Now showing items 1-20 of 7327

    • School Travel Behaviors in Rural Communities: Pandemic-Related Impacts

      Chang, Kevin; Li, Xinyi; Abdel-Rahim, Ahmed (2025-01)
      The global pandemic, which started around early 2020, significantly disrupted life for many families, and the trip to and from school was not immune to these disruptions. Parents and children alike made travel adjustments depending on their preferences with regard to personal health and safety, social distancing, and aversion to risk. Each school district and individual school also made decisions with regard to in-person or remote learning during this period of uncertainty. In this study, the research team examines how the pandemic affected school transportation for hundreds of families across the Pacific Northwest. An online survey was developed and administered with the help of Qualtrics, an experience management company. Over 600 responses were gathered to assess school transportation-related travel decisions. In addition to collecting demographic data about the respondents, the survey also asked about travel mode choices and characteristics of the trip to and from school. The collective results were then analyzed to determine which factors directly contributed to pandemic-related changes in travel behavior. The study concluded that the demographic factors of parent education level, household income, and age of child were all statistically significant variables that affected behavioral change, though the place of household residence, whether rural or urban, was determined to be an insignificant variable. Additionally, common travel assumptions associated with rural students, when compared with urban students, were confirmed. These factors included a greater reliance on a yellow school bus and lesser availability of critical infrastructure.
    • Nesting habitat relationships of four species of alcids at Fish Island, Alaska

      Lenhausen, William A. (1980-05)
      Tufted Puffins, Horned Puffins, Parakeet Auklets, and Pigeon Guillemots were studied at Fish Island, Alaska, 59°52, N, 147°25, W, to determine if nesting habitat relationships indicated nest separa- tion or competition. The timing of early stages of breeding and daily activity patterns overlapped broadly among all species. Aggressive interactions occurred among all species. Tufted Puffins nested in cliff edges and grassy slopes; all species used rocky slopes and cliff faces. Tufted Puffin nests in rocks differed from Pigeon Guillemot and Parakeet Auklet nests in having larger entrance height and area, and they were placed farther from the high tide line. These dif- ferences related to body size and take-off ability, and may be indica- tions of past competition for nest sites. Interspecific interactions and site use by more than one species indicated some competition may have occurred for certain sites. Overall, most evidence indicated competition had little influence on nest site use among species.
    • Data Submission Package for Manuscript 'Using Machine Learning, the Cloud, Big Data, Citizen-science, and the world’s largest set of environmental predictors towards proposing modern add-ons to improve conservation management plans for squirrel species in Alaska and Indigenous lands'

      Steiner, Moriz; Huettmann, Falk (2025-02-12)
      Context. Squirrel species in Alaska generally lack thorough conservation management plans, and they are actively hunted with no bag limits, closed seasons, or any other restrictions. This indicates a laissez-faire approach to Alaskan squirrel conservation management. Aims. In an attempt to improve this current situation, we employ an ensemble of machine-learning algorithms as proposed improvement add-ons to the traditional components of conservation management plans toward a more state-of-the-art approach to squirrel conservation. Methods. We combined the Machine Learning algorithms TreeNet, CART, Random Forest, and Maxent with over 200 environmental and socio-economic predictors for the ensemble Super Species Distribution Models. These ensemble models were carried out for all squirrel species individually occurring in Alaska and a 600 km buffer area and two assemblage models combined: a) all species currently occurring only in Alaska and b) all species occurring in Alaska and the 600km buffer area. Key results. Most predicted distribution hotspots for squirrels in Alaska and the 600 km buffer area were observed near road and river systems (close to human activities) and the last glacial maximum refugia. Conclusions & Implications. Applying a machine learning ensemble distribution modeling framework to conservation management plans can add valuable science-based insights to better understand the landscape and species to be managed. This can also be highly valuable for lands not directly managed by conventional agencies, e.g., land managed by the military or Native communities.
    • Data Submission Package for Manuscript 'Progress on the world's primate hotspots and coldspots: Modeling ensemble Super SDMs in cloud-computers based on digital citizen-science Big Data and 200+ predictors for more sustainable conservation planning'2

