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SNO+ sensitivities to pre-supernova and supernova neutrinos
Get PDFCore-collapse supernovae (CCSNe) deposit heavy elements into the surrounding interstellar
medium, affect the chemical evolution of galaxies, and lead to the formation of exotic bodies
such as neutron stars and black holes. Neutrinos are also generated deep in the core of
the CCSN over the timescale of tens of seconds and possess an imprint of the unconfirmed
core-collapse mechanism. The progenitor stars to CCSNe also emit neutrinos in the final
hours prior to collapse, albeit with an order of magnitude lower intensity and energy. A
pre-supernova monitor and alert system was developed for the SNO+ detector based on
inverse beta decay events. Such an alert will warn SNO+ and other neutrino experiments
to maintain uptime to detect neutrinos from the impending supernova. Assuming the bestcase progenitor model, neutrino hierarchy, and background rates, the pre-supernova alert is
expected to alarm for candidates as early as 100 hours prior to a supernova and up to a
distance of 640 pc. Details of the construction and sensitivity of the pre-supernova monitor
are presented within this thesis.
The event rate from the next galactic supernova in SNO+ will depend on distance,
but could exceed typical detector operating rates by an order of magnitude. The SNO+
data acquisition was stress-tested in this thesis with an embedded light injection source and
compared to simulations characterizing the SNO+ detector’s response to CCSNe. These tests
revealed SNO+ will experience data loss for any CCSN closer than 1.4 kpc. In addition, the
SNO+ detector is expected to collect data from the neutronization burst of Betelgeuse before
the data acquisition is overwhelmed. Using the detector simulations, a programmable laser
diode was also prepared to emulate the light expected in SNO+ from supernova neutrinos.
This light source is more dynamic and isotropic than the embedded source and will eliminate
many of the uncertainties from the embedded source. It will be deployed in the future
3D geological modelling of the northern Swayze area of the Abitibi greenstone belt: assisting mineral exploration by mapping controls on gold (Au) deposits
No full textA 3D geological model of the northern Swayze area is constructed through the integration of
lithological, structural, geological cross-sections, and seismic information in a Leapfrog Geo®
modelling software to delineate structural geometry and geological distribution of rock units in the
area. Using a mineral system approach, important geological features are extracted from the 3D
geological model. A log-linear 3D weights of evidence method is used to quantify the spatial
association between orogenic gold (Au) mineralization and various geological features that might
represent ore-controlling factors. This method reveals that the dominant controls on Au
mineralization are the second and third generation of deformation zones (D2 and D3), lithological
contacts, and second and third-order faults. The posterior probability model is effective in
capturing most of the Au occurrences (81%) within 18% of the study area, and the predictive rate
curve indicates that the model performs better than random, as it is effective in predicting 71% of
the validation points within 30% of the study area
Profitability and organic farming in the province of Ontario
No full textThis research intends to identify the fundamentals of organic farms' profitability structure in the
Province of Ontario with an interdisciplinary focus, which includes small and medium-sized
farms that provide organic food directly and indirectly through intermediaries to consumers.
Hence, organic farmers need to remain profitable to stay in their non-profit-driven businesses
and contribute to environmental sustainability, socially responsible farming and achieve its prosocial and pro-environmental goals. I used a questionnaire; consisting of four sections: company
or farm-related information, general socio-economic questions, financial information for threeyear periods (2015 – 2017), and environment and public health-related information containing
open and closed-ended research questions. First, I sent a hard copy of the questions and then
collaborated with the Organic Council of Ontario and used the SurveyMonkey platform to
increase the number of participants. My findings show that organic farm products are critical to
enhancing the health of Canadians. Additionally, organic farming plays a vital role in protecting
the environment by reducing soil erosion and water pollution, among other benefits, thus being
critical to national development. It also was established that the government should ensure that
the assistance offered to organic farmers reaches each farm and develops financial instruments to
support the farmers. My Ph.D. thesis provides researchers with an overview of the profitability
of organic agriculture in Ontario to inform future studies. In addition, it offers policymakers vital
information applicable in formulating regulations towards boosting organic farming in Canada.
Government support likely plays a role in the success of a lower-cost sustainable organic food
system. My study established that politicians should ensure that the assistance offered to organic
farmers reaches each farm and develops financial instruments to support the farmers financially.
Finally, this research will be useful for farmers considering organic food growth, policymakers
trying to determine whether organic farmers require subsidies, and scholars who would like to
know more about the profitability structure of organic farms
Nature, winter and architecture: a winter community on Manitoulin Island designed to provide benefits to the residents, landscape and island during the winter months
No full textThis thesis proposes the design of a community that focuses on architecture, and winter living
on the landscapes of Manitoulin Island, Ontario. The proposed community aims to provide solutions
in direct response to the social and living challenges brought by the colder months, experienced
by permanent residents, summer residents, and tourists. In addition to providing benefits to the
users, the solutions to these issues also aim to increase winter population and revitalize the Island
during winter months. The question of my thesis is, How can the design of a community aid in
improving the social and living challenges faced by residents and tourists, and revitalize
Manitoulin Island during the winter months?
