This dissertation explores the coupling between radiative and three-dimensional dynamical processes in the atmosphere of Titan, and their impact on the seasonal climate and recent paleoclimate. First, a simple calculation is used to demonstrate the atmospheric attenuation on the distribution of insolation. The maximum diurnal-mean surface insolation does not reach the polar regions in summertime, and this impacts both surface temperatures and their destabilizing effect on the atmosphere. Second, a detailed two-stream, fully non-gray radiative transfer model, written specifically for Titan but with high flexibility, is used to calculate radiative fluxes and the associated heating rates. This model reproduces Titan's temperature structure from the surface through the stratopause, over nearly six decades of pressure. Additionally, a physics parameterizations package is developed for Titan, in part based on similar methods from Earth atmospheric models, for use in a Titan general circulation model (GCM). Simulations with this model, including Titan's methane cycle, reproduce two important observational constraints---Titan's temperature profile and atmospheric superrotation---that have proven difficult to satisfy simultaneously for previous models. Simulations with the observed distribution of seas are used to examine the resulting distribution of cloud activity, atmospheric humidity, and temperatures, and show that these are consistent with dry mid- and low-latitudes, while the observed polar temperatures are reproduced as a consequence of evaporative cooling. Analysis of the surface energy budget shows that turbulent fluxes react to the surface insolation, confirming the importance of its distribution. Finally, the GCM is used to simulate Titan's climate during snapshots over the past 42 kyr that capture the amplitude range of variations in eccentricity and longitude of perihelion. The results show that the atmosphere is largely insensitive to orbital forcing, and that it invariably transports methane poleward, suggesting Titan's low-latitudes have been deserts for at least hundreds of thousands of years. In detail, seasonal asymmetries do affect the distribution of methane, moving methane to the pole with the weaker summer, though orbital variations do not imply a long-period asymmetry. If the timescale for the atmosphere to transport the surface liquid reservoir is sufficiently short, this explains the observed north-south dichotomy of lakes and seas.

Disertacijoje nagrinėjama konvekcijos ir nelokalios termodinaminės pusiausvyros (NLTP) įtaka įvairių cheminių elementų spektro linijų formavimuisi skirtingo metalingumo pagrindinės sekos posūkio taško (PSPT) bei raudonųjų milžinių sekos (RMS) žvaigždžių atmosferose. Konvekcijos įtaka spektro linijų formavimuisi buvo tirima analizuojant cheminių elementų gausos įverčių, gaunamų taikant 3D hidrodinaminius ir 1D hidrostatinius PSPT bei RMS žvaigždžių atmosferų modelius bei lokalios termodinaminės pusiausvyros (LTP) artinį, skirtumus. Gauti rezultatai rodo, jog konvekcijos įtaka C, O, Si, Ti, Fe, and Ni spektro linijų formavimuisi yra didžiausia mažiausio metalingumo PSPT ir RMS žvaigždžių atmosferose, o gausų skirtumai tarp 3D hidrodinaminių ir 1D hidrostatinių modelių prognozuojamų cheminių elementų gausų gali siekti atitinkamai iki –1.1 ir –0.8 dex. 3D hidrodinaminių ir NLTP reiškinių analizė Galaktikos kamuoliniams spiečiams 47 Tuc ir NGC 6752 priklausančių žvaigždžių atmosferose parodė, jog NLTP efektų įtaka deguonies ir natrio spektro linijų formavimuisi šių žvaigždžių atmosferose yra žymiai didesnė už konvekcijos įtaką. Disertacijoje taip pat gauti lengvųjų cheminių elementų (Li, O ir Na) bei bario gausų įverčiai Galaktikos kamuolinių spiečių 47 Tuc ir NGC 6752 žvaigždžių atmosferose, ištirtos cheminių elementų gausų tarpusavo sąsajos, bei aptarti galimi spiečių cheminės raidos scenarijai. / We study the influence of convection and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) on the formation of spectral lines of different chemical elements in the atmospheres of different metallicity main sequence turn-off (MSTO) and red giant branch (RGB) stars. The influence of convection is assessed by analyzing differences in the elemental abundances obtained by using 3D hydrodynamical and 1D hydrostatic stellar model atmospheres of MSTO and RGB stars, within the framework of spectral line formation under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). We find that the influence of convection on the formation of spectral lines of C, O, Si, Ti, Fe, and Ni is largest at lowest metallicities, both in the atmospheres of TO and RGB stars: the differences in the abundaces predicted by the 3D hydrodynamical and 1D hydrostatic stellar model atmospheres may reach to –1.1 and –0.8 dex in the TO and RGB stars, respectively. The analysis of 3D hydrodynamical and NLTE effects in the atmospheres of stars that belong to Galactic globular clusters 47 Tuc and NGC 6752 shows that NLTE effects have significantly larger impact on the formation of O and Na spectral lines than the effects related to convection do. Finally, we determine 3D + NLTE abundances of Li, O, Na, and Ba in the atmospheres of TO and RGB in Galactic globular clusters 47 Tuc and NGC 6752, investigate the connections between the abundances of different chemical species, and discuss the possible chemical evolution... [to full text]