      Steiner, Moriz; Huettmann, Falk (2025-02-11)
      Describing where distribution hotspots and coldspots are located with certainty is crucial for any science-based species management and governance. Thus, here we created the world’s first Super Species Distribution Models (SDMs) including all primate species and the best-available predictor set. These Super SDMs are conducted using modern Machine Learning ensembles like Maxent, TreeNet, RandomForest, CART, CART Boosting and Bagging, and MARS with the utilization of cloud supercomputers (as an add-on option for more powerful models). For the global cold/ hotspot models, we obtained global distribution data from www.GBIF.org (approx. 420,000 raw occurrence records) and utilized the world’s largest environmental predictor set of 201 layers. For this analysis, all occurrences have been merged into one multi-species (400+ species) pixel-based analysis. We quantified the global primate hotspots for Central and Northern South America, West Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Southern Africa. The global primate coldspots are Antarctica, the Arctic, most temperate regions, and Oceania past the Wallace line. We additionally described all these modeled hotspots/coldspots and discussed reasons for a quantified understanding of where the world’s primates occur (or not). This shows us where the focus for most future research and conservation management efforts should be, using state-of-the-art digital data indication tools with reason. Those areas should be considered of the highest conservation priority, ideally following ‘no killing zones’ and sustainable land stewardship approaches if primates are to have a chance of survival.
    • Data Submission Package for Manuscript 'Progress on the world's primate hotspots and coldspots: Modeling ensemble Super SDMs in cloud-computers based on digital citizen-science Big Data and 200+ predictors for more sustainable conservation planning'

      Steiner, Moriz; Huettmann, Falk (2025-02-11)
      Describing where distribution hotspots and coldspots are located with certainty is crucial for any science-based species management and governance. Thus, here we created the world’s first Super Species Distribution Models (SDMs) including all primate species and the best-available predictor set. These Super SDMs are conducted using modern Machine Learning ensembles like Maxent, TreeNet, RandomForest, CART, CART Boosting and Bagging, and MARS with the utilization of cloud supercomputers (as an add-on option for more powerful models). For the global cold/ hotspot models, we obtained global distribution data from www.GBIF.org (approx. 420,000 raw occurrence records) and utilized the world’s largest environmental predictor set of 201 layers. For this analysis, all occurrences have been merged into one multi-species (400+ species) pixel-based analysis. We quantified the global primate hotspots for Central and Northern South America, West Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, and Southern Africa. The global primate coldspots are Antarctica, the Arctic, most temperate regions, and Oceania past the Wallace line. We additionally described all these modeled hotspots/coldspots and discussed reasons for a quantified understanding of where the world’s primates occur (or not). This shows us where the focus for most future research and conservation management efforts should be, using state-of-the-art digital data indication tools with reason. Those areas should be considered of the highest conservation priority, ideally following ‘no killing zones’ and sustainable land stewardship approaches if primates are to have a chance of survival.
    • Seismic site response, liquefaction-induced lateral spreading and impact of seasonal frost on pile foundations in cold regions

      Zhao, Yue; Yang, Zhaohui (Joey); Ahn, Il-Sang; Dutta, Utpal; Shur, Yuri (2024-12)
      Permafrost sites are experiencing significant changes due to anthropogenic activities and climate change, leading to substantial variations in soil dynamic properties and increased seismic risks. The associated geohazards, including differential settlement, slope instability, and liquefaction of degraded, unconsolidated materials in seismically active warm permafrost regions, pose substantial threats to the built infrastructure. This study aims to assess the seismic site response of warm permafrost sites and analyze the impact of seasonal frost on liquefaction-induced lateral spreading and pile foundation behavior in cold regions. Northway Airport, Alaska, was used as the study site to characterize permafrost conditions, while the Slana River site and the newly constructed bridge along the Tok Cut-Off were selected as the prototype for investigating liquefaction-induced lateral spread and its impact on pile foundations. Geophysical testing methods, including Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectra Ratio (HVSR) method of ambient noise, and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), were used to map the shear wave velocity profiles. A one-dimensional equivalent linear analysis assesses site response across multiple seismic hazard levels, accounting for frozen and thawed conditions. Meanwhile, a three-dimensional finite element modeling approach, i.e., OpenSees, simulates ground liquefaction and the interactions between pile foundations and liquefiable soils under varying conditions of seasonal frost depth and soil properties. The results from this study show that, in degraded permafrost areas, changes in shear wave velocity (Vs) due to thawing significantly influence ground motion characteristics during seismic events. Seasonal frost depth and soil permeability emerged as critical factors in affecting liquefaction-induced lateral ground spreading, with lower soil permeability and greater frost thickness increasing liquefaction susceptibility and resulting in a larger amount of ground lateral spread. Furthermore, this study demonstrates that seasonal frost can substantially reduce ground lateral spreading. However, it can also increase internal forces such as shear force and bending moment in bridge pile foundations and form additional plastic hinges, complicating the seismic design of deep foundations. These findings highlight the need to understand comprehensively permafrost degradation-induced changes in soil dynamic properties in cold regions. This study proposes a framework for assessing permafrost degradation's impact on the seismic site response. It offers new insights for engineers and policymakers to develop effective strategies for constructing and retrofitting resilient infrastructure and mitigating the hazards in seismically active cold regions.
    • A range extension for Carex sartwellii in Interior Alaska

