In this paper we study a methodology for the numerical simulation of stable structures of fluid membranes and vesicles in biological organisms. In particular, we discuss the effects of spontaneous curvature on vesicle cell membranes under the bending energy for given volume and surface area. The geometric modeling of the vesicle shapes are undertaken by means of surfaces generated as Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). We combine PDE based geometric modeling with numerical optimization in order to study the stable shapes adopted by the vesicle membranes. Thus, through the PDE method we generate a generic template of a vesicle membrane which is then efficiently parameterized. The parameterization is taken as a basis to set up a numerical optimization procedure which enables us to predict a series of vesicle shapes subject to given surface area and volume.

A mesoscale evaluation is performed to determine the impacts of climate change on terrestrial hydrological components and the Net Irrigation Water Requirement (NIWR) throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The Noah-MP land surface model is calibrated and evaluated against the observed datasets of United States Geological Survey (USGS) streamflow gages, actual evapotranspiration from USGS Simplified Surface Energy Balance (SSEBop) Model and soil moisture from Soil Analysis Climate Network (SCAN). Six best performing Global Climate Models (GCM) based on Multivariate Adaptive Constructed Analogs (MACA) scheme are included for two future scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5), to assess the change in water balance components, change in NIWR for two dominant crops (corn and soybeans) and uncertainty in GCM projections. Using these long-term simulations, the flood inundation maps are developed for future scenarios along the Susquehanna River including the City of Harrisburg in Pennsylvania. The HEC-RAS 2D model is calibrated and evaluated against the high-water marks from major historical flood events and the stage-discharge relationship of the available USGS streamgages. Finally, the impacts of climate change are assessed on flood inundation depth and extent by comparing a 30-yr and 100-yr flood event based on the historical and future (scenario-based) peak discharge estimates at the USGS streamgages. Interestingly, flood inundation extent and severity predicted by the model along the Susquehanna River near Harrisburg is expected to rise in the future climate scenarios due to the greater frequency of extreme events increasing total precipitation. / Master of Science / Climate change is inevitable due to increased greenhouse gas emissions, with impacts varying in space and time significantly throughout the globe. The impacts are strongly driven by the change in precipitation and temperature which affect the control of the movement of water on the surface of the Earth. These changes in the water cycle require an understanding of hydrological components like streamflow, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. Development of long-term climate models and computational hydrological models (based on mathematical equations and governed by laws of physics) has helped us in understanding this climate variability in space and time. This study performs a long-term simulation using the datasets from six different climate models to analyze the change in terrestrial hydrological components for the entire Chesapeake Bay watershed in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The simulations provide an understanding of the interplay between various land surface processes due to climate change and can help determine future water availability and consumption. To illustrate the usefulness of such long-term simulations, the crop water requirement is quantified for the dominant crops in Chesapeake Bay watershed to project water availability and support the development of mitigation strategies. Flood inundation maps are also developed for a section of Susquehanna River near the City of Harrisburg in south-central Pennsylvania using the streamflow from long-term simulations. The flood inundation depth and extent for major flood events such as Tropical Storm Agnes (1972) and Tropical Storm Lee (2011) are compared along the Susquehanna River, which can aid in managing flood operations, reduce the future flood damages and prioritize the mitigation efforts for endangered communities near the City of Harrisburg.

