Consolidated bioprocessing is the creation of one engineered organism that can handle a chain of chemical reactions that take a low cost feedstock, such as plant biomass, and synthesize high value products such as biofuel or medicine. This project aims to address the first stage of consolidated bioprocessing which is the digestion of the feedstock. Our design is an E. coli strain that can be in one of two states: the consumer state or the altruist state. In the consumer state, the cell carries out normal function by growing and dividing. In the altruist state, the cell produces a large payload of digestive enzymes that degrades plant biomass then lyses to release the payload to the environment where it can act. The consumer cells can then utilize the products of the digestion process to grow and divide. This system is made up of three major genetic components. The first component is a plasmid that designates whether the cell is in the consumer or the altruist state. This plasmid carries a genetic toggle switch that has two operons that produce transcription factors that co-repress each other. The second component is a plasmid that handles the production of digestive enzymes coupled with a lysis gene. Expression of this plasmid is only active if the cells are in the altruist state. The third component a genomic set of enzymes that handles the digestion of cellobiose, the product of the breakdown of cellulose. Initial results demonstrate that the engineered strain is able to grow solely on cellulose and current work focuses on the optimization of the system.

Possession Sound is located at the Snohomish River estuary system between Everett and Whidbey Island in the greater Puget Sound. Mixing between fresh and saline water occurs as a result of the river’s influence and varying tidal exchange. It was hypothesized that more plankton will be present at North Jetty, a site near the mouth of the Snohomish River compared to Buoy, a site located on the opposite side of the jetty, farther from the river. Therefore, it is expected that the plankton biodiversity of North Jetty will be greater when compared to Buoy. Plankton samples were collected at flood and ebb tide at North Jetty to observe the effects of both location and tide height on plankton biodiversity. At North Jetty, there was a wider variety of phytoplankton and zooplankton species during flood tide while ebb tide demonstrated less biodiversity in a smaller population according to data collected in February of 2013. The data from North Jetty depicts that at flood tide there is a greater influence of salt water flow moving planktonic organisms up river.  Gaining an understanding of the effect of flow on plankton in this local area will help strengthen students' understanding of the Possession Sound estuary system.

Possession Sound is a complex estuary system home to diverse marine life that is impacted by local anthropogenic activity such as surface point and non-point source runoff. Introduction of nutrients with runoff as well as from the Snohomish River and upwelling can lead to increase nutrient concentrations in the surface water, which can cause algal blooms. Phosphate, one of the nutrients, is known to act as a fertilizer for phytoplankton while preventing the growth of zooplankton populations (Phosphates in Water Pollution). We hypothesized that Coscinodiscus spp. will vary directly with phosphate concentrations. To test our hypothesis, we reviewed historical data collected on State of Possession Sound (SOPS) cruises collected in the fall by Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students. Nutrient and plankton data in October, November, and December of 2010 as well as November of 2011 were compared. We found that during plankton blooms, phosphate levels are extremely low, possibly due to increased absorption of the micronutrient for photosynthesis. Similarly, when phytoplankton populations were low, phosphate levels increased, likely because of decreased absorption. Conversely, an analysis of tides and seasonal anthropogenic activities are likely to have affected the results of our study and could lead us to further questions.

During the colonial period in Korea the Japanese tried to squelch Korean identity, enfolding the Korean people within their expanding empire. As Japan’s policies and actions on the peninsula became increasingly oppressive, the Western world naively accepted Japan’s benign explanations. However, not everyone disregarded the warning signs in East Asia. Thomas F. Millard, an American journalist, was struck by the Korean plight and took up the Korean cause for independence in his writings. Millard was not only immersed in the affairs of East Asia, he was passionate about what he wrote. As Japanese historians and politicians worked to distort the Korean voice so that it reflected a supposed need for and acceptance of Japanese assistance, Millard attempted to expose their deception. In response to Japanese domination, Korean nationalism rose. Koreans formed a national identity centered on their shared heritage. Identity needs both internal and external recognition. Though the Korean people never identified as Japanese, during the colonial period the rest of the world saw them as Japanese citizens, not Koreans. In 1948 the United Nations agreed that nationality was a human right. Though the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was far from being conceived in the early 1900s some people already believed in the rights that it would solidify; Millard was one of those people. He saw Japan’s actions as criminal, and he wrote about just that. As the Japanese tried to muffle Korea’s voice, Millard became a conduit for that voice. In a present-day world that still wrestles with the vestiges of imperialism, Millard’s work is a testament to the importance of listening to the multitude of voices that continue to sound around the globe.

The Holocaust is an example of an Encounter with the ‘Other’ in world history. It is plain to see that the Nazis viewed the Jews as “other”, but the converse is also true, and to see the Nazis as the “other” is still common today. However, is Nazism an aberration, an “other”, an outsider to the historical process? And even more than that, are individual Nazis, including Adolf Eichmann “other”? There are primary sources from the time regarding Eichmann’s personality and actions. These primary sources include trial and interrogation transcripts as well as literature about Eichmann from the time. There are also secondary sources to see what scholars think about Eichmann. My paper is organized by the questions I ask about the Eichmann texts and the understandings I form through those documents. Some of these questions might be formed as: Is Nazism an aberration, an “other”, an outsider to the historical process? And even more than that, are individual Nazis “other”? Specifically, who is Adolf Eichmann and what problem does he pose for humanity? What does Eichmann as an individual perpetrator mean for history? Is Eichmann the Other? Or, what do we have in common with “evil” and its banality? My primary hope for researching this topic was to understand, in some small way, human evil. To know about Adolf Eichmann and his evil is not to understand him or excuse him. His personality and character (or lack thereof) remains befuddling to me. In terms of what this paper accomplishes, I I address “otherness” as a concept which alienates perpetrator from victim as well as victim from perpetrator, and (for this essay) the perpetrator as Other for the rest of society.

Whether colonizers encouraged the growth of religion or attempted to stamp it out, they played a pivotal role in formation of religious movements within regions under their control. During the Russian colonial rule of Central Asia, a group of intellectuals began a modernist Islamist movement called Jadidism. This movement formed in response to the founders’ belief that Central Asian society was backward and primitive, as well as, in opposition of Russian colonial rule. Though Central Asia did not have a printing press prior to the Russian colonization, the printing press arrived with the Russians and enabled the Jadids to spread their ideas. Yet the low literacy rates within Central Asia caused the Jadids to push for educational reform. My research focuses on the influence of Russian and then Soviet rule on the Jadidist movement. Furthermore, it discusses the Jadids’ influence on education at the beginning of the twentieth century until today. I conducted my research by reading and analyzing texts on the issue and piecing together the information within a field which has been largely ignored by academia. My project attempts to draw attention to the gaps in the knowledge surrounding the Jadidist movement and its significance for the current education systems in Central Asia.

Hot flashes affect 75% of menopausal women, leaving them with recurring flushing, sweating, skin blotching, and occasional anxiety, palpitations, and sleep disturbances. 20% of those affected describe the symptoms as “intolerable,” and current treatment methods carry too many side effects or are insufficiently effective. We propose the drug nalfurafine to prevent these symptoms. Nalfurafine has the distinct clinical advantage of being taken orally and targeting κ-opiod receptors outside of the blood-brain barrier, leading to minimal side effects. κ-opiod receptors decrease the activity of Kiss1 neurons, and we believe kappa agonists such as nalfurafine inhibit the Kiss1 neuron activity we hold responsible for hot flashes. To test this hypothesis, we injected nalfurafine in mice and collected blood and brain samples, expecting reduced levels of specific hormones and proteins associated with Kiss1 neuronal activity. Analysis of data collected in this study is ongoing. If our hypothesis is incorrect, we will have a new understanding of how κ-opiod receptors regulate Kiss1 neuronal activity. However, if we find evidence that nalfurafine inhibits Kiss1 neuronal activity, it may alleviate hot flashes in women, thereby providing rationale for clinical studies and potentially leading to a therapy that would improve quality of life for millions of women.

