Terrestrial mobile peer-to-peer millimeter wave networks will likely use beamforming arrays with narrow beams. Aligning narrow beams is difficult. One consideration for aligning narrow beams is co-channel interference. Beams can be aligned either on a per-link basis where co-channel interference is ignored, or on a global basis where co-channel interference is considered. One way to align beams on a global basis is coordinated beamforming. Coordinated beamforming can be defined as alignment of beams on a global basis, so as to jointly optimize the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of all links operating in a network. In this work, we explore coordinated beamforming in peer-to-peer networks and demonstrate its efficacy. Networks with varying numbers of links are simulated in scenarios with and without obstructions. The coordinated beamforming schemes presented in this work significantly improve link SINR statistics in these scenarios. Greater improvement was found in networks with higher numbers of links and in networks in terrain with obstructions. / Master of Science / Wireless communication links can interfere with each other. Interference can be mitigated by adjusting the antennas with which the links are formed. One method of mitigating interference is coordinated beamforming. Coordinated beamforming can be defined as a method of adjusting antennas to jointly optimize the strength of the links operating in a network. In this work, we explore coordinated beamforming in terrestrial mobile peer-to-peer communication networks and demonstrate its efficacy. Networks with varying numbers of links are simulated in scenarios with and without obstructions. The coordinated beamforming schemes presented in this work significantly improve link strength statistics in these scenarios. Greater improvement was found in networks with higher numbers of links and in networks in terrain with obstructions.

This dissertation comprises two distinct journal articles, each contributing significant advancements to recreation ecology by examining the effectiveness of various spatial tools in camping and trail management. The first article leverages strategic spatial planning, considering topography and spacing, to limit camping impacts and enhance visitor experiences. It investigates the long-term effectiveness of a sustainable camping management strategy on the Appalachian Trail, whereby protected area managers select and actively encourage or require visitors to camp on excavated "side-hill" campsites in sloping terrain. One of the most degraded camping locations along the popular Appalachian Trail was selected for this longitudinal study, which, in May 2002, involved the closure of 19 existing campsites in flat terrain, with use shifted to 14 newly constructed side-hill campsites in adjacent sloping terrain. Over the subsequent 17 years, the recovery of the closed campsites and the evolution of the newly established side-hill campsites were monitored and assessed. Results from this study reveal that a multifaceted approach integrating both direct and indirect management actions successfully achieved their management objectives to sustain the site's exceptionally high use while minimizing both resource and social impacts. This study highlights the ability of constructed side-hill campsites to resist expansion over time and provides valuable findings, insights, and "lessons learned" to guide protected area managers in selecting and implementing effective management strategies and actions in other high-use settings. The second study evaluates terrestrial photogrammetry as a spatial tool for trail impact assessment. Protected natural areas like Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP) rely heavily on trails to facilitate visitor access while spatially concentrating environmental impacts to their treads. Assessing the condition of these trails is difficult due to the logistical challenges inherent in conventional field data-gathering techniques. While technological advancements such as Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) introduce Structure-from-Motion (SfM) capabilities for trail monitoring, they are not without limitations, including prohibitive costs, legal restrictions, and operational challenges, particularly when monitoring trails enveloped by canopy cover. This study presents a novel approach to trail assessment using terrestrial photogrammetry, wherein a consumer-grade camera captures high-resolution imagery that is processed using SfM techniques. The study compared manual measurements of 46 trail transects in JTNP with measurements from Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) generated from SfM point clouds. The outcomes revealed a high level of agreement between the two methods, with the measurements derived from photogrammetric DEM data exhibiting consistently higher values compared to the field measurements, especially in the central regions of the transects. A statistically significant positive relationship between transect width and mean differences between GIS and field tread incision measurements suggests that the disparity may arise from the sagging of the tape measure across the trail, indicating photogrammetric methods might offer greater accuracy. The paper outlines methods for capturing high-resolution 3D trail data using cost-effective techniques and discusses the practicality and possibilities of using the technique in trail monitoring programs. This has far-reaching implications and positions terrestrial photogrammetry as a compelling alternative to drone-based acquisitions, particularly in areas where UAV operations are restricted, discouraged, or impractical. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation contains two journal articles, each contributing significant advancements to recreation ecology by examining the effectiveness of various spatial tools in camping and trail management. The first paper assesses a sustainable camping strategy on the Appalachian Trail, where managers guide visitors to use designated campsites built into steep terrain, called "side-hill" campsites. One of the most degraded camping locations along the popular Appalachian Trail was selected for this study, and in May 2002, 19 existing campsites in flat terrain were closed, and use was shifted to 14 newly constructed side-hill campsites in nearby steeper terrain. Over 17 years, researchers measured the recovery of the old sites and the evolution and impacts associated with the new ones. The results show the new approach successfully prevented the expansion of campsites, a chronic problem in popular camping areas in flat terrain. Success is attributed not only to the physical relocation of campsites but also to the closing of old campsites with fencing, educating visitors about sustainable camping practices, enforcing regulations, and maintaining the sites. This study highlights the ability of constructed side-hill campsites to resist expansion over time and provides valuable findings, insights, and "lessons learned" to guide protected area managers in selecting and implementing effective management strategies and actions in other high-use settings. The second study in this dissertation introduces an innovative method for assessing the impact on trails in protected areas like Joshua Tree National Park (JTNP). Maintaining hiking trails is crucial as they provide visitor access while spatially concentrating environmental impacts to their treads. However, evaluating their condition is complex due to challenges associated with traditional data collection methods. While drones offer some advancements, they come with their own set of issues, including high costs, legal hurdles, and difficulties operating in areas with dense tree cover. This research presents a novel approach through terrestrial photogrammetry, a technique that uses photos of an object taken at different angles to create detailed 3D models with specialized software, a process known as Structure-from-Motion. The study involved a detailed comparison of traditional manual measurements from 46 trail sections in JTNP to measurements obtained from these 3D models. Results suggest photogrammetric methods might offer greater accuracy than manual measurements. The paper outlines methods for capturing high-resolution 3D trail data using cost-effective techniques and discusses the practicality and possibilities of using the technique in trail monitoring programs. This has far-reaching implications and positions terrestrial photogrammetry as a compelling alternative to drone-based acquisitions, particularly in areas where UAV operations are restricted, discouraged, or impractical.

