A dissertation examining technological diversity in Indigenous copper metallurgy of the North American Arctic and Central Subarctic. Variation in technological diversity is assessed cross-culturally, chronologically, and geographically. This is accomplished using diversity statistics to characterize Richness and Evenness of spatiotemporal archaeological assemblages of copper artifacts, performing regression analysis to examine the relationship to the results of a GIS Path Distance analysis that models the cost of acquisition of raw or modified copper, and performing chi-square tests of independence to compare assemblages inter-regionally and temporally. Portable X-Ray Fluorescence was utilized to discriminate geologically pure copper from smelted trade copper and a comprehensive typology of copper artifacts was created using a compiled database of known copper artifacts from across the North American Arctic and central Subarctic. Inter-regional, chronological, and cross-cultural differences in technological diversity were identified and implications for Arctic and Subarctic archaeology and technological innovation are discussed.

Soil characterization provides the basic information necessary for understanding the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Knowledge about soils can in turn be used to inform management practices, optimize agricultural operations, and ensure the continuation of ecosystem services provided by soils. However, current analytical standards for identifying each distinct property are costly and time-consuming. The optimization of laboratory grade technology for wide scale use is demonstrated by advances in a proximal soil sensing technique known as portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF). pXRF analyzers use high energy Xrays that interact with a sample to cause characteristic reflorescence that can be distinguished by the analyzer for its energy and intensity to determine the chemical composition of the sample. While pXRF only measures total elemental abundance, the concentrations of certain elements have been used as a proxy to develop models capable of predicting soil characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate existing models and model building techniques for predicting soil pH, texture, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and C:N ratio from pXRF spectra and assess their fittingness for California soils by comparing predictions to results from laboratory methods. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RF) models were created for each property using a training subset of data and evaluated by R2 , RMSE, RPD and RPIQ on an unseen test set. The California soils sample set was comprised of 480 soil samples from across the state that were subject to laboratory and pXRF analysis in GeoChem mode. Results showed that existing data models applied to the CA soils dataset lacked predictive ability. In comparison, data models generated using MLR with 10-fold cross validation for variable selection improved predictions, while algorithmic modeling produced the best estimates for all properties besides pH. The best models produced for each property gave RMSE values of 0.489 for pH, 10.8 for sand %, 6.06 for clay % (together predicting the correct texture class 74% of the time), 6.79 for CEC (cmolc/kg soil), 1.01 for SOC %, 0.062 for TN %, and 7.02 for C:N ratio. Where R2 and RMSE were observed to fluctuate inconsistently with a change in the random train/test splits, RPD and RPIQ were more stable, which may indicate a more useful representation of out of sample applicability. RF modeling for TN content provided the best predictive model overall (R2 = 0.782, RMSE = 0.062, RPD = 2.041, and RPIQ = 2.96). RF models for CEC and TN % achieved RPD values >2, indicating stable predictive models (Cheng et al., 2021). Lower RPD values between 1.75 and 2 and RPIQ >2 were also found for MLR models of CEC, and TN %, as well as RF models for SOC. Better estimates for chemical properties (CEC, N, SOC) when compared to physical properties (texture), may be attributable to a correlation between elemental signatures and organic matter. All models were improved with the addition of categorical variables (land-use and sample set) but came at a great statistical cost (9 extra predictors). Separating models by land type and lab characterization method revealed some improvements within land types, but these effects could not be fully untangled from sample set. Thus, the consortia of characterizing bodies for ‘true’ lab data may have been a drawback in model performance, by confounding inter-lab errors with predictive errors. Future studies using pXRF analysis for soil property estimation should investigate how predictive v models are affected by characterizing method and lab body. While statewide models for California soils provided what may be an acceptable level of error for some applications, models calibrated for a specific site using consistent lab characterization methods likely provide a higher degree of accuracy for indirect measurements of some key soil properties.

