OU - Theses

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Open Access
*1 NEW NOTIFICATION*: SOCIAL MEDIA MISCONCEPTIONS AROUND TRIBAL ABORTION PROVISIONS AND INDIGENOUS METHODS OF REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE AS PRAXIS
(2024-05-10) PAI, VEDA; Marshall, Kimberly; Singer, Elyse; Holland, Jennifer
My thesis discusses the cultural and social misconceptions of possible tribal abortion provision by social media users in a post Roe setting. Through the analysis of social media posts and further the ideologies expressed by users on Facebook, my project breaks down the meaning and value assigned to Indigenous women regarding their reproductive actions. This assignment of both negative and positive value includes the perception of “proper” motherhood, acts of abortion or miscarriage, and forced sterilization through eugenic pseudoscience. In response to social media discourse and misrepresentations of abortion ideology towards Indigenous women, tribal communities themselves establish projects on social media to discuss thriving and community care such as support for the Indian Child Welfare Act and public education on cradle boarding. Overall, my thesis discusses the harmful implications of assumed tribal abortion provision by misinformed social media users and the methods of reproductive justice Indigenous users have developed to combat them.
Open Access
A 13-year Trajectory-Based Analysis of Convection-Driven Changes in Upper Troposphere Lower Stratosphere Composition over the United States
(2020-12-18) Tinney, Emily; Homeyer, Cameron; Sakaeda, Naoko; Cavallo, Steven
Moist convection frequently reaches the tropopause and alters the distribution and concentration of radiatively important trace gases in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UTLS), but the overall impact of convection on regional and global UTLS composition remains largely unknown. To improve understanding of convection-driven changes in water vapor (H2O), ozone (O3), and carbon monoxide (CO) in the UTLS, this study utilizes 13 years of observations of satellite-based trace gas profiles from the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) aboard the Aura satellite and convection from the operational network of ground-based weather radars in the United States. Locations with and without convection identified via radar are matched with downstream MLS observations through three-dimensional, kinematic forward trajectories, providing two populations with unprecedented sampling of trace gas observations for analysis. These populations are further classified as belonging to extratropical or tropical environments based on the tropopause pressure at the MLS profile location. Extratropical regions are further separated by tropopause type (single or double), revealing differing impacts. Results show that convection typically moistens the UT by up to 300% and the LS by up to 100%, largely reduces O3 by up to 40%, and increases CO by up to 50%. Pronounced changes of H2O and O3 are found, with LS O3 reduced more by convection within tropical environments, where the median concentration decrease is 34% at ∼2 km above tropopause, compared to 24% in extratropical environments. Quantification of CO changes from convection is less reliable due to differences being near the MLS measurement precision and accuracy.
Open Access
A 16-Year Observational Analysis of Land-Atmosphere Coupling in Oklahoma Using Mesonet and North American Regional Reanalysis Data
(2018-08) Wakefield, Ryann; Basara, Jeffrey; Furtado, Jason; Illston, Bradley; Klein, Petra
Global “hot spots” for land atmosphere coupling have been identified through various studies. One particular region that has been identified in many of these global studies is the Southern Great Plains (SGP) of North America. Local coupling studies have identified links between boundary layer evolution and soil moisture at point locations. This analysis seeks to bridge the spatial and temporal gaps between the local and global approaches to better understand the nature of land atmosphere feedbacks during the warm season months of May through September during 2000 through 2015 using a local coupling framework. This framework was applied to the datasets to create a mesoscale climatology of land-atmosphere interactions in Oklahoma at varying temporal scales but did not adequately quantify land-atmosphere interactions. Therefore, a revised approach using standardized anomalies of previously developed metrics, Convective Triggering Potential (CTP) and low-level humidity index (HI), was developed to showcase the difference in low-level atmospheric response to extreme drought and pluvial years. Within pluvial years, unexpected differences in CTP/HI anomalies emerged suggesting differences precipitation drivers. While 2007 demonstrated characteristics of positive wet feedbacks, 2015 had behavior within the parameter space that was more similar to drought years despite having record rainfall suggesting an interannual variability in atmospheric response to soil moisture. Similarly, the CTP/HI standardized anomaly approach was able to demonstrate the atmospheric response to dry land surface conditions both locally and non-locally during drought years. At the intra-annual timescale, similar differences between drought and pluvial periods were observed. More importantly, these periods show similarities by demonstrating a greater atmospheric response to soil moisture during dry-down periods.
Open Access
A 20-Year Survey of Short-Duration Extreme Rainfall Events from Summertime Convection Over the Central and Eastern United States: Climatology, Trends, and Meteorological Patterns
(2023-12-15) Chiappa, Jason; Parsons, David; Shapiro, Alan; Furtado, Jason; Ruppert, James
Short-duration extreme rainfall events (EREs) caused by convection are often associated with flash flooding, which can have devastating impacts on society. An increase in the frequency and intensity of EREs has been documented over multiple continents with evidence of a direct link to anthropogenic climate change. Over the central and eastern Continental United States (CONUS), EREs peak in frequency during June, July, and August (JJA) due to the summertime maximum in convective activity, with the most significant EREs resulting from mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). These MCSs and their associated rainfall have a nocturnal maximum over the central CONUS. This study utilizes gridded hourly Stage IV precipitation analyses to detect short-duration EREs and record their properties over the central and eastern CONUS over a 20-year period (2003–2022). The Stage IV dataset consists of gauge-corrected radar-derived quantitative precipitation estimates on a 4-km grid, which has the advantage of capturing localized extreme rainfall that can occur between rain gauge sites. Extreme rainfall is defined in this study when the 12-hour accumulation exceeded the 10-year average recurrence interval threshold at that location based on the NOAA Atlas 14 dataset. All nearby grid points simultaneously exceeding the threshold were grouped into event objects. Several spurious events that were detected due to errors in the Stage IV dataset were filtered out using consistent quality control procedures. Results of the 20-year climatology mainly solidify previous studies, but this study provides additional quantitative evidence that nocturnal MCSs are the most prolific producers of extreme rainfall over the domain during JJA. Unfortunately, the accurate prediction of nocturnal convective rainfall has been shown to be a challenge in numerical weather prediction models. In addition, the highly localized and chaotic nature of the extreme rainfall is revealed, motivating the need for high resolutions in precipitation data and numerical models. The few previous studies that utilized Stage IV analyses for the purposes of studying EREs did not examine interannual or long-term changes in ERE frequency or characteristics. With acknowledgments of the potential caveats of using the Stage IV dataset, this study discovered statistically significant increasing trends in ERE frequencies through the 20-year period that are dominated by MCSs during JJA, as opposed to more localized convection. Despite the short period of record, this finding aligns with previous studies suggesting an increase in heavy rainfall from MCSs in a warming climate. This thesis also discusses the discovery of a wide range of interannual variability in the frequency and severity of the JJA convective EREs. Composite and correlation analyses using reanalysis fields reveal statistically significant large-scale meteorological patterns that may help explain this variability, which can potentially aid in medium and long-term forecasting. These patterns include higher low–mid-level moisture over the Southern and Central Great Plains, enhanced southerly moisture transport from the western Gulf Coast to the Midwest, and enhanced mid-level ridging over the southeastern CONUS. Bolstered by composite analysis of five intense nocturnal EREs over the central CONUS, there is a strong argument that the enhanced moisture transport is driven by a westward expansion of the climatological North Atlantic Subtropical High into the eastern CONUS. Higher geopotential heights over the eastern CONUS relative to the Rockies results in an enhanced pressure gradient and southerly flow over the central CONUS, leading to a stronger and/or more frequent low-level jet. The low-level jet is a key ingredient in the development of nocturnal extreme-rain-producing MCSs. However, the low-level jet observed in this study extended well to the east of the climatological low-level jet driven by the sloping terrain of the Great Plains. With studies suggesting a westward expansion of the North Atlantic Subtropical High in a future climate, the increase in intense MCS-related EREs over the central CONUS during the summer is likely to continue.
Open Access
3-D Basin Analysis Of The Cenozoic Wagwater Trough, Jamaica
(2009) Ward, Thomas Paul
The Wagwater trough in eastern Jamaica is a fault-bounded half graben that formed as a result of regional dextral shear at a releasing bend connecting the Septentiornal-Oriente-Swan-Motagua and Plantain Garden-Swan fault systems. There are two major stage of tectonic development: (1) Paleocene to Middle Eocene fault mechanical crustal subsidence (66-51 Ma; _=1.66), (2) Middle Eocene to Middle Miocene thermal subsidence (51-10 Ma), and (3) Middle Miocene to Holocene crustal shortening (10-0 Ma; _=0.81). Clastic sedimentation prevailed during the period of fault mechanical crustal subsidence with the deposition of the Wagwater Formation and Richmond Formation, while the period of thermal subsidence was period with carbonate deposition of the Yellow Limestone and White Limestone Groups. Early-rifting commenced with the sedimentation of Wagwater alluvium. A marine transgression allowed the deposition of Richmond shelf and slope deposits and later Yellow and White Limestone deposits. Middle Miocene marks a period of time when regional dextral shear was reversed. The Wagwater Trough experienced negative tectonic subsidence caused by regional sinistral shear at a constraining bend. This caused crustal shortening and surface exposure of the sediments of the Wagwater Trough. By constraining the present-day depth to basement using the Bouguer gravity anomaly, basin subsidence produced sediment thicknesses up to 6,000 meters.
Open Access
3-D GEOMETRY AND KINEMATIC EVOLUTION OF THE KUPE INVERSION STRUCTURE, SOUTHERN TARANAKI BASIN, NEW ZEALAND
(2017-12) Clayton, Spencer; Mitra, Shankar; Marfurt, Kurt; Pranter, Matthew
The Southern Taranaki Basin underwent extension during the Late Cretaceous to Eocene, followed by a compression during the Oligocene to the Late Miocene, resulting in inversion of some of the pre-existing normal faults. The style of the structures and related faults varies depending on the relative magnitudes of extension and compression, and the orientation of the faults. The Kupe structure is related to two overlapping faults, the Manaia and Rua faults, with different magnitudes of slip along structural trend. A series of structural cross sections using the Kerry 3D seismic dataset and existing regional maps was made to develop a 3-D structural model of the Kupe structure. Kinematic reconstructions of the cross sections were used to validate the interpretations and understand the structural evolution. The magnitude of extension on the Manaia fault unit is greatest to the north, and decreases significantly to the south where it overlaps with the Rua fault. Inversion occurred during the Oligocene to Miocene, with the greatest magnitude of compression in the central part of the area. The inversion occurred primarily on the Manaia fault in this area, but fault slip was progressively transferred to the Rua fault in the south. Fault-bend folding along a listric fault with a deep decollement level within the basement was primarily responsible for the formation of the structure, but some fault-propagation folding and/or fault-independent folding was also important. There is considerable variation in the structural styles along the trend of the structure. The northern part is dominated by a broad structure formed by fault-bend folding with a broad zone of fault propagation folding. The central transfer between the two faults is marked by a steep front limb and a tight zone of fault propagation folding is needed to explain this geometry. This area includes the structural closure drilled by the producing Kupe South well. The southern area is marked by a broad structure with a gently dipping front limb, and the progressive transfer of inversion from the Manaia to the Rua fault.
Open Access
3D finite element modeling of blast wave transmission in human ear from external ear to cochlear hair cells
(2023-05-12) Bradshaw, John; Gan, Rong; Dai, Chenkai; Detamore, Michael
Auditory system dysfunction caused by exposure to blast waves is one of the leading causes of disability among military servicemembers and veterans. While the external and middle ear response to blast overpressures (BOPs) have been characterized experimentally, the inner ear behavior is much more difficult to measure, especially the micro-level cochlear hair cells in the organ of Corti (OC) responsible for converting pressure waves into electrical signals. Recently, computational finite element (FE) models have advanced to predict blast wave transmission from the external ear into the cochlea. However, in published FE models the anatomy of the inner ear is still insufficient. The objective of this study was to develop a 3D FE model of the human ear that included a 3-chambered cochlea to improve inner ear anatomy, validate the model’s results, and simulate the behavior of the OC during blast wave transmission. The human ear FE model consists of the ear canal, middle ear, and spiral cochlea with 3 chambers (scala vestibuli, scala media, and scala tympani) separated by Reissner’s membrane (RM) and the basilar membrane (BM). The model was run as a coupled fluid-structural analysis in ANSYS. An experimentally recorded blast waveform was applied as input to the entrance of the ear canal, and the model outputs included the ear canal (P1) and cochlear pressures, and the displacements of the tympanic membrane (TM), stapes footplate (SFP), and BM. The results of the model were compared to experimental measurements from blast tests in order to validate the FE model’s results. In addition, a microscale structural model of the OC was developed that used the FE model-derived BM displacement at 16.75 mm from the BM base end as input. This model reported some preliminary results describing the motion of the outer hair cells (OHCs) and hair bundles (HBs). The FE model of the human ear successfully predicted the middle and inner ear tissue displacements and fluid pressures. The P1 pressure, cochlear pressures, TM displacement, and SFP displacements were validated against blast test results. The incorporation of the 3-chambered cochlea improved the model’s accuracy compared to previous cochlea models used for blast transmission and demonstrated the influence of the RM and scala media chamber on cochlear biomechanics. These results were used to predict the likelihood of auditory injury. In addition, the preliminary results of the OC model showed radial variation in the OHC and HB behavior and indicated some potential mechanisms of sensory hair cell injury. The FE model reported in this thesis successfully improved the simulation of human cochlear anatomy and was validated against experimental blast measurements. A microscale model of the OC was connected with the full human ear model, giving some preliminary insight into blast-induced OC behavior. Future work with this model will improve the connection between the cochlea model and OC model and apply the FE model of the human ear to hearing loss prediction and the evaluation of earplug effectiveness.
Open Access
3D QUANTITATIVE SEISMIC STRATIGRAPHY OF JURASSIC CARBONATE STRATA ON THE ARABIAN PLATFORM
(2018-12) AlShafei, Ali; Pigott, John; Marfurt, Kurt; Soreghan, Gerilyn
Quantitative seismic stratigraphy of a 3D seismic volume of the Arabian platform provides critical information on the heterogeneity of reservoir quality of a productive Jurassic carbonate grainstone. The Vail method of sequence stratigraphy allowed the delineation of thirteen sequence boundaries from the Permian to the Cenozoic. Integrating the Galloway petrophysical methods of sequence stratigraphy from well constraints, four third-order cycles of HST, RST, TST, and LST parasequence sets are identified. As these are regionally correlated on the seismic they appear to be allocyclically controlled. The 3D porosity prediction via neural network application successfully predicted the continuity of HST high porosities, suggesting the porosities were caused by fresh-water vadose/phreatic diagenesis of these Hothouse mineralogies during sea level falls of the ensuing RST’s. Unfortunately, while discernible in the wells, these parasequence sets are below seismic resolution for interpretation. The LST’s have good mudstone deposition with accompanying enriched organic matter content for potential self-sourcing of the overlying HST’s. The TST’s which followed, much like the RST’s, are below seismic resolution for mapping. Combined with post-depositional structural, this parasequence porosity centralization in these stacked cycles of carbonates provides an ideal assemblage of reservoir criticals for hydrocarbon accumulation and suggests quantitative seismic stratigraphy is a powerful tool for Arabian platform Jurassic carbonate exploration and exploitation.
Open Access
3D RESERVOIR GEOMECHANICS MODEL OF THE PROPOSED FORGE LABORATORY SITE NEAR MILFORD UTAH
(2018-05-11) Janis, Michael; Ghassemi, Ahmad; Wu, Xingru; Pranter, Matthew
In this thesis a 3D reservoir geomechanics model (mechanical earth model) is constructed for the FORGE laboratory site near Milford, Utah. Such characterizations are necessary for enhanced geothermal sites (EGS) that rely chiefly on shear stimulation for permeability increases. 1D mechanical earth models are constructed along wells and distributed through 3D structural models populated with simulation grids. Stresses are estimated from a variety of sources and developed into 3D models. A discrete fracture network is built using outcrop data and well bore image log data.
Open Access
60°S-62°S Witnessed a Shift Pattern of Southern Ocean Boundary Layer Aerosols and CCN
(2021) Niu, Qing; McFarquhar, Greg; Cavallo, Steven; Marchand, Roger
The Southern Ocean (SO), dominated by high surface wind speeds associated with frequent cyclones, is the most pristine environment on Earth, providing a natural laboratory to study the correlation of marine boundary layer aerosols with meteorological conditions in order to enhance the understanding of processes responsible for aerosol formation and loss. The Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program’s Mobile Facility-2 (AMF2) on-board the Australian icebreaker Aurora Australis (AA) obtained ship-based cloud, precipitation and aerosol measurements during the 2017-18 Measurements of Aerosols, Radiation and Clouds over the SO (MARCUS) Experiment during cruises across the SO. With the data acquired, the 60-62 south degree latitude range witnessed a shift pattern of SO boundary layer aerosols and Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN).
Open Access
A Checklist of the Bizzell Bible Collection in the University of Oklahoma Library Prefaced by a Discussion of Certain Items Outstanding for Their Importance and Contribution to Biblical Scholarship
(1963) Williams, Jeane Mathewson Whitcomb
Open Access
A comparative study of the language of aging as a function of social isolation and anomia
(1978) Stich, Marianne Gloriod; Roger Babich; Blaine Goss; Wayland Cummings
Open Access
A comparison of microphysical parameterization sensitivities in three comma-head snow events and evaluation of scheme solutions with PIREPs
(2013) Cassady, Kristen; Reeves, Heather; Parsons, David; Cavallo, Steven
Numerical model experiments are conducted to assess how aircraft icing forecasts are affected by the choice of microphysical parameterization, with respect to the presence of supercooled liquid water (SLW). Select winter storms are investigated that are observed to have elevated regions of SLW, a condition for hazardous icing environments. The schemes considered include the Thompson, Milbrandt-Yau, Morrison, and National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) microphysics parameterizations. The Thompson scheme routinely produces less SLW than the other three schemes. Sensitivity experiments reveal this difference is in large part a consequence of scavenging of cloud water from snow. In some environments, the Morrison scheme produces considerably more SLW than the other parameterization schemes. The output from each experiment is compared to aviation pilot reports of aircraft icing to determine which scheme yields the most accurate results. According to all statistical measures that we explored, the predictability of SLW seems to be best represented by Morrison. However, the results are not drastically different between the schemes.
Open Access
A comparison of soil stabilization additives to determine parameters affecting soil strength values
(2010) Hussey, Nicholas Lawrence; Muraleetharan, Kanthasamy; Miller, Gerald; Cerato, Amy
Open Access
A comparison of the achievements of transfer and non-transfer pupils /
(1939.) Davis, Dan H.
Open Access
A comparison of two-phase inflow performance relationships
(1997) Gallice, Frederic; Samuel Osisanya; Ronald Evans; Michael L. Wiggins
In this research, the individual performance of vertical oil wells are investigated. The objective of this study was to verify the suitability of certain empirical relations to predict the rate-pressure behavior of a single oil well producing from solution-gas drive reservoirs. Inflow performance curves were generated for 26 cases based on actual field data. The predicted rates where then compared to actual measured rate and pressure data. The variation between the measured and predicted rates by the various methods studied has been analyzed. Based on this analysis, multipoint performance methods generally provide the most reliable estimates of well performance. Fetkovich' s multipoint method was the most consistent performance predictionfor the cases studied. In addition, it was observed that no one method presented the best results for all cases and it is recommended that multipoint performance methods be utilized to yield a range of potential pressure-production behavior.
Open Access
A descriptive profile of women composers who teach composition in U.S. colleges and universities
(1989) Hale, Mima Sproles; Dr. Judith S. Lewis; Dr. E.L. Lancaster; Dr. Jane Magrath
Open Access
A faunal study of the Fremont formation in the Cañon City embayment, Colorado
(1954) Monk, Wilfred Jearle; Branson, Carl C.; Moore, Carl A.; Frederickson, Edward A.
Open Access
A Geochemical Analysis Of The Carbon System In A Modern Tpopical Lagoon: Discovery Bay, Jamaica
(1985) Laughlin, Jefferson Edwin
"The factors which alter the total CO2 content of waters residing in Discovery Bay, Jamaica include photosynthesis, respiration, precipitation, dissolution, groundwater invasion, aerobic decay of organic matter, and gas exchange across the air-sea interface. Groundwater invasion of O2-charged meteoric waters can be accounted for by monitoring alkalinity and pH decreases associated with decreases in chlorinity. Disregarding the changes in alkalinity resulting from dilution, alkalinity changes represent the effects of precipitation and dissolution. Diurnal oxygen variations are used to estimate the organic metabolism and oxidation reactions occurring within the bay. The changes in total CO2 resulting from gas exchange can be determined by subtracting the total CO2 changes resulting from productivity, precipitation-dissolution, and groundwater invasion from the observed total CO2 changes.
Open Access
A highly stable and repeatable source for spectroscopy of the B0u+ ← X0g+ transitions in ¹³⁰Te₂
La Mantia, David S.; Abraham, Eric R. I.; Parker, Gregory; Moore-Furneaux, John
Presented here is the detailed discussion of the use of a stabilized helium-neon laser in a Fabry-Perot interferometer to create a highly stable, precise, and repeatable frequency reference source for use in spectroscopy. Tellurium (130Te2) was scanned from 664 THz to 676 THz with a tunable diode laser. Spectra lines were then identified for the BOt f- XOt transitions in this molecule. From this many high order spectroscopic constants were determined.