Up to 70 percent of rough mill manufacturing expenses stem from raw material (lumber) cost. Rough mill costs can be reduced by optimizing the lumber grade or grades that are purchased. This solution is known as the least-cost lumber grade-mix solution. The least-cost lumber grade-mix solutions has been a topic of great interest to both the secondary hardwood industry and to academia since even small changes in raw material cost can contribute to substantial reduction in rough mill expenses. A statistical model was developed for finding the least-cost lumber grade-mix which uses the rough mill simulator, ROMI-RIP 2.0, and the statistical package, SAS 8.2. The SAS 8.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix model was validated by comparing SAS 8.2-based least-cost grade-mix solutions to OPTIGRAMI 2.0, a least-cost lumber grade-mix solver that relies on linear modeling. The SAS 8.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix solver found lower cost solutions in 9 of 10 cutting bills that were tested. The SAS 8.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix solver was packaged with ROMI 3.0, an updated version of ROMI-RIP, and provided to industry free of charge by the USDA Forest Service. The USDA Forest Service also purchased a SAS server license to allow least-cost lumber grade-mix solver users free access to SAS 8.2. However, industry users were reluctant to use the USDA Forest Service SAS server since it requires the user to enter individual cost and yield data to a government computer. This solution also required the user to have internet access and limited access to one user at any time. Thus, the goal of this research was to incorporate the least-cost lumber grade-mix solver into ROMI using the free, open source statistical package R 2.7.2. An R 2.7.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix solver was developed and validated by comparing the R 2.7.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix solutions to the updated SAS 9.2-based least-cost lumber grade-mix solutions. No differences were found in the least-cost lumber grade-mix solutions from either solver. Thus, a new least-cost lumber grade-mix solver using the R 2.7.2 open source statistical package was created. R 2.7.2 is installed on each personal computer on which the USDA Forest Service's ROMI rough mill simulation software is installed and, thus, no external computing resources are needed when solving the least-cost lumber grade-mix problem. / Master of Science

In dieser Studie wird ein neues Modul “CLM-Palm” für mehrjährige Nutzpflanzen zur Modellierung einer funktionellen Gruppe (plant functional type) für Ölpalmen im Rahmen des Community Land Models (CLM4.5) entwickelt, um die Auswirkungen der Transformation eines tropischen Waldes in eine Ölpalmenplantage auf die Kohlenstoff-, Wasser- und Energieflüsse zwischen Land und Atmosphäre zu quantifizieren. Um die Morphologie der Ölpalme möglichst detailgetreu darzustellen (das heißt, dass ungefähr 40 Phytomere einen mehrschichtigen Kronenraum formen), wird in dem Modul CLM-Palm eine phänologische und  physiologische Parametrisierung auf Skalen unterhalb des Kronraums eingeführt, so dass jedem Phytomer sein eigenes prognostisches Blattwachstum und seine Erntekapazität zugeordnet wird, während Stamm und Wurzeln gemeinsam genutzt werden. Das Modul CLM-Palm wurde ausschließlich für Ölpalmen getestet, ist aber auch für andere Palmarten (z. B. Kokospalmen) interessant.  Im ersten Kapitel dieser Arbeit werden Hintergrund und Motivation dieser Arbeit vorgestellt. In Kapitel 2 wird die Entwicklung des Haupt- bzw. Kernmodells beschrieben,  inklusive Phänologie und Allokationsfunktionen zur Simulation des Wachstums und des Ertrags der Palme PFT, wodurch die Basis zur Modellierung  der biophysikalischen und biogeochemicalischen Kreisläufe innerhalb dieser Monokultur bereitgestellt wird. Die neuen Parameter für die Phänologie und die Allokation wurden sorgfältig mit Feldmessungen des Blattflächenindexes (LAI), des Ertrags und der Nettoprimärproduktion (NPP) verschiedener Ölpalmenplantagen auf Sumatra (Indonesien) kalibriert und validiert. Die Validierung zeigte die Eignung von CLM-Palm zur adäquaten Vorhersage des mittleren Blattwachstums und Ertrags für verschiedene Standorte und repräsentiert in ausreichendem Maß die signifikante Variabilität bezüglich des Stickstoffs und Alters von Standort zu Standort.  