Retarding Potential Analyzers (RPA) have a rich flight heritage. These instruments are largely popular since a single current-voltage (I-V) profile can provide in-situ measurements of ion temperature, velocity and composition. The estimation of parameters from an RPA I-V curve is affected by grid geometries and non-ideal biasing which have been studied in the past. In this dissertation, we explore the uncertainties associated with estimated ion parameters from an RPA in the presence of instrument noise. Simulated noisy I-V curves representative of those expected from a mid-inclination low Earth orbit are fitted with standard curve fitting techniques to reveal the degree of uncertainty and inter-dependence between expected errors, with varying levels of additive noise. The main motive is to provide experimenters working with RPA data with a measure of error scalable for different geometries. In subsequent work, we develop a statistics based bootstrap technique designed to mitigate the large inter-dependency between spacecraft potential and ion velocity errors, which were seen to be highly correlated when estimated using a standard algorithm. The new algorithm - BATFORD, acronym for "Bootstrap-based Algorithm with Two-stage Fit for Orbital RPA Data analysis" - was applied to a simulated dataset treated with noise from a laboratory calibration based realistic noise model, and also tested on real in-flight data from the C/NOFS mission. BATFORD outperforms a traditional algorithm in simulation and also provides realistic in-situ estimates from a section of a C/NOFS orbit when the satellite passed through a plasma bubble. The low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) of measured I-Vs in these bubbles make autonomous parameter estimation notoriously difficult. We thus propose a method for robust autonomous analysis of RPA data that is reliable in low SNR environments, and is applicable for all RPA designs. / Doctor of Philosophy / The plasma environment in Earth’s upper atmosphere is dynamic and diverse. Of particular interest is the ionosphere - a region of dense ionized gases that directly affects the variability in weather in space and the communication of radio wave signals across Earth. Retarding potential analyzers (RPA) are instruments that can directly measure the characteristics of this environment in flight. With the growing popularity of small satellites, these probes need to be studied in greater detail to exploit their ability to understand how ions - the positively charged particles- behave in this region. In this dissertation, we aim to understand how the RPA measurements, obtained as current-voltage relationships, are affected by electronic noise. We propose a methodology to understand the associated uncertainties in the estimated parameters through a simulation study. The results show that a statistics based algorithm can help to interpret RPA data in the presence of noise, and can make autonomous, robust and more accurate measurements compared to a traditional non-linear curve-fitting routine. The dissertation presents the challenges in analyzing RPA data that is affected by noise and proposes a new method to better interpret measurements in the ionosphere that can enable further scientific progress in the space physics community.

No / Excavations in the 1920s and 1970s at the Sculptor’s Cave, North-East Scotland, revealed that the site was used for mortuary rituals during the Late Bronze Age (c. 1100–800 BC) and Roman Iron Age (late first to fourth centuries AD), whilst a series of Pictish symbols carved into its entrance walls suggest that the cave’s importance continued into the Early Medieval Period. A new programme of analysis has utilised advanced 3D digital documentation and 3D metrology (specifically, 3D laser scanning) to enable this inaccessible site to be appreciated by wider audiences and analysed remotely. Detailed in situ recording of the Pictish symbols was undertaken using macro-level structured light scanning and the high-fidelity digital models blended with terrestrial laser scan data of the cave interior to show the location and detail of the carvings. This chapter examines the value of emerging digital approaches in the analysis, presentation and management of the Sculptor’s Cave, from the elucidation of additional carved details and the monitoring of surface degradation, to the dissemination of this difficult-to-access site to the wider public via online platforms. / Historic Environment Scotland provided funding for scanning work. Collaborators Visualising Heritage and Fragmented Heritage at the University of Bradford, funded by HEIF (via the University of Bradford) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AH/L00688X/1), respectively.

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) active-cavity radiometers are used to measure the incoming solar, reflected solar, and emitted longwave radiation from the Earth and its atmosphere. The radiometers are carried by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-9 and NOAA-10 spacecraft. Four Earth-viewing nonscanning active-cavity radiometers are carried by each platform. Two of the radiometers are sensitive to radiation in the spectral range from 0.2 to 50 μm, while the other two radiometers are sensitive to radiation in the spectral range from 0.2 to 5.0 μm. Each set of radiometers comes in a wide-field-of-view (WFOV) and a medium-field-of-view (MFOV) configuration. The cavities of the shortwave (visible) radiometers are covered with a Suprasil® hemispherical dome to filter out the incoming longwave radiation. Knowledge of the optical and physical properties of the radiometers allows their responses to be predicted using a low-order physical model. A high-level, dynamic electrothermal end-to-end model which accurately predicts the radiometers dynamic output has also been completed. This latter model is used to numerically simulate the calibration procedures of the actual instruments. With calibration of the end-to-end model complete, a simulation of a phenomena referred to as the "solar blip" is conducted to investigate the instruments' responses to steep transient events. The solar blip event occurs when direct solar radiation is briefly incident to the active-cavity radiometric channels as the spacecraft passes into and out of the Earth's shadow. / Master of Science

Habitat alteration (i.e. degradation, fragmentation, and destruction) is the primary driver of amphibian decline and extinction. Despite their ecological importance and threatened status, very little long-term research has been conducted on how methods of forest management impact salamanders. In this research, I examine how experimental silviculture impacts plethodontid salamander relative abundance and count, and I compare three different body condition indices. Chapter 1 focuses on plethodontid salamander relative abundance 30 years after experimental treatments (including clearcut and shelterwood harvests, understory herbicide, uneven-aged management, and an untreated control) were first applied. I found that plethodontid salamander populations in all silvicultural treatments without stand re-entry have reached pre-harvest relative abundance levels. Chapter 2 describes how artificial tip-up mounds that could be used to mimic old-growth forest characteristics impact plethodontid salamander count. Salamander count significantly declined in treatment units with artificial tip-up mounds but this could be an artifact of the heavy disturbance required for installation. Chapter 3 compares three different body condition indices for plethodontid salamanders. I found that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is likely not suitable for use with plethodontid salamanders and mass divided by snout-to-vent-length is likely a superior estimate to tail width divided by snout-to-vent-length. These findings further our understanding of how different forest management practices affect salamander populations and provide guidance for evaluating body condition. / Master of Science / Forest understory salamanders play an important role in energy transfer and their position in leaf litter food webs affects multiple ecosystem functions. Despite their ecological importance, very little long-term research has been conducted on how habitat change impacts salamanders. This research investigates how different forest management techniques influence forest-dwelling salamanders and compares three different ways to evaluate salamander health. Chapter 1 focuses on the salamanders 30 years post-harvest. I found that salamander populations in all silvicultural treatments except one had recovered. Chapter 2 described how tipping over trees to mimic old-growth forest characteristics impacts the number of forest-dwelling salamanders. There were significantly fewer salamanders in treatment units after the disturbance created by installing artificial tip-up mounds. Chapter 3 compares three different ways to evaluate forest-dwelling salamander health. I found that bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)is likely not suitable for forest-dwelling salamanders, and weight divided by body length is likely a superior estimate to tail width divided by body length. These findings together further our understanding of how different forest management practices affect salamander populations and provide guidance for evaluating body condition.

Floating marine structures, like the brown macroalgae Sargassum, provide essential habitat and support several life history stages for many marine organisms; habitat fragmentation and persistence of these floating habitats are poorly understood. Extending landscape ecology principles to the seascape realm requires new methodologies to understand dynamics of patch mosaics and functional utility of the moving seascape system. I examine Sargassum in a seascape ecology context, exploring 1) structural descriptions of the Sargassum patch seascape and whether 2) historical Sargassum patch distribution is represented by delineated proposed and finalized Sargassum-as-a-critical-habitat designations under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). I utilize historical Sargassum data at two spatial scales: a coarse scale (1.6km) and a medium scale (328m) to determine whether habitat fragmentation processes are occurring at either spatial scale across seven marine regions in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. In the Gulf of Mexico specifically, the size of Sargassum patches is increasing, while the Caribbean Sea Sargassum patch density has increased by an order of magnitude during the study period suggesting habitat gain. In the Northern Brazil Shelf and the Sargasso Sea, there is evidence of habitat fragmentation occurring due to rapid changes in patch density, proportion of seascape, and distance between patches. In addition, all regions within the study area exhibit cyclic patterns, which suggests Sargassum habitat characteristics may occur alternating between high and low years, which can impact critical habitat strategies for Sargassum. Lastly, Sargassum patches were found to exhibit a notable increase in occurrence within the ESA's proposed green turtle critical habitat designation of Sargassum when compared with the ESA's loggerhead critical habitat Sargassum designation Sargassum. These data provide valuable insight into Sargassum as an important and highly dynamic seascape that may provide critical habitat for dispersal-stage juvenile sea turtles during their oceanic ‘lost years.'

Medidas da radiação gama ambiental foram feitas em algumas regiões da cidade de Ribeirão Preto-SP, de forma a contribuir para o conhecimento acerca dos níveis desse tipo de radiação no estado de São Paulo e no território brasileiro. Escolheu-se determinar as médias anuais de dose efetiva e dose efetiva coletiva, uma vez que estas grandezas levam em conta o risco de possíveis efeitos biológicos associados a exposição à radiação ionizante. Para determinar os valores dessas grandezas, os diversos setores censitários das regiões selecionadas foram mapeados e avaliados individualmente, de acordo com a taxa de dose média absorvida no ar e número de habitantes de cada setor. Utilizou-se um sistema de detecção da radiação gama baseado em cintilador plástico e GPS, que possibilitaram a medida da taxa de dose absorvida no ar a cada segundo, para as coordenadas geográficas selecionadas. Embora este sistema tenha sido desenvolvido para a detecção de fontes artificiais perdidas, ou seja, não tem o objetivo principal de fazer medidas dosimétricas da radiação gama natural, teve seus modos de leitura calibrados e comparados com resultados da literatura (com uma incerteza média de 8,7 %). Dos resultados obtidos, dos mapeamentos realizados nas regiões consideradas, as médias anuais da dose efetiva e dose efetiva coletiva para ambientes ao ar livre foram encontradas com os valores 0,034 ± 0,004 mSv/ano e 25,62 ± 9,25 homem.mSv/ano respectivamente, sendo a primeira cerca da metade da média mundial da dose efetiva recomendada pela UNSCEAR. As médias obtidas são baixas quando comparadas às encontradas em outros estudos sobre dose de radiação gama ao ar livre no estado de São Paulo e em outras regiões do território brasileiro (sendo, de 1,7 até 5,6 vezes menor). / Gamma environmental radiation measurements were done for some urban regions in the city of Ribeirão Preto-SP, in order to contribute with this knowledge on the annual ambiental values of this type of radiation in the São Paulo state and in the Brazilian territory. The quantities chosen were effective dose and effective collective dose, once they take into account the possible biologic damage related to the ionizing radiation energy absorbed. For the assessments of these quantities, selected census sectors were initially mapped out, regarding their average absorbed dose in air and the number of inhabitants living in each one of the sectors. The detector system used is based on an organic plastic scintillator and a GPS, that allows to obtain the absorbed dose rate for each second and their respective geographic coordinates. Even though this system was developed to detect missing artificial gamma sources, in other words, its main function is not for dosimetric measurements, both display modes were calibrated in exposure rate (R/h) and absorbed dose rate (Gy/h) and their readings were compared to results from the literature (with an average uncertainty of 8.7%). From the mapping results of the selected regions, the annual average effective dose and effective collective dose for outdoor environments were obtained, respectively as 0.034 ± 0.004 mSv/year and 25.62 ± 9.25 man.mSv/year. The value for the first average dose is lower (about half) than the worldwide average value published by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), also lower than the values from other regions in the national territory, regarding the gamma dose rate in outdoor environments (from 1.7 up to 5.6 times lower).