Manitoulin Island’s landscapes are ideal for camping, boating, hiking, hunting, snowmobiling,
and other outdoor activities. Although the Island has a very successful tourism industry, it is still
subject to issues experienced by residents and tourists during the colder months. Minimal focus is
put on winter living, resulting in a drastic decrease in winter population in contrast to the increase
seen during the summer. This decrease is due to the closing of local businesses and campgrounds
that are not designed for year-round use in Northern Ontario, thus deterring people from visiting
during these colder months.
The primary programs that drive the proposed community are a network of trails, marina,
beach, residential housing, a market centre, and a variety of social spaces and activities. These
programs center around connecting with nature, living with the landscape, and creating a strong
social environment among residents and visitors. Most importantly, these programs are designed
to provide the visitors and residents of the community with activities and opportunities for a healthy
lifestyle during the winter months. The design of the community focuses on the individual human scale,
middle scale (larger gatherings of people), and the community scale, as well as the environmental
scale.
Research presents an understanding of how people live with the landscape, ecosystem
services, biophilic design, human needs, landscape needs, and how these are met, as well as how
both humans and nature can coexist and benefit from each other. In designing the community,
attention is focused on how it is placed in the landscape, public and private space, circulation,
and how the design of the site influences the use of the community. A community that is able
to successfully implement these characteristics is campgrounds. Campgrounds are studied to
determine the patterns, physical layouts, social dynamics, demographics, and statistics that make
it successful. On Manitoulin Island, campgrounds have a diverse and strong social network while
encouraging respect for the environment; elements that this community hopes to achieve.
Manitoulin Island would significantly benefit from a residential community nestled within its
winter landscape, designed to respectfully interact with the landscape during all seasons; offering
residents year-round access and use to a place that provides lifelong social, ecological, and
architectural benefits. A desired benefit of this community design proposal is for it to be highly
adaptable for locations throughout Northern Ontario and in other cold climates
The design of a wearable tactile array which can exploit the funneling illusion in two dimensions
No full textThe goal of this research was to create a wearable tactile array that is capable of exploiting the
funneling illusion in two dimensions. The design process is explored in detail, including the
formulation of the design requirements, the materials that were trialed, the electronics design
iterations, and the development of a software development kit (SDK) which includes a novel
algorithm for rendering both the static funneling illusion and dynamic funneling illusion. The
ability of the algorithm to render overlapping circle and square stimuli at discriminable levels is
experimentally tested demonstrating its efficacy in this task
The socio-sexual knowledge and attitudes assessment tool - revised: the need for updates in assessment for individuals with intellectual disabilities
No full textThe current document is a paper-based thesis which examined the Socio-Sexual Knowledge and
Attitudes Assessment Tool – Revised (SSKAAT-R) for individuals with intellectual
disabilities in order to inform the development of a revision. The first paper is a descriptive
overview of topics of sexuality that are considered important for assessment and education in the
year 2020. Findings revealed that inappropriate physical contact, incest and inappropriate sexual
contact, intercourse, homosexuality, and birth control were some of the most important topics to
consider for individuals with an intellectual disability in the year 2020. In addition, the first
paper compared these findings to the topics which were identified as important twenty and forty
years ago in order to note changes that have occurred over time. The second paper examined the
content of the SSKAAT-R, specifically. Strengths and weaknesses voiced by professionals
who use the tool are highlighted. Overall, the mixed methods findings included in this thesis
indicate that many aspects of the SSKAAT-R are appreciated, such as the visual content and its
ability to touch on a variety of topics pertaining to sexuality. Conversely, some areas - such as
the outdated pictures, as well as the lack of information regarding internet safety and sexual and
gender minorities - were highlighted as limitations. Suggestions for future research and clinical
implications are discussed.Master of Arts (MA) in Applied Psycholog
Gender human-computer interaction: investigating the perceived credibility of mobile applications from gendered perspective
No full textConsumer market has witnessed remarkable shift from designer’s preferences to what actual
users want. Not only has this led to hike in market profit but also resulted in products with
enhanced User-Experience. In the field of HCI, designers have been working to make their end
products usable to large group of users belonging to different ages, gender as well as techsavvy and non-computer literates. Considering ‘gender’, much research has been done and is
still being conducted to explore its’ relevance to Human-Computer Interaction. This research
addresses the researcher’s vision to identify gender differences in User-Experience received
from using mobile applications. The idea isto experimentally prove whether there exists samegender or opposite gender credibility in rating the usability of mobile applications. If no
statistically significant differences are noted in male and female respondents’ respective
ratings of applications from male and female designer, then null hypothesis will be accepted.
This would imply that UI designers did not target users of any particular gender during the
design phase thereby producing gender-inclusive designs. On the contrary, if differences are
found then alternate hypothesis shall be accepted which will be an indication of gender bias
being propagated in designs.
Data collected from 30 participants (15 males and 15 females) showed no statistically significant
differences in the ratings of male and female designer’s interfaces. Future research has been
proposed with greater sample size along with additional test variants such as virtual gendered
avatars.Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Computational Science
Responding to AUD in Sudbury, Ontario through the senses of architectural intervention: a metamorphosis of body, mind, and soul
No full textLife is a story of recovery. Some people that undergo a traumatic experience try to cope
in an unhealthy way. “When humans face a challenge or threat, they have a partly physical response. The body activates resources that help people either stay and confront
the challenge or get to safety as fast as possible.” 1
After these traumatic experiences,
often adults turn to alcohol and substances to numb their feelings and, as a result, this
behaviour can lead to addictions. Major health issues can arise from substance abuse
and in worse case scenarios, death. An article from Health Essentials explains that
“patients who show up with liver problems have been long time drinkers but have also
experienced something in their life that’s caused an uptick in their recent alcohol use.” 2
In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world. This pandemic has caused people to remain in their home for extended periods of time. Due
to increased stress levels from this experience, there has been an increase in alcohol
consumption. As an article in Addition Rehab Toronto stated, “with increased feelings of
anxiety and stress resulting from COVID-19, alcohol intake has increased in Canada.
According to new data, alcohol sales have increased considerably compared to last
year’s number.” Architecture plays a significant role in our daily lives and these spaces are specific to
our experiences which influence our choices. Bars have been designed for the consumption of alcohol, drinking culture is heavily embedded into human societies. Some
of the oldest bars first established in Canada date back to 1789. 4
The concept of Rehab
centres is relatively new in our global culture. “Small rehab facilities have been operating since 1840.” 5
Rehab centres are designed to support patients with addictions
through the rehabilitation process. How can architectural design foster the recovery of
people recovering from addiction?
The city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, is in need of a new type of Health facility. One
which enhances the assets of the addiction rehabilitation task force composed of organizations such as Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres, Monarch Recovery Services,
Health Science North, Northwood Recovery Clinic, CAMH and AA. This thesis will explore the connection between our built environments, the senses and how these spaces
can contribute to the recovery process
Grief, trauma & healing
No full textHow do we understand non-physical trauma and experiences of grief in our society? And,
how do we heal from a traumatic experience and move past our grief? Does Western medicine
heal, or does it numb our symptoms to a point where we think we are healed? This research is an
autoethnography that investigates the author’s experience with loss. This research compares
Western medicine’s focus on healing the mind/body and Indigenous methods focused on healing
the Spirit. The first uses a combination of prescriptions and counselling and the second draws
upon ceremonies and traditional medicines. This research will contribute to a larger body of
knowledge that will be useful to others struggling with the complexity of trauma and the
methods that are used in healing.Master of Indigenous Relations (MIR
Structural geology, tectonostratigraphy, and unconformity-related uranium mineralization of the Aberdeen Lake area, northeast Thelon Basin, Nunavut, Canada
No full textThe Aberdeen Lake supracrustal belt is located alongside the northeast Thelon Basin in southcentral Nunavut. The belt hosts recently-discovered unconformity-related uranium occurrences,
including the Tatiggaq, Qavvik and Ayra prospects. New geological mapping, structural analysis,
whole rock lithogeochemistry, U-Pb zircon geochronology, and fluid inclusion analysis were
conducted to interpret the stratigraphy, tectonic setting, and structural geology of the belt, and its
uranium metallogeny. The revised lithostratigraphy of the Aberdeen Lake supracrustal belt
consists of: 1) a ca. 2750 Ma Lower Sequence of komatiite, TTG (tonalite-trondhjemitegranodiorite) intrusions, and mafic gneiss; 2) a ca. <2687 Ma Middle Sequence of ca.
psammopelitic gneiss, iron formation and a ca. 2680 Ma felsic gneiss; and 3) a ca. < 2650 Ma
Upper Sequence of pelitic to psammopelitic gneiss with minor iron formation and arkosic gneiss.
Transecting these Neoarchean supracrustal rocks are the ENE-trending Thelon and Judge Sissons
faults, which record long-lived, dextral transcurrent movement with complex reactivation and fluid
flow histories. A ca. 1830-1760 Ma initial faulting event produced damage zones consisting of
multiple fracture sets, quartz veins and hydrothermal breccias, surrounding core zones of mosaic
to chaotic breccias and cataclasites with dextral slip. A ca. 1760-1750 Ma epithermal faulting
event comprises cross-cutting comb, crustiform-cockade, and lattice bladed quartz veins
associated with Pitz Formation volcanism. Late reactivation events at ca. 1600-1300 Ma are
expressed as irregular, fractures, non-cohesive crackle to mosaic breccias and gouges, which were
the primary pathways for uranium-bearing hydrothermal fluids. The Tatiggaq, Qavvik and Ayra
prospects are located between or along ENE- to NE-trending secondary faults associated with the
Thelon and Judge Sissons fault zones. Steep-dipping fracture and non-cohesive breccia zones
along these faults host most of the uranium mineralization within medial to proximal alteration halos characterized by strong clay, sooty sulphide and hematite. Fluid inclusion work suggests
that a ≥300ºC, reduced, sulphur-bearing basement fluid acted as the primary reductant for uranium
mineralization. This fluid was transported by fault-valve seismically-driven fluid injections into a
large interconnected and reactivated fault system, which initially formed during dextral
transcurrent movement along the Thelon and Judge Sissons faults