DigitalCommons@CalPoly

Pico-Satellite Integrated System Level Test Program

Marcus A. Ruddy — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:40:15 PST

Testing is an integral part of a satellite’s development, requirements verification and risk mitigation efforts. A robust test program serves to verify construction, integration and assembly workmanship, ensures component, subsystem and system level functionality and reduces risk of mission or capability loss on orbit.

The objective of this thesis was to develop a detailed test program for pico-satellites with a focus on the Cal Poly CubeSat architecture. The test program established a testing baseline from which other programs or users could tailor to meet their needs. Inclusive of the test program was a detailed decomposition of discrete and derived test requirements compiled from the CubeSat and Launch Vehicle communities, military guidelines, and industry standards. The test requirements were integrated into a methodical, efficient and risk adverse test flow for verification.

Search for β⁺/EC double beta decay of ¹²⁰Te

E. Andreotti et al. — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:07:37 PST

We present a search for β⁺/EC double beta decay of ¹²⁰Te performed with the CUORICINO experiment, an array of TeO₂ cryogenic bolometers. After collecting 0.0573 kg · y of ¹²⁰Te, we see no evidence of a signal and therefore set the following limits on the half-life: T^{0v _1/2} > 1.9 · 10²¹ y at 90% C.L. for the 0v mode and T^2v_1/2 > 7.6 · 1019 y at 90% C.L. for the 2v mode. These results improve the existing limits by almost three orders of magnitude (four in the case of 0v mode).

Comparison of Base Shears Estimated from Floor Accelerations and Column Shears

Rakesh K. Goel — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:09:22 PST

This paper compares base shears computed from floor accelerations (inertial base shear) and column shears (structural base shear) for two mid-rise, multistory buildings due to a suite of 30 earthquake ground motions. The presented results demonstrate that the inertial base shear exceeds the structural base shear in the median by 10% to 20% and may exceed the structural base shear by as much as 70% for individual ground motions. Therefore, it is concluded that the inertial base shear computed from strong motion records should be used with caution to estimate the structural base shear.

Urban Architecture for Rural East Africa: A Sustainable Solution

Craig Baltimore — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:52:21 PST

Velocity Contour Weighting Method. II: Evaluation in Trapezoidal Channels and Roughness Sensitivity

Daniel Howes et al. — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:48:47 PST

The Velocity Contour Weighting Method (VCWM) was developed in Part I to accurately estimate the cross-sectional average velocity of a prismatic channel flow using acoustic Doppler velocity meter (ADVM) measurements of centerline velocity. Here, the VCWM is validated by its successful application to 25 different concrete-lined trapezoidal channels used for irrigation water delivery. At each site, the cross-sectional distribution of velocity is measured by an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV), which is moved horizontally and vertically through a sampling grid. Multiple tests at some sites led to a total of 51 sets of cross-sectional measurements. ADVM measurements are simulated by interpolating ADV measurements along a set of vertically aligned centerline coordinates typical of ADVM deployments. Subsequent application of the VCWM gives an estimate of the cross-sectional average velocity. Secondly, the velocity-area method is applied to the ADV data to directly measure the cross-sectional average velocity for comparison with the VCWM estimate. Based on this comparison, relative percent errors in the VCWM for all 51 tests were within ±6:3% using a probable surface roughness (k_s) for the finished concrete of 0.0006 m without calibration. A sensitivity analysis shows that a range of realistic roughness values for finished concrete can be used without degrading the accuracy of the cross-sectional average velocity predictions by more than an additional ±1%. Hence, the method is relatively insensitive to poorly characterized roughness values.

Velocity Contour Weighting Method. I: Algorithm Development and Laboratory Testing

Daniel J. Howes et al. — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:48:36 PST

An algorithm is developed for real-time estimation of the cross-sectional average velocity of a channel flow by using an upward-looking pulsed wave acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVM). The Velocity Contour Weighting Method (VCWM) is applicable to gradually varied flows in prismatic channels and requires little to no calibration. VCWM estimates the average velocity as a weighted average of ADVM bin velocities. Weights are based on the velocity distribution sampled by the ADVM. Collectively, the VCWM is able to adapt to a wide range of channel geometry and roughness features. Expressions for the velocity weights are developed by first applying a validated 3D computation fluid dynamics (CFD) channel flow model to a wide range of flow scenarios including differing channel geometries, discharge rates, depths, and boundary roughness. CFD simulation data are then reduced empirically with the aid of dimensional analysis to obtain the velocity weight equation. Special attention is given to the first weight accounting for near-wall velocity where the ADVM does not measure. Application of the method to a large rectangular flume shows that the VCWM predicts the average velocity with an uncertainty less than ±5% and that this uncertainty can be reduced by minimizing the buffer distance between the channel bottom and the first velocity measurement. In a companion paper, the performance of the VCWM is examined in irrigation canals with trapezoidal cross sections.

