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Salty1 wrote:Personally I have no problem with attending renewal classes, I enjoy hearing about any changes in the law from other peoples perspective and hanging out with like minded people for a few hours.
Eliminating the need for the class doesn't mean that instructors can't still offer it. Call it a "Refresher Course" if you will. There will be some who will take it for exactly the reasons you state.
BTW, this is the same reason that even some very experienced shooters take a Basic Pistol course. They've may have been shooting for years or even decades, but they want to refresh themselves on the basics. Personally, I think it's a great idea.
RX8er wrote:I support the idea of no class for renewal. Where I think the bill falls down is somehow making sure that at each renewal, the CHL holder is up to speed on any changes to the law.
That was my concern but Sec. 411.185.c of the proposal specifically requires the director to produce an informational form describing the law and requires license holder to acknowledge the form. I am still mulling this one over.
NRA Lifetime Member
I was addicted to the hokey-pokey, but I turned myself around.
Purplehood wrote:I think that renewal "classes" should be an online review of current laws related to the CHL and an e-signature affirming that you have read them.
That is what Ohio does. Attorney General publishes a "Concealed Carry Handbook". The CHL affirms under penalty of perjury that they have downloaded and reviewed the current pamphlet as part of the application.
It'll never work. It's FAR too reasonable and requires people to exhibit a modicum of personal responsibility.
I am not a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice.!Nothing tempers idealism quite like the cold bath of reality.... SQLGeek
Keith B wrote:I am an instructor and believe there are enough people out there that do not stay up to date with law changes and need to be updated and let know about them. I would not mind seeing some type of online test with a larger question pool and random questions being chosen from the pool; that would at least require them to study the laws.
As for shooting, there are a lot that come through that haven't shot in 5 years (last CHL proficiency). I think there still needs to be that portion. Some of our worst students on the range are the renewals.
I was thinking about the instructors who might say, "but how will the students get the latest info on the laws?" . . . then I remembered all of the threads here about grossly uninformed instructors, and how some of their more scrupulous students noticed their own incompetence and sought supplemental info online that eventually led them to our little community here.
No matter what renewal mechanism we come up with, there's going to be a licensed subset of uninformed out there.
VMI77 wrote:
Purplehood wrote:I think that renewal "classes" should be an online review of current laws related to the CHL and an e-signature affirming that you have read them.
I could go for that too.
This isn't objectionable to me.
RoyGBiv wrote:
Jumping Frog wrote:
Purplehood wrote:I think that renewal "classes" should be an online review of current laws related to the CHL and an e-signature affirming that you have read them.
That is what Ohio does. Attorney General publishes a "Concealed Carry Handbook". The CHL affirms under penalty of perjury that they have downloaded and reviewed the current pamphlet as part of the application.
It'll never work. It's FAR too reasonable and requires people to exhibit a modicum of personal responsibility.
I'd even be willing to buy a $5 handbook with the new laws at the time of renewal. . . or it could be added to the current fee.
Keith B wrote:I am an instructor and believe there are enough people out there that do not stay up to date with law changes and need to be updated and let know about them. I would not mind seeing some type of online test with a larger question pool and random questions being chosen from the pool; that would at least require them to study the laws.
As for shooting, there are a lot that come through that haven't shot in 5 years (last CHL proficiency). I think there still needs to be that portion. Some of our worst students on the range are the renewals.
Keith, is this because they have bad attitudes, because they don't know (or pay attention to) range rules or because they are lousy shots?
I got a lot out of my original class. Like others have said, however, it was just a starting point for me. I showed me all that I didn't understand and I've been studying ever since. I'm certain that I will get a lot out of my renewal course, too. On the other hand, I don't think that making people take the course necessarily helps with retaining knowledge on the Texas CHL related laws. Those that want to, will. Those for whom the class is simply a checkmark on the sheet probably won't. Most people that take the classes apparently have enough interest that they have retained sufficient information to keep themselves out of trouble. On balance, I wonder exactly want percentage of them actually put themselves in situations (by carrying most of the time) where it makes any difference.
