Faculty Publications
https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/93296
2024-03-28T19:53:05ZIs Earth’s Surface Insolation Increasing? – Implication for Climate Change Theories (2023 revised version)
https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/200928
Is Earth’s Surface Insolation Increasing? – Implication for Climate Change Theories (2023 revised version)
This paper investigates four critical questions: First, has the amount of solar irradiance that the Earth receives (Global horizontal irradiance) increased over time? This question requires that scientific instruments have recorded, over time, data about solar
irradiance. Fortunately, such instruments do exist, and the data has been kept and is available for researchers. The United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Surface Radiation budget (SURFRAD) network has seven stations recording the same type of data over time. The data is available and can be analyzed across different spectrums, (NOAA, 2005). Therefore, Earth-ground insolation data from SURFRAD network was analyzed to answer the question. As a result, it was shown
that the solar irradiance of the Earth's surface had an increasing trend over the years observed at five out of seven stations in the network, and that the amount increased was significant. Second, what does the upward trend in this data reveal? An upward trend, as found in most stations, indicates a slight increase of solar irradiance at surface level by more than one percent during twenty-five years of observation. Third, is this trend significant? The Earth facing the sun always receives 410 x 1018 Joules each hour! A one-percent increase means 410 x 1016 Joules per hour! In comparison, the total amount of energy that humans use in a year is 410 x 1018 Joules, (Harrington, 2015). Current theories indicate that global warming due to anthropogenic forcing causes solar radiation to bounce from the different layers of the Earth’s atmosphere. If this theory is correct, Earth should be receiving less and not more solar irradiance at ground level, (Brown, Maxwell et al. 2018). Fourth, what mechanism could allow more solar rays to penetrate all atmospheric layers, plus, increase irradiance? One theory is that the Earth’s magnetic shield is weakening allowing the kind of irradiance to reach Earth’s surface at increasing levels, as found in this research analysis, (Brooks 2019, and Budyko1969). The implications from the data are clear, nothing heats the planet like the sun. There is no anthropogenic mechanism that has the capacity nor the potential, to increase Earth’s warming like additional sun rays penetrating Earth’s magnetic shield due to its weakening. The cause of the Earth’s shield weakening is treated in (Fernández-Solı́s 2018) research paper that raised the question: “Is there another strand of evidence on the scientific finding that Earth’s magnetic field (the B-field) is weakening?”
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZThe Digital Religion Yearbook 2023
https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/200911
The Digital Religion Yearbook 2023
This publication was envisioned by the Network for New Media, Religion, and Digital Studies to highlight important research and scholarship being produced in the increasingly diverse, interdisciplinary, and international field of Digital Religion Studies. The 2023 Yearbook highlights top research studies, scholars, and students doing work in this area.
Annual Research Yearbook
2024-02-12T00:00:00ZMedicaid Waiver Dataset: Coverage for Childless Adults and Parents, 1996 – 2014. Version 2.0.
https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/200669
Medicaid Waiver Dataset: Coverage for Childless Adults and Parents, 1996 – 2014. Version 2.0.
This data collection identifies the presence and characteristics of Medicaid coverage for adults with and without dependent children for each state in the U.S. and the District of Columbia between the years of 1996 – 2017 (excluding eligibility based on disability or pregnancy).
Data Collection Objective: The objective of this data collection project was to identify the presence and characteristics of Medicaid coverage for adults with and without dependent children for each state in the U.S. and the District of Columbia between the years of 1996 – 2017 (excluding eligibility based on disability or pregnancy). This dataset draws heavily from the 50-state survey of Medicaid and CHIP eligibility, enrollment, renewal and cost-sharing policies collected annually by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured since 2000. Several other sources were also consulted to construct this dataset, including: 1) section 1115 Waiver Demonstration documents from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; 2) state government documents and reports; 3) peer-reviewed journal articles; and 4) a range of local news articles and reports. To obtain and review documents for earlier years that have not been digitized, we conducted onsite data collection at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (January 2016). The specific sources from which we collected the data are listed at the end of this document by state.
There are two versions of this dataset, simplified and annotated. The simplified dataset includes data elements only without textual explanations or references. The annotated dataset includes the simplified dataset and additional text fields to facilitate interpretation and use of the data. Importantly, for each data element there is a corresponding “source” field in which we identify the source from which the value of that data element was obtained. Sources are identified using a labeling convention indicated at the end of this document. A unique identifier for each state-year-program is common to both the research and annotated datasets to enable researchers to locate the reference for a given data element from the research file in the annotated file.
Overall, the dataset is comprehensive and includes even the most limited Medicaid programs (e.g. premium assistance for small employers of low-income adults). Further, income eligibility is often given for a specific point in time, rather than for the entire year. Thus, we recommend that data users review the annotated dataset to interpret and/or transform that data to best meet their needs. We anticipate updating the dataset and documentation and welcome corrections or additions.
2023-12-19T00:00:00ZChurches Still Need Help: A Reflection of Churches’ Digital Needs in a Post-Pandemic Era
https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/200613
Churches Still Need Help: A Reflection of Churches’ Digital Needs in a Post-Pandemic Era
This report explores the current challenges and needs that congregations continue to face related to technology use. This work provides another in-depth analysis of key themes raised in the Tech in Churches During COVID-19 research project. The project explores the priorities of pastors implementing technological solutions during the pandemic, which became critical in helping churches transition to online gatherings in order to serve members during and post-pandemic life
Tech Trend Paper
2023-12-05T00:00:00Z