Nuclear accidents and weapons tests are monitored by a worldwide network of air sensors, seismic detectors and several other techniques. At the site of the incident, contaminants are distributed and can provide insight into the time of the incident and type of incident. That information can then be used to affect policy decisions or better understand health risks. In order to evaluate a post nuclear test scenario, we must better understand the background readings at potential test sites where false positive or false negative allegations are more likely (e.g. the Nevada Test Site, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plate, etc.) Data from these sites have been compiled and compared to high purity germanium detector background readings and activities from a hypothetical nuclear weapon test. The results indicate that the following nuclides would be the best indicator of a recent nuclear test: ⁸⁹Sr, ⁹¹Y, ⁹⁵Zr, ¹⁰³Ru, ¹²⁶Sb, ¹²⁹[superscript m]Te, ¹⁴⁷Nd, ¹⁵⁶Eu. Nuclides such as ⁹¹Sr or ⁹⁷Zr have a steady state concentration due to plutonium spontaneous fission thus would not be a good indication of a recent nuclear test. / text

abstract: Drylands (arid and semi-arid grassland ecosystems) cover about 40% of the Earth's surface and support over 40% of the human population, most of which is in emerging economies. Human development of drylands leads to topsoil loss, and over the last 160 years, woody plants have encroached on drylands, both of which have implications for maintaining soil viability. Understanding the spatial variability in erosion and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen under varying geomorphic and biotic forcing in drylands is therefore of paramount importance. This study focuses on how two plants, palo verde (Parkinsonia microphylla, nitrogen-fixing) and jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis, non-nitrogen fixing), affect sediment transport and soil organic carbon and total nitrogen pools in a dryland environment north of Phoenix, Arizona. Bulk samples were systematically collected from the top 10 cm of soil in twelve catenae to control for the existence and type of plants, location to canopy (sub- or intercanopy, up- or downslope), aspect, and distance from the divide. Samples were measured for soil organic carbon and total nitrogen and an unmanned aerial system-derived digital elevation map of the field site was created for spatial analysis. A subset of the samples was measured for the short-lived isotopes 137Cs and 210Pbex, which serve as proxy erosion rates. Erosional soils were found to have less organic carbon and total nitrogen than depositional soils. There were clear differences in the data between the two plant types: jojoba catenae had higher short-lived isotope activity, lower carbon and nitrogen, and smaller canopies than those of palo verde, suggesting lower erosion rates and nutrient contributions from jojoba plants. This research quantifies the importance of biota on influencing hillslope and soil dynamics in a semi-arid field site in central AZ and finishes with a discussion on the global implications for soil sustainability. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Geological Sciences 2018

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) has been recognized as the most important transport-layer protocol for the Internet. It is distinguished by its reliable transmission, flow control, and congestion control. However, the issue of fair bandwidth-sharing among competing flows was not properly addressed in TCP. As web-based applications and interactive applications grow more popular, the number of short-lived flows conveyed on the Internet continues to rise. With conventional TCP, short-lived flows will be unable to obtain a fair share of available bandwidth. As a result, short-lived flows will suffer from longer delays and a lower service rate. It is essential for the Internet to come up with an effective solution to this problem in order to accommodate the new traffic patterns. With a more equitable sharing of bottleneck bandwidth as its goal, two cross-layer stateless queue management schemes featuring Drop Maximum (DM) and Early Drop Maximum (EDM) are developed and presented in this dissertation. The fundamental idea is to drop packets from those flows having more than an equal share of bandwidth and retain low level of queue occupancy. The congestion window size of a TCP sender is carried in the options field on each packet. These proposed schemes will be exercised on routers and make its decision on packet dropping according to the congestion windows. In case of link congestion, the queued packet with the largest congestion window will be dropped from the queue. This will lower the sending rate of its sender and release part of the occupied bandwidth for the use of other competing flows. By so doing, the entire system will approach an equilibrium point with a rapid and fair distribution of bandwidth. As a stateless approach, these proposed schemes inherit numerous advantages in implementation and scalability. Extensive simulations were conducted to verify the feasibility and the effectiveness of the proposed schemes. For the simple proposed packet discard scheme, Drop Maximum outperforms the other two stateless buffer management schemes, i.e. Drop Tail and Random Early Drop, in the scenario of homogeneous flows. However, in heterogeneous flows, Random Early Drop gains superiority to packet discard schemes due to its additional buffer occupancy control mechanism. To overcome the lack of proper buffer occupancy control, Early Drop Maximum is thus proposed. As shown in the simulation results, this proposed scheme outperforms existing stateless techniques, including Drop Tail, Drop Maximum and Random Early Drop, in many respects, such as a fair sharing of available bandwidth and a short response time for short-lived flows.

The study was designed to assess L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum, L. multiflorum subsp. italicum and L. x hybridum species and varieties of different ploidy from the agro-biological and breeding viewpoint under Lithuania’s conditions. It has been established that morpho–anatomical assessment and DNA electrophoregram analysis are suitable for the identification of L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum. It is the first time in Lithuania we have done comparative research on genetic collections of short-lived ryegrass species (L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum, L. multiflorum subsp. italicum and L. x hybridum) agro-morphological traits, biological characteristics and feeding value. Dry matter yield stability of L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum varieties has been established in different agro-climatic conditions according to the “genotype x environment” model. Comparison and assessment of L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum cultivation possibilities in mixtures with legumes (Vicia sativa, Trifolium resupinatum) in conventional and organic production systems have been done. / Tyrimo tikslas buvo įvertinti L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum, L. multiflorum subsp. italicum ir L. x hybridum rūšis bei skirtingo ploidiškumo veisles agrobiologiniu ir selekciniu požiūriu Lietuvos sąlygomis. Nustatyta, kad anatominė–morfologinė ir DNR elektroforegramų analizės tinka identifikuoti L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum. Pirmą kartą Lietuvoje atlikti trumpaamžių svidrių rūšių (L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum, L. multiflorum subsp. italicum ir L. x hybridum) genetinių kolekcijų palyginamieji agromorfologinių požymių, biologinių savybių ir pašarinės vertės tyrimai. Nustatytas L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum veislių SM derliaus stabilumas skirtingose agroklimatinėse sąlygose pagal modelį „genotipas – aplinka“. Palygintos ir įvertintos L. multiflorum subsp. multiflorum auginimo galimybės mišiniuose su pupiniais augalais tradicinėje ir ekologinėje žemdirbystės sistemose.

This PhD thesis investigates the transport and distribution of short-lived halogenated organic substances in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) in the Pacific Ocean. Short-lived halocarbons are one of the major groups of the ozone depleting substances as they provide a source for the active halogens which decrease ozone in the atmosphere. The TTL serves as the primary gateway of tropospheric air to enter the stratosphere. The air which enters the stratosphere is distributed all over the globe. Thus, the research on which tropospheric air masses go into the TTL, its structure and composition and the transport within is crucial. This thesis uses the UK Meteorological Office Lagrangian particle dispersion model NAME to (i) support the flight planning activities and achieve the multi aircraft coordination in CAST, CONTRAST, ATTREX 2014 campaigns, and (ii) quantify the amount and distribution of short-lived halocarbons in the TTL, and explain differences in these vertical distributions and transport characteristics. The halocarbons of interest are methyl iodide (CH3I), bromoform (CHBr3) and dibromomethane (CH2Br2). A new NAME procedure was developed and operated successfully to provide routine simulations and near real-time products suitable for guiding the CAST, CONTRAST and ATTREX aircraft in order to achieve their mission scientific objectives, and to make coordinated measurements. NAME was used post-campaign to analyse distribution of short-lived halocarbons in the TTL, identify their source regions and transport timescales. A new approach is proposed to investigate the TTL composition in terms of the boundary layer air influence, and subsequently quantify CH3I, CHBr3 and CH2Br2 by estimating their boundary layer and background contribution. The sums of these modelled estimates are in good agreement with the ATTREX 2014 and 2013 CH3I, CHBr3 and CH2Br2 observations. The quantification of the contribution of short-lived bromocarbons to the active bromine in the TTL was achieved, and the results lie within the range of the recent literature studies. The final focus of this thesis is on how well NAME represents the particle displacement via convection. Convection is the major transport pathway for the short-lived halocarbons to reach the TTL. The role of convection in transporting CH3I, CHBr3 and CH2Br2 to the TTL is assessed using the new convection scheme in NAME. A validation of the performance of this scheme is provided, showing that it yields improved and more realistic representation of the particle displacement via convection.

This Dissertation combines the investigation of the sedimentological impacts of the Deepwater Horizon (DwH) blowout event in the deep-sea benthos, with the refinement and advancement of methods and approaches for high-resolution investigations of events preserved in sedimentary records. An approach that combined, rapid collection of cores, a continued annual time series collection of cores, and high-resolution sampling and analyses, in particular short-lived Radioisotopes (SLRad), enabled the temporal resolution required to detect the sedimentary response to the short-duration DwH event, and evaluate post-event sedimentation patterns at a comparable time scale (months). The collection of 179 sediment cores from 80 sites between the fall of 2010 and 2016 included four sites that were utilized as an annual time-series collection to define the sedimentary response to the DwH blowout event and how the sedimentary system evolved/recovered post-event. High-resolution (2mm) sub-sampling was utilized to maximize the temporal resolution of analyses and age control using SLRad. The rapid collection of cores to define the immediate benthic impact(s), as well as the use of time-sensitive indicators of the event that may degrade over time, as well as indicators for very short time scale (months) sedimentation, such as 234Thxs. 234Thxs inventories and mass accumulation rates (MAR’s) were one of the most diagnostic characteristics of the sedimentary response. The DwH blowout event led to a Marine Oil Snow Sedimentation and Flocculent Accumulation (MOSSFA) event that caused a depositional pulse to the seafloor. This was defined by increased sedimentation rates and the shutdown of bioturbation as indicated by 234Thxs inventories and MAR’s. The annual collection of sediment cores as a time-series allowed for continued high-resolution analyses and use of 234Thxs to determine post-event sedimentation rates and baselines on monthly time scales for direct comparison to the depositional pulse. Within ~one year sedimentation rates decreased and within three years site specific return of bioturbation occurred and sedimentation rates on monthly scale (234Thxs) stabilized. Also, within ~three years the sedimentary signature of the depositional pulse became undetectable with respect to sediment texture and composition possibly due to dilution of this indicator by mixing/bioturbation and/or compaction of the event layer. Without the use of high-resolution sampling and geochronological tools such as 234Thxs the depositional pulse would not have been detected in the sedimentary system. The continued use of these high-resolution methods allowed for further defining the magnitude of the sedimentary response to the DwH event as well as provide baseline sedimentation patterns at a monthly time scale. The annual time series defines the post-event evolution of the sedimentary system as well as the assessment of the post-depositional alterations that influence the integration and preservation of such sedimentation events in the sedimentary record. This includes the potential for re-mobilization of event sediments, potential re-exposure of ecosystems to contaminated sediments and redistribution of event sediments. Alternatively, burial and alteration of the sedimentary signature over time influences the preservation potential of sedimentation events such as DwH, with decreasing ability to detect events due to bioturbation, degradation of signature and compaction. The refinement of methodology and approaches, in particular short-lived radioisotope (SLRad) geochronology, allowed for the high-resolution determination of the sedimentary impacts of the DwH blowout event. In turn, the opportunity to investigate the DwH event in real time provided the opportunity to advance high-resolution methodologies in an applied fashion. Continued refinement of high-resolution approaches and methods, in particular geochronologies, will allow for the detection of short-duration and subtle sedimentary events in real time as well as in the sedimentary record. Through the application of such approaches and methods to real events, these methods can be further refined and assessed for their utility and limitations.

A molecular beam apparatus has been designed and constructed for the purpose of studying gas phase interactions between ions and molecules. A neutralization-reionization technique has been developed which permits the lifetimes of some short lived molecules to be estimated. In this way the existence of He₂, HeH and HeD molecules has been demonstrated but similar experiments have produced no evidence for the existence of H₃, D₃ or D₂H molecules with the same order of lifetimes. A collisional dissociation technique has been devised which permits analysis of molecular ions in beams and demonstrated the existence of He₃⁺ ions in low temperature helium discharges. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Aplicativos simples e utilizados durante um curto período de tempo são cada vez mais comuns nos dispositivos móveis. Eles perdem a utilidade uma vez que seu objetivo específico é atingido. Porém, consomem memória e processamento do dispositivo, além de seu desenvolvimento consumir recursos humanos e tecnológicos. Para minimizar esses problemas, este trabalho apresenta uma nova abordagem para geração e controle desse tipo de aplicativo por meio de uma nova arquitetura e modelo de ciclo de vida para aplicações de curta duração. A abordagem permite que os aplicativos sejam gerados automaticamente e possam ser excluídos ou gerenciados de acordo com a vontade do usuário ou por outros critérios pré-estabelecidos (e.g., por tempo transcorrido ou por localização). A arquitetura e modelos desenvolvidos foram utilizados em três aplicativos típicos com funcionalidades básicas, layout trivial e processamento leve. Essa validação demonstrou que a abordagem atende às necessidades de aplicativos em diferentes domínios (restaurantes, shoppings e eventos) e pode ser aplicado em situações com diferentes restrições de tempo e localização / Simple applications that are used over a short period of time are becoming increasingly popular on mobile devices. They lose their usefulness once their specific goal is achieved. However, they consume memory and processing of the device; furthermore, its development consume human and technological resources. To minimize these problems, this work presents a new approach for generation and control of this type of application by means of a new architecture and life cycle model for short lived applications. The approach allows applications to be automatically generated, excluded or managed according to the user\'s wishes or other pre-established criteria (e.g., by time elapsed or by location). The architecture and models developed were used in three typical applications with basic functionalities, trivial layout and light-weight processing. This validation demonstrated that the approach addresses the needs of applications in different domains (restaurants, malls and events) and can be applied in situations with different time and location constraints

Le sujet de cette thèse est le développement d'une cible liquide haute puissance capable de gérer les contraintes liées a un impact de faisceau de protons de haute puissance (de l'ordre du GW en quelques ms) tout en optimisant la production d'isotopes a court temps de demi-vie (ici, l'intérêt se porte sur du Mercure, de temps de demi vie 130 ms). L'objectif est d'améliorer l'extraction des particules élémentaires d'intérêt pour les physiciens une fois celles-ci créées. La thèse a été principalement préparée au CERN (Genève, Suisse). De plus en plus, la puissance des faisceaux primaires envoyés sur les cibles augmente jusqu'à atteindre plusieurs centaines de kiloWatt, créant ainsi de nouvelles problématiques et de nouveaux défis. De nouveaux concepts de cibles ont ainsi vu le jour. Parmi eux, une boucle liquide utilisant du Plomb Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) comme matériau de cible, et dans lequel un échangeur de chaleur et une pompe sont intégrés, a été proposée durant la phase de développement du projet EURISOL. Ce concept prévoit de plus de transformer le liquide irradié sous forme degouttes de manière à faciliter l'extraction des isotopes créés et ainsi d'augmenter la production d'isotopes à court temps de demi-vie. Cette thèse présente le développement de ce design. Un prototype a été développé et sera testé sous faisceau de protons à ISOLDE au CERN. Plusieurs outils analytiques pour l'étude et la conception de cible haute puissance sont proposés, prenant en considération divers paramètres de design. Ces outils peuvent être utilisés pour d'autres cibles haute puissance et permettent un dimensionnement simple de ce genre de cible. De plus, un design innovant d'échangeur de chaleur est présenté, permettant d'extraire une puissance constante pour différentes températures de LBE. Le design proposé est validé grâce à divers outils numériques et analytiques. De plus, des tests expérimentaux ont été réalisés pour valider la faisabilité de douche. Des gouttes de 400 um ont été obtenues. La cible proposée est la première combinant l'utilisation d'une chambre de diffusion où la douche est créée, avec une pompe et un échangeur de chaleur. Les concepts avancés peuvent être utilisés pour ledéveloppement de cibles similaires dans d'autres instituts. / The subject of this thesis is to design a liquid target able to account for the stress induced by the impact of a highpower proton beam (of the order of GW in few ms) and to optimize the isotopes production of species with short half-life (here, the isotope of interest is a Mercury one, with a half-life of 130 ms). The objective is to improve the extraction of elementary particles of interest for physicists. The thesis was mainly conducted at the CERN (Geneva, Switzerland).More and more, the power of primary beam sent onto targets increases until reaching several kiloWatts of magnitude, inducing new problematic and challenges. Consequently, the need of new target design arises and leads to new conceptual design proposal. Amongst them, a concept of Lead Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) loop target making use of an heat exchanger (HEX) and a pump has been proposed during the European project EURISOL Design Study. This concept proposed an improvement in terms of release efficiency of short-lived species by transforming the irradiated liquid into droplets shape. This thesis presents the development of this target design proposal. A prototype target has been developed and will be tested under proton beam at ISOLDE at CERN. Several analytical tools for the study of this kind of targets are proposed, taking into account different design parameters. These tools can be applied for other high power target concept and allow an easy dimensioning of this kind of targets. As well, an innovative heat exchanger is developed, allowing to extract constant power out of the target for different LBE temperature. The proposed target design is validated thanks to different numerical and analytical tools while experimental tests have been conducted in order to assess the droplet formation feasibility. These tests prove that a shower of droplets of 400 ¿m is possible. The developed target is the first one combining a diffusion chamber where a shower is created combined with a pump and a HEX. The concepts of this design could be applied for similar targets that could be developed in other facilities.

A multi-proxy approach is utilized on mm- to cm-scale laminated sediment records in coastal salt ponds on St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands to characterize the sediments, identify their sources and depositional processes/events (heavy rainfall, tropical cyclones, tsunamis). Historical records are combined with high-resolution geochronology (short-lived radioisotopes, 210Pb, 137Cs, 7Be) and scanning elemental techniques (XRF and LA-ICP-MS) to link depositional events to how they are manifested in the sedimentary record. Volcanic rocks are the terrigenous sediment source and the sedimentary signature of terrigenous sediment in the geologic record consists of higher amounts of Al, Fe, Ti, Co, and Si, and is associated with terrigenous runoff due to rainfall events. A minimum threshold value of >2.0 mm per day (minimum to erode and transport terrigenous sediment downslope) of rainfall has been determined for the study area. The frequency of heavy rainfall events that exceed the threshold of >2.0 mm per day is significantly correlated to the amount of terrigenous sediment accumulation of the terrigenous indictor element Al measured by scanning LA-ICP-MS. There is a robust sedimentary record of terrigenous sediment runoff that is a function of the frequency of heavy rainfall events (exceed threshold). Variability in the sedimentary record reflects changes between periods of "wet" increased frequency of heavy rainfall events and "dry" decreased frequency of heavy rainfall events. Tropical cyclones and tsunamis can cause marine overwash into salt ponds leading to deposition of marine sediments. Elemental scans for Ca and Sr and overwash indicator elements are complicated by grain size effects of LA-ICP-MS techniques, as well the difficulty in differentiating between tropical cyclone overwash deposits and tsunami deposits. By defining the sedimentary signature for depositional events , geologic records can be interpreted to provide insight into the natural variability of these processes throughout geologic time for comparisons to the more recent anthropogenic time period. This study provides a framework that can be applied to other coastal environments on high-relief tropical islands, to compare local records, and provide information on regional processes controlling rainfall variability in tropical latitudes.