I don't know for sure, but unlike lowering the number of hours, deleting the renewal class entirely probably will have a negative impact on reciprocity. Any states that require our law to be equal to or more stringent than their law may cancel reciprocity with Texas.
I don't know for sure, but unlike lowering the number of hours, deleting the renewal class entirely probably will have a negative impact on reciprocity. Any states that require our law to be equal to or more stringent than their law may cancel reciprocity with Texas.
Chas.
That's what I was going to ask. After this question was asked and answered in the other thread regarding the reduction in class time, it seemed like it might be relevant in this thread about the deletion of renewals.
I am not and have never been a LEO. My avatar is in honor of my friend, Dallas Police Sargent Michael Smith, who was murdered along with four other officers in Dallas on 7.7.2016.NRA Patriot-Endowment Lifetime Member---------------------------------------------Si vis pacem, para bellum
The_Busy_Mom wrote:Hmmmm....... That's one that I have to give some more thought to. If you go off the thought that CHL class is for education about the law (simplistic, I know), then you put a CHL license in the same category as a driver's license. You don't have to take a class to renew your driver's license, just get another picture and pay your fee when it expires. The argument is that you didn't have to take a class to get your driver license to begin with, so you wouldn't need a class to renew. The same cannot be (currently) said for CHL license. You have to have the class time to get the license, so I would say that some sort of renewal class would be needed. I would bet most of the people on this forum don't know about new laws that affect driver licenses (age restrictions being the big one that I can think of right off the top of my head). People who are responsible for conceal carrying a firearm should be up to speed on changing legislation. The most efficient way to do this is through a renewal class. I understand that ignorance of the law is no excuse. I'm just not really sure how I feel about someone carrying a firearm, basing their actions on information that might be 15 years old. Think about how much has changed since 1995/1996 when the program was enacted.
I'll vote after I see some different sides to this coin.
TBM
Edited: Now that I typed out what I thought, I realize that the current 10 renewal requirement isn't much different than my point of 15 year old information. Critical thinking - it does a mind good.
NOTE: Applicants under 25 years of age must also successfully complete a driver education course before applying for their first Texas driver license. |
//
// MMTrainWorkModel.m
// MicroMannage
//
// Created by 倪望龙 on 2017/3/17.
// Copyright © 2017年 xunyijia. All rights reserved.
//
#import "MMTrainWorkModel.h"
@implementation MMTrainWorkModel
@end
|
February 14, 2007
Simple it may be, but few in federal Washington even seem to notice that the country they came to rule has crumbled around them and fewer still would accept the notion that it might be useful to inquire as to the cause of this disaster. The disaster, of course, is that of the country -- not that of its elite, which still floats like a hovercraft above the roiled waters of America.
To be sure, the more traditional faction of this elite has suffered a significant political blow in recent months, but now there is a new elite, headed by a man who hails from the richest county in Georgia, represents some of the wealthiest interests in the country, and still manages to call other people "elitist." This particular form of demagoguery is far from novel. Nixon and Wallace used it freely but then socio-economically they had better credentials for doing so. By 1978, says William Safire, elitism had already "become a standard blast at anyone with an undue regard for excellence as a criterion for the receipt of money or power."
The old elite, in its purest form, went to Ivy schools, practiced law or investments, and belonged to the Council on Foreign Relations. The new elite has been raised in the groves of advertising, marketing and focus groups, and is representative not of its legislative districts but of the largest trade associations. Its members speak not American but postmodern Orwellian. Listening to their rhetoric is like being trapped at table 129 -- with a bursting bladder and all the doors locked -- during a never-endng congressional dinner of the Asbestos Manufacturers Association. The members of this new elite may be different, yet by income, attitude and isolation, they are every bit as elitist as those they have expelled.
Thus the recent transfer of power was not from elitism to populism, but rather from one elite to another. And it did not happen, contrary to what one might glean from the elite media, as a result of some stunning sagacity on the part of the new crowd, but mostly due to the compounding ignorance, insularity and ineffectiveness of the old.
