This thesis describes a new method to create three-dimensional finite element meshes using the horizons to mesh algorithm. The algorithm uses available geologic data and user-defined inputs to guide the mesh generation process. This new approach allows for material layer pinch outs and many different layer refinement options to create well-formed elements that better represent hydrogeologic formations. Two case studies are presented that demonstrate the application of the algorithm's options and capabilities. A graphical interface for the algorithm was developed in the Groundwater Modeling System.

Interpreting soil wetness in upland transported soils on flat broad summits in the central Piedmont of Virginia containing chroma ≥ 3 redoximorphic features (RMFs) can be difficult. It is imperative to understand their saturation regimes because onsite wastewater disposal systems, which are sited based upon soil evaluations, have failed prematurely when installed into these problematic soils. My objectives were to determine if soil morphology was an accurate predictor of soil wetness and permeability, to differentiate interpretations for colluvial soils from residual soils, and to determine the effect of canopy cover on seasonal wetness. Soil morphology, soil wetness regimes in open and wooded canopies, and in-situ saturated hydraulic conductivity were documented in transported Appomattox, Bentley, Brockroad, Catharpin, and Dothan and residual Clifford, Minnieville, and Penhook soil series at eight sites. Transported soils had average winter water levels, and met 30-day and 20-day NRCS oxyaquic criteria at 81, 66, and 91 cm, respectively. Transported soils with depleted ped faces, Fe- concentrations, and chroma 3 depletions were saturated an average of 41, 23, and 41% of the winter, respectively. Residuum found ≥ 1.5 m beneath transported soils exhibited little saturation, thus confirming epiaquic conditions. Residual soils did not perch water for extended periods; and were saturated for significantly (p<0.001) shorter durations and shallower depths (average 93 and 82 cm for 30-day and 20-day oxyaquic criteria, respectively). Transported soils under clear cuts had significantly (p<0.001) shallower average water levels (79 cm) and 30-day and 20-day oxyaquic conditions (51 and 88 cm, respectively) than wooded locations (87 and 83 cm average water levels and 30-day oxyaquic water table, respectively). In-situ hydraulic testing confirmed the presence of low permeability layers as determined by soil evaluation. Restrictive layers were thicker and less permeable in transported soils than in residual soils. In summary, water perches seasonally for extended periods over thick impermeable layers in transported soils. A recommended best management practice for problematic transported soils would be to not install septic systems in zones of saturation and low permeability, including the 1.5 m below a discontinuity. Drainfield designs should utilize permeable saprolite beneath transported material and an upslope curtain drain. / Ph. D.

This dissertation comprises two essays in financial economics. They study how firms finance and invest in innovative and intangible assets. The first essay examines the impact of technology spillovers on corporate financing decisions for innovative firms. I find that greater technology spillovers lead to higher leverage in innovative firms. Furthermore, in firms with greater technology spillovers, equity is more costly relative to debt. I find that these financing effects are generated by at least three related mechanisms: information asymmetry, asset redeployability, and equity undervaluation. All three mechanisms lead firms to substitute away from equity and toward debt. The results are robust to exploiting variation in RandD tax credits to identify the causal effect of technology spillovers. The second essay is coauthored with Ambrus Kecskés at York University and Sattar Mansi at Virginia Tech. My coauthors and I enter the long-lived debate about whether stakeholder capital investment increases shareholder value. We argue that long-term investors are natural monitors that can ensure that managers choose stakeholder capital investment to maximize shareholder value. We find that long-term investors increase the value to shareholders of stakeholder capital investment, not as a result of higher cash flow but rather of lower cash flow risk. Also following prior work, we use indexing by investors and the staggered adoption of state laws on stakeholder orientation for identification. Our findings suggest that firms can create value for shareholders by investing in stakeholder capital as long as managers are properly monitored by long-term investors. / Ph. D.

Les horizons d'accumulations carbonatées (HAC) de Champagne sont des horizons particuliers présents de manière non systématique dans les profils de sol directement sous l'horizon organo-minéral. Bien que des travaux antérieurs se soient déjà attachées à l'étude de ces structures particulières, certaines questions restent encore en suspens, notamment en ce qui concerne leur localisation dans le cadre régional, leur caractérisation par rapport aux autres horizons du profil et la quantification de leur rôle dans les transferts hydriques. Leur localisation sur le terrain n'étant pas réalisable méthodes de prospection habituelles (pénétrométrie dynamique, tarière), les zones de localisation préférentielle des HAC ont été déterminées par une exploration bibliographique. Des analyses en laboratoire ont été conduites sur des échantillons prélevés sur un site pilote représentatif, le Mont du Ménil (08). En plus des analyses géochimiques et de la colorimétrie, les échantillons prélevés tout au long des profils ont subi des analyses pétrophysiques habituellement utilisées dans la caractérisation des pierres en œuvre (porosité totale à l'eau, porosimétrie mercure, cinétiques d'absorptions capillaires et d'évaporation). Ces analyses montrent que les HAC sont bien différents des horizons sus et sous-jacents. Ce sont des niveaux présentant une forte porosité qui va de pair avec leur induration plus faible contrairement à ce qui est généralement admis dans la bibliographie. Les HAC présentent également des micromorphologies différentes des autres horizons du profil pédologique ce qui justifient les réseaux poreux différents identifiés. L'étude des transferts hydriques en laboratoire montre également que ces réseaux poreux différents sont responsables de transferts hydriques plus rapides dans les HAC que dans leurs grèzes d'accueil. Il apparaît donc que contrairement à ce qui est généralement avancé dans la littérature, les HAC champardennais ne semblent pas faire obstacle aux transferts hydriques mais semble au contraire les favoriser. Ce phénomène pourrait avoir des conséquences agronomiques importantes favorisant le drainage et les remontées capillaires. / Carbonate accumulation horizons (CAH) are structures un-systematically present in Champagne-Ardenne soils (NE of France) and are localized directly under de rendic leptosol. They have already been studied but their regional repartition, characterization compare to other soils horizons and impact on water transfers remain unknown. On the field, CAH cannot be directly localized by currently prospection methods. Preferential location areas have been determined by literature analyze. Geochemistry, colorimetry and petrophysical analyzes (total water porosity, mercury porosimetry, absorption en evaporation kinetics tests) have been applied on samples took on a representative site : Mont du Ménil. These analyses have shown that CAH present a high porosity linked to their weak induration contrary to what is generally advanced in the literature. The micromorphology of CAH is different from others horizons that induces porous network différences. Laboratory water transfers study links these porous network differences to faster water transfers measured for CAH contrary to the others horizons. CAH of Champagne do not impede water transfers contrary to what is generally fund into the literature but seems to favor them. This phenomenon could have important agronomic implications favouring draining and capillary rises.

In the present work we investigate the solution of the univalent twistor equation on an isolated horizon that serves for the definition of the so-called Penrose mass. We start our discussion with the construction of adapted co- ordinates to the isolated horizon and summarizing the main results in this field that are needed for our work. We include a chapter devoted to the extre- mal isolated horizons and prove an important result concerning uniqueness of geometry therein. It is a generalization of the paper by Lewandowski and Pawlowski (Class. Quantum Grav. 31 (17), 2014), which states that the ex- tremal isolated horizons are necessarily isometric to the intrinsic geometry of the Kerr-Newmann black hole. Further we proceed to investigation of the twistor equation on the isolated horizon. We analyze conditions of integra- bility and derive the time dependent solution. Consequently we solve the 2-surface twistor equation and briefly discuss the general approach to the problem of defining the Penrose charge. 1

Le présent travail poursuit deux objectifs principaux, dont la visée commune consiste à clarifier le rapport de Gadamer à la phénoménologie en général et envers Husserl en particulier. Bien que l’impression fondamentalement favorable de Gadamer à l’égard de Husserl soit documentée dans la littérature secondaire, la tendance interprétative traditionnelle considère que la pratique phénoménologique dont Gadamer se réclame doit beaucoup plus à Heidegger qu’au père de la phénoménologie. En un premier geste plus « exégétique », nous nous proposons de mettre en relief les grandes lignes de l’interprétation que Gadamer propose de l’œuvre de Husserl afin de souligner la rigueur de son interprétation. Cette incursion initiale nous permettra aussi de révéler la présence d’une dette conceptuelle méconnue chez Gadamer à l’égard de la phénoménologie husserlienne, dette qui nous paraît fondamentale et qui ne doit pas être négligée dans l’économie globale de son projet philosophique. C’est pourquoi le deuxième objectif de notre projet de recherche aura pour tâche d’illustrer la productivité de ce legs conceptuel au sein du projet philosophique de Gadamer, en soulignant toutefois aussi la prise de distance critique de Gadamer par rapport à la phénoménologie husserlienne. Dans l’élaboration de son herméneutique, Gadamer développe en effet une critique « anti-subjectiviste » et « anti-fondationaliste » de la phénoménologie. Nous aurons cependant à souligner qu’il le fait afin de retourner à un sens de la phénoménologie plus en accord avec les « choses mêmes » et qui ne renie aucunement la nécessité de l’apport conceptuel de la phénoménologique husserlienne. Cela se remarquera entre autres par l’élaboration des concepts de tradition et de la fusion des horizons, mais aussi par l’élargissement du cadre du monde de la vie (Lebenswelt) pour inclure la dimension langagière. / The present study pursues two main objectives whose common aim is to highlight Gadamer’s specific relationship to phenomenology in general and to Husserl’s in particular. Although Gadamer’s fundamentally favorable impression of Husserl is well documented in the secondary literature, the traditional interpretative tendency holds that the phenomenological practice to which Gadamer refers owes much more to Heidegger than to the father of phenomenology. First, in a more exegetical gesture, we will retrace the ins and outs of Gadamer’s interpretation of Husserl’s work to highlight the rigor of his interpretation. This initial incursion will also enable us to reveal Gadamer’s conceptual debt to Husserlian phenomenology, which is fundamental and must not be overlooked in the overall economy of Gadamer’s philosophical project. Consequently, the second objective of our research project will be to illustrate the productivity of this conceptual legacy within Gadamer’s philosophical project, while also emphasizing Gadamer’s critical distance from Husserlian phenomenology. Through his affiliation with hermeneutics, Gadamer emancipates himself from the subjectivist and foundationalist bent that is ascribed to Husserl. As we will argue, however, this enables him to return to a sense of phenomenology more in line with the “things themselves”, and that in no way denies the need for conceptual input from Husserl’s phenomenology. This takes shape, among other things, through the concepts of tradition and the fusion of horizons, but also through the broadening of the framework of the lifeworld (Lebenswelt) to include the dimension of language.