We study the influence of convection and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) on the formation of spectral lines of different chemical elements in the atmospheres of different metallicity main sequence turn-off (MSTO) and red giant branch (RGB) stars. The influence of convection is assessed by analyzing differences in the elemental abundances obtained by using 3D hydrodynamical and 1D hydrostatic stellar model atmospheres of MSTO and RGB stars, within the framework of spectral line formation under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). We find that the influence of convection on the formation of spectral lines of C, O, Si, Ti, Fe, and Ni is largest at lowest metallicities, both in the atmospheres of TO and RGB stars: the differences in the abundaces predicted by the 3D hydrodynamical and 1D hydrostatic stellar model atmospheres may reach to –1.1 and –0.8 dex in the TO and RGB stars, respectively. The analysis of 3D hydrodynamical and NLTE effects in the atmospheres of stars that belong to Galactic globular clusters 47 Tuc and NGC 6752 shows that NLTE effects have significantly larger impact on the formation of O and Na spectral lines than the effects related to convection do. Finally, we determine 3D + NLTE abundances of Li, O, Na, and Ba in the atmospheres of TO and RGB in Galactic globular clusters 47 Tuc and NGC 6752, investigate the connections between the abundances of different chemical species, and discuss the possible chemical evolution... [to full text] / Disertacijoje nagrinėjama konvekcijos ir nelokalios termodinaminės pusiausvyros (NLTP) įtaka įvairių cheminių elementų spektro linijų formavimuisi skirtingo metalingumo pagrindinės sekos posūkio taško (PSPT) bei raudonųjų milžinių sekos (RMS) žvaigždžių atmosferose. Konvekcijos įtaka spektro linijų formavimuisi buvo tirima analizuojant cheminių elementų gausos įverčių, gaunamų taikant 3D hidrodinaminius ir 1D hidrostatinius PSPT bei RMS žvaigždžių atmosferų modelius bei lokalios termodinaminės pusiausvyros (LTP) artinį, skirtumus. Gauti rezultatai rodo, jog konvekcijos įtaka C, O, Si, Ti, Fe, and Ni spektro linijų formavimuisi yra didžiausia mažiausio metalingumo PSPT ir RMS žvaigždžių atmosferose, o gausų skirtumai tarp 3D hidrodinaminių ir 1D hidrostatinių modelių prognozuojamų cheminių elementų gausų gali siekti atitinkamai iki –1.1 ir –0.8 dex. 3D hidrodinaminių ir NLTP reiškinių analizė Galaktikos kamuoliniams spiečiams 47 Tuc ir NGC 6752 priklausančių žvaigždžių atmosferose parodė, jog NLTP efektų įtaka deguonies ir natrio spektro linijų formavimuisi šių žvaigždžių atmosferose yra žymiai didesnė už konvekcijos įtaką. Disertacijoje taip pat gauti lengvųjų cheminių elementų (Li, O ir Na) bei bario gausų įverčiai Galaktikos kamuolinių spiečių 47 Tuc ir NGC 6752 žvaigždžių atmosferose, ištirtos cheminių elementų gausų tarpusavo sąsajos, bei aptarti galimi spiečių cheminės raidos scenarijai.

Listeria monocytogenes is a common post-processing contaminant in ready-to-eat vacuum packaged (VP) cold smoked salmon. Since this psychrotrophic pathogen can grow at refrigerated temperatures (~4°C), other safety barriers in addition to temperature are needed to ensure the continued safety of VP cold smoked salmon. One such novel barrier could be the pulsed light (PL) treatment of the product prior to packaging or treating the product through a transparent package. / Pulsed light destruction kinetics of L. monocytogenes were evaluated while dispensed into a liquid media, on the surface of a general purpose agar and on the surface of cold smoked salmon. Results showed that PL technology was an effective surface sanitation method (a decimal reduction time or D-value of 0.91, 1.37 and 2.25 s exposure of PL at 800, 700 and 600 V, respectively, and a resulting z value of 500 V) on the agar plate. However, it had only a limited success when applied to liquid samples as well as directly on the surface of cold smoked salmon (D-value ranged from 93 s to 24 min). / Sensory quality of VP cold smoked salmon subjected to selected PL treatments was monitored during storage for 14 days at 4°C. Both color and odor scores remained within acceptable limits over the 14 day storage period. Subsequent challenge studies were carried out with L. monocytogenes applied on VP cold smoked salmon. An overall reduction in counts was observed in samples stored at 4°C over 28 days; however, after PL treatment (day 0), there was no significant reduction in counts. Color and odor scores maintained acceptable values over 14 days. Additional experiments were carried out to determine the effects of (1) 1.5% salt, (2) 6% oil, (3) a representative salmon media and (4) background microflora (lactic acid bacteria) on the PL inactivation of L. monocytogenes. All of these factors significantly affected the destruction of L. monocytogenes by increasing the D-value (adding resistance to pulsed light destruction). / Overall, these studies have shown that PL treatment in combination with low temperature storage (4°C) has the potential to extend the shelf-life of VP cold smoked salmon products without compromising sensory quality. However further investigation into higher treatment voltages is necessary in order to achieve a higher target kill of L. monocytogenes.