This old elite particularly prided itself in its wisdom and intelligence, but its greatest true skill was the successful circumnavigation of collective guilt. No embarrassment was too great, no crisis too unnecessary, no expense too inexplicable, and no war too unjustified, that it became ashamed. Instead, its members would rise as one to pronounce it not the time for blame, but rather for moving forward together into the future. Everyone would nod their heads and the foxes would renovate the chicken house once more.
Psychologically impervious to either misfortune or fact, this elite never felt any need for rigorous self-examination. When things got truly out of hand, as when a president was assassinated, a blue ribbon investigation would be called, producing a ritual of introspection that, almost without exception, came to conclusions that were faulty, incomplete or deliberately deceptive.
When members of the elite faltered -- a Kissinger, Helms, McNamara, Abrams and so forth -- their peers moved quickly to protect, rehabilitate and restore them to the pantheon of the wise. Given that more than ten percent of the Council on Foreign Relations -- a sort of Elks Club for the tenured elite -- is composed of journalists, it is not surprising to find the latter often serving as EMTs, reviving some beloved source suffering a momentary attack of imperfection. This service was not, of course, provided to all. For example, surgeons general from the lesser ethnic groups could not expect rehabilitation, nor could individuals whose misdeeds were personal rather than merely an abrogation of the Constitution.
All this was carried out with a numbing smugness. Like the Cromwell described in A Man for All Seasons, the prototypical member of the old elite possesses "a self conceit that can cradle gross crimes in the name of effective action."
But now, without doubt, the party is over. To be sure, the elite does not admit this any more than it admits it exists at all, but to those like myself born on the cusp of the Second World War there is no point to the pretense. We remember the victories and the celebrations of them; we remember men standing motionless for the national anthem in baseball stadiums with fedoras held over their hearts; the jobs waiting for you when you graduated from college; politicians who were revered; newscasters who were trusted; and music that dripped syrup over our spirits and made them sweet and sticky. We remember when there was a right and wrong and who belonged with each. We remember a time when those in power lied and were actually able to fool us. We remember what a real myth is like.
Now, among the young or the ethnic, you can't raise a majority that is proud of this country. Most Americans believe we are on the wrong track. We hate our politicians, ignore our moral voices, and distrust our media. We have destroyed the natural habitats of the southern white pine and of the northern black human. We have created the nation's first downwardly mobile generation, reduced their parent's income, and removed the jobs of each to distant lands. We have sold our downtowns to foreign companies and sold our environment to domestic ones. We have created rapacious oligopolies of defense and medicine, frittered away public revenues and watched indifferently as the slain, the homeless and the miserable pile up. Perhaps most telling, we are no longer able to admire, but only to gawk.
Many of the symbols of America remain, but they have become crude -- desperately or commercially imitative of something that is no longer there. We still stand for the Star Spangled Banner, but we no longer know what to do while on our feet. We still subscribe to the morning paper but it reads like stale beer. And we still vote, but expect ever less in return.
Turning on others
An awfulness has come over us. We have become obsessed with what we should ignore and ignore what we should honor. We seem to have lost capacity for either grace or decency.
Something profound has happened and yet we are not even talking about it. The media won't tell us because it is largely servile towards, or owned by, those who have profited from the debacle. Instead, it daily aggravates our tendency to salve our discouragement by turning on others even more helpless than ourselves. The assault on the poor, minorities and immigrants is not an accident. It is what people do when they're not told what's really wrong, when the media won't let them in on the secret. It's one of power's oldest tricks: to deflect blame downward so the victims fight among themselves.
Nor is the destruction of social programs at every level mere happenstance. With the collapse of America's post-war empire, the country's elite has become increasingly concerned with getting more for itself while getting us to accept less. Hence the New York City budget that cut 24% from social services and added 7% to the police. It is, after all, cheaper to shoot or bury them then it is to sustain them. As Latin American countries have found, the children can live on the streets and the wealthy can hire guards to stand in front of their walled homes and life can be very pleasant as long as you are behind the wall and don't really think about it too much.
There is not among the elite, old or new, even any particular loyalty to this country. More and more, its business is elsewhere; and it is shamelessly willing to use political power to further that business. It seeks a playing field of greatly weakened countries in which stateless corporations and their managers are accountable to no one. The pledge of allegiance has been replaced by trade agreements. The House Speaker talks of America; his wife works abroad.
