Measurements of Sub-Milliradian Angles Using a Modified Michelson Interferometer

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

At Humboldt State University, a group of undergraduate students and faculty have been investigating the effects of gravity at very short distances. Due to the need to measure very small amounts of motion during these experiments, a separate group of students and faculty have been designing an optical system to measure very small rotational movement, down to the sub-milliradian scale. This system, a modified Michelson interferometer, utilizes the optical path length difference of two branches of a split laser beam to measure almost imperceptible rotations of a mirror by observing constructive and destructive interference of the two branches.

Measuring a Nations Fragility in Relation to Climate Change

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Concluding the 21st century, changing atmospheric processes will alter regional resource availability increasing a nation’s fragility. To examine the interconnected nature among socioeconomic structures and ecosystem services, a model was developed that measures a nation’s fragility in six categories: political, economic, social, agriculture, water resources, and culture. The model was then applied to the 10th most fragile nation, The Republic of Iraq, and the 158th most fragile nation, The United States of America. The United States will too experience great changes in the environment, but accessibility to mitigate greatly reduces their progression to a fragile state in contrast to Iraq.

Mesocarnivore Responses to Visual Lures In Freshwater, California

Adeline Tealle, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

This study sought to understand the effects of a visual lure on mesocarnivores at camera trapping stations. By fashioning a lure from fur, feathers, and tinsel, I placed the lure in front of 5 randomized cameras along with 5 cameras with no lure. The cameras were placed along a 150 meter long transect on an active game trail in Freshwater, CA. 9 species of mesocarnivore were detected, and 5 species with larger sample sizes were included in analysis of interest towards the lure, time spent at camera stations, and relationships between species in response to the lure.

Mesocarnivore Temporal Niche Partitioning in Response to Anthropogenic Presence in Northern California

Anna Schwecke, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

The study is aimed to determine (1) If mesocarnivores use temporal niche partitioning to reduce resource conflict, then interspecific species will have minimal activity overlap and (2) If anthropogenic presence alters temporal niche partitioning among mesocarnivores at my study site, then mesocarnivores will display circadian overlap where it typically does not occur.

Method for Direct Catalytic Spectrophotometric Determination of Iron by Flow Injection Analysis

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A sensitive flow injection (FI) system for determining dissolved iron concentrations involved a complex manifold: peristaltic pump, two electronically actuated 6-port, 2-postion injection valves, UV-Vis spectrophotometer and a desktop computer controlled by a software program for data acquisition. The FI method allows for direct preconcentration of iron in samples at trace metal nanomolar concentrations using the catalytic colorimetric indicator N, N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride. Toyopearl AF-Chelate-650M chelating resin is used to remove the need for sample treatments before preconcentrating and eliminate interferences from iron binding to organic ligands in the sample matrix

Methodology for in situ DRIFTS Measurements of Atmospheric Heterogeneous Processes

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) is a form of infrared spectroscopy specific to analyzing powder solids. The DRIFTS apparatus contains a controlled environment in vacuum or atmospheric pressure conditions. Heterogeneous interactions of gas-solid samples in the DRIFTS cell allow for in situ measurements under a variety of environmental conditions to characterize functional groups and structural evolution during the process of a chemical reaction. Experiments studied the effect of acetone adsorption on Titanium dioxide (TiO2) surface for oxidation reactions on the surface.

MICP Bio-cementation for Uniform Improvement of Heterogenous Sands

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) is an environmentally-conscious bio-cementation ground improvement technology. In the process, microorganisms containing active urease enzymes are utilized to induce the precipitation of calcite on soil particle surfaces and contacts. MICP can be utilized for; strengthening soils to support structures, mitigation of earthquake-induced liquefaction, prevention of soil erosion, improvement of slope stability, and immobilization of divalent cation contaminants.

Micrographic insights of etiological agents in Pacific oysters

Victoria Cifelli, Biological Sciences Graduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

A comparison of the topography and microbial community of oyster gills with and without OsHV-1.

Microhabitat Use in the Wandering Salamander

Noah Morales, Wildlife Undergraduate Student

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

An evaluation of characteristics of tree stumps that make them conducive for the presence of the Wandering Salamander (Aneides vagrans). I looked at stump diameter, the relative abundance of cracks on the stumps, and the amount of surface and canopy cover around the stumps to determine if wandering salamander abundance is correlated with any of those variables.

Mindfulness: A physiological examination of mediation and alternate states of conciousness

College of Natural Resources & Sciences

From Tibetan monks to college students in the U.S., meditation is a practice that has transcended cultural barriers and has been in existence for thousands of years. In addition to waking, dreaming, and non-dreaming, Davidson (1976) describes the practice of transcendental meditation (TM) as a fourth state of consciousness (as cited in Kanellakos & Lukas, 1974). This is due to the studies with brain wave lengths and EEGs that show what areas of the mind are being activated during meditation. My study will be a literature review of: the physiological changes during meditation, brain activity during meditation, and current clinical applications.