No description available.

A presente pesquisa teve por objetivo demonstrar quais processos pedogenéticos ocorrem na gênese e evolução de solos no setor noroeste do Estado do Paraná, mais especificamente a evolução de horizontes B níticos sobre B latossólicos em uma área de basaltos inseridos na faixa de transição litológica arenitos-basaltos deste setor do estado. A área de estudos é a bacia hidrográfica do córrego Gurupá, no município de Floraí/PR. Utilizamos técnicas e procedimentos de fotointerpretação para levantamento geológico com o objetivo de elucidar a distribuição do substrato, formas de relevo e solos associados, elaborando como produto final um Mapa Morfolitológico. Para a análise multiescalar da organização e dinâmica da cobertura pedológica utilizamos procedimentos propostos pela Análise Estrutural da Cobertura Pedológica. O sistema pedológico estudado apresenta um volume superficial arenoso e volumes subsuperficiais mais argilosos, com organizações em blocos poliédricos ou microagregados, bem distinguíveis em campo; a análise dos parâmetros físicos e químicos demonstrou uma diferenciação morfológica dos grãos de quartzo em profundidade e concentração heterogênea de elementos e óxidos nos perfis estudados. Com o auxílio de conceitos, técnicas e procedimentos da micromorfologia de solos, demonstramos que na área de estudos ocorre uma intensa dissolução geoquímica de grãos de quartzo, sob a forma de golfos de dissolução, separações plásmicas mais abundantes no contato entre os volumes arenoso e argiloso, com evolução em profundidade, e intensa acumulação de argila iluviada em subsuperfície, provocando reorganizações de núcleos microagregados em blocos poliédricos, com evolução ascendente. Em síntese, este sistema evolui em decorrência do transporte de matéria que promove reorganizações no interior da cobertura pedológica (processo de eluviação-iluviação), indicando que a área passa por um período de desequilíbrio pedobioclimático. / The goal of the present research is to show which pedogenetic processes take place in the genesis and evolution of soils in the northwest of the state of Paraná, aiming specifically on the formation of nitic horizons on top of latosolic horizons in a basaltic area, inserted in a lithological transition zone, between basalts and sandstones. The study area is the Gurupá Creek hydrographical basin, located in Floraí - PR. In this process, photointerpretation techniques and procedures were used for the geological survey, in order to elucidate the substratum´s distribution, landforms and associated soils. The final cartographic product is a Morpholithological Map. The Structural Analysis of the Pedological Coverage supplied us with the procedures which allowed the multi-scalar analysis of the organization and dynamics of the soil coverage. The pedological system studied in this research presents a sandy superficial volume, and an increase in clay content in the subsuperficial volumes, organized in polyhedral blocks or microaggregated structure, clearly distinguishable during the field work; the analysis of the physical and chemical parameters revealed a morphological difference between the quartz grains in depth and heterogeneous concentration of elements and oxides in the studied profiles. With the support of different concepts, techniques and procedures of soil micromorphology, we demonstrated that an intense geochemical dissolution of the quartz grains is currently taking place, in the form of dissolution gulfs, abundant plasmic separations in the contact of the sandy and argilic volumes, with an evolution in depth and intense illuviated clay accumulation in the subsurface, causing the reorganization of the microaggregated structure in polyhedral blocks, with an ascending evolution. In synthesis, this system evolves through the transportation of matter, which promotes reorganizations within the pedological coverage (elluviation/illuviation), indicating that the area is going through a period of pedobioclimatic imbalance.