Thus not only does the American elite lack any sense of guilt for what has happened, it is, like a hit and run driver, leaving the scene of the accident. More and more, those who run this country have the character of wealthy, isolated strangers -- armed but afraid, intrusive yet indifferent, personally profligate but politically penurious, priggish in rhetoric yet corrupt in action. No longer does even national myth connect them with the greater mass of America. Nor, any longer, does politics separate them from each other; Republicans and Democrats have become, rather than choices, degrees of the same thing.
Hi, I'm America and I'm a recovering country
It is long overdue time to admit such things -- and to force our leaders and the media to admit them as well. One of the less observed utilities of the 1960s was serving as a group intervention, interrupting the self-justified intoxication of the elite consensus. This intervention provided the intellectual, moral and psychological framework for much that happened.
We need such intervention now. We need to speak the truth. To admit freely that America has crashed. To tell the story of how America's own elite helped to bring it down. And to argue that, by consequence, they have lost their license to lead.
We further need to commence the sort of inquiry that disasters demand, an investigation into the death of American substance and of the American spirit. Before such an inquiry we might bring such evidence as:
The Vietnam War, the first great public disaster of the post-WWII best and brightest.
The destruction of the America city, beginning with the subsidized suburbanization of the fifties, continuing through the economic abandonment of downtowns in the 70s and 80s, and ending with the Reagan-Bush-Clinton withdrawal of urban aid.
Three decades of mob politics during which the country's elite snuggled up to its intelligence agencies, which in turn made numerous deleterious pacts with criminals, freebooters and drug lords.
The drug war, now more dangerous to black US males than was serving in Vietnam. A barbaric, unconstitutional, and counterproductive battle that has placed large sections of our cities under para-military occupation and has corrupted our political life -- from police precincts to governors' mansions.
The failure to exercise ecological wisdom before large numbers of human lives were endangered, species damaged or destroyed, and lands ruined.
The development of the corporate state in which the government is increasingly reduced to serving ever more powerful oligopolies.
The conversion of medicine from a public service to a corporate exploitive enterprise.
.The encouragement of economic desertion. Through such means as NAFTA and GATT, America has hastened the emigration of its own commercial base.
The failure to halt the growing monopolization of information and ideas in the American media.
The retreat from common responsibility for the problems of the nation's less fortunate.
The nomination of Bill Clinton, a president picked, managed and bankrolled by America's elite. This final error devastated the Democratic Party and made possible last November's right-wing coup.
In each of these instances, the plans were drawn, sold and executed by those who considered themselves among the nation's smartest men and women. And in each case, the nation paid a fearful price. In the end we have been left with a country devoid of confidence, a nation beset by fears, short on jobs, bereft of joy, disputatious, sniveling, without compassion, internationally impotent, domestically catatonic -- in a word, shattered.
While other generations of leaders have failed the country, none has managed to do quite so much damage. The first step in recovery is to reveal how this came about, and by whose hand, and then to tell them to be off. |
Sigma Patent for 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye MFT Lens
Sigma has filed a new patent in Japan. The new patent refers to a bright 8mm f/1.8 Fisheye designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras.
A bright ultra wide-angle prime such as Sigma 8mm f/1.8 will be great for users of Micro Four Thirds system. However we have to underline that this is only the patent application. So don’t expect the product become available on the market in the near future. |
Hottest technology and news
Category: News
What You Must Learn About Gangstar Vegas?
Gangstar Vegas is an online multiplayer game available on both on-device app store and users can download the game according to the supported device. You might know that game is based on the gangster theme, in which users have to fight against various enemies for instance zombies, mafia member and other several opponents according to the requirement of the mission. In this game, gamers have to complete the mission in order to earn in-game resources, which help the players to survive in the virtual world with ease.
There are lots more innovate elements added in the game, which encourage the gamers to spend their spare time on the Gangstar Vegas platform. The main of the users in the game is to guide the character to walk on the uncharted path and resolve the problem conveniently by fabricating flexible tactics. However, there are some players who find it hard to challenge the hassles in the game and end up losing their interest in the game.
