestern legend known as the Lady in Blue (La monja azul). The legend is derived from17th-century religious memoriales (accounts) that narrate the miraculous apparition of a living cloistered Spanish nun, Sor María de Agreda, to the Jumano tribe of western New Mexico between the years 1620-1630. However, the Lady in Blue's conversion of the Jumanos was only the first of many recurring appearances she would make in the Americas and Europe over the next three hundred and seventy years. In the American Southwest, northern Mexico and Spain, stories about the apparating nun resurface and are reshaped in response to the demands of their contexts. Her narrative is transatlantic both in terms of what it recounts, and in terms of where it is recounted. She is not only represented on both sides of the ocean, but her portrayal almost always has to do with her being on both side of the ocean. The Lady in Blue narrative brings together dialogues on conquest, both secular and religious, dialogues on the significance of the female body and the feminine written word, and dialogues on the negotiation of space, proximity and identity. Extant research on Lady in Blue focuses on the components of her story as discrete entities, inadvertently divorcing related histories and legends from one another. 20th-century historians have read the account as a medieval holdover in Franciscan mission writing; folklorists as isolated Indo-Hispano accounts; and literary critics as individual anecdotes in twentieth-century literature. In contrast, this dissertation focuses on is the continuity of the narrative-- the way a series of historical figures and documents capture the Lady in Blue as she moves from New Mexico, to Spain, and back to the Franciscan missions of the Southwest, where she is viewed as a proto- or co-missionary. From the missions, the traditions, legends, and folklore about her grew and were contended, resulting in the contemporary dramatic works, novels, short stories and poems about the Lady in Blue. / text