Assessing Urban Heat Island Intensity Using Landsat Data

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Daniel Ayejoto Environmental Sciences
Advisor(s): Gebremichael Esayas Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 6, Position 3, 11:30-1:30

The escalating impacts of urbanization on local climate patterns, particularly the phenomenon of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs), necessitate effective monitoring and assessment strategies. This project endeavors to evaluate the Urban Heat Island intensity in Houston, Texas, employing Landsat satellite data and Geographic Information System (GIS) tools within the ArcGIS Pro platform. The study integrates multi-temporal Landsat imagery to derive land surface temperature patterns, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of UHI dynamics over time. Spatial analytics and geospatial techniques are employed to assess the correlation between land use/land cover changes and UHI intensity, offering insights into the factors influencing urban heat dynamics. The results are expected to contribute valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, aiding in the development of strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of UHI and enhance overall urban sustainability. Additionally, the methodology established in this project can serve as a template for assessing UHI in other urban areas, fostering a broader understanding of the urban climate dynamics.

Sedimentation & Subsurface Characterization of the Lower Cretaceous Muddy Sandstone & Upper Cretaceous Mowry Shale, Powder River Basin, Wyoming

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Chase Chavez Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): Xiangyang Xie Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 12, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

Foreland basins comprise some of the most prolific hydrocarbon producing reservoirs and source rocks in the North American Rocky Mountain region. One of these major producing basins is the Powder River Basin (PRB). Located in northeastern Wyoming and extending into southeastern Montana, the PRB is one of Wyoming’s largest and most active hydrocarbon producing basins. The basin comprises various Mesozoic and Paleozoic strata with productive conventional and unconventional plays. Various studies have been done on both Mesozoic and Paleozoic stratigraphy within the basin. Historically, Cretaceous stratigraphy has been well studied and documented within the basin. However, continual industry innovations in the collection, development, and processing of subsurface geological data are making possible more refined understanding of Cretaceous stratigraphy in the basin.

This study focuses on the upper Lower Cretaceous Muddy Sandstone Formation and lower Upper Cretaceous Mowry Shale intervals at basin scale, and the implications for tectonic and eustatic evolution prior to the development of the PRB. Which controlled sedimentation, infilling, and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) weight percentage distributions of the two formations. There is a general agreement that the Mowry can be divided into upper, middle, and lower sections. The middle section has been found to contain the highest TOC percentages based on prior work done with geochemical analysis. This study will update these findings with newly collected digital well data and produce higher-density regional basin coverage with type wells, while also utilizing petrophysical calculation methods to determine TOC percentages to compare with current geochemical analysis.

The Muddy being an older conventional reservoir and the Mowry a more recent unconventional play, the collection and utilization of digitized well log data from Enverus Prism with Petrel Software, in conjunction with analysis of in-house core, provides an effective approach for producing refined structure, isochore, net sand, and TOC maps for the basin. This information can then be used in generating interpretations of sedimentation history, basin infilling, and TOC distribution. In addition, published type wells with correlated Paleozoic stratigraphy from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) are being used to generate PRB subsidence curves for multiple well locations throughout the basin to compare with maps and figures produced in Petrel. To further enhance sedimentation interpretations, U-Pb detrital zircon analysis is being conducted on the Muddy Formation sandstones collected from core. This data will be compared with published detrital zircon and subsidence work done in the western neighboring Big Horn Basin and its equivalent Muddy Formation interval.

Tracking Soil Organic Carbon in an Urban Farm Near the Trinity River

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Julie Crenwelge Geological Sciences Christelle Fayad Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Omar Harvey Geological Sciences
Location: Second Floor, Table 5, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

Carbon is the elemental foundation for all living things on Earth. Soil carbon sequestration is a process in which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in the soil. We want to examine the soil quality and the stability of carbon in an urban farm in North Texas by comparing measurements collected in October 2022 against measurements observed and collected in October 2023. Our research question is, “What is the effect of composting on the carbon quality and quantity at the farm?” The experimental points were chosen for comparison from a previous evaluation of a 1/3-acre section of a local urban farm next to the Trinity River in Fort Worth, Texas. We collected bulk soil samples at 0-15 cm and 15-30 cm depths from ten field points previously tested with an additional 3 new control points. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) will be used to determine carbon quality by analyzing derivative weights change plots. The data collected suggests that within a year the experimental farm site has maintained a good quality of soil with minor acidification and compaction, as well as an increase in level and quality of carbon. The observed farm remains an appropriate site for providing food security, eliminating food waste while simultaneously sequestering carbon.

Facies Characterization of the De Grey River's Delta Plain

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Henry Henk Geological Sciences Jacinto Garza Geological Sciences Matt Kelly Geological Sciences Mackenzie Moorhead Geological Sciences Tripp Smith Geological Sciences Andrew Winch Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): John Holbrook Geological Sciences Esayas Gebremichael Geological Sciences Simon Lang Geological Sciences Victorien Paumard Geological Sciences
Location: Second Floor, Table 6, Position 1, 11:30-1:30

Fluvial Architecture and Longitudinal Variance within the Castlegate Sandstone, Book Cliffs, UT

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Brayton Keith Geological Sciences John Holbrook Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): John Holbrook Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 11, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

The upper Campanian Castlegate Sandstone in the Book Cliffs of Utah is a highly amalgamated fluvial sandstone well known as a reservoir analog for oil and gas. It comprises the lower Castlegate, the formation capping Bluecastle Tongue, and the floodplain-rich middle Castlegate deposits. The Castlegate is among the most studied fluvial deposits in the world. Despite this, there has yet to be a fluvial architecture analysis completed for these deposits which consider the longitudinal variance within the Castlegate fluvial system. This project assesses the average channel depth and discharge for the lower Castlegate, allowing analysis of the relationship between channel depth and discharge and their effect on facies distribution, depositional style and fluvial architecture in the outcrops. The lower Castlegate Sandstone is a tributary fluvial system with paleocurrents oriented primarily W-NW to E-SE comprised of stacked braided fluvial sands updip, and large, higher flow straight-meandering trunk channels downdip. Distal outcrops show three distinct depositional styles with the first representing a period of highstand during which carbonaceous floodplain and small channels of 0.5-1 m in depth and maximum 4 m in width were deposited; the second represents a localized tectonic uplift with large channels of ~15 m in width and depth and lateral accretion sets scaled accordingly, and finally the capping units of small amalgamated sands composed of classic braided style channels which represent a period of lowstand.

Insights into Sediment Transport in the DeGrey River Delta: Cyclonic Influences and Bedform Persistence

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Matthew Kelly Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): Esayas Gebremichael Geological Sciences John Holbrook Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 15, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

This study characterizes the sediment transport dynamics of the fluvial portion of the DeGrey River delta, a dryland tide/wave-dominated delta along the Pilbara coast of northwestern Australia. The primary focus lies in the discernment of discrete deposits resulting from annual flood events in this ephemeral river, primarily driven by cyclones and tropical depressions during the austral summer.

Methodology combines water discharge data, digital elevation models (DEM), and Sentinel-2 change detection to model flow depth and flooding extent during storm events, linking it to riverbed shear stress and the formation of discrete flood deposits. A time series of DEM datasets, consisting of a 1-m aerial survey (2021) and drone photogrammetry surveys (2022 and 2023) were used to generate differential DEMs to accurately detect yearly morphological changes within the river channel. Field surveys of selected sites indicating presence of flood deposits enabled characterization of grain size, water flow, and structural elements.

Cyclone floods in the region cause propagation of preexisting dunes, unit bars, and compound bars. These events predominantly shape lower-flow-regime structures within medium-grained sand. Unit bars exhibit down-climbing cross-stratified sets, with variations in thickness contingent on their location within the channel ranging from 0.4-1.6 meters. Lower-flow-regime bar and bedform morphology persists and propagates between flows, despite the occurrence of intense flash floods, often generating discharges in excess of 100,000 ML/day. This challenges conventional expectations of channel excavation and the preservation of upper-flow-regime bedforms in the wake of such extreme events.

GEOCHEMICAL COMPARISON OF CENOMANIAN POST- BUDA MUDROCKS IN SOUTH TEXAS AND BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Payton OBrian Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): Richard Denne Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 12, Position 2, 11:30-1:30

The Eagle Ford Shale (EFS) is an unconventional Cretaceous play producing crude oil and gas extending from northeast Leon County to the Mexico-American border in Southwest Texas. This Cenomanian -Turonian formation records the drowning of the Texas carbonate shelf and transgression of the Western Interior Seaway (WIS) into North America. Regional depositional patterns were affected by a series of changes in tectonic activity and eustatic sea level. The formation recorded a distinct change in oceanography during the Oceanic Anoxic Event 2 (OAE2) between the lower and upper EFS sections. The Boquillas Formation, age equivalent to the EFS, is found west of the producing region in Big Bend State and National Park. Outcrops of the EFS can be found along the Ouachita orogen and in the Big Bend region due to tilting during the Laramide orogeny and intrusive igneous activity. The largest known EFS equivalent outcrops have been found within the state park, however, no data had been collected in these locations. Evaluation of the geochemical properties and redox indicators of the depositional environment is essential to understanding the potential for hydrocarbons. The main method to acquire this data has been through the X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF). For this study I have utilized two handheld analyzers, the XRF along with the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectrometer (LIBS) for outcrop and core samples. Using both methods produces a more complete element suite including light elements not offered by XRF alone. Additionally, comparing LIBS data to the widely used XRF analyzer allows me to determine the practical usage of LIBS in petroleum geology.

Binding Dynamics of Mono- and Di-carboxylates in a Boehmite-Bayerite Series: A Flow-Adsorption Microcalorimetry Study

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Caitlin Payblas Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): Omar Harvey Geological Sciences
Location: Third Floor, Table 6, Position 2, 1:45-3:45

It is well documented that the major sorbents in soils are organic matter, silicate clays, and metal-oxyhydroxides. In particular, interactions between organic matter and fine-grained minerals, such as aluminum oxides, have been cited as important stabilizers of the humic matter in soils, which has large implications for the storage of anthropogenic carbon and pollutants (i.e., hydrophobic organic acids) in the environment (Keil and Mayer 2014). Utilizing simple organic acids containing functional groups present in humic compounds enhances understanding of metal-hydroxide and organic acid interactions at the mineral-water interface. The energetics of these interactions largely depend on the sorbate, the physico-chemical characteristics of the sorbent, and solution conditions (e.g. pH).
Ongoing work in our lab, using flow-adsorption microcalorimetry (FAMC) to directly and systematically measure energy dynamics of sorption at the oxide-water interface indicated that structural water in the lattices of boehmite and boehmite-bayerite mixed-phased samples increased binding energetics of acetate, propionate and butyrate at pH 5. The presentation will cover energy dynamics data collected for these mono-carboxylates and their respective di-carboxylate counterparts (oxalate, malonate, and succinate) binding onto a series of synthesized boehmites and bayerites. Focus will be placed on resolving effects of carboxylate carbon chain length, the number and acidity of carboxylates, and aluminum oxide surface properties on binding dynamics.

Saltwater Intrusion Along the Texas Gulf Coast: Tracking Wetlands Distribution, Adaptation, and Migration

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Robert Wright Geological Sciences
Advisor(s): Esayas Gebremichael Geological Sciences
Location: Basement, Table 6, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

Saltwater Intrusion Along the Texas Gulf Coast: Tracking Wetlands Distribution, Adaptation, and Migration

Abstract

Climate change trends in recent decades have led to sea level rise (SLR) due to increased polar ice melting. As the sea level rises, saltwater concentrations increase inland, compelling wetland species to adapt or migrate. This added stress on wetland species hampers their ability to offer ecosystem services (ES). This study will investigate the impact of saltwater intrusion (SWI) on coastal wetland species along the Texas Gulf Coast. Supervised and unsupervised classification will be the primary methods used to accurately assess the loss, gain, or migration of different groups of wetland species over two decades. Additionally, the potential effect of wetland distribution and species changes on the ES will be investigated by analyzing the spatial extent of storm surge flooding resulting from land-falling hurricanes two decades ago versus the present.

Exploring Educational Approaches in the Assessment of Self-Reported Empathy Scores in Emergency Medicine Residents

Type: Graduate
Author(s): Naomi Alanis Interdisciplinary
Advisor(s): Hao Wang Interdisciplinary
Location: Second Floor, Table 7, Position 1, 1:45-3:45

Empathy, defined as "the process of understanding a person's subjective experience by vicariously sharing that experience while maintaining an observant stance" (Zinn, 1993, p. 306) is a skill that can be challenging for many learners in post-graduate medical education. Numerous prior studies have emphasized the importance of empathy among healthcare physicians. They have shown that physician empathy scores are not only inversely correlated with physician burnout but also directly correlated with patient satisfaction (Byrd et al., 2021). Furthermore, research indicates that there exists an inverse correlational relationship between post-graduate years and empathy levels (Wolfshohl et al., 2019).

Acknowledging the significance of empathy as a crucial skill, efforts have been made to impart it to medical professionals using diverse instructional approaches. Batt-Rawden et al. (2013) conducted a systematic review of methods employed in teaching medical students, while Patel et al. (2019) examined empathy and compassion education in medical training. However, the findings from both reviews failed to conclusively identify a single, effective instructional strategy for enhancing empathy scores among graduate medical education learners. Nonetheless, they highlighted the potential for enhancing clinicians' empathy scores through specific educational methods and pinpointed five clinical behaviors as particularly influential on individual empathy scores. Moreover, they suggested that activities should adopt a "relationship-centered" approach (Batt-Rawden et al., 2013, p. 1175). In a separate study, Hojat et al. (2013) outlined a rubric delineating the three roles of a physician and their associated performance elements.

In this prospective multi-center survey study, forty-five (45) EM residents from an ACGME-sponsored three-year Emergency Medicine (EM) residency program will complete three educational sessions using team-based learning instructional strategies on empathy. The sessions will occur monthly across three consecutive months from in the spring and summer of 2024, each lasting for one hour in length during resident didactics. Empathy scores will be obtained from all participants via the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) in a pretest-posttest manner. The pre-test questionnaire will be administered before (pre-test) the educcational sessions and after the residents have completed all of the team-based learning instructional activities (post-test).

While there has been no prior application of team-based learning to enhance empathy scores, Borges et al. (2012) employed a team-based approach to instruct third-year medical students on emotional intelligence. Given that this approach also incorporates similar "relationship-centered" tasks, we posit that team-based learning could serve as a suitable instructional strategy for improving empathy scores.

References:
1. Batt-Rawden, Samantha A. MBChB; Chisolm, Margaret S. MD; Anton, Blair; Flickinger, Tabor E. MD, MPH. Teaching Empathy to Medical Students: An Updated, Systematic Review. Academic Medicine 88(8):p 1171-1177, August 2013. | DOI:10.1097/ACM.0b013e318299f3e3
2. Boisse, A., Porath, C. “Practice Empathy as a Team.” Harvard Business Review, (February 2023): https://hbr.org/2023/02/practice-empathy-as-a-team.
3. Borges, N., Kirkham, K., Deardorff, A. & Moore, J. (2012) Development of emotional intelligence in a team-based learning internal medicine clerkship, Medical Teacher, 34:10, 802-806, DOI: 10.3109/0142159X.2012.687121
4. Byrd, J., Knowles, H., Moore, S., Acker, V., Bell, S., Alanis, N., Zhou, Y., d'Etienne, J. P., Kline, J. A., & Wang, H. (2021). Synergistic effects of emergency physician empathy and burnout on patient satisfaction: a prospective observational study. Emergency medicine journal: EMJ, 38(4), 290–296. https://doi.org/10.1136/emermed-2019-209393
5. Hardee JT. An Overview of Empathy. Perm J. 2003 Fall;7(4):51–4. PMCID: PMC5571783.
6. Hojat, M., Mangione, S., Nasca, T. J., Cohen, M. J. M., Gonnella, J. S., Erdmann, J. B., Veloski, J., & Magee, M. (2001). The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy: Development and Preliminary Psychometric Data. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 61(2), 349–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/00131640121971158
7. Patel, S., Pelletier-Bui, A., Smith, S., Roberts, M. B., Kilgannon, H., Trzeciak, S., & Roberts, B. W. (2019). Curricula for empathy and compassion training in medical education: A systematic review. PloS one, 14(8), e0221412. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0221412
8. Wolfshohl, J. A., Bradley, K., Bell, C., Bell, S., Hodges, C., Knowles, H., Chaudhari, B. R., Kirby, R., Kline, J. A., & Wang, H. (2019). Association Between Empathy and Burnout Among Emergency Medicine Physicians. Journal of clinical medicine research, 11(7), 532–538. https://doi.org/10.14740/jocmr3878
9. Zinn W. The empathic physician. Arch Intern Med. 1993 Feb 8;153(3):306-12. PMID: 8427535.
10. Hojat, M., Erdmann J.B. & Gonnellak, J. (2013). Personality assessments and outcomes in medical education on the practice of medicine. AMEE Guide No. 79, Medical Teacher, 35(7), 1267-1301