Premium Currency Manual
In this game, users have to fight with the several enemies in order to earn cash and diamonds if you want more resource by trying Gangstar Vegas Hack, which support the gamers to purchase a variety of stuff in the game. Firstly, the weapons in the Gangstar Vegas are the important items, which are required to overcome the hard part of the game. Secondly, the armor, it helps to enhance the lifeline of the character. Thirdly, movie bucks that you can attain by watching the advertisement offered in the game. It helps the users to unwind the chest in order to gain a huge amount of in-game resources in the form of cash, premium diamonds and lastly rare items. Finally, the most interesting element is to rob the people of the city in the game in order to earn money. So, utilize these ways and dominate the game with ease.…
New Firefox Runs Like a Rabbit
New version releases of browsers aren’t getting the buzz that they had to buy, however, Firefox Quantum can be an exclusion.
The most recent variant of the Mozilla Foundation’s browser, released Tuesday, is all about performance. Firefox is twice as fast since it was a year past, Mozilla maintained.
“We have an improved balance of memory to performance compared to the rest of the browsers,” said Firefox Vicepresident for Product Nick Nguyen.
“We use 30 percent less memory, and the reason for that is that we could devote the range of procedures Firefox uses in your pc dependent on the hardware which you have,” he told TechNewsWorld.
Along with declaring Quantum’s release, Mozilla on Tuesday said it’d made google-its default search provider in america and Canada.
Revenues from this partnership should reap Mozilla.
Mozilla’s release of Quantum had been a defensive move, ” he told TechNewsWorld. “It is to stop further erosion of the Firefox user base, that has brought a solid hit over the previous couple of years.”
Quantum could do more for Mozilla than simply prevent Firefox defections, claimed Charles King, principal analyst in pundit.
“Quantum generally seems to be designed to attract former users, who mostly abandoned Mozilla to get Google Chrome, back to Firefox,” he told TechNewsWorld.
“Quantum’s advent also coincides in everything seems like increasing disaffection among both users of Google Chrome and Micro Soft Edge,” King added. “Put simply, there could not be much better time for Mozilla to introduce a spiffy new browser. ”
Tough Browser Market
Even with operation advantages, Quantum will find it tough to catch browser share in leader Chrome, that owned about 47 percent of their desktop market as of a month, based on numbers out of NetMarketShare.
With 6.53 percentage of the current market, Firefox was a distant third, supporting Microsoft Internet Explorer with 12.52 percent.
“The new Firefox Quantum is considerably faster, which was a major issue for the older Firefox,” said Greg Sterling, vice president of insight and strategy to the localsearch Association.… |
There are many luxury elements in packaging that make can make a package stand out, none of which are as widespread and obvious as neodymium magnetic closures commonly seen in custom luxury packaging .This magnet closure is commonly seen even beyond packaging and is seen in other products bumper magnets and toys.
As the demand for luxury packaging has increased, so has the use of the magnets within packaging. The advantages of magnets are what really make the use their usage a clear choice for most packaging designers for packaging clasps and closures. The magnetic closure makes for a super sleek closure that is virtually invisible but rarely goes unappreciated. It is also relatively easy to add and structurally superior to other options like metal hinges and velcro clasps. Magnetic closures also have the unique ability to be extremely reliable after nearly endless actuations.
So how exactly are magnetic closures implemented in to packaging? Magnets are commonly one of two shapes, round or rectangular and includes a portion that is the actual magnet and its counterpart which is typically made of steel. The steel portion is cheaper and attracted to the magnet . These components come in a variety of forms but commonly these magnets have similar dimensions as a penny WHICH only measure a few centimeters in diameter and only a few millimeters in thickness. Typically the thickness will match the thickness of the chipboard so that magnet fits flush within the chipboard.
During manufacturing the placement of these magnets is indicated in the v so that recesses can be cut in the chipboard to allow for the magnets to sit within the chipboard. The box is then wrapped, which covers those magnets. Because the magnets are the correct size they go relatively unnