In order to preserve the acoustics of the Salt Lake Tabernacle after the seismic renovation of 2005-2006, it was necessary to characterize these acoustics immediately preceding the renovation. This thesis discusses the characterization process that began with the measurement of hundreds of impulse responses for five different source positions and several receiver locations throughout the hall seating areas. The acoustics were further characterized by deriving various parameters from these responses that correlate with subjective preferences for music and speech. Impulse responses were also generated by a CATT-Acoustic™ computer model of the Tabernacle for the same purpose. The parameter values were then mapped over diagrams of the seating areas of the hall to show the spatial variation of the acoustics. To further investigate the variation, statistics were calculated for each parameter and an algorithm was developed to determine the minimum number of receiver locations necessary to adequately characterize the hall. Computer models were also used to investigate focusing effects of the curved ceiling and historical comments made about the improvements to the acoustics with addition of the balcony in 1870.

This thesis discusses the process of modeling a 21,000 seat fan-shaped auditorium using methods of geometric acoustics. Two commercial geometric acoustics software packages were used in the research: CATT-Acoustic™ 8.0 and EASE™ 4.1. The process first included creating preliminary models of the hall using published absorption coefficients for its surfaces and approximate scattering coefficients based on current best-known techniques. A detailed analysis determined the minimum numbers of rays needed in both packages to produce reliable results with these coefficient values. It was found that 100,000 rays were needed for CATT™ and 500,000 rays were needed for EASE™. Analysis was also done to determine whether the model was sensitive to the scattering coefficients of the seating areas. It was found that most acoustic parameters were not significantly affected by scattering coefficient variation. The models were subsequently refined by including measured absorption coefficients of dominant surfaces in the hall: the seats, audience and suspended absorptive panels. Comparisons were made between measurements made in the hall and results from the computer models with impulse responses, acoustic parameters, and auralizations. The results have shown that the models have been successful at representing characteristics of the hall at some positions but less successful at representing them at other positions. Comparisons have shown that positions on the rostrum were especially difficult positions to model in this hall. Significant differences were not found between the preliminary models and the refined models. There was not significant evidence showing that either the EASE™ or the CATT™ model was more successful in accurately representing the acoustical conditions of the hall. The results from this research suggest that more work must be done to improve the modeling capabilities of these packages for this application.

Accurate dosimetry is a fundamental requirement for the safe and efficient use of radiation in medical applications. International Codes of Practice, such as IAEA TRS-398 (2000) for radiotherapy beams and IAEA TRS-457 (2007) for diagnostic radiology beams, provide the necessary formulation for reference and relative dosimetry and the data required for their implementation. Research in recent years has highlighted the shortage of such data for radiotherapy small photon beams and for surface dose estimations in diagnostic and interventional radiology, leading to significant dosimetric errors that in some instances have jeopardized patient’s safety and treatment efficiency. The aim of this thesis is to investigate and determine key data for the reference and relative dosimetry of radiotherapy and radiodiagnostics beams. For that purpose the Monte Carlo system PENELOPE has been used to simulate the transport of radiation in different media and a number of experimental determinations have also been made. A review of the key data for radiotherapy beams published after the release of IAEA TRS-398 was conducted, and in some cases the considerable differences found were questioned under the criterion of data consistency throughout the dosimetry chain (from standards laboratories to the user). A modified concept of output factor, defined in a new international formalism for the dosimetry of small photon beams, requires corrections to dosimeter readings for the dose determination in small beams used clinically. In this work, output correction factors were determined, for Varian Clinac 6 MV photon beams and Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion 60Co gamma-ray beams, for a large number of small field detectors, including air and liquid ionization chambers, shielded and unshielded silicon diodes and diamond detectors, all of which were simulated by Monte Carlo with great detail. Backscatter factors and ratios of mass energy-absorption coefficients required for surface (skin) determinations in diagnostic and interventional radiology applications were also determined, as well as their extension to account for non-standard phantom thicknesses and materials. A database of these quantities was created for a broad range of monoenergetic photon beams and computer codes developed to convolve the data with clinical spectra, thus enabling the determination of key data for arbitrary beam qualities. Data presented in this thesis has been contributed to the IAEA international dosimetry recommendations for small radiotherapy beams and for diagnostic radiology in paediatric patients. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following paper was unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 6: Manuscript.</p>

The aim of the diploma thesis was to optimize the sequential fractionation method of organic matter to be used for physico-chemical characterization of extracted fractions. Humic acid isolated from oxidized brown coal of Leonardite was used as a source matrix of organic matter. An eluotropic series was assembled and sequential fractionation was performed by extraction on a Soxhlet apparatus. The original humic acid and fractions were characterized by elemental analysis (EA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), followed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), molecular absorption spectrometry (UV/VIS), fluorescence spectrometry and potentiometric titration. Atomic ratios were determined from the results of the elemental analysis. From the measured UV/Vis and fluorescence excitation and emission spectra, the absorption coefficients, resp. fluorescence coefficients. Used fractionation method proved to be a suitable method for studying HA structure. A total of 62 wt. % of initial materiál was extracted, indiivdual fraction amounted from 0.36–30.92 wt. %. From the results of the structural analysis, it is clear that with increasing polarity of the organic solvent, fractions with long aliphatic chains were first isolated and their aromaticity graddualy increased. Non-polar organic solvents were suitable for the extraction of lipid-like coumpounds, while the most polar organic fractions were rich in polar groups and their structual parameters were close to the original humic acid. The fraction extracted with acetonitrile was the most unique fraction. This fraction was rich on nitrogen and amine groups and was similar to protein-like structures. In the last two fractions, extracted with alcohols, a significant bathochromic shift typical of fluorophore type V was observed. Among other things, they were also characterized by a higher content of plant carbohydrate residues.

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The main aim of doctoral thesis is the study on physicochemical properties of humic substances (HS) by modern instrumental techniques. The subject of the study were HS isolated from South Moravian lignite, South Bohemian peat, forest soil Humic Podzol and finally extract from brown sea algae Ascophyllum nodosum. With respect on determination of structure and reactivity of these unique “biocolloids”, standard samples (Leonardite HA, Elliott Soil HS and Pahokee Peat HS) were also studied. These samples were obtained from International Humic Substances Society (IHSS). All mentioned substances were characterized by elemental analysis (EA), molecular absorption spectroscopy in ultraviolet and visible region (UV/Vis), infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transformation (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of carbon isotope 13C (LS 13C NMR), steady-state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Obtained fluorescence, UV/Vis and 13C NMR spectra were used for calculation of fluorescence and absorption indexes, values of specific absorbance and structural parameters respectively, which were used for fundamental characterization of these “biocolloidal” compounds. Infrared spectroscopy with Fourier transformation was utilized for the identification of functional groups and structural units of HS. Evaluation of infrared spectra is quiet complicated by overlapping of absorption bands especially in fingerprint region. This problem was overcome by Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD). Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy was used for deeper characterization of HS with respect to origin, structural units, amount of substituents with electron-donor and electron-acceptor effects, content of reactive functional groups, “molecular” heterogeneity, the degree of humification, etc. Parameters of complexation of samples Elliott Soil with heavy metal ions (Cu2+, Pb2+ and Hg2+) were obtained by using modified Stern-Volmer equation. These ions were chosen purposefully, because the interaction of HS with these ions is one of the fundamental criteria for the assessment of the reactivity of HS. Key part of the whole doctoral thesis is time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. It is able to determine the origin of emission of HS by method Time-Resolved Area Normalized Emission Spectra (TRANES). The viscosity of micro medium about excited fluorophores of HS was determined by Time-Resolved Emission Spectra (TRES).