2014 Abstracts

Phillip Lundgreen, Utah State University Physical Sciences By developing a low-noise, high-voltage battery power supply, system noise has been reduced, increasing accuracy of conductivity measurements of highly disordered insulating materials. The method involves a simple parallel plate capacitor setup with the sample sandwiched between electrodes, a voltage potential applied to one electrode, and a measurement device applied to the back electrode measuring current. Previous methods involved use of a commercial power supply with a claimed low noise and high linearity, but with a low AC output ripple. At high voltages (1000 V), however, the noise became apparent in the readings and an unacceptable uncertainty was introduced in our precision conductivity measurements. Through the use of a stable dc battery high-voltage power supply, we were able to reduce noise in current measurements and achieve a more accurate measurement of conductivity for various samples.

Zachary Anderson, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences Correlation analysis is useful in extracting spatiotemporal relationships between signals and can be used to examine features of near-field jet noise for source properties. Characteristic correlation envelopes determined by Harker et al. [JASA 133, EL458 (2013)] can be used to relate correlation lengths to fine and large-scale turbulent structures. As an extension, cross-correlation shows spatial variation in jet noise and further reveals the transition between short (fine-scale) and long (large-scale) correlation lengths. These analyses are applied to a military jet dataset of a ground based linear microphone array positioned 11.6 m from the jet axis. Correlation analyses over multiple engine conditions and observation directions are reported. In particular, a maximum correlation coefficient greater than 0.5 exists over a range spanning multiple wavelengths in the region of greatest overall sound pressure level at military power. [Work supported by ONR.]

Ian Sohl, University of Utah Physical Sciences Current software in the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Telescope data collection system only triggers saving of events that pass a specified number of hits and energy. Our analysis of the untriggered (and unsaved) data will identify the number of potentially significant events that are bypassed by the existing software. By the application of a sorting function onto current Monte Carlo generated data, we can categorize incoming events into various types of particles, primarily muons, while also filtering out randomized noise from the photomultiplier tubes used in HAWC. Due to the relatively low rate and energy of the photomultiplier tube noise, many of the significant events for the untriggered set are potential useful particles. Our triggering algorithm, based on the energy, timing and saturation of the tanks is primarily focused on separating muons from the bulk of data. These raw rate data for small events are a relatively unexplored area for HAWC and measurements can be useful for a variety of calibration tasks for the telescope. They can be useful for understanding the impact of the atmosphere on the telescope’s data collection, as well as the triggering of the photomultiplier tubes through secondary sources. This untriggered data can also be used in a variety of useful forms not directly related to HAWC’s primary usage goals, primarily solar physics. Due to the relatively low energy and hit count from solar events, most of the data are thrown away by the triggering algorithm.

Mallory Millington, University of Utah Physical Sciences Groundwater in the western United States is a limited and important resource for agriculture, industry, and residents alike. Knowing the movement of groundwater is critical to understanding the potential of groundwater contamination from human activities. While groundwater flow is difficult to quantify, it typically recharges in high elevation and discharges towards lower elevation. The first commercially-approved tar sands mine in eastern Utah is located on a ridgetop in the PR Spring area within the high plateaus on the south rim of the Uinta Basin. To evaluate the potential of groundwater contamination due to tar sands mining a study was conducted to understand groundwater flow in the PR Spring area, specifically the canyon directly south of the tar sands mine called Main Canyon. Water samples were taken from four groundwater springs at elevations ranging from 7040 to 8040 ft in or near Main Canyon. Water quality measurements taken in the field showed that the lower springs exhibited higher conductivity (900 vs. 636 μS/cm) and lower dissolved oxygen (30% vs. 88% saturation) than the higher elevation springs. This suggests that the lower springs have had a greater amount of water-rock interaction and so are chemically more evolved than the springs at higher elevations. SF6 age dating indicated that the high elevation springs are younger than the lower elevation springs, 5.5 vs. 16.0 years since recharge respectively. The field parameters and SF6 age data all indicate that higher elevation springs are younger and less chemically evolved than the water at lower elevations. This indicates that the springs in Main Canyon are sourced from local recharge at the ridgetops. Given these findings the tar sands mine should consider taking preventative measures to protect groundwater resources.

Andrew Fletcher, Utah Valley University Physical Sciences Springville, Utah, is known for its high water table and many freshwater wetlands and springs, which gave rise to the name of the city. Flooding of barns is a common problem among farmers in western Springville, which is just east of Utah Lake. These frequent barn floods are anecdotally linked to high-intensity precipitation events and the common use of flood irrigation. The objective of this study is to determine the cause of barn flooding and to make recommendations for mitigation of barn flooding for individual farmers with whom we are working in this area. The objective is being addressed first by using ArcGIS to determine the watershed of each barn and the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) Web Soil Survey to map hydrologic soil groups within each watershed. Results from the larger-scale Web Soil Survey will be supplemented with measurements of soil hydraulic conductivity using the SoilMoisture Equipment Model 2800K1 Guelph Permeameter. The above data will be used in the NRCS Curve Number Method to estimate the volume of surface runoff expected in a 100-year 24-hour precipitation event. The objective is also being addressed by installing shallow, hand-augured wells for monitoring the depth to the water table during high-intensity precipitation events and flood irrigation events. The results will be used to develop recommendations for a combination of (1) installation of French drains for diversion of stormwater (2) modification of current irrigation methods (3) pumping and diversion of groundwater. Results and specific recommendations for individual farmers will be presented at the meeting.