      Winterstein, Mark A.; Hollingsworth, Teresa; Walker, Donald; Ruess, Roger (2024-12)
      Mean annual temperatures and growing season length have been increasing in northern latitudes. This has impacted permafrost thaw and the water balance of northern regions, resulting in a pattern of drying lakes in the Yukon Flats, Alaska. As lakes dry, they expose lake sediments to colonization by terrestrial vegetation. Recent interest in the terrestrial response to climate change and its effects on ecosystem services led to the formation of the Yukon River Basin project. As a part of this project, we studied plant succession and diversity in the drying lake basins. In the course of our field work we encountered a sedge we believed to be previously undocumented in Alaska. Our documentation of Sartwell’s Sedge, Carex sartwellii, on nine drying lakes during fieldwork in the central Yukon Flats, Alaska, represents a range extension for this species. Previously, its range extended as far northwest as Yukon, Canada, with a reported, but lost collection, from Alaska in 1895. Two earlier collections from the Yukon Flats have been verified; one was misidentified as Carex praegracilis until 2007. Carex sartwellii’s assumed absence from Alaska and Yukon flora, misidentification of an earlier collection, and the remoteness of the Yukon Flats may have contributed to the rarity of its collection. In Alaska this species is morphologically similar to C. praegracilis, but can be distinguished using traits of the perigynia, leaf sheaths, and the production of true vegetative culms. This sedge was found extensively in alkaline drying lake basins, which are similar environments to those found during the Pleistocene. Many of the species that occurred with C. sartwellii in lake basin plant communities have been documented in paleo reconstructions of plants from the Beringian steppe. The Yukon Flats are botanically understudied as a region in Alaska and further research should focus on identifying these unique relict plant communities in the Yukon Flats and their distribution along historic Beringia into Yukon. This would likely lead to more collections of C. sartwellii and expand our knowledge of its distribution and ecology.
    • Extraction of rare earth elements from coal ash using supercritical CO₂

      Veerla, Uthej; Fan, Long; Ghosh, Tathagata; Arya, Sampurna (2024-12)
      The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) as critical components in modern technologies has led to growing interest in their efficient recovery from alternative sources. Coal ash, a waste product generated from coal combustion, has been identified as a potential reservoir of valuable REEs with reported REE concentrations varying between 270 and 1480 ppm. In this research paper, we investigate the recovery of REEs from three coal ashes: anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous using environmentally benign supercritical fluid (SCF) carbon dioxide (CO2). Additionally, the effect of tributyl phosphate (TBP) and nitric acid (HNO3) as complexing agents is explored to enhance the extraction efficiency. The advantage of this option over conventional solvent extraction methods includes minimization of liquid waste generation, solute separation, and rapid reaction rates. Supercritical fluids (SCFs) can penetrate and transport solutes from different matrices due to its high diffusivity, low viscosity, and liquid-like solvating. CO2 provides a good option as an efficient solvent since it has the benefit of being easy to obtain and has a medium critical constant (Tc = 31.1oC and Pc = 7.38 MPa), as compared to other solvents. Additionally, CO2 is inert and stable (chemically and radio chemically), inexpensive, easy to supply at high purity, and it is environmentally friendly and widely used. The experimental work involved the optimization of process parameters, including temperature, pressure, and solvent-to-solid ratio, to ensure maximum REE recovery while minimizing environmental impact. The optimum extraction conditions for anthracite ash were determined to be 60°C, 1100 psi, 120 minutes residence time, 250 rpm agitation rate, solid to chelating agent ratio 1:10 and TBP to HNO3 ratio 1:1, with corresponding 80% extraction efficiency which is 230 ppm. The optimum extraction conditions for bituminous ash were determined to be 60°C, 1100 psi, 120 minutes residence time, 250 rpm agitation rate, solid to chelating agent ratio 1:10 and TBP to HNO3 ratio 1:1, with corresponding 49% extraction efficiency which is 290 ppm. The optimum extraction conditions for sub-bituminous ash were determined to be 60°C, 1835 psi, 120 minutes residence time, 250 rpm agitation rate, solid to chelating agent ratio 1:10 and TBP to HNO3 ratio 1:2, with corresponding 58% extraction efficiency which is 149 ppm.
    • Combining Alaska forage fish data from research surveys and predator diets to assess forage fish response to climatic regime shifts