Urbanization and Daughter-Biased Parental Investment in Fiji

Dawn B. Neill — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:33:28 PST

Parental investment decisions guide parental actions regarding children’s productive work and are shaped by ecological context. Urban ecology enhances long-term payoffs to investment in human capital, increasing opportunity costs for work performed by children, and decreased workload should result. Using an embodied capital framework, self-reported data on urban and rural Indo-Fijian children’s work activities are compared. Results show higher workloads for older children, rural children, and girls. High scholastic achievement is associated with lower workloads for girls, but not boys. This pattern is interpreted as daughter-biased investment in the context of urbanization.

Response of evergreen perennial tree crops to gibberellic acid is crop load-dependent: II. GA₃ increases yield and fruit size of ‘Hass’ avocado only in the on-crop year of an alternate bearing orchard

Lauren C. Garner et al. — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:24:13 PST

Despite problems of low fruit set, small fruit size and alternate bearing, the Hass cultivar dominates commercial avocado production worldwide. To increase yield and fruit size, gibberellic acid (GA₃) (25 mg L⁻¹) was applied at different stages of ‘Hass’ avocado tree phenology: (i) mid–late April (flower abscission), end of June–beginning of July (fruit abscission and beginning of the exponential phase of fruit growth), and mid-January (beginning of pre-harvest fruit drop); (ii) end of June–beginning of July; and (iii) mid-September (near the end of the major fruit abscission period; period of exponential fruit growth). In both years of the research, applications of GA₃ in April and June–July were within the periods of intense flower and fruit abscission, respectively; fruit abscission was low in September and January. Maximum air temperature was not related to flower or fruit abscission. In the on-crop year (391 fruit per untreated control tree), a single application of GA₃ at the end of June–beginning of July significantly increased total yield (kilograms only) and yield of commercially valuable fruit (178–325 g/fruit) (as kilograms and number per tree) compared with the control (P < 0.0001). GA₃ applied in September increased total yield (kilograms only) and yield of commercially valuable fruit (kilograms and number per tree) to values intermediate to and not significantly different from all other treatments, except trees receiving multiple applications of GA₃. This treatment reduced total yield and yield of commercially valuable fruit (kilograms and number per tree) relative to all treatments (P ≤ 0.0002). In contrast, during the off-crop year (32 fruit per control tree), no GA₃ treatment had a significant effect on yield or fruit size compared with the control and all other GA₃ treatments. For ‘Hass’ avocado, there was no negative effect from applying GA₃ at the end of June–beginning of July in both the off- and on-crop years; 2-year cumulative total yield and yield of commercially valuable fruit were increased by 27 kg (128 fruit) and 22 kg (101 fruit) per tree, respectively, above the yield of untreated control trees (P < 0.0001).

Mueller Game Bird Farm Business Plan

Karl Mueller — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 17:16:29 PST

This senior project discusses the results from the development of a business plan for Mueller Game Bird Farm which specializes in raising bobwhite quail for hunters, falconers, and other hobbyists. The plan uses current research with personal experience to develop a realistic approach to fit the needs of this business.

A business plan is a document that will continually change as the business grows and develops. This plan is for the business at the current stage of producing 500 bobwhite quail per year and discusses plans for growth over the next three years as well as strategies to obtain that growth. The demand for this business is high but the company is still in development. The company could fail if it attempted to grow too big too fast. The business plan will show how to have controlled growth for the each of the business’s target markets.

Morphological features of elongated-anisotropic magnetosome crystals in magnetotactic bacteria of the Nitrospirae phylum and the Deltaproteobacteria class

Christopher T. Lefèvre et al. — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:38:29 PST

High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to study the crystallographic habits of the elongated magnetite crystals, variously described as bullet-, tooth- or arrowhead-shaped, in two recently described, uncultured, magnetotactic bacteria belonging to the Nitrospirae phylum designated Candidatus Magnetoovum mohavensis strain LO-1, and Candidatus Thermomagnetovibrio paiutensis strain HSMV-1; and a cultured sulfate-reducing magnetotactic bacterium of the Deltaproteobacteria class of the Proteobacteria phylum designated strain AV-1. The elongation axes of the magnetosomes do not coincide with the easy magnetization axis (which is [111]) but they are parallel to [100] in LO-1 and AV-1 and parallel to [110] in HSMV-1. In all three strains, magnetosome magnetite crystals appear to elongate at constant width, resulting in asymmetric shapes. Idealized crystal morphologies are proposed. Neither the control mechanism over crystal growth, nor the adaptiveness, if any, of such unusual crystal habits are known at the moment. Since similar elongated and asymmetric morphologies are unknown in inorganically-formed magnetite crystals, these forms of magnetosome magnetite appear to be excellent biomarkers.

A Cultured Greigite-Producing Magnetotactic Bacterium in a Novel Group of Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

Christopher T. Lefèvre et al. — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:38:20 PST

Magnetotactic bacteria contain magnetosomes—intracellular, membrane-bounded, magnetic nanocrystals of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) or greigite (Fe₃S₄)—that cause the bacteria to swim along geomagnetic field lines. We isolated a greigite-producing magnetotactic bacterium from a brackish spring in Death Valley National Park, California, USA, strain BW-1, that is able to biomineralize greigite and magnetite depending on culture conditions. A phylogenetic comparison of BW-1 and similar uncultured greigite- and/or magnetite-producing magnetotactic bacteria from freshwater to hypersaline habitats shows that these organisms represent a previously unknown group of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the Deltaproteobacteria. Genomic analysis of BW-1 reveals the presence of two different magnetosome gene clusters, suggesting that one may be responsible for greigite biomineralization and the other for magnetite.