<p>The objective of this thesis is to evaluate the ecological consequences of buffer strip retention on riparian and terrestrial biodiversity. Earlier studies on forest buffer strips have evaluated their effectiveness in relation to water quality and aquatic biota. However, forests along streams are species rich habitats for many organism groups. Buffer strip management is assumed to be important also for protecting such species. Current approaches to biodiversity-oriented forest management practices need to be scientifically evaluated. In this thesis the effects on bryophytes and land snails have been evaluated.</p><p>A before-and-after experiment along 15 small streams in northern Sweden showed that buffer strips of 10 m on each side of the stream moderated the negative effects exhibited at the clear-cuts. The number of land snail species remained similar as to before logging and the number of vanished bryophyte species was lower in the buffer strips than in the clear-cuts. The ground moisture influenced the survival rate of land snails at the clear-cuts. At mesic sites many species vanished but at wet sites the snail fauna was unaffected by the logging.</p><p>Many bryophyte species, most of them liverworts, decreased or disappeared in the buffer strips. These were mostly growing on substrates elevated from the forest floor, such as logs, stumps and tree-bases. A number of nationally red-listed species, sensitive for changes in microclimate, were among those decreasing most. Thus, for the species in most need of protection the buffer strips were too narrow.</p><p>An experiment with bryophyte transplants followed over a season showed that wet ground moisture moderated the negative edge effects in narrow buffer strips. On the other hand, the growth in mesic and moist sites was almost as low as in comparable clear-cuts.</p><p>Microclimatic edge effects are stronger at south facing than north-facing edges of forest clear-cuts. This was shown in an experiment using bryophyte growth as an indicator of differences in microclimate. However, the depth of edge influence seemed to be similar between north- and south-facing forest edges, >30 m for one species. An explanation for this could be that wind penetrates deeper into edges than solar radiation and has a more variable direction.</p><p>In conclusion, narrow buffer strips consist entirely of edge habitat. For many species the environment in buffer strips is good enough for persistence. For others, most notably bryophyte species on convex substrates, wider buffer strips are needed to ensure long-term survival. </p>

Cross-boundary movements of energy and material are ubiquitous. Freshwater ecosystems receive nutrients, dissolved, and particulate organic matter from adjacent terrestrial ecosystems, whereas terrestrial ecosystems mainly receive prey organisms and detritus deposited by physical processes such as floods from freshwater ecosystems. Within lakes, fish are considered as integrators between habitats due to their high mobility, although they often occupy either near-shore littoral or open-water pelagic habitats and develop habitat-specific morphologies. Such intra-population divergence in morphological traits might limit the use of multiple habitats. In this thesis, I first focused on quantity and quality of reciprocal fluxes of particulate organic matter between freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems and responses of recipient consumers. Freshwater ecosystems generally received higher amounts of externally-produced resources than terrestrial ecosystems. Despite this discrepancy, aquatic and terrestrial consumer responses were similar, likely due to the differences in resource quality. Second, I investigated the potential of particulate organic carbon (POC) supporting benthic food webs in lakes; a pathway that has largely been neglected in previous studies. I found that POC can substantially subsidize the benthic food web and that the effects on the benthic food web were transferred to the pelagic habitat, thus emphasizing the importance of benthic pathways for pelagic production. Third, I examined how water transparency can affect intra-population divergence in perch (Perca fluviatilis). I observed that increased water transparency can considerably increase morphological divergence between littoral and pelagic populations likely due to its effects on foraging. Finally, I investigated the effects of such intra-population divergence on littoral-pelagic food web coupling. I found that low morphological divergence corresponded with high overlap in resource use, whereas strong morphological divergence resulted in low overlap in resource use. Here littoral populations mainly utilized littoral resources and pelagic populations primarily utilized pelagic resources, indicating that habitat coupling might be strongly limited when intra-population divergence is high. In conclusion, although different ecosystems seem separated by distinct physical boundaries, these boundaries are often crossed. However, the development of habitat-specific adaptive traits might limit movement between apparently contiguous habitats.