The North American river otter, Lontra canadensis, population is widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, but has become increasingly rare in some areas due to anthropogenic effects. L. canadensis feeds primarily on shallow-water fish. Research has shown that L. canadensis feeds on crustaceans, insects, and birds. Feces are deposited in communal latrine sites along with scented mucilaginous material to mark territory. Foundational research was conducted between October 2012 and March 2013 in the Snohomish River Estuary to uncover the population distribution, predominant food sources, and presence of protozoa contaminants near Jetty Island at Everett, WA. Remote camera deployment recorded two individuals frequenting one of the latrine sites centrally located on Jetty Island, however, there have been no cameras deployed on North Jetty. Protozoan presence was not observed in preliminary samples. Thirty percent of collected samples are predominately fish scales and bones, while the remaining samples are crustaceans. Fifty-three percent of otoliths analyzed were Sebastes sp., which has been endangered since 2010. This research will help further understanding of the apex predator's behavior and predator-prey relationship in the estuarine system.

Marine ecosystems are vulnerable to anthropogenic influences due to increased stresses from climate change and habitat destruction. Fish farming, aquaculture, and the pollutants of antibiotics and organic matter produced by them are one influence that has been observed to affect local marine wildlife leading to increased resistance to bacterial pathogens and increased algae cover. Rocky Intertidal Zones of the Pacific Northwest are environments that are under intense thermal and desiccation stresses. The unique organisms that inhabit these areas have adapted to live under these high stress conditions. I researched the effects of fish farms and oyster farms on the health of rocky intertidal communities, by quantifying shifts in species richness and biodiversity, near the aquaculture sites. The research took place in Barkley Sound between January 26th and February 2nd in 2013 on rocky beaches near fish farms, oyster farms, and control sites away from aquaculture locations. Ecosystem health was determined by evaluating species richness, bio diversity, and presence of keystone predator, Pisaster ochraceus, using standard quadrant surveys. I collected water samples for Solid Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry to determine concentrations of anthropogenic antibiotics released from fish farms. I hypothesized that the presence of antibiotics will decrease biodiversity and species richness in rocky intertidal communities. Determining what effect and how strong of an impact these influences have on the environment may help define future environmental policies and fish farming protocols.

While timely and specific diagnosis can enable optimal treatment of patients, modern-day diagnostics are not optimized for the needs of low-resource settings due to: 1) low sensitivity, 2) slowness in providing results, and 3) dependence on electricity, chemical reagents, and trained clinicians, at a high cost. The result is frequent poor diagnosis, which can increase the rate of negative health outcomes such as patient mortality and evolution of drug resistant pathogens. There is therefore a pressing need for diagnostics that are sensitive, accurate, rapid, and inexpensive. The field of synthetic biology holds much promise in this area due to the ease and affordability of genomic re-engineering and replicating of single-cell organism like Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To address this need and opportunity, we have engineered a prototype detector in E. coli that utilizes two DNA-based modules to sense a low concentration of target analyte and produce a large output response. Module 1 detects small concentrations of target analyte by switching cells from an ON to OFF state and Module 2 significantly amplifies an output signal by enabling ON cells to grow rapidly. By seeding these cells in an environment with a non-detector strain that grows faster than OFF cells but slower than ON cells, we hope to demonstrate that this genetic logic enables a detector strain that conditionally and significantly takes over the population after detection event. This approach holds much promise for a multiplexed diagnostic, as different strains of detector cells sensing a specific pathogenic marker could be co-cultured, with the result that only the cells that detect a target analyte grow. As a cell that is a diagnostic could be easily replicated and simple to use, this approach could be extremely feasible for a low-resource setting.

Bacteria play important roles in marine nutrient cycles. However, most marine bacteria are uncultured and little is known about their specific functions in marine nutrient cycles. Environmental members of the gamma proteobacterial sulfur oxidizer (GSO) clade have the genetic potential to use energy from sulfur oxidation to assimilate carbon, suggesting that they contribute to carbon and sulfur cycling in the oceans. Here we report the isolation and initial characterization of an open ocean representative from the GSO clade. Our isolate, GSO-NP4, was purified and its identity confirmed by 16S rRNA gene analyses. This isolate grows to relatively low cell densities (2 x E5 cells/ml) and has a doubling time of approximately 19 hours. Six 1L cultures were required to obtain 3.1g of DNA for genome sequencing. Six to twelve additional 1L cultures were established to obtain enough DNA to sequence the complete genome of GSO-NP4. Genomic information of this isolate is essential for future studies to determine the roles of GSOs in marine carbon and sulfur cycles.