      Turner, Lindsay; Cunningham, Curry; Arimitsu, Mayumi; Eckert, Ginny (2024-12)
      Forage fish play a crucial role in the marine ecosystems of Alaska through the transfer of energy from lower trophic levels to marine predators. Understanding and quantifying Alaskan forage fish responses to rapid climatic shifts is needed to inform adaptive management strategies under a warmer and more variable future in Alaska. However, data on the occurrence and abundance of forage fish in Alaska are limited due to the diversity of life history strategies and patchy distribution that make their capture in fisheries-independent surveys difficult. In this thesis, I address current gaps in the data available on forage fish through the publication of an Alaska Forage Fish Database (AFFD) comprised of data from trawls, beach seines, and the diets of predator consuming forage fish, collected by a variety of contributing agencies and organizations. This data compilation effort resulted in a database containing forage fish abundance data from 461,449 sampling events spanning the years 1953 - 2023. Using the compiled dataset, I then assess large-scale spatial and temporal patterns in the occurrence of Pacific capelin (Mallotus catervarius), Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), and sand lance (Ammodytes spp.) in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Interannual trends in the encounter probability for each species, based on models fit to data from fisheries surveys, groundfish diets, and seabird diets, exhibit coherence in large-scale changes among observation types in the Gulf of Alaska (1972 - 2023) and Bering Sea (1980 - 2023). I compare the distribution of species’ encounter probability across decadal climate stanzas and demonstrate the differences in distribution of species during the 2014 - 2019 heatwaves compared to prior stanzas, as well as reoccurring distribution patterns in response to similar climatic characteristics among stanzas. Findings from this thesis facilitate an expanded understanding of forage fish population dynamics and spatial distribution in response to rapid climatic shifts.
    • Meaning as process and product: hybridizing metamodern hylosemiotics with postmodern and contemporary American poetry

      Shomler, Zeke; Coffman, Chris; Johnson, Eliza; Holt, Joe; Stanley, Sarah (2024-12)
      This thesis expands on Jason Storm’s theory of metamodern hylosemiotics by addressing contemporary American poetic strategies and their relationship to modernism and postmodernism, especially through Cole Swenson and David St. John’s definition of the “American hybrid.” In modifying Storm’s theoretical system, I offer a hybridized semiotics that locates meaning both in the information or “content” inferred through the act of reading and the related processes of interacting with the text. Through readings of poetry by John Ashbery, Terrance Hayes, Clark Coolidge, and William Stafford, I show that hybridizing semiotics is not only necessary for the consistency and viability of metamodern theory in response to the hybrid poetry we see today, but also provides a useful strategy for approaching poetry in general.
    • An investigation of raciolinguistic ideologies in Japanese rap battles

      Reynolds, Morgan; Shoaps, Robin; Marlow, Patrick (2024-12)
      This thesis interrogates what are normally implicit linguistic ideologies surrounding who is a legitimate speaker of Japanese and how it implicates a relationship between ethnicity, nationality, culture, and language. Using a corpus of recorded rap battles from YouTube in which one of the rappers is known to be of non-Japanese or partially non-Japanese heritage, discourse analysis demonstrates how race, foreignness and otherness are made relevant in disses of opponents’ rap skill. The history and characteristics of Japanese rap are outlined with an eye toward how the conventions of the musical genre reflect preoccupations with creating a distinctly Japanese form of an international musical style. Rap battles, as an improvisational, live competition, are a performative genre of verbal art—all participants offer their words up for evaluation by an audience. Drawing from Bauman’s theory of verbal art as performance, it is argued that rap battles are a place where Japanese social actors evaluate not only poetic form but also appeal to implicitly shared cultural values. The generic conventions of battles allow them to be a site where confrontation and identity work can be much more overt than in everyday and more formal types of social interaction. Analysis centers on rappers who are recognized as competent if not highly skilled and whose Japanese is indistinguishable from people who fit cultural ideals of Japaneseness, yet are known to be “Other”. It is demonstrated that disses make overt a cultural ideology in which Japanese identity is the result of an alignment between “native” linguistic fluency, nationality, ethnicity, and cultural competence. In this decidedly “Japanese” form of verbal art, rappers are able to draw upon and make explicit this logic to diss or negatively evaluate their opponent by drawing relationships between any of these dimensions of the model and rap performance.
    • Centering community and joy through co-production: tracking the seasonal changes of Utqiaġvik’s spring whaling

      Pikok, Kimberly Kivvaq; Carothers, Courtney; Hauser, Donna; Adams, Billy; Black, Jessica; Brinkman, Todd (2024)
      Using mixed methods and multimedia approaches, I investigated the multigenerational perspectives and seasonal changes in Utqiaġvik’s spring whaling. As an Iñupiaq living in my home community of Utqiaġvik, it was important to me to center my community’s knowledge and Iñupiaq-led entities. I used various tools and resources such as conducting semi-directed interviews, hiring a local Iñupiaq videographer to take photos and videos of spring whaling preparations, and using observational data from the Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub. The interviews, conversations with local Iñupiat-led entities and whalers, and the observational data guided my research goals and objectives and, more importantly, determined what key whaling events to research and analyze. Here, I am combining these techniques and resources to address the seasonal changes of our spring whaling key events (e.g., breaking trail) in the context of coastal Iñupiaq communities of northern Alaska and how we can use observations from our Indigenous Knowledge holders to inform scientists and managers of what is happening during spring whaling. In my research, science communication and community engagement occurred concurrently. Therefore, my thesis presents two chapters and a video project, all using excerpts from the interviews and footage and photos from museum archives and the videographer. The two main objectives of this research were communicating the observations of seasonal changes of Utqiaġvik’s spring whaling and centering Inupiat voices and resources. This research embodies significant Indigenous Knowledge and centers hunter and whaler experiences. As an Iñupiaq resident of Utqiaġvik, I hope the research will uplift Indigenous Knowledge and center it in decision-making. Indigenous Knowledge is critical for understanding change in the Arctic.
    • Fine-scale spatial patterns of gelatinous zooplankton in the Northern Gulf of Alaska

      Kepner, Hannah E.; Hopcroft, Russell R.; Kelly, Thomas B.; Questel, Jennifer M. (2024-12)
      The Northern Gulf of Alaska (NGA) is characterized by high variability across spatial and temporal scales. In the NGA, zooplankton are a crucial link between primary production and higher trophic levels. Understanding the mechanisms that structure zooplankton assemblages is important to our overall understanding of ecosystem functioning. Nonetheless, thorough description of zooplankton abundance and distribution patterns is challenging due to the inherent variability and complexity of the marine environment. The study of gelatinous zooplankton is further complicated by the limitations of traditional plankton net sampling methods that are inefficient for the collection of high-resolution spatiotemporal data and often inflict damage on these fragile bodied organisms. In the NGA, and many other ocean systems, this has historically left gelatinous zooplankton under sampled and poorly studied in comparison to cooccurring crustacean zooplankton. To address these challenges, recent advances in imaging technology and computing power were leveraged by deploying an In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System Deep-Focus Particle Imager (ISIIS-DPI) in the NGA from 2022-2023. The ISIIS-DPI is a towed vehicle capable of collecting vast amounts of high-resolution imaging and oceanographic data. An analysis pipeline with convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture was employed to automate the identification of zooplankton images and expedite processing time, allowing for description of fine-scale distributional patterns of gelatinous zooplankton and their associations with surrounding biophysical drivers. Evidence is presented that ctenophore, hydromedusae, and siphonophore aggregations are concentrated around frontal features and track with the surrounding variability in their ocean environment. Several first records in the NGA of previously undetected species are also presented. These novel datasets demonstrate the previously underestimated prominence of gelatinous zooplankton in the NGA and improve our understanding of ctenophore, hydromedusae, and siphonophore abundance and distribution patterns in the context of their oceanographic environment. This work is the first adaptation of in situ imaging and machine learning technologies in the NGA and presents the opportunity to more accurately describe the role of gelatinous zooplankton in marine ecosystem function.
    • Spatial and temporal variability of carbohydrate compositions in cultivated Alaria marginata, Nereocystis luekteana, and Saccharina latissima