Nils Otterstrom, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences Filtered photodiodes show potential as inexpensive laser wavelength meter. Photocurrents are measured digitally. The photocurrent is digitized using externally controlled integration times to achieve the highest precision possible from the digital to analog converters on the photosensor chip. Using an algorithm we’ve developed and calibrated intensity curves, we can precisely calculate wavelength from the output of the different photodiodes. Limitations due to etaloning from reflections off of the surfaces of the filters were analyzed and effectively mitigated, allowing the device to achieve high precision with a stability of 0.102 nm over several hours.

Brittney Thaxton, University of Utah Physical Sciences There are many undocumented shorelines seen in Utah. As many as 30+ shorelines have been identified along the edges of the basin throughout the state. The purpose of this study is to characterize undocumented shorelines and identify potential evidence for tsunamis that might have occurred in Lake Bonneville thousands of years ago in areas such as Little Mountain, Stansbury Island, and Promontory Point, Utah. Lake Bonneville existed 32-10K years ago and was influenced by the Wasatch fault which was active as early as the Miocene. Scarps of this age are common and range between 15-20 feet in height (Machette, Personius, Nelson, Schwartz, Lund 1991; Dinter, Pechman, 2004a and 2004b). Several faults beneath Lake Bonneville could have produced tsunamis. The more water that is displaced the greater the tsunami will become and leave a greater impact onshore (Dutykh and Dias 2009). The East Great Salt Lake fault cuts NS across Bear River Bay east of Promontory Range. This fault line is an excellent candidate for causing a tsunami during the Lake Bonneville highstand because it is beneath the Great Salt Lake meaning it would have uplifted the entire water column of Lake Bonneville and since it is also close to the Promontory Range, it is likely it would leave tsunamite evidence along the shore. The fault rupture interval is between 3,000 and 3,500 years meaning fault ruptures could produce a tsunami during the lake’s high stand. Tsunamite is the term used for deposits related to tsunamis. The tsunamite features found along the shorelines will be similar to sedimentary features such as normally graded sand, mudstone clasts, and other gravel deposits that are out of place with the known shorelines (Shanmugam 2006). This is a unique opportunity to discover ancient tsunami evidence in Utah, a topic that has yet to be pursued.

Nicholas Labrum, Utah State University Physical Sciences Increasing concerns on the anthropogenic climate change, rising global energy demands, and diminishing fossil fuels have urged the search of alternative carbon-neutral and sustainable energy resources, among which solar energy stands out as the most promising target since it is the largest exploitable resource. However, its nature of diurnal variation, intermittence, and unequal distribution requires efficient and cost-effective capture, conversion, and storage. Generation of chemical fuels, such as hydrogen, from solar energy input represents an appealing approach to meet this goal. An ideal scheme would tap hydrogen from the splitting of water with concomitant evolution of oxygen. Due to the nature of the four-proton and four-electron process, water oxidation is the bottle neck of the overall water splitting process. Nature catalyzes water oxidation using an oxygen evolving complex (OEC) in photosystem II. This project aims at mimicking the OEC to prepare and investigate bimetallic Mn-Ca catalysts for water oxidation catalysis. Calcium has been reported to be critical in water oxidation by OEC, however its functional role has not been well studied. By positioning a calcium atom in the second coordination sphere of manganese in molecular scaffolds, we are able to systematically study the functional role of calcium at the molecular level. Our project will prompt the development of water oxidation catalysis and benefit artificial photosynthesis at large.

Greg Carling, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences Wyoming the second most glaciated state in the lower 48 United States has seen drastic changes in the size of its glaciers. Glaciers in high elevation ecosystems of Grand Teton National Park are not anywhere near to the size that they were 100 years ago. The glaciers continue to decrease in size every day. As the environment changes the glaciers change in size and can be affected by many factors in the environment. Deposition of particulate matter from the atmosphere into the glaciers occurs as pollution is becoming worse and more common. Studies done throughout the world have shown that glaciers can act as a source for mercury and other trace metal elements in high elevation ecosystems. Through the assistance of the UW-NPS Research Station Dr. Greg Carling of BYU and his team of graduate and undergraduate assistants retrieved 100 glacial melt water samples from the Middle Teton, and Teepee Glaciers and stream sites in Garnet Canyon, and from the Teton Glacier in the Glacier Gulch area. In the data analysis completed up until this point, concentrations of various trace elements have found in sample sites in close proximity to the Middle and Teton glaciers on the glacial moraine. We hypothesize that these glaciers act as a source for mercury and trace elements that can then be transported to lower elevation ecosystems within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Tucker Chapman, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences The Provo River provides the opportunity to study three systems from low to high anthropogenic activity. Its headwaters are in an undeveloped area of the Uinta Mountains. The river then moves into a valley that is developing from an agricultural to an urban system. The lower portion of the river moves into the urbanized Utah Valley. These systems give the ability to study the changes in trace element chemistry from a variety of sources. Trace element data were collected during the 2013 water year including the spring snow melt. Correlation was analyzed among the different trace elements using multivariate statistics in order to discover trace element sources. The element loads were calculated using USGS Load Estimator (LOADEST) software. The study has implications involving the drinking water of >2 million people in the Utah and Salt Lake valleys and the changes that the shift from agriculture to urban is causing.

Isaac Allred, Utah State University Physical Sciences We examine the number and location of Class II wells in the central U.S. to constrain future work on the potential for induced seismicity. The EPA, state oil & gas commissions, scientific papers, and media stories frequently state that there are ~140-160 k Class II wells. Excluding California, we expected to find approximately 120 k wells; but instead found ~ 82 k active injectors in the available databases. State datasets vary in accessibility, availability, and content of well data. Lack of digitized well data also limited our online search, and several states require FOIA requests to be filed. State databases with poor searching and sorting functions further complicated data mining, requiring a well-by-well search, and for several states, well locations and injections were difficult to determine. Common discrepancies between EPA well totals and state database totals appear to be due to counting of plugged and abandoned wells, and wells that are permitted but not in use. No data has been retrieved for about 1,600 wells on tribal lands and Indian Country, and several states would not provide “confidential” well data. Of the active injectors, at least 55 k wells inject into producing, pressure-depleting oil and gas formations and are less likely to generate damaging earthquakes. Of the ~ 16 k non-EOR wells, we found 3,400 wells that inject at depths > 1.8 km, where most M > 3.0 midcontinent earthquakes occur. We will present examples of data from several states, that show the locations and depths of injectors, earthquakes, depth to basement, and we will provide an overview of the public file sharing system of the data. We will search for correlations between the depth of injection, the number of injection wells, recent seismic activity, the nature of the subsurface geology, and regional stresses.

Adam Blair, University of Utah Physical Sciences Objectives: Histone covalent modifications influence regulation of gene expression. Changes in histone covalent modifications are triggered by abrupt changes in environment, such as preterm birth followed by mechanical ventilation (MV). Whether histone modifications also occur in the kidney of chronically ventilated preterm lambs is not known. We hypothesized that ventilation of preterm lambs affects histone modification in kidneys.

Christopher Clements, Utah Valley University Physical Sciences DWR operates the Springville Fish Hatchery raises rainbow trout for stocking lakes and ponds. Since February 2011 the hatchery has observed excessive physical activity among the trout, including jumping out of raceways onto the concrete walkways. Excessive physical activity can result from free carbon dioxide levels above 10 ppm and free carbon dioxide levels in the hatchery water have been measured as high as 17 ppm. They have added some treatment processes before it enters the hatchery and greatly reduced the food intake of the trout, which increase costs and reduce production. This has reduced free carbon dioxide levels to only 15 ppm. The objective of this study is to determine the source of elevated free carbon dioxide and recommend solutions for the problem. The water source for the hatchery is a shallow pond, which is fed by 16 springs, both warm and cold. The objective is being addressed by measuring discharge from each spring and collecting water samples for measurement of free carbon dioxide in addition to other common stressors of rainbow trout. Free carbon dioxide, temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen are being measured on-site, while hardness, nitrite, ammonia, copper, iron and zinc are being measured. Free carbon dioxide levels at some warm springs have been measured as high as 25 ppm. Mixing calculations will be carried out to determine whether the discharge and water quality of each spring is consistent with the water quality currently entering the hatchery and whether the removal of one or more springs would result in sufficient water within the acceptable ranges for rainbow trout. If calculations estimate free carbon dioxide significantly lower than the measured free carbon dioxide in the water entering the hatchery, it is possible that additional elevated free carbon dioxide results from the decay of organic matter.

Joshua Wallace, University of Utah Physical Sciences We study the effect of the circum-galactic gas environment on the observed Lyman-alpha emission from Lyman-alpha emitting galaxies. These galaxies are primarily high-redshift star-forming galaxies that are important in understanding both galaxy and universe evolution. The Lyman-alpha photons emitted from these galaxies should hold valuable clues about the general environmental properties (such as gas velocity, density, and distribution) around galaxies, since the photons can be strongly affected and scattered by the neutral hydrogen atoms that make up the majority of the gas. However, explaining exactly how a galaxy’s environment affects its Lyman-alpha emission is very complex and currently cannot be predicted with complete certainty — every time a Lyman-alpha photon interacts with a hydrogen atom, its direction and frequency are changed, which in turn affects how far it will travel before the next interaction. We study the environmental effects on Lyman-alpha emission properties by applying Monte Carlo Lyman-alpha radiative transfer modeling to simple analytic models and find an important role of the anisotropic distribution of gas in determining the observed photometric and spectral properties of Lyman-alpha emission. We further perform a detailed investigation by applying the radiative transfer modeling to realistic star-forming galaxies in high-resolution cosmological galaxy formation simulation. From our analysis so far, we find the Lyman-alpha emission from the models shows a strong dependence on viewing angle, as well as correlations between observed spectral features and environmental conditions. We plan to model and analyze a large sample of simulated galaxies to better describe and statistically quantify the above dependence and correlations. Our study will lead to a better understanding of the effects galaxy environment on the observed Lyman-alpha emission and in turn provide a theoretical guide on how to use observed Lyman-alpha emission to learn about the environments of star-forming galaxies and hence galaxy formation and evolution.

Ben White, University of Utah Physical Sciences We evaluated the ambient noise wavefield of select arches in the Moab area as a means to assess changes in their structural health over time. Our measurements revealed that the fundamental frequency of vibration at Mesa Arch and Corona Arch are both in the range of 3 Hz, while other spectral peaks are likely related to higher-order vibrational modes. We use numerical modeling for modal analysis in an attempt to predict and visualize the various modes of vibration and their frequency Resonant frequencies are projected to change with snow or rain loading or after a strong earthquake. By monitoring resonant frequencies over time and under various environmental conditions, our goal is to detect reversible and/or irreversible changes that may accompany damage of these arches.

Enoch Lambert, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences Extended-cavity diode lasers are important tools in scientific research. Current extended-cavity diode laser systems will change frequency unpredictably while operating, requiring extensive effort to tune them back to the right frequency. We seek to implement a novel method of extended-cavity diode laser control that adds an extra control system to prevent these unpredictable changes.

Brielle Woolsey, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences A method of forming zinc oxide (ZnO) single crystal hexagonal prisms is derived from a standard sol-gel method. The new synthesis requires water, zinc acetate, and diethanol amine (DEA) to create a zinc hydroxide/zinc hydroxide acetate gel, which forms single crystal hexagonal prisms upon heating. Characterization of the gel was done by XRD as well as by XRD high temperature chamber (HTK) to determine the role of temperature in prism formation. SEM images showed hexagonal prisms were of uniform size (approx. 0.5 — 2 µm). TEM and electron diffraction images showed a change from randomly oriented particles to an ordered single crystal after heating. Ethanol amines, heating of the gel, and the zinc acetate salt proved to be critical to prism formation.

Jeff Selck, Utah Valley University Physical Sciences Stream discharge through narrow, deep slot canyons can be a major source of groundwater recharge in the arid Southwest. Various state and federal agencies use the empirical Manning Equation to predict the discharge through artificial slots created for diversion of rivers around coal mines. However, it is not obvious that the Manning Equation could be applied to slot canyons or artificial slots as the data base used for development of the Manning Equation did not include either natural streams or artificial structures for which most of the friction occurs along the sides of the channel. The objective of this research is to develop an empirical formula for estimating the Manning roughness coefficient for flow through narrow, deep slots. The objective is being addressed by measuring stream discharge through natural slot canyons in southern Utah that are fed by perennial streams, springs or dam outlets. Based on measurements at ten sites along eight streams, the best estimate for the Manning roughness coefficient is n = 0.873nJ exp(5.108A/w2) where A is stream cross-sectional area, w is stream width, and nJ = 0.39S0.38R-0.16 is the roughness coefficient estimated by Jarrett (1984) for high-gradient streams, in which S is slope of the stream bed and R is hydraulic radius (ft). The new formula estimates stream discharge with a mean accuracy of 44%. On the other hand, Jarrett’s (1984) formula underestimates stream discharge by 1-2 orders of magnitude for aspect ratios A/w2 in the range 0.6-0.7. The new formula will be refined by additional measurements on slot canyons, artificial diversions, and a laboratory hydraulics bench. It is hoped that the new formula will lead to a more realistic design for artificial slot diversions.

Kim Nielsen, Utah Valley University Physical Sciences Infrared Thermography (IRT) has become popular in the medical field for various applications and procedures. One such application involves the use of IRT in the active detection of skin lesions and neoplasms. More specifically, medical professionals are using IRT as a non-invasive method for the early detection of harmful lesions, such as melanoma.

Jared Weaver, Southern Utah University Physical Sciences Organoarsenic are compounds containing carbon and arsenic. These compounds have been shown to have biological activity and pharmaceutical properties, and some organoarsenic compounds have even displayed potential for aiding in current medical problems up to and including possibilities as anticancer agents. Currently relatively little research is being done on organoarsenic compounds by the pharmaceutical community due to current views from the media based largely upon the toxicity of their inorganic arsenic counterparts (inorganic compounds are compounds not containing carbon), organoarsenic compounds however have significantly toxicity. Also, like with any medicine, toxicity depends predominately upon concentration, and given a high enough concentration organoarsenic compounds would logically follow the same trend. Synthesis of a large variety of novel organoarsenic compounds has been found via a reaction involving a variety of aldehydes or ketones and 2-(Dichloroarsino)benzaminium chloride. Research will focus on synthesis, isolation, and characterization of a library of organoarsenic compounds and then determine their respective biological activities. Synthesis will determine mechanistic requirements of said reaction and will be done to produce a diverse selection of organoarsenic compounds. Compounds will be isolated through precipitation of product and vacuum filtration of formed product. Structure will be determined through IR, NMR, and Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectrometry, and through X-ray crystallography. Biological activity is suspected with potential for testing via a Kirby-Bauer Disc treatment. It is hypothesized that novel organoarsenic products will be formed by reaction of 2-(Dichloroarsino)benzaminium chloride with all carbonyl compounds containing an alpha carbon with at least one proton used, and that compounds synthesized will inhibit bacterial growth.

Kelly Hoerger, University of Utah Physical Science Implant devices such as orthopedic, dental, and cochlear implants are commonly utilized as part of many medical treatments. However, these foreign objects are susceptible to bacterial contamination, thereby putting the host at risk of an infection that is challenging to eliminate due to biofilm formation. Biofilms are formed when a bacterial cell adheres to and colonizes such metal or plastic surfaces. The cells aggregate to form and embed themselves in a thick and protective polysaccharide matrix, making biofilms resistant to many antibiotic treatments.

Adam Kingsley, Brigham Young University Physical Sciences In the construction of various sensors in the lab, highly accurate integration times are required. It is advantageous to have a precise external timer to run the circuitry contained in the sensor. By taking a signal in the range of megahertz down to hertz or milihertz range, it is possible to control the start and stop times for circuits. Overall this means that every time a measurement is taken it represents the same length of time.

Bruce Chiarelli, Brigham Young University Mathematical Sciences A Gallai coloring of the complete graph on n vertices is an edge coloring such that no triangle has edges of three different colors.

Samantha Smiley, Brigham Young University Mathematical Sciences Dementia is a clinical syndrome characterized by an overall loss of cognitive ability. There are multiple forms of dementia with various causes and various impacts on the suffering individuals. Accurate diagnosis is essential to effective intervention and treatment. Currently, clinicians lack a biological marker that definitively distinguishes the different forms of dementia. Hence, they rely on physical exams, neuropsychological tests, and patient report to provide a diagnosis. Recent advances in brain imaging make it possible to obtain detailed maps of brain activity, which in turn may offer insight into many conditions such as dementia. Developing a predictive model from patient data, including brain scans, would greatly enhance the ability of clinicians to provide accurate diagnosis, and hence appropriate treatment, to their patients. Doing so, however, is not trivial as patient data is heterogeneously and non-uniformly distributed across sites, where some sites have far more data than others and calibration varies among scanners used. We report on the development of novel predictive models based on distributed learning for the effective diagnosis of dementia.

Steffan Larsen, Brigham Young University Mathematical Sciences The popularity of metamaterials has exploded with in the last decade. Metamaterials are materials that exhibit interesting properties not found in nature; one of the most widely known features being a negative refractive index. Metamaterials are composites different types of materials that give them their interesting properties. In addition to being composed of several element types, metamaterials also contain certain inclusions that influence their electromagnetic properties. Among these are space filling curves. Space filling curves are curves that are entirely contained within a specific area and yet can become infinitely long. In my research I investigated the properties of space filling curves and their application/benefit to the research surrounding metamaterials, specifically metamaterial antennas.

Brennon Bauer, Southern Utah University Mathematical Sciences We study the Lotka-Volterra competition model. This model can be applied to Math Biology. We propose a Semi-Implicit numerical scheme, which guarantees that the populations are always positive. Also we prove that the numerical scheme is uniquely solvable, and is unconditionally stable.

Ariel Herbert-Voss, University of Utah Mathematical Sciences A typical problem in numerical analysis is finding a smooth interpolation of a given data set such that information at extended positions can be evaluated. When extended to higher dimensions, there are few such algorithms available for practical use. Drawing from techniques used in geometric modeling we developed a practical algorithm with improved complexity by implementing the techniques in a query model as part of a MATLAB software package. From initial input data the algorithm builds a d-dimensional cell complex using Delaunay triangulation. Each cell has an associated interpolation function that satisfies Lipschitz continuity for each new point. During query time the user specifies a query point and the algorithm returns the interpolated function value. To reduce complexity related to point location within the cell complex, we implemented a binary tree search based on hyperplane decision criteria. Efficiency analysis completed using benchmark data sets indicated that the decision tree algorithm improved the efficiency from O(N) to O(N log N). This algorithm is the first of its kind that can be used on actual data sets and is the first implemented as a MATLAB package.

Nirdosh Chapagain, Brigham Young University Mathematical Sciences Rainbow is an optical phenomenon created by reflection and refraction of light at the boundaries of water droplets. Descartes was the first to provide a geometric explanation for the optics of the rainbow. We use Descartes’ method to examine if rainbow effect is possible with metamaterial droplets. Metamaterials are artificial materials whose permittivity and permeability can be simultaneously negative hence, giving them negative index of refraction for certain frequencies. The recent extraordinary level of output in the field of metamaterials has resulted in examinations of applications of these substances to a variety of fields, including the arrow of time and cloaking. Many applications of metamaterials can create physical effects that were previously assumed impossible. In this study we have considered that our hypothetical droplet has negative refractive index for visible band of the electromagnetic spectrum. We also examine the effect of using composite metamaterial droplets.

Ammon Washburn, Brigham Young University Mathematical Sciences In many problems with seepage flow, there are non-linear problems that don’t have an easy analytical solution. There is already good research on what can be done in certain situations with these problems. I will present on numerical methods that have been proven to solve certain conditions and then present other solutions for similar problems where the numerical method isn’t so readily available in past research. I will implement the algorithms and compare results.

Laurin Wilson, Utah State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Premature birth and subsequent hospitalization of an infant in the Newborn (or Neonatal) Intensive Care Unit (NICU) can be an extremely stressful time for parents and has been associated with maternal depression, anxiety, and decreased coping ability (Hack, Taylor, Klein, & Mercuri-Minich, 2000; Hughes, McCollum, & Sheftel, 1994; Partridge et al., 2005; Shaw, Sweester, St. John, Lilo, Corcoran, Jo, & Horwitz, 2013). Interventions to reduce parents’ stress levels during the hospitalization of their very preterm infants have mixed results (Boyce, et al., 2008; Matricardi, S., Agostino, R., Fedeli, C., & Montirosso, R., 2013). This study examined the medical, family, and maternal mental health factors that influenced feelings of parental distress for mother of very premature infants.

Dusty Pilkington, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Boundaries dividing political authority rarely match natural water flow. Multiple agencies, often with competing policies and agendas, manage water within single watersheds. This discrepancy can render management efforts ineffective. Local water agencies include soil conservation districts, local health departments, and engineering agencies. Agencies have varying funding sources, managerial structures, and jurisdictional boundaries. Fragmentation can frustrate management efforts at watershed scales. Comparisons between natural watersheds and human political geography can therefore be helpful in avoiding conflicts. This research examines discrepancies between political and physical geographies for sections of three Utah rivers : the Logan and Provo Rivers, and Red Butte Creek. These rivers are being targeted for intensive research as part of a statewide, multidisciplinary water sustainability project, titled iUTAH. Water-related land use (WRLU) data acquired from Utah’s Automated Geographic Resource Center were analyzed using ArcGIS geoproceessing tools. WRLU contributing to water quality in urban river reaches is described. WRLU was examined using three boundary sets, comparing the political geography of the river reaches, as depicted in municipal boundaries and management areas of community water providers, to their physical geography, as depicted in United States Geologic Survey Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) watersheds. WRLU mixes using political infrastructure were contrasted with land use mixes from HUC boundaries. WRLU was classified in seven categories: residential, commercial/industrial, riparian/water features, irrigated agriculture, non-irrigated agriculture, farmsteads, and parks/open spaces. A gradient from rural Heber, to urbanizing Logan, to fully urbanized Red Butte Creek is shown. While Red Butte Creek HUC boundaries showed 53.8 % residential land use, Red Butte Creek municipal boundaries and community providers totaled 26 % and 39 % residential use, respectively. Differences emerged when irrigated agriculture was assessed using HUC boundaries. Irrigated agriculture totaled 0.2 % in Red Butte Creek, with Logan showing 29. 7% and Heber irrigated agriculture sitting at 41.1 %.

Luz Maria Carreno, Utah State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Significance: Patients’ health literacy, or ability to comprehend and understand health information, influences their health status, knowledge about medical care and conditions, and hospitalization and adherence rate (Andrus, & Roth, 2002). Low-English proficiency patients are especially at risk, given they must overcome English and health literacy barriers.

Kelsea Hill, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Sexuality has long been identified as foundational in the lives of married couples. An area lacking in research, however, is the transition into sexuality made by couples who practiced abstinence prior to being married. The data for this study comes from a survey of 597 respondents that had practiced abstinence before being married. This focuses on the qualitative responses to questions asked abstinent couples about what helped make the transition into sexual intimacy, what purpose(s) sex has in their relationship, what they wished they had discussed prior to having sex, and what challenges they experienced in the transition into sexual intimacy.

Jared Glenn, Utah State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Previous research shows that girls and women tend to prefer and perform better in classes taught by women. However, much less research analyzes the impact of instructor gender on learning outcomes among boys and men. This research fills that gap by analyzing the effect of professor gender on male college students’ achievement. Relying on survey and in-depth interviews among undergraduate men at a large research university, this study finds no significant empirical data that professor gender significantly impacts men’s academic achievement, in contrast to previous findings among girls and women. Interview findings, however, suggest that men prefer the tough grading, which they indicate is integral in male-taught classes. The study contributes to our understanding of gender differences in an academic setting and how that factor shapes learning outcomes and achievement.

Rachel LaForce, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences On an island of 65,000 people, Guernsey’s Housing Control Law offers a two-tiered alternative to the free market system. In an attempt to more closely regulate the growing population of their limited area (approximately 25 square miles), the States of Guernsey implemented the Housing Control Law in the late 1940s. With a provision that allows it to be altered and updated every 10 years, there is a distinct change over time in its original purpose and its contemporary companion. This study is based on information gained by using ethnographic methods during a two month field study in Guernsey. Questions focused on how residents perceived the purpose of the law, and how they believe it achieved those purposes. Results suggest that residents accurately perceive the original purpose of the Housing Control Law as described by the States of Guernsey, hoping to preserve the majority of housing opportunities for the indigenous population. Although their view of the modern implementation is much more varied, most point to the benefits that attracting high net-worth individuals brings to the island’s economy and also justify the use of housing incentives for skilled individuals to fill a labor shortage. Resident perception aligns with the original purpose of the Housing Control Law. With change over time, Guernsey residents understand the necessity to increase economic activity and fill labor shortages which can be provided via housing incentives, especially a two-tiered housing market.

Lyndsey Craig, Dixie State University Social and Behavioral Sciences The ability for caregivers to read infant cues accurately is important for the development of infant regulatory capacities and attachment formation. Caregivers with insecure attachment representations may misinterpret infant cues and respond inappropriately. Anxious-ambivalent and avoidant attachment representations were examined with accuracy of interpreting infant engagement and disengagement cues. In an online survey, 112 college students completed the Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised scale and interpreted images of infants’ engagement and disengagement cues. Anxious-ambivalent attachment was negatively correlated with accuracy of interpreting engagement cues. Caregivers with anxious-ambivalent attachment representations may respond inconsistently to their infants and promote the intergenerational transmission of insecure attachment. These results suggest a potential target for education efforts for new parents.

Brandon Hansen, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Measuring eye movements during reading is an effective and ecologically valid way to investigate dynamic changes in human cognition. The boundary technique (Rayner, 1975) is often employed during experimental reading research by changing text in real-time between eye movements—permitting subtle manipulations which are not obvious to the reader. Frequently, these manipulations include the replacement of a target word (beach) by words that are homophones (beech), semantically related (shore), orthographically related (bench), or by random letter masks (hxnzt). Understanding the differences between text in which the target word is available (beach) and denied (hxnzt) allows a deeper understanding of dynamic cognitive processes. In a real-world sense, such investigations yield findings that assists doctors, clinicians, and educators as they create interventions for those, for example, with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.

Brendan Willis, University of Utah Social and Behavioral Sciences Most people at some point in their lives will encounter a situation where they witness, perpetrate, or fail to stop an action that seriously violates their moral beliefs, events that have recently been termed moral injuries. Litz and colleagues (2009) proposed a theoretical framework that suggests such moral injuries may interact with various protective and risk factors in order to result in either positive or negative outcomes. Negative outcomes could include feelings of guilt, shame, self-condemnation, and alienation. Positive outcomes could include individuals realizing that they have done something wrong, but accepting that they are not bad or evil and resolving to become a better person. A vital part of this framework is the concept of meaning making, the process by which individuals grapple with understanding and constructing meaning regarding their participation in events that violate their moral beliefs. The degree to which an individual is able to adaptively make meaning of a potentially morally injurious event is believed to serve as a mediator in the association between experiencing such an event and developing negative consequences. Specifically, the more adaptively an individual can make meaning of a morally injurious event, the less negative will be the outcomes. However, this mediational role of meaning making in the association between moral injury and psychological distress is a proposition of the theory that to date has not been empirically tested. Given its importance in the moral injury model, the purpose of this study is to empirically test whether or not this association exists. Understanding meaning making’s role in the moral injury model will help form a foundation of empirical work on which future research can build.

Chelsea Romney, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Getting adequate sleep is essential for optimal daytime functioning and has implications for both physical and mental health. There are several reasons to believe that social support may influence sleep outcomes. Although certain relationships (e.g., married versus unmarried) have been tied to sleep disturbances, little is known about the association between the quality of one’s overall social network and sleep. Thus, in the present study, we examined how the amount of supportive relationships in an individual’s social network is associated with sleep outcomes.

Jarrett Webster, Dixie State University Social and Biological Sciences This study sought to determine what type of influences a British accent has on Americans. It was predicted that American listeners would rate a British voice higher than an American voice across four traits: physical attraction, social attraction, credibility, and overall favorability. Participants were 197 undergraduate students from Dixie State University (68 men, 129 women). Participants were offered extra credit in return for participation and ranged in age from 17-60. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experiment was designed as a between-subjects experiment. The control group heard an American voice and saw a picture of a man. The experiment group heard a British voice and saw a picture of the same man. Both groups were asked to answer questions that measured the four dependent variable traits. A multivariate analysis of variance was used to calculate results. The hypothesis was confirmed for all of the traits except credibility. These findings have ramifications in interpersonal relationships in business, educational, and social settings.

Tanner Mortimer, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Surveys show that nearly half of all Americans reject evolution as an explanation of the origin and diversity of life on Earth, especially when concerning human evolution. (Gallup 2007). Furthermore, there is a correlation between the rejections of evolutionary science with a belief in a Christian God-creator (Gallup 2007).

Natalie Blanton, University of Utah Social and Behavioral Sciences The rates of women interacting with the criminal justice system are increasing steadily—yet little is known about the experiences of these women with/within the system as well as the latent effects that follow them throughout their lives. With a sociological perspective, one comes to understand the immense impact of experiences, inequities, and health/wellness/opportunity disparities in individual’s lives—especially within the criminal justice system. This project takes a multi-pronged feminist perspective/approach to women’s interaction with such.

Michael Christensen, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Suicide is a major problem for students in Utah middle and high schools. Since adolescents spend a large portion of their time on social media like Facebook and Twitter, there is a wealth of information we can learn about their personalities, moods, and interests by exploring their online interactions with others and specifically the statuses and messages they post publicly. We have created a Facebook app to mine this data and report the mood of a logged-in user’s entire network based on the individual classification of community members’ posts. We contribute to the Public Health field by aggregating suicide-risk factors and facilitating intervention, the motivation being to help others better identify and help those who are at-risk for suicide based on their online behavior. We contribute to the Computer Science field by creating a machine learning algorithm that can classify text into one of several fine-grained mood categories, learning to identify more than just positive or negative sentiment. In addition, our algorithm has the ability to update online by receiving feedback from the users on how well or poorly it classified the text of their friends’ posts. We describe our algorithm and report on preliminary results about its performance on real-world data.

Zack Bjerregaard, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences The research presented here will lay the groundwork for a larger project as part of iUTAH that will examine the interrelationships and feedbacks among hydroclimate and the ecological and human aspects of urban and montane landscapes in the Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area (WRMA). To assess how human systems and urban development patterns influence water sustainability, we developed a typology of neighborhoods in the WRMA based on sociodemographic and climate variables and built environment characteristics that previously have been found to affect water system dynamics. Using GIS and statistical analysis programs, variables were aggregated to census block groups (CBGs), which we determined were a satisfactory proxy for neighborhoods in most urban areas. Previous studies show that neighborhoods are an important level of measurement because of their influence on individuals’ behaviors. Only CBGs that had a recalculated population density of at least 50 people per square mile after subtracting areas of water and/or federally-owned land were included. A statistical factor/cluster analysis was performed on these variables, which returned a typology of neighborhoods and their spatial distribution based on water usage. The typology will be used by other members of the project to target a select number of each neighborhood type, where instrumentation and further data collection will be implemented to examine the impacts of urban development patterns on water sustainability and the wider ecological and physical hydroclimate.

Quinn Linford, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Background: Mt. Timpanogos has been an attraction for the residents of Utah Valley and has become a center of recreation for much of Utah. For many years Mt. Timpanogos was the home of an annual hike hosting a daily crowd of approximately 18,000 people. After being designated a wilderness area in 1984, the annual hike was banned. However, the mountain remains an attraction for many residents of the surrounding valleys and visitors from around the world. Currently one- to two-thousand people hike the mountain on mid-summer weekends. This concentration continues to push the limits of the mountain’s ability to accommodate while balancing the opportunities for solitude and unconfined recreation.

Brooke Bradford, Utah Valley University Social and Behavioral Sciences Research in the area of sexuality indicates that females tend to be more flexible in their sexual behaviors than males.(Baumeister, 2000) Studies also seem to indicate that there is a more permissive and accepting attitude towards women’s bisexual behaviors than towards men’s bisexual behaviors(Lippa, 2006; Savin-Williams, 2006) The present experiment was created in order to measure the perceptions of bisexual behavior held by Utah Valley University students. One hundred students were asked to read brief descriptions of similar sexual behaviors participated in by men and women. Participants were asked to rate these sexual behaviors on a scale and indicate if they perceive the behavior as heterosexual, questioning, bi-curious, bisexual or homosexual. The participants were then asked to rate behaviors on a scale of acceptability as well as a scale of commonality. The questions consist of similar behaviors being engaged in by males and females in order to test for changes in perceptions of the sexual activity occur based on the gender of the actor in the scenario. It is hypothesized that the results of these surveys will support current research in this area and confirm that the scenarios featuring females will be rated as more acceptable, common and placed in the bisexual categories.

Chelsea Pineda Davey, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences Sense of community on the island of Guernsey is a cross between organic and mechanical solidarity. I argue that this sense of community is built and maintained through the island’s voluntary sector. The charities and volunteers help to preserve Guernsey’s sense of community and hold the society together. As I do this I use Durkheim and Mauss’s theories along with the McMillan/Chavis definition of sense of community to support my findings.

Chauntelle Gates, Dixie State University Social and Behavioral Sciences Prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) can affect the brain development of the fetus and we know early experiences, even during gestation, shape the way our brain is developed. Since the brain growth of the fetus is rapid, any stressful situation can alter the rate at which the brain develops resulting in an under developed brain at the time of birth. This paper focuses on potential risks associated with prenatal maternal stress to the developing brain throughout gestation and preventive measures to reduce risk. Prenatal care is used throughout the world in a preventive manner to ensure optimum health and welfare of the mother and her baby, throughout gestation. Prenatal care is imperative and should take place during the first trimester to prevent potential risks to the fetus. It detects early signs of abnormalities in the infant, benefiting the mothers’ overall health. Mothers who take advantage of prenatal care, especially when PNMS occurs, have better birth outcomes and overall the brain development of the fetus is less effected. Other life situations could affect the brain development of the fetus but this paper will only focus on the effects PNMS has on the brain.

Jenna Deelstra, Weber State University Social and Behavioral Sciences The purpose of the present study was to explore the impact of facilitative mental imagery training on distance runners. Female (n=20) and male (n=11) athletes, separated by skill level classifications: Collegiate (n=19) and recreational (n=12) completed the Motivational Imagery Ability Measure for Sport (MIAMS) before and after 21 days of mental imagery training. Included in the training were relaxation and breathing techniques followed by guided imagery related to distance running training and competition. Physiological data including galvanic skin response (GSR), skin temperature, and breathing rate were also measured while participants took the MIAMS survey, which asked them to imagine and experience a competition. A One-way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) examining the effects of the imagery training on MIAMS survey responses between collegiate and recreational athletes for motivational general-mastery imagery (MG-M) and arousal imagery (MG-A) was employed. Significance was found in the emotional response evoked and the ease of producing imagery between the two groups. Post-training skin temperature and galvanic skin response (GSR) between the two groups was also significant. These findings support previous research indicating that imagery is both a talent and a skill that can lead to better emotional control in competitive athletes. More research must be done to better understand the effects of mental imagery training on male and female distance athletes.

Tyler Moore, Brigham Young University Social and Behavioral Sciences A fundamental concept in behavioral economics is that of loss-aversion, that is, the differentially greater effect of loss when compared to gain. The law of relative effect (also known as the matching law) provides the framework for precise behavioral measurement of that differential in a hedonic scale. We recently developed a video game by which to achieve that measurement. Participants will be invited to play the game during a series of sessions in which gain and loss contingencies are varied–sometimes the participant will gain points and sometimes lose them. In addition to varying the relative frequencies of gains and losses in order to measure their relative effects on behavioral choice, we will measure the effects of an additional variable by means of a different group of participants. This second group will win or lose points in one condition of the experiment and, in the other condition, win or lose actual money. It is our prediction that the group experiencing the loss of money rather than points will demonstrate behaviors indicative of a greater aversion to loss than their counterparts, who will merely lose points.