Salmonella enteritidis has recently emerged as a potential pathogen in poultry products. The growth of S. enteritidis in poultry is affected by several factors such as storage temperature, pH, water activity, modified atmosphere and the presence of preservatives. All of these factors may act alone or in combination with each other resulting in a synergistic, antimicrobial effect. / In this research, initial storage studies were done to determine the effect of various atmospheres (air, vacuum, oxygen absorbent and gas packaging) on the microbial changes of packaged chicken thighs followed by challenge studies with a strain of S. enteritidis$ sp{ rm{NAST}}$. Chicken thighs were packaged in Cryovac bags and stored at 4 and 12$ sp circ$C for up to 28d. Changes in headspace gas composition, pH, drip loss, color and odor were monitored at each sampling day. / The effect of various packaging treatments, dipping solutions (chitosan (0.2%w/v) and potassium sorbate (0.2%w/v)) and low dose irradiation (1.5 & 3.0 kGy) on the growth of S. enteritidis$ sp{ rm NAST}$ and on the shelf-life of chicken thighs stored at 4 and 12$ sp circ$C was also investigated. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

A granola-type, omega-3-rich breakfast cereal prototype was developed using ground flaxseed as the principal source of linolenic acid (1.8% w/w). Other ingredients included rolled oats, yellow sugar, honey, sliced almonds, and canola oil. The focus of the research investigation was to apply and study the addition of an antioxidant (AO) and the use of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) on shelf-life extension of the enriched cereal. Granola samples, both with and without AO (300ppm of 70% mixed tocopherols), were packaged in air, and under the two atmospheres achieved by nitrogen flushing (MA 1) and an oxygen scavenger (MA2). Samples were stored at either 21 or 35°C. / Shelf-life was terminated when products reached a thiobarbituric acid (TBA) value of 4.0 mg malonaldehyde/kg corresponding to a sensory score of 5 (on a hedonic scale of 10). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

In this investigation of near-contact binary stars, the author fit a synthetic light, computer generated, curve model to observations by adjusting various parameters of two near-contact binary pairs, CN Andromeda and TZ Draconis. By fitting asymmetries in the light curves using spotting parameters, the spotting activity for both stars can be determined. From the spotting parameters it is possible to compare the spotting activity of these two near-contact binaries to the spotting activity of 47 contact binaries (Csizmadia et al., 2004). The author determined that, for both TZ Dra and CN And, spots are located at positions that were previously not seen in other observations of contact binaries (Hill, 2007). / Department of Physics and Astronomy

The study of song cycles poses difficulties for both analysts and performers. These challenges stem largely from two qualities intrinsic to the genre: (1) the inclusion of two semiotic systems, language and music, and (2) the use of multi-movement structures. Several scholars have addressed these issues; however, a model built on a balanced consideration of both text-based/dramatic events and purely musical elements, has yet to be offered. This study proposes such a model with separate applications for both performers and analysts. Focusing on the identification of features connecting song cycles in their entirety, deep voice-leading associations and movements in key paths are examined in the application for analysts, whereas the performers’ application concentrates on recognizing underlying “atmospheres” and forms of acceleration. Each application is applied to Schumann’s Frauenliebe und –leben and Dichterliebe song cycles, demonstrating the benefits of employing this model in the development of both performative and analytical interpretations.

Through the cosmic matter cycle, the chemical evolution of the Milky Way is imprinted in the elemental abundance patterns of late-type stars (spectral types F to K). Due to their long lifetimes ( 1 Hubble time), these stars are of particular importance when it comes to studying the build-up of elements during the early times of our Galaxy. The chemical composition of the atmospheric layers of such stars is believed to resemble the gas from which they were formed. However, recent observations in globular clusters seem to contradict this assumption. The observations indicate that processes are at work that alter the surface compositions in these stars. The combined effect of processes responsible for an exchange of material between the stellar interior and atmosphere during the main sequence lifetime of the star, is referred to as atomic diffusion. Yet, the extent to which these processes alter surface abundances is still debated. By comparing abundances in unevolved and evolved stars all drawn from the same stellar population, any surface abundance anomalies can be traced. The anomalies, if found, can be compared to theoretical predictions from stellar structure models including atomic diffusion. Globular clusters provide stellar populations suitable to conduct such a comparison. In this thesis, the results of three independent analyses of two globular clusters, NGC 6752 and M4, at different metallicities are presented. The comparison between observations and models yields constraints on the models and finally a better understanding of the physical processes at work inside stars.

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