Cysteine and homocysteine are two important amino acid biomarkers related to human health. The presence of homocysteine at high concentrations in the bloodstream is correlated with various disorders such as cardiovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. Healthy cysteine levels are important in preventing lethargy, edema, and liver damage. Because of their critical roles in human health, we report the development of fluorescent and chromogenic indicators to monitor homocysteine and cysteine concentrations rapidly and inexpensively using absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. Several aldehyde-modified probes have been developed for thiol detection, with their function based on spectral changes associated with their respective heterocyclic products formed upon reaction with cysteine and homocysteine. These reaction products exhibit specific excitation, emission, and absorbance wavelengths related to the concentration of target analytes. In the case of fluorescein dialdehyde, our previously reported results indicated a UV-vis absorbance change and fluorescence quenching in response to both analytes. We hypothesize that judicious selection of experimental conditions will allow improved sensitivity and selectivity for specific analytes. The current study focuses on optimizing experimental conditions by evaluating several pH values and excitation wavelengths. The data shows that the response of fluorescein dialdehyde to thiols is pH-, wavelength-, and time-dependent, with difference in the responses toward cysteine and homocysteine. Further investigation of these and related compounds will elucidate the mechanism responsible for the selectivity and allow for increased utility of this class of aldehyde-modified probes

The lift-to-drag ratio (L/D) of a wing or propeller is the most important measure of its performance, as a higher ratio defines more efficient designs. The goal of my group’s project is to show that sufficiently strong and persistent vortices along the top of a wing will positively benefit its aerodynamic efficiency. Previous results in the UW Fluid Dynamics Lab show that a wavy wall modeled after the Kelvin-Stuart Separatrix shape -  which intends to more accurately outline the vortice's flow - further minimize boundary layer turbulence compared to previous wavy wall shapes. We believe that modeling the upper half of our wing along the Kevlin-Stuart Separatrix will keep the boundary layer attached even at very high angles of attack, with relatively low drag coefficients. Two model wings are being tested in the wind tunnel, a control wing with a familiar smooth top half and our experimental model outfitted with vortex generators and the top half shaped to match the Kelvin-Stuart separatrix. Further research may include attaching surface tufts to both models, which qualitatively aid in visualizing flow. The models are mounted to a force balance system, which returns the lift and drag. Our experiments test various angles of attack and vortex generator configurations to compare the wings in different situations, such as take-off and cruise. Achieving the desired L/D will have broad implications for both wing and wind turbine propeller design. More efficient wings could drastically lower fuel costs for airliners, and more effective wind turbines would return more energy at lower cost.

Possession Sound is an estuary system on the North East arm of Puget Sound, where the delta of the Snohomish River is located. Along the shoreline lies a highly industrial and populated area where there are large amounts of CO2 being put into the atmosphere. Because the ocean is a carbon sink, most of the CO2 that is put into the atmosphere dissolves in the water, and as a result of the excess H+ ions the pH lowers, acidifying the water. With the lowered pH, carbonate becomes less available and it could become increasingly difficult for planktonic organisms with calcium carbonate shells to survive, possibly decreasing their abundance at the halocline (depth of rapid increase or decrease in salinity), while the planktonic organisms with silica shells could possibly thrive in this environment because of decreased predation and competition. To study this, pH data was collected using a multiparameter probe, and plankton samples, using a 20µm net and cod end, were collected at the halocline for three consecutive years in the fall (using only November data), to see if a change in pH was followed by a change in the planktonic organisms present. Quantified species include Chaetoceros, Odontella, Psuedonitscha, Barnacle nauplius, Crab Zoea, Amphipod. The pH ranged from 5.89-7.9. In the data collected, there were more planktonic organisms with silica shells when there were lower pH levels, although more data is needed to rule out other contributing factors. The working hypothesis is, as the pH levels decrease, the planktonic organisms with calcium carbonate shells will decrease.