      Jardell, Cameron; Umanzor, Schery; Iken, Katrin; Stekoll, Michael (2024-12)
      Carbohydrates derived from Laminariales (kelp), including polysaccharides and sugar alcohols, present significant market opportunities for nascent mariculture industries. These carbohydrates can enhance crop biomass value through extractive processing, with applications in medicine, manufacturing, health supplements, and bio-plastics. The relative abundance and composition of carbohydrates in kelp can vary depending on species, life history, tissue type, season, and environmental conditions. In Alaska, mariculture of kelp focuses on three species: Alaria marginata, Nereocystis luetkeana, and Saccharina latissima. This study assessed the relative abundance of carbohydrates (glucan, mannitol, alginate, and fucoidan) in these species, as well as the sulfate content of fucoidan and the ratio of mannuronic to guluronic acids in alginate (M:G ratio) as proxies of chemical attributes for these carbohydrates. Samples were collected from commercial farm sites in the Kodiak Archipelago, Prince William Sound, and Southeast Alaska between April and June of 2023. Carbohydrate composition was analyzed using high- performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Composition varied among species, where on a dry mass basis, A. marginata had the highest average contents of fucoidan and alginate, while S. latissima had the highest average glucan content. Fucoidan was the only measured component to have consistent trends over time across sites for all species. Inconsistency in trends over time across sites for biochemical components was most notable in A. marginata. Seawater temperature was the most consistent environmental predictor across species, having a moderate, negative correlation the M:G ratio in all species and a moderate, positive correlation with fucoidan in A. marginata and S. latissima. Of the species studied, S. latissima harvested in June may have the highest potential for extractive processing in Alaska. This species had a balanced composition of valuable carbohydrates, high consistency across sites, and high potential yield from a relatively large fraction of solids in wet biomass combined with generally high wet mass growth. This study highlights the complex variability of carbohydrate compositions in kelp and provides the first detailed assessment of A. marginata, N. luetkeana, and S. latissima in Alaska.
    • Teaching Dena'ina language through Dena'ina culturally based reading practices

      Yes, Joel Isaak Łiq'a; Peter, Hishinlai'; Tuttle, Siri; Dunstan, Adam; Koskey, Michael (2024-12)
      The Dena'ina language is a well-documented Northern Dene Alaska Native language in south-central Alaska. The Dena'ina language is on the brink of going to sleep. The Dena'ina community strongly desires for the Dena'ina language to once again thrive in the community. Language-use within the community is a contributing factor to the health of the community. As Dena'ina tribes work towards bringing back the Dena'ina language, the community grapples with the role of reading and writing, both potentially harmful and aiding community language work. A Classroom-Based Action Research qualitative study was conducted to determine if reading instruction in the Dena'ina language can be culturally based and if the culturally based teaching method produces student growth. A Dene language instructor talking circle evaluated the cultural basis and considerations of the proposed teaching approach based on a sample demonstration. The Dena'ina cultural approach was defined as tying together an individual responsibility to meaningfully give back and contribute to the community, learning to listen while demonstrating understanding through action, and individual and collective response through a relationship to place. The Dene language instructor talking circle included nine participants who identified the presented Dena'ina language teaching approach as having a high degree of Dena'ina cultural basis. The significant cultural indicators are producing Dena'ina language speaking skills as student outcomes, utilizing Dena'ina songs, and utilizing color and visualizations that connect the teaching to the Dena'ina story Unhtsah Ninya Niteh Hja'idatl' When The Animals Divided Into Pairs. Student growth data was provided by a single college student enrolled in the Dena'ina Orthography course taught at the Kenai Peninsula College. The student participant displayed meaningful growth in vowel pronunciation. Bringing back the Dena'ina language was noted as being healing for the participants, their families, and the community.
    • Effects of juvenile mass on reproduction and calf survival in a low-density moose population