O Brasil produz cerca de 2,2 milhões de metros cúbicos de madeira preservada para atender à demanda anual nos setores de transporte ferroviário, elétrico, rural e de construção civil. As espécies de madeiras mais usados são do eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.) e pinus (Pinus sp.). A madeira preservada, utilizada para postes, dormentes, mourões e nas construções em madeira, deve estar em conformidade com as especificações exigidas pelas normas brasileiras quanto ao seu tratamento preservativo. No Brasil, os preservativos de madeira mais utilizados e regulamentados são CCA (arseniato de cobre cromatado) e o CCB (sal de cobre cromo e boro). As técnicas analíticas como espectrometria de absorção atómica de chama (FAAS) e espectrometria de emissão de plasma acoplado (ICPOES) e espectrometria de fluorescência de raios x (XRFS) são utilizadas para a avaliação desses processos. Neste trabalho, as amostras de madeira foram obtidas de árvores de eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.), provenientes de áreas de plantação do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Amostras de madeira de eucalipto foram submetidas a diferentes concentrações de solução de CCA, sob pressão, atingindo retenções de 3,9; 6,7; 9,1; 12,4 e 14,0 kg de CCA por m-³ de alburno. A partir dos blocos tratados foram obtidos amostras em forma de cilindros e serragem. A determinação de cobre, cromo e arsênio foi realizada pela espectrometria de fluorescência de raios X de energia dispersiva (EDXRF), espectrometria de fluorescência de raios X portátil (PXRF), FAAS e IAAN. Neste trabalho, foram avaliados métodos de análise, sensibilidade e precisão, exatidão das técnicas analíticas relacionadas. / Brazil produces around 2.2 millions of cubic meters of treated wood to meet the annual demand of railway, electric, rural and construction sectors. The most used wood species are eucalyptus (Eucalyptus ssp.) and pine (Pinus ssp.).The treated woods used for poles, sleepers, fence posts and plywoods should be according to Brazilian norms requirements. The most usual wood preservative products used in Brazil are CCA (chromated copper arsenate) and CCB (copper chromium and boron salt). The analytical methods, such as flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), plasma inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) have been used for the analytical control of those treatment processes. In this work, the eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus ssp) samples was obtained from Minas Gerais State, Brazil, cut plantation areas. Under pressure, eucalyptus wood samples were submitted to different concentration of CCA solution reaching 3.9, 6.7, 9.1, 12.4 and 14.0 kg of CCA by m-³ sapwood retentions. Samples in cylinders and sawdust forms were obtained from treated wood samples. Copper, chromium and arsenic determination was performed using the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRFS), portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRFS), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis. In this work, the method of analysis, sensitivity, precision and accuracy performances of the related techniques were outlined.

O Brasil produz cerca de 2,2 milhões de metros cúbicos de madeira preservada para atender à demanda anual nos setores de transporte ferroviário, elétrico, rural e de construção civil. As espécies de madeiras mais usados são do eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.) e pinus (Pinus sp.). A madeira preservada, utilizada para postes, dormentes, mourões e nas construções em madeira, deve estar em conformidade com as especificações exigidas pelas normas brasileiras quanto ao seu tratamento preservativo. No Brasil, os preservativos de madeira mais utilizados e regulamentados são CCA (arseniato de cobre cromatado) e o CCB (sal de cobre cromo e boro). As técnicas analíticas como espectrometria de absorção atómica de chama (FAAS) e espectrometria de emissão de plasma acoplado (ICPOES) e espectrometria de fluorescência de raios x (XRFS) são utilizadas para a avaliação desses processos. Neste trabalho, as amostras de madeira foram obtidas de árvores de eucalipto (Eucalyptus sp.), provenientes de áreas de plantação do estado de Minas Gerais, Brasil. Amostras de madeira de eucalipto foram submetidas a diferentes concentrações de solução de CCA, sob pressão, atingindo retenções de 3,9; 6,7; 9,1; 12,4 e 14,0 kg de CCA por m-³ de alburno. A partir dos blocos tratados foram obtidos amostras em forma de cilindros e serragem. A determinação de cobre, cromo e arsênio foi realizada pela espectrometria de fluorescência de raios X de energia dispersiva (EDXRF), espectrometria de fluorescência de raios X portátil (PXRF), FAAS e IAAN. Neste trabalho, foram avaliados métodos de análise, sensibilidade e precisão, exatidão das técnicas analíticas relacionadas. / Brazil produces around 2.2 millions of cubic meters of treated wood to meet the annual demand of railway, electric, rural and construction sectors. The most used wood species are eucalyptus (Eucalyptus ssp.) and pine (Pinus ssp.).The treated woods used for poles, sleepers, fence posts and plywoods should be according to Brazilian norms requirements. The most usual wood preservative products used in Brazil are CCA (chromated copper arsenate) and CCB (copper chromium and boron salt). The analytical methods, such as flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), plasma inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICPOES) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) have been used for the analytical control of those treatment processes. In this work, the eucalyptus trees (Eucalyptus ssp) samples was obtained from Minas Gerais State, Brazil, cut plantation areas. Under pressure, eucalyptus wood samples were submitted to different concentration of CCA solution reaching 3.9, 6.7, 9.1, 12.4 and 14.0 kg of CCA by m-³ sapwood retentions. Samples in cylinders and sawdust forms were obtained from treated wood samples. Copper, chromium and arsenic determination was performed using the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRFS), portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (PXRFS), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) and instrumental neutron activation analysis. In this work, the method of analysis, sensitivity, precision and accuracy performances of the related techniques were outlined.