Nitrogen is a commonly limiting nutrient for Douglas-fir growth in commercial stands throughout the Pacific Northwest. Fertilizer nitrogen is applied to mitigate these deficiencies though some studies estimate that only about 30% of the nitrogen is actually taken up by the trees. Knowing where the rest of the nitrogen goes will help determine the best way to fertilize trees and reduce excess use of nitrogen fertilizers. This is beneficial both to stand managers looking to reduce costs associated with fertilization and to the environment as excessive fertilization can lead to increased nitrates in water. For this study, fertilizers labeled with 15N were used to track to the movement of nitrogen within a commercial Douglas-fir ecosystem. Nitrogen-15 is a stable isotope of nitrogen and is often used to trace nitrogen compounds in the environment. Three enhanced fertilizers designed to increase fertilizer N uptake by reducing volatile loss of N and one industry standard fertilizer were used on ten different commercial Douglas–fir stands throughout the Pacific Northwest. The fertilizers were applied at same rate over a period of one year. For the purpose of this study we will be looking specifically at two of the stands. Mineral soil (up to 60cm depth) and foliage samples were collected prior to fertilization to determine the background abundance levels of 15N. Following fertilization, mineral soil and foliage samples were collected at regular intervals to quantify the amount of N15 recovered over time and final sampling was conducted one year after fertilization. Mineral soil and foliage samples were prepared and analyzed for N15. To quantify the amount of N15 taken up by each component, background abundance of N15 was subtracted from the amount of N15 recovered in both the mineral soil fractions and the foliage. We anticipate that the enhanced fertilizers will increase N uptake.

In the Puget Sound marine ecosystem, a large estuary complex located in the Pacific Northwest, plankton species are impacted by both seasonal variations and water chemistry. Salinity and pH data are collected monthly by Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students during State of Possession Sound (SOPS) trips, near the urban center of Everett and the Snohomish River delta. We studied salinity and pH data in parallel to plankton samples collected in a vertical tow by a 20µ plankton net. By collecting these data at different stations within the Possession Sound subsystem, we are able to compare varied salinity and pH data to account for spatial differences, in tangent with the collected plankton samples. We focused on Coscinodiscus spp.,  Pseudo-nitzschia spp.,  and adult Copepoda spp., for our plankton species, as they were typically the largest populations in every cruise. The data we collected showed that plankton were most numerous within water of a pH between 6.3-6.7 and a salinity of 28ppt-31ppt. Samples collected that strayed from the 6.3-6.7 pH range or went above or below 26-31ppt had either no, or significantly fewer amounts of plankton.

Possession Sound, an estuary system located at the mouth of the Snohomish River in Everett, Washington, is home to a large group of industrial sites which greatly influence the types of runoff affecting the ecosystem. Industrial sites often output heavy metals, which can be dangerous at certain levels, as determined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Possession Sound is home to three primary industries with historical evidence of leaching copper, lead, and arsenic into the ecosystem: the Everett Naval base, the Kimberly-Clark paper mill, and American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO), respectively. We hypothesize that higher levels of these heavy metals will be found in areas close in proximity to the aforementioned industrial sites and combined sewer outfalls. To show these correlations we utilized Washington Department of Ecology 2009 data in conjunction with independent heavy metal sampling at two additional locations: one location offshore, near the historically influential sites and another two nautical miles westward, away from the shore. After collecting samples with a Ponar grab, they were analyzed for heavy metal concentrations through the Everett Environmental Lab per EPA approved methods. Results have shown high concentrations of heavy metals terrestrially, which has caused mandated cleanups of the area. Marine sampling demonstrates a seasonal trend. The concentrations of heavy metals are higher in the spring, correlating with a higher river discharge. Other variables that contribute to these trends include dredging of the river. Should concentrations of heavy metals in the sediments in Possession Sound reach levels deemed unsafe by the EPA, the health of the local aquatic ecosystems may be put at risk through bioaccumulation, particularly near industrial sites.

The wintering migration of marine birds in Possession Sound due to tidal influence is a complex and challenging study. Possession Sound provides habitat for the Pacific Flyway migration of marine birds, and the dynamic estuarine environment influences distribution of these birds due to tidal variation. The working hypothesis of this study was that birds were more active feeding during high tides in the morning hours. The data collected for this study was done by land surveys and small vessel trips along transects on North Jetty Island near the Port of Everett. The species of interest included Bald Eagles, Buffleheads, Common Loons, Double Crested Cormorants, Northern Pintails, and Pigeon Guillemots. The status of recovery from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife was compared to data collected. Preliminary data suggests that high tides influence the sandy substrate in Possession Sound, which provides optimum feeding grounds for Buffleheads, Northern Pintails, and Pigeon Guillemots as they have been observed more frequently.

While corporations provide essential goods and services, they also create externalities with negative, sometimes lasting (e.g. climate change), impacts on stakeholders. Freeman (1984) defines a “stakeholder” as anyone who affects or is affected by a business. Since its inception, stakeholder theory has broadened to include as stakeholders other biotic entities such as ecosystems and the entire living system of earth, i.e. Gaia. Neither government regulation nor consumer purchasing selectivity can eliminate all negative externalities on the planet and society, so market-based and financial incentives are key to encouraging quicker, broader corporate actions for the greater good. This research investigates potential correlations among social responsibility performance (SP), environmental performance (EP), and financial performance (FP). The hypotheses, based on Freeman’s stakeholder theory, are: H1: Higher social responsibility performance will lead to higher financial performance. H2: Higher environmental performance will lead to higher financial performance. The sample includes publically traded corporations from around the world in multiple industries. Measures of SP and EP are derived using Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) indicators while FP is based on Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Data is extracted from annual financial and sustainability reports and analyzed using a variety of statistical tests. This research may contribute to the academic literature and managerial practices through revealing which environmental and social responsibility practices are most correlated with higher profitability.

The Kiss1 gene encodes a neurotransmitter whose expression in the brain is essential for reproduction. Previous studies with in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry have identified Kiss1 expression in several hypothalamic nuclei, including the arcuate. To determine whether Kiss1 expression is limited to the hypothalamus, we developed a transgenic mouse that expresses a marker gene (tdTomato) if and only if Kiss1 expression is turned on. tdTomato encodes a red marker protein that is constitutively expressed, labeling the cell forever as having once expressed Kiss1. We looked for tdTomato labeling in brain sections to identify areas that reveal expression of Kiss1 at some time during development. Surprisingly, we found tdTomato labeling outside of the hypothalamus. Possible causes include Kiss1 expression early in development or low-level Kiss1 expression in adulthood. Distinguishing between these possibilities has important implications for developing tools to genetically manipulate Kiss1 neurons in adult animals. We will test the hypothesis that Kiss1 is widely expressed at low levels in the adult brain. Kiss1 transcription will be mapped in two ways. First, brain sections will be examined for the presence of green fluorescent protein (GFP). GFP is expressed under the Kiss1 promoter, but it may not mark low levels of Kiss1 transcription. Therefore, Kiss1 expression in adulthood will also be tested by in situ hybridization. In situ hybridization radioactively marks Kiss1 mRNA, illuminating even low levels of transcription. Comparing in situ hybridization between wild-type and Kiss1 knockout mice may reveal low levels of Kiss1 mRNA outside the adult hypothalamus— and open new possibilities for a physiological role of Kiss1 signaling that extends beyond reproduction.

Possession Sound is an estuarine system in Puget Sound’s northeast arm that is influenced by freshwater input from the Snohomish River. The Snohomish River carries sediments from upriver and deposits them in Possession Sound. Over the past three years, Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students have collected sediment samples at specific locations within Possession Sound that are analyzed by Everett Environmental Laboratory for concentrations of various heavy metals: mercury, zinc, copper, cadmium, lead, and arsenic. This area’s history of industrial development, including the Asarco Smelter in Everett 1900s, focused our attention on the lead and arsenic concentrations in Possession Sound. The purpose of this research is to discern any changes in concentrations of lead and arsenic observed at three stations within Possession Sound in the last three years. It was hypothesized that the station Buoy would experience greater fluctuations than the other two stations due to its proximity to the Snohomish River. The heavy metal concentrations are expected to be greater in the spring than during the other seasons because of increased river discharge from melting ice in the mountains, which results in increased stirring of benthic sediments. Dolphin 1 is a shallower location near Hat Island that is expected to have similar fluctuations that correlate with ice melt in the spring. Mukilteo is located farther south in Possession Sound, which would lead to a subtler influence from the Snohomish River, if any at all. Other factors that may impact the concentrations of lead and arsenic at Mukilteo include its proximity to the Mukilteo Ferry, a potential source of runoff containing toxins from human sources.

Possession Sound is a complex estuary system branching off of NE Puget Sound. It is home to an abundance of organisms, primarily birds and mammals, and a multitude of environmental factors which influence them constantly, including the Snohomish River, tides, and anthropogenic factors. Buoy, the station we studied, is one of four stations in Possession Sound used by Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) students to collect data on the state of Possession Sound. Its position in the Sound, at the mouth of the Snohomish River, allowed us to analyze data that is more diversified than the information from other stations. We compared dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature trends from past years at the Buoy station. We found that in the winter of 2012, in comparison to 2010 winter data, the range was less extreme, with DO ranging from 7.58 mg/L at 8 meters and 11.02 mg/L at sea level, while winter data from 2012 showed DO being 11.47 mg/L at 0 meters and 6.91 at 7 meters. Based on our findings at Buoy we can infer that there has been a change in the seasonal conditions affecting DO and temperature between 2010 and 2012, resulting in increasingly extreme ranges of data in the water column. This suggests that DO and temperature trends could develop wider ranges of data in the future if the factors contributing to the increase in variability of the ranges of these two parameters remain prevalent.

Over the past few decades various electrical propulsion systems have been developed to facilitate space exploration. Plasma propulsion is a form of electrical propulsion of particular interest, in that it is especially efficient for the purposes of long-duration interplanetary space travel. Specifically, the high power helicon (HPH) thruster is a plasma propulsion system that utilizes a helicon antenna to ionize a neutral gas and create high energy plasma. This project has focused on the production of a B-dot probe to measure magnetic field perturbations in the plume of the HPH double-gun configuration. The configuration will have two HPH thrusters mounted next to each other and fired simultaneously. It is known by Faraday’s law of induction that time-varying magnetic flux through a closed circuit induces an electromotive force in the circuit. At the end of the B-dot probe are three coils of wire, whose circular loops are arranged into a sphere. Using the B-dot probe, the time derivative of the magnetic field component normal to each loop can be found, for each of the three vector components. The time derivative of the magnetic field can then be integrated over time to find the changes in the magnetic field. These changes in the magnetic field will be compared to those that result when only a single HPH thruster is fired. It is expected that the double-gun configuration will produce stronger magnetic field perturbations downstream than will a single HPH thruster. Measuring changes in the magnetic field with the use of a B-dot probe will provide a better understanding of the performance of the double-gun configuration and how it can be improved.

Pulsed plasma thrusters are a modular electric propulsion technology with extensive flight heritage. Flight-ready PPTs are tailored to a specific mission based on the power and mass budget of a mission. The lower bound for both parameters is far less than competing electric propulsion (EP) technologies, such as Arcjets and Hall Thrusters, which makes them desirable as spacecraft size decreases. The variable components of PPTs are typically electrode geometry, capacitor size, spark plug geometry, and fuel feeding system, but rarely if ever does a space mission select an unusual fuel. Teflon is used almost exclusively, and PPT fuel research is effectively stagnant. This investigation has concluded that alternative fuels are indeed significant. The sulfur PPT (SPPT) is inspired by natural sulfur plasmas in the Jovian magnetosphere. Thrust stand tests over the course of six months have demonstrated clearly that the specific thrust (thrust per unit power) is three times higher than in a corresponding test using a Teflon PPT of the same electrode geometry. Both pure sulfur and a sulfur-epoxy binder have been considered, and show the same specific thrust within error of the experiment. Pure sulfur will outgas in space, and may not be suitable for long missions, but the sulfur-epoxy fuel could potentially solve this problem. Additionally, an insulated semi-conductive bismuth sulfide compound shows similar thrust characteristics to the Teflon fuel, albeit at a lower exhaust velocity. This investigation is ongoing, with a parallel application project performing the SPPT experiment on a high-altitude balloon airship. This mission will demonstrate systems control, test the SPPT in a non-laboratory environment, build flight heritage, and represent and important advancement in PPT applications.