      Henslee, Sara R.; Crimmins, Shawn; Muehlbauer, Jeff; Kielland, Knut; Parrett, Lincoln (2024-12)
      Moose (Alces alces) are a valuable big game species in Alaska and serve as a critical food source for residents. Near Nome, Alaska, the local moose population has remained at low densities for decades, and there is strong public interest in investigating the cause behind the population's failure to increase in abundance. Compared to other moose populations in Alaska, the population of moose near Nome does not appear to be nutritionally limited or close to carrying capacity. I sought to explore how juvenile mass, a widely used metric to assess moose nutritional status in Alaska, influences reproductive output and subsequent calf survival rates in the moose population in Game Management Units 22C and 22D near Nome by estimating calving rates of collared known-age and known-mass female moose and then monitoring their calves. I found that female moose that were heavier as juveniles had a higher probability of calving for the first time at age 2 or 3 and a higher probability of twinning. I found low calf survival rates (18%) through the first year of life and did not find a significant relationship between any maternal or calf characteristics and calf survival. Overall, it appears that this moose population is defined by low calf survival rates but high reproductive rates and high survival after the first year of life. Additionally, the metric of juvenile mass and primiparity as indicators of nutritional status appears to be variable within populations among years and may not be a reliable management tool. Additional research is warranted to further explore the effect of environmental factors on driving variation in primiparity probability.
    • Climate variability, trends, and impacts on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta with insights into relationship-building to enhance climate science

      Hendricks, Amy Sakura; Bhatt, Uma; Polyakov, Igor; Frost, Gerald; Kettle, Nathan; Trainor, Sarah (2024-12)
      Climate change impacts in the Arctic and Alaska vary widely, providing opportunities to study regional complexities. This thesis, guided by insights from Yup'ik Elders from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, explores the significant impacts of climate change and examines four key topics: climate-vegetation connections, shifting hydroclimate regimes, the role of large-scale climate patterns in tundra wildfires, and fostering community relationships. The first paper investigates tundra vegetation productivity trends which have decreased in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta despite increasing temperatures during the growing season, contrasting with other Arctic tundra regions. Using available long-term climate datasets, a coherent multi-decadal pattern involving spring sea-ice concentration in the East Bering Sea, growing season temperatures, and tundra productivity is revealed. This finding highlights that low-frequency variability can obscure long-term climate relationships. The second paper examines moisture dynamics in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, revealing significant variability in moisture-related climatic factors. A comprehensive analysis of atmospheric data indicates a shifting hydroclimate regime in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, with decreasing large-scale precipitation, increasing convective precipitation and evaporation, and fewer synoptic storms. The study underscores that warmer conditions and changing precipitation patterns can alter vegetation and overall landscape vulnerability to climatic changes. The third paper delves into early-season climate drivers of tundra wildland fires in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. It establishes a baseline climatology for early fire seasons, connecting warmer temperatures and earlier snow-off dates with increased fire activity. It identifies May and June temperatures exceeding 15°C and snow-off dates before May 8 as key indicators for large fire seasons, emphasizing that lightning stroke counts crucially influence the area burned. Contrary to previous research, this study finds that May and June precipitation and spring sea-ice concentration are not primary drivers of tundra fires in the region. The findings suggest a future increase in fire frequency due to projected climate conditions. The fourth topic synthesizes perspectives on regional climate research, relationshipbuilding, and community engagement in Alaska. It discusses the importance of focusing on smaller regions for climate studies to build relevant, credible, and legitimate scientific endeavors with local communities. It emphasizes the value of cultural humility, self-reflection, and active community participation for effective climate science communication and relationship-building. This piece also addresses the systemic challenges of community work within academia and highlights the significance of volunteerism to enhance community-based climate research. Collectively, these papers underscore the intricate relationships between climate variables, tundra landscapes, and wildfire dynamics in Alaskan tundra regions, and the need for region-specific research approaches. The research concludes that community collaboration and culturally sensitive approaches are essential for impactful climate science.
    • Identification and future susceptibility of permafrost degradation near Red Dog Mine