In Kapitel 3 wird die weitere Modellentwicklung und die Implementierung eines Norman-Mehrschichtmodells für den Strahlungstransport vorgestellt, das an den  mehrschichtigen Kronenraum der Ölpalme angepasst ist. Dieses Norman-Mehrschichtmodell des Strahlungstransports zeigte im Vergleich zu dem in CLM4.5 implementierten Standardmodell (basierend auf großen Blättern) bei der Simulation der Licht-Photosynthese-Kurve leichte Verbesserungen und hat  lediglich marginale Vorteile gegenüber dem ebenfalls in CLM4.5 implementierten alternativen statistischen Mehrschichtmodell.  Dennoch liefert das Norman-Modell eine detailliertere und realistischere Repräsentation des Belaubungszustands wie etwa dem dynamischen LAI, der Blattwinkelverteilung in verschiedenen Höhen, und ein ausgewogeneres Profil der absorbierten photosynthetisch aktiven Strahlung (PAR). Die Validierung mit Hilfe der Eddy-Kovarianz Flussdaten zeigte die Stärke von CLM-Palm bei der Simulation der Kohlenstoffflüsse, offenbarte aber auch Abweichungen in der simulierten Evapotranspiration (ET), dem sensiblen und dem latenten Wärmefluss (H und LE). Eine Reihe von hydrologischen Messungen im Kronenraum wird in Kapitel 4 beschrieben. Dies beinhaltet eine Adaption des in CLM4.5 eingebauten Standardmodells für Niederschlag, Interzeption und Speicherfunktionen für die speziellen Merkmale eines Ölpalmen-Kronenraums. Die überarbeitete Hydrologie des Kronenraums behob die Probleme bei der Simulation der Wasserflüsse (ET und Transpiration im Kronenraum) und verbesserte die Energieaufteilung zwischen H und LE. Kapitel 5 dokumentiert die Implementierung eines neuen dynamischen Modells für Stickstoff (nitrogen, N) in CLM-Palm zur Verbesserung der Simulation der C- und N-Dynamik, insbesondere mit Bezug auf den N-Düngeeffekte in landwirtschaftlich genutzten Systemen. Das dynamische N-Modell durchbricht die Limitierung des Standardmodells in CLM4.5, mit fixierter C-N-Stöchiometrie und erlaubt die Variation des C:N-Verhältnisses in lebendem Gewebe in Abhängigkeit der N-Verfügbarkeit und dem N-Bedarf der Pflanze.  Eine Reihe von Tests bezüglich der Düngung zeigte beispielhaft die Vorteile des dynamischen N-Modells, wie zum Beispiel die Verbesserung des Netto-Ökosystemaustauschs (net ecosystem exchange, NEE), ein realistischeres C:N-Verhältnis im Blatt, eine verbesserte Repräsentation der Effizienz des Stickstoffeinsatzes (nitrogen-use efficiency, NUE), sowie der Effekte von Düngung auf Wachstum und Ertrag. Abschließend wird in Kapitel 6 eine Anwendungsstudie gezeigt, in der die zentralen Modellentwicklungen aus den vorangegangenen Kapiteln verwendet werden. Eine junge und eine  erntereife Ölpalmenplantage sowie ein Primärregenwald wurden simuliert und verglichen. Sie wiesen klare Unterschiede in den C-Flüssen und in den biophysikalischen Merkmalen (z.B. ET und Oberflächentemperatur) auf. Ölpalmenplantagen können durch Wachstumsentwicklung (im Alter von etwa 4 Jahren)  ebenso hohe und darüber hinausgehende C-Assimilation und Wassernutzungsraten erreichen wie Regenwälder, haben jedoch im Allgemeinen eine höhere Oberflächentemperatur als eine bewaldete Fläche – dies gilt auch für erntereife Plantagen. Eine Simulation des Übergangs, die zwei Rotationsperioden mit Neubepflanzungen alle 25 Jahre umspannt, zeigte dass der Anbau von Ölpalmen auf längeren Zeitskalen lediglich in etwa die Hälfte des ursprünglichen C-Speichers der bewaldeten Fläche vor dem Kahlschlag  rückspeichern kann. Das im Boden gespeicherte C nimmt in einer bewirtschafteten Plantage aufgrund des begrenzten Streurücklaufs langsam und graduell ab. Insgesamt reduziert die Umwandlung eines Regenwaldes in eine Ölpalmenplantage die langfristigen C-Speicher und die Kapazität der Fläche zur C-Sequestrierung und trägt potentiell zur Erwärmung der Landoberfläche bei – trotz des schnellen Wachstums und der hohen C-Assimilationsrate einer stark gedüngten Plantage. Zur Einschätzung der regionalen und globalen Effekte der Ausbreitung der Kultivierung von Ölpalmen auf die Austauschprozesse zwischen Land und Atmosphäre und auf das Klima ist es notwendig eine Upscaling-Studie durchzuführen.