A presente pesquisa teve por objetivo demonstrar quais processos pedogenéticos ocorrem na gênese e evolução de solos no setor noroeste do Estado do Paraná, mais especificamente a evolução de horizontes B níticos sobre B latossólicos em uma área de basaltos inseridos na faixa de transição litológica arenitos-basaltos deste setor do estado. A área de estudos é a bacia hidrográfica do córrego Gurupá, no município de Floraí/PR. Utilizamos técnicas e procedimentos de fotointerpretação para levantamento geológico com o objetivo de elucidar a distribuição do substrato, formas de relevo e solos associados, elaborando como produto final um Mapa Morfolitológico. Para a análise multiescalar da organização e dinâmica da cobertura pedológica utilizamos procedimentos propostos pela Análise Estrutural da Cobertura Pedológica. O sistema pedológico estudado apresenta um volume superficial arenoso e volumes subsuperficiais mais argilosos, com organizações em blocos poliédricos ou microagregados, bem distinguíveis em campo; a análise dos parâmetros físicos e químicos demonstrou uma diferenciação morfológica dos grãos de quartzo em profundidade e concentração heterogênea de elementos e óxidos nos perfis estudados. Com o auxílio de conceitos, técnicas e procedimentos da micromorfologia de solos, demonstramos que na área de estudos ocorre uma intensa dissolução geoquímica de grãos de quartzo, sob a forma de golfos de dissolução, separações plásmicas mais abundantes no contato entre os volumes arenoso e argiloso, com evolução em profundidade, e intensa acumulação de argila iluviada em subsuperfície, provocando reorganizações de núcleos microagregados em blocos poliédricos, com evolução ascendente. Em síntese, este sistema evolui em decorrência do transporte de matéria que promove reorganizações no interior da cobertura pedológica (processo de eluviação-iluviação), indicando que a área passa por um período de desequilíbrio pedobioclimático. / The goal of the present research is to show which pedogenetic processes take place in the genesis and evolution of soils in the northwest of the state of Paraná, aiming specifically on the formation of nitic horizons on top of latosolic horizons in a basaltic area, inserted in a lithological transition zone, between basalts and sandstones. The study area is the Gurupá Creek hydrographical basin, located in Floraí - PR. In this process, photointerpretation techniques and procedures were used for the geological survey, in order to elucidate the substratum´s distribution, landforms and associated soils. The final cartographic product is a Morpholithological Map. The Structural Analysis of the Pedological Coverage supplied us with the procedures which allowed the multi-scalar analysis of the organization and dynamics of the soil coverage. The pedological system studied in this research presents a sandy superficial volume, and an increase in clay content in the subsuperficial volumes, organized in polyhedral blocks or microaggregated structure, clearly distinguishable during the field work; the analysis of the physical and chemical parameters revealed a morphological difference between the quartz grains in depth and heterogeneous concentration of elements and oxides in the studied profiles. With the support of different concepts, techniques and procedures of soil micromorphology, we demonstrated that an intense geochemical dissolution of the quartz grains is currently taking place, in the form of dissolution gulfs, abundant plasmic separations in the contact of the sandy and argilic volumes, with an evolution in depth and intense illuviated clay accumulation in the subsurface, causing the reorganization of the microaggregated structure in polyhedral blocks, with an ascending evolution. In synthesis, this system evolves through the transportation of matter, which promotes reorganizations within the pedological coverage (elluviation/illuviation), indicating that the area is going through a period of pedobioclimatic imbalance.

Garden Banks field 236, known as Pimento, is part of a lower middle Pleistocene submarine-fan deposit in the north central Gulf of Mexico. Pimento field represents a classic example of a prograding fan across the continental shelf continuing across the continental slope filling and spilling minibasins. Channel complexes cut through the field as sediment migrated across the shelf and slope to the basin floor. This thesis consists of two papers which utilized donated 3D seismic data on six of the blocks in Pimento field. Public domain data was incorporated with these data to explore the producing reservoir sand in the field. Mapped horizons revealed the overall structural elements of the field including the fill and spill facies of the minibasin that directly influences the deposition of the field. In these papers, channel complexes have been resolved using seismic geomorphological techniques and cross sections. Two potential drilling targets have also been discovered and one has been initially investigated as a drilling target.