      Hanna, Caitlynn Tautuk; Ahn, Il-Sang; Nicolsky, Dmitry; Iwahana, Go; Bray, Matthew; Zwieback, Simon (2024-12)
      Permafrost degradation is a major concern in the Arctic region, and its impacts on infrastructure, ecosystems, and global climate are significant. Within recent years, 2018 to present, the level of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) has been elevated in Ikalukrok Creek in Northwest Alaska, made evident by creek discolorations known as river rusting. The current analyses indicate that changes in permafrost regimes can trigger the observed rise in TDS. Data visualization, remote sensing, and permafrost modeling were used to understand the physical mechanisms involved in the increase of TDS and to identify regions susceptible to permafrost degradation. This comprehensive approach integrates various datasets to capture the spatiotemporal characteristics of talik formation near Ikalukrok Creek. The permafrost models incorporate a variety of data such as soil temperature, soil type, vegetation, snow cover, and topography. Spatially distributed 1-D models utilize vegetation as a proxy to parameterize ground thermal properties. All models are validated using ground temperature measurements. The study aims to investigate the correlation between changes in TDS and climatic factors, particularly how variations in air temperature influence TDS concentrations in river water. Additionally, it seeks to understand the mechanisms driving river rusting, monitor hydrological and permafrost changes using remote sensing and modeling. By utilizing remote sensing images, it is possible to identify and map the visual extent of river rusting and to investigate the relationship between river rusting concentration, climatic events, and talik formation. This study presents a better understanding of the factors driving talik formation and the increase of TDS. Understanding talik formation and increases in TDS is critical for the mitigation of pollution in the environment. This research provides a foundation for other researchers to build upon, as we learn more about river rusting, it is hoped that policymakers will be able to utilize this information or similar insights.
    • Modeling rate of penetration in a south Texas oil field with aggregated well data in a supercomputing framework

      Golden, Timothy B.; Awoleke, Obadare; Das, Arghya; Goddard, Scott; Mattiolli, Brandon (2024-12)
      The objective of this work is to develop an accurate and practical tool for drilling engineers supporting operations to predict rate of penetration (ROP) in the tangent section of the wellbore using easily obtainable data. Historically, tacit knowledge has been used to predict both ROP and the ideal parameters. Such a tool is valuable for planners seeking to adjust rig schedules. Further, this tool could easily be modified to also optimize parameters. This work was comprised of two major efforts: data acquisition and wrangling, and modeling. Data was obtained from three distinct sources: well files, drilling logs, and survey logs. Data on bit geometry or formation was not available. This data was manually downloaded and imported into Python. Due to the size of the data, a university-owned high-performance computer (HPC) was required to process the data. Special care was given to optimizing for memory efficiencies that allowed the HPC to perform these operations. A test data set of 5 wells was used to pilot the data wrangling process and initial linear regression models. Four different model types were produced and evaluated: linear regression, polynomial regression, nonlinear regression, and neural networks. Neural networks provided the best prediction with a R2 of 0.85. The most important variables affecting ROP in the tangent section in descending order are: total pump output, rotary speed, hook load, differential pressure, and bit type. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest dataset of ROP data found in literature; containing over 350 wells and 30 million rows of data. This workflow can be adopted to create other field-specific models or adapted to evaluate other sections of the wellbore. More immediately, this work creates a large database ready to be utilized for developing other models undergirded by different computational methodologies.
    • Early considerations and estimates for the performance of an Alaska-based earthquake early warning system

      Fozkos, Alexander; West, Michael; Grapenthin, Ronni; Tape, Carl (2024-12)
      The complexity of Alaska presents several challenges for earthquake early warning systems. These include the presence of offshore earthquakes, transform boundaries and crustal faults extending hundreds of kilometers, deep earthquakes, and a complicated coastline. This variety, combined with population centers spread far apart, makes it challenging to anticipate an earthquake early warning system's performance and to design a network accordingly. As Alaska begins to plan for earthquake early warning, our objective is to envision how and how well it might function in Alaska. We present here sets of scenarios with warning time and ground motion estimates for a variety of communities. These scenarios are designed to be meaningful test cases for Alaska earthquake early warning while also exploring how changes in source characteristics--such as magnitude, depth, location, and fault system--impact the timeliness of warnings. We combine travel time estimates, source time models, and the current seismic network to model hypothetical detection and alert times. We compare warning times to peak ground motions to determine the warning effectiveness. Our results suggest the potential for timely warnings up to Modified Mercalli Intensity 6 in the case of shallow earthquakes. More ideal scenarios, including deep earthquakes, could receive advanced warning for shaking up to intensity 8. Informed by these results, we discuss where we expect an Alaska earthquake early warning system to excel and what challenges should be tackled to improve other areas. Finally, we offer ways in which our results and insights can inform future works related to earthquake early warning in Alaska.