Technology scaling has been the most obvious choice of designers and chip manufacturing companies to improve the performance of analog and digital circuits. With the ever shrinking technological node, process variations can no longer be ignored and play a significant role in determining the performance of nanoscaled devices. By choosing a worst case design methodology, circuit designers have been very munificent with the design parameters chosen, often manifesting in pessimistic designs with significant area overheads. Significant work has been done in estimating the impact of intra-die process variations on circuit performance, pertinently, noise margin and standby leakage power, for fixed transistor channel dimensions. However, for an optimal, high yield, SRAM cell design, it is absolutely imperative to analyze the impact of process variations at every design point, especially, since the distribution of process variations is a statistically varying parameter and has an inverse correlation with the area of the MOS transistor. Furthermore, the first order analytical models used for optimization of SRAM memories are not as accurate and the impact of voltage and its inclusion as an input, along with other design parameters, is often ignored. In this thesis, the performance parameters of a nano-scaled 6-T SRAM cell are modeled as an accurate, yield aware, empirical polynomial predictor, in the presence of intra-die process variations. The estimated empirical models are used in a constrained non-linear, robust optimization framework to design an SRAM cell, for a 45 nm CMOS technology, having optimal performance, according to bounds specified for the circuit performance parameters, with the objective of minimizing on-chip area. This statistically aware technique provides a more realistic design methodology to study the trade off between performance parameters of the SRAM. Furthermore, a dual optimization approach is followed by considering SRAM power supply and wordline voltages as additional input parameters, to simultaneously tune the design parameters, ensuring a high yield and considerable area reduction. In addition, the cell level optimization framework is extended to the system level optimization of caches, under both cell level and system level performance constraints.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions le problème du réflecteur. Etant données une source lumineuse et une cible à éclairer avec une certaine distribution d'intensité, il s'agit de construire une surface réfléchissant la lumière issue de la source vers la cible avec la distribution d'intensité prescrite. Ce problème se pose dans de nombreux domaines tels que l'art ou l'architecture. Le domaine qui nous intéresse ici est le domaine automobile. En effet, cette thèse Cifre est réalisée en partenariat avec l'entreprise Optis qui développe des logiciels de simulation de lumière et de conception optique utilisés dans les processus de fabrication des phares de voiture. Les surfaces formant les réflecteurs des phares de voiture doivent répondre à un certain nombre de critères imposés par les fabricants ainsi que les autorités de contrôle nationales et internationales. Ces critères peuvent être objectifs comme par exemple l'encombrement du véhicule ou encore le respect des normes d'éclairage mais peuvent également être subjectifs comme l'aspect esthétique des surfaces. Notre objectif est de proposer des outils industrialisables permettant de résoudre le problème du réflecteur tout en prenant en compte ces critères. Dans un premier temps, nous nous intéresserons au cas de sources lumineuses ponctuelles. Nous reprenons les travaux d'Oliker, Glim, Cafarrelli et Wang qui montrent que le problème du réflecteur peut être formulé comme un problème de transport optimal. Cette formulation du problème est présentée et mise en œuvre dans un cas discret. Dans un second temps, nous cherchons à prendre en compte les critères imposés par les fabricants de phares de voitures. Nous nous sommes intéressés ici aux contraintes d'encombrement et d'esthétique. La solution choisie consiste à utiliser des surfaces de Bézier définies comme le graphe d'une certaine fonction paramétrée par un domaine du plan. Les surfaces de Bézier permettent d'obtenir des surfaces lisses et la paramétrisation par un domaine du plan permet de gérer l'encombrement et le style d'un réflecteur. Nous avons proposé une méthode heuristique itérative par point fixe pour obtenir ce type surface. Enfin, dans un dernier temps, nous prenons en compte des sources lumineuses non ponctuelles. L'approche proposée consiste à adapter itérativement les paramètres du réflecteur de façon à minimiser une distance entre intensité souhaitée et intensité réfléchie. Ceci nous a conduits à proposer une méthode d'évaluation rapide de l'intensité réfléchie par une surface. Les méthodes développées durant cette thèse ont fait l'objet d'une implémentation dans un cadre industriel en partenariat avec l'entreprise Optis. / The far-field reflector problem consists in building a surface that reflects light from a given source back into a target at infinity with a prescribed intensity distribution. This problem arises in many fields such as art or architecture. In this thesis, we are interested in applications to the car industry. Indeed, this thesis is conducted in partnership with the company Optis that develops lighting and optical simulation software used in the design of car headlights. Surfaces in car headlight reflectors must satisfy several constraints imposed by manufacturers as well as national and international regulatory authorities. These constraints can be objective such as space requirements or compliance with lighting legal standards but can also can be subjective such as the aesthetic aspects of surfaces. Our goal is to provide industrializable tools to solve the reflector problem while taking into account these constraints. First, we focus on the case of point light sources. We rely on the work of Oliker, Glim, Cafarrelli and Wang who show that the reflector problem can be formulated as an optimal transport problem. This formulation of the problem is presented and implemented in a discrete case. In a second step, we take into account some of the constraints imposed by car headlight manufacturers, such as the size and the style of the reflector. The chosen solution consists in using Bezier surfaces defined as the graph of a function parameterized over a planar domain. Bezier surfaces allow to obtain smooth surfaces and the parameterization over a planar domain allows to control the size and style of the reflector. To build the surface, we propose a heuristic based on a fixed-point algorithm. Finally, we take into account extended light sources. We present an approach that iteratively adapts the parameters of the reflector by minimizing the distance between the desired intensity and the reflected intensity. This led us to propose a method that efficiently evaluates the reflection of light on the surface. Methods developed in this thesis were implemented in an industrial setting at our partner company Optis.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions le problème du réflecteur. Etant données une source lumineuse et une cible à éclairer avec une certaine distribution d'intensité, il s'agit de construire une surface réfléchissant la lumière issue de la source vers la cible avec la distribution d'intensité prescrite. Ce problème se pose dans de nombreux domaines tels que l'art ou l'architecture. Le domaine qui nous intéresse ici est le domaine automobile. En effet, cette thèse Cifre est réalisée en partenariat avec l'entreprise Optis qui développe des logiciels de simulation de lumière et de conception optique utilisés dans les processus de fabrication des phares de voiture. Les surfaces formant les réflecteurs des phares de voiture doivent répondre à un certain nombre de critères imposés par les fabricants ainsi que les autorités de contrôle nationales et internationales. Ces critères peuvent être objectifs comme par exemple l'encombrement du véhicule ou encore le respect des normes d'éclairage mais peuvent également être subjectifs comme l'aspect esthétique des surfaces. Notre objectif est de proposer des outils industrialisables permettant de résoudre le problème du réflecteur tout en prenant en compte ces critères. Dans un premier temps, nous nous intéresserons au cas de sources lumineuses ponctuelles. Nous reprenons les travaux d'Oliker, Glim, Cafarrelli et Wang qui montrent que le problème du réflecteur peut être formulé comme un problème de transport optimal. Cette formulation du problème est présentée et mise en œuvre dans un cas discret. Dans un second temps, nous cherchons à prendre en compte les critères imposés par les fabricants de phares de voitures. Nous nous sommes intéressés ici aux contraintes d'encombrement et d'esthétique. La solution choisie consiste à utiliser des surfaces de Bézier définies comme le graphe d'une certaine fonction paramétrée par un domaine du plan. Les surfaces de Bézier permettent d'obtenir des surfaces lisses et la paramétrisation par un domaine du plan permet de gérer l'encombrement et le style d'un réflecteur. Nous avons proposé une méthode heuristique itérative par point fixe pour obtenir ce type surface. Enfin, dans un dernier temps, nous prenons en compte des sources lumineuses non ponctuelles. L'approche proposée consiste à adapter itérativement les paramètres du réflecteur de façon à minimiser une distance entre intensité souhaitée et intensité réfléchie. Ceci nous a conduits à proposer une méthode d'évaluation rapide de l'intensité réfléchie par une surface. Les méthodes développées durant cette thèse ont fait l'objet d'une implémentation dans un cadre industriel en partenariat avec l'entreprise Optis. / The far-field reflector problem consists in building a surface that reflects light from a given source back into a target at infinity with a prescribed intensity distribution. This problem arises in many fields such as art or architecture. In this thesis, we are interested in applications to the car industry. Indeed, this thesis is conducted in partnership with the company Optis that develops lighting and optical simulation software used in the design of car headlights. Surfaces in car headlight reflectors must satisfy several