Dobzhansky's Dictum: An Object Lesson for Critical Thinking

William D. Stansfield — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:16:46 PST

A creationist has called Dobzhansky's dictum a myth. Discussion of this debate could be used as an object lesson for critical thinking.

Anger and fear in decision-making: The case of film directors on set

Jean-François Coget et al. — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:38:52 PST

Anger and fear are frequently felt and impactful workplace emotions, especially in times of crisis when critical decisions need to be made. An important question is how these emotions might influence decision makers’ depth of processing: whether when feeling angry or fearful decision-makers engage in more conscious and analytical rational decision making, or less-conscious and heuristic intuitive decision making. To date research on the effect of these strong emotions has been limited to laboratory studies where the complexity and pressures of real-world managerial decisions are absent, and focused on generalized mood rather than on direct emotional experience. This study asks two research questions: Do anger and fear facilitate the use of intuitive or rational decision-making? And what is the impact of these emotions on decision effectiveness? We examine these phenomena in the crisis-laden field setting of film directors actively engaged in directing motion pictures. Data were gathered by shadowing and interviewing seven film directors. A qualitative analysis of the video and audio transcripts revealed that film directors engage in two types of intuitive decision-making, based on whether the decision was driven by expertise or personal emotional experience. Rational decision-making occurred when directors, driven by feelings of moderate fear and little previous experience with a situation, relied on a more conscious, deliberative decision-making process. Four types of decision effectiveness are identified: task, personal, growth, and leadership. The implications of emotion-driven decision-making on each of these types of effectiveness are explored.

Green Building Policy and School Performance

S. Kelting et al. — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:11:59 PST

The movement to construct high performance “green” buildings has had unprecedented market growth and continues to become a mainstream practice for constructing schools in the United States. This paper will consider how the results of government requirements for higher performance school buildings may affect the health and performance of students. The research focuses on educational leaders’ perceptions of how they would prioritize green building strategies based on recent governmental policy that requires building green schools. There is clear and compelling evidence that schools currently built to specific green standards of indoor environmental quality, specifically lighting, result in healthier and more productive students. Interview results concluded that educational leaders’ perceived energy savings strategies to be more important than indoor environmental quality in the design and construction of new schools.

CabbyChic

Stephanie Stroud — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:13:20 PST

College students are presented with new challenges as they transfer from their known world to a new one with social pressures, challenging education, and time management issues, just to name a few. Over the past decade there has been a change in the social dynamics of college students, especially as it relates to partying. As a result there is a growing demand for safe, sober and available rides home, which women in particular feel comfortable taking. This senior project and business plan will solve the need for such a service in the San Luis Obispo area as well as investigate the communication effects of new media for business and education.

Kanye West is Heading South

Clifton A. Sammet — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:13:13 PST

A Cry for Human Rights: Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "Solitude of Self"

Megan Palmer O'Donnell — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:13:08 PST

Improving Flavor of SLO: Volunteer Engagement, Motivation, and Goal Setting in Event Planning

Kendall Ann Young — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:13:03 PST

Hiring and Recruitment as Rhetorical Strategies: An Analysis of the Way Businesses Approach Graduating University Students and Influence their Choices

Sean D. Gibson — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:12:58 PST

To answer the question, which rhetorical strategies are most persuasive to university graduates regarding hiring and recruitment, I surveyed three classrooms with a questionnaire that gauged university graduates attraction to three different types of rhetorical strategies. The rhetoric came from three major businesses that recruit university graduates: College Works Painting, Peace Corps, and Hewlett Packard.

Each one of these businesses uses a different type of strategy to recruit university graduates. College Works Painting uses an Experience Illusion strategy based on the premise that the company will help train university graduates to become managers and leaders in business. Peace Corps’ uses an Altruistic strategy that sells the idea that university graduates will have superhero-like jobs, helping others. Hewlett Packard’s rhetoric is classified, in my research, as being a Fun strategy, as they advertise fueling individual’s curiosity.

I predicted that the Experience Illusion strategy would be most attractive to university graduates, but, I found, through my analysis of the survey data, that the Altruistic strategy is the most attractive strategy to university graduates. I realized, though, that my survey could be expanded upon to yield a more accurate representation of university graduates’ attraction if a new survey were created. If a survey with more options of the same rhetorical strategies, the Experience Illusion, Altruistic, and Fun concepts worded in different ways, was administered to university graduates, the perceived entrapment of succumbing to the rhetorical strategy would be less thus yielding more true and representative results.

Organizational Communication and Human Resources: A Proposal for a New Specialization

Erin Brittany Swoger — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:12:53 PST