constraints imposed by manufacturers as well as national and international regulatory authorities. These constraints can be objective such as space requirements or compliance with lighting legal standards but can also can be subjective such as the aesthetic aspects of surfaces. Our goal is to provide industrializable tools to solve the reflector problem while taking into account these constraints. First, we focus on the case of point light sources. We rely on the work of Oliker, Glim, Cafarrelli and Wang who show that the reflector problem can be formulated as an optimal transport problem. This formulation of the problem is presented and implemented in a discrete case. In a second step, we take into account some of the constraints imposed by car headlight manufacturers, such as the size and the style of the reflector. The chosen solution consists in using Bezier surfaces defined as the graph of a function parameterized over a planar domain. Bezier surfaces allow to obtain smooth surfaces and the parameterization over a planar domain allows to control the size and style of the reflector. To build the surface, we propose a heuristic based on a fixed-point algorithm. Finally, we take into account extended light sources. We present an approach that iteratively adapts the parameters of the reflector by minimizing the distance between the desired intensity and the reflected intensity. This led us to propose a method that efficiently evaluates the reflection of light on the surface. Methods developed in this thesis were implemented in an industrial setting at our partner company Optis.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-01-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:30:33Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_ln_me_botfca.pdf: 1547323 bytes, checksum: af8a2048dd0668a015c188e6b10591fc (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A instalação de processos erosivos em solos agricultáveis, além do prejuízo ambiental e produtivo da área, pode comprometer o ambiente à jusante, pelo transporte de sedimentos, o que se em mananciais de água, provoca seu assoreamento parcial ou até total. A construção de curvas de nível utilizando arado convencional é uma prática conservacionista bastante utilizada. Em terrenos com sulcos de erosão, mesmo após uniformização por gradagem, o trator altera constantemente seu percurso na busca do nível definido pelas estacas, gerando desuniformidade na profundidade de corte, conseqüentemente no nível da curva construída, podendo comprometer sua vida útil. Considerando curvas de nível construídas nas condições acima, em área de quatro hectares, erodida e à montante de mananciais de água, foram efetuados levantamentos topográficos detalhados, sendo um imediatamente após a construção dos canais e outro após a estabilização dos mesmos. Os dados foram processados pelo software Datageosis, com o objetivo de verificar a validade da utilização da modelagem numérica da superfície na caracterização da movimentação de solo nos canais. Com base na metodologia adotada foi possível concluir que a modelagem numérica da superfície, apoiada em pontos não 2 regularmente espaçados, não permitiu avaliar o volume de solo movimentado quando considerados todos os dados de campo. A avaliação foi possível somente através da comparação de perfis homólogos, construídos isoladamente, com base nos dados de cada uma das três feições de canais estudadas (relevo natural à montante, fundo do canal e camalhão), quando se constatou que o principal responsável pela diminuição da capacidade de retenção de água pelos canais foi o desgaste e empolamento do camalhão. / The erosive process causes environmental damage and productive prejudice in farm areas, and in addition they endanger with sediment transport the environment under this area, which provokes partial or total deposition of sediments in the rivers. The construction of level curves using conventional plow is a very widespread conservative practice. In lands with erosion gullies, even after for harrowing, the tractor constantly alters its course searching for the stakes which defines the level, generating variation in the court depth, consequently in the level of the built curve, reducing its useful life. Considering level curves built in the conditions above, in area of four hectares, with erosion above the springs of water, detailed topographical works were made, one before the construction of the channels and another after the stabilization of the same ones. The data were processed by the software DataGEOSIS, with the objective of verifying the validity of the use of the numerical surface modeling to characterize the soil movement in the channels. We concluded that the numerical surface modeling, supported in points not regularly spaced didn't allow evaluating the soil volume in all field data. The evaluation was only possible through the comparison of the same profiles, built separately, based on the data of each one of the three studied features of channels, when it was verified that the 4 main responsible for the decrease of the capacity of retention of water in the channels was the soil compactation of the bedding.

abstract: Population growth within drylands is occurring faster than growth in any other ecologic zone, putting pressure on already stressed water resources. Because the availability of surface water supplies in drylands tends to be highly variable, many of these populations rely on groundwater. A critical process contributing to groundwater recharge is the interaction between ephemeral channels and groundwater aquifers. Generally, it has been found that ephemeral channels contribute to groundwater recharge when streamflow infiltrates into the sandy bottoms of channels. This process has traditionally been studied in channels that drain large areas (10s to 100s km2). In this dissertation, I study the interactions between surface water and groundwater via ephemeral channels in a first-order watershed located on an arid piedmont slope within the Jornada Experimental Range (JER) in the Chihuahuan Desert. To achieve this, I utilize a combination of high-resolution observations and computer simulations using a modified hydrologic model to quantify groundwater recharge and shed light on the geomorphic and ecologic processes that affect the rate of recharge. Observational results indicate that runoff generated within the piedmont slope contributes significantly to deep percolation. During the short-term (6 yr) study period, we estimated 385 mm of total percolation, 62 mm/year, or a ratio of percolation to rainfall of 0.25. Based on the instrument network, we identified that percolation occurs inside channel areas when these receive overland sheetflow from hillslopes. By utilizing a modified version of the hydrologic model, TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator (tRIBS), that was calibrated and validated using the observational dataset, I quantified the effects of changing watershed properties on groundwater recharge. Distributed model simulations quantify how deep percolation is produced during the streamflow generation process, and indicate that it plays a significant role in moderating the production of streamflow. Sensitivity analyses reveal that hillslope properties control the amount of rainfall necessary to initiate percolation while channel properties control the partitioning of hillslope runoff into streamflow and deep percolation. Synthetic vegetation experiments show that woody plant encroachment leads to increases in both deep percolation and streamflow. Further woody plant encroachment may result in the unexpected enhancement of dryland aquifer sustainability. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Geological Sciences 2017

This diploma thesis deals with digital data processing during the design of a mould of ultralight airplane airframe. The final digital model meets the demands on manufacturability by using CNC machining. The realization, in compliance with the reverse engineering approach, was conceived in four phases, which had to be solved step by step in order to preserve the continuity of the process. The phases correspond to the main chapters of the practical part of the thesis. The first part is focused on 3D digitalization of airplane fuselage by using an optic scanner ATOS and photogrammetric system Tritop. The result of this part is digital data of fuselage geometry in form of polygon grid. Next part deals with software reconstruction of collected data – by optimizing polygon grid in order to provide suitable base for surface modeling. The third part, the most time demanding, handles the creation of airplane fuselage surface model. Geometry has to satisfy requirements for smoothness and tangential or curvative connection of surfaces, including other requirements resulting from model usage. The final part of the thesis documents the procedure of deriving a mould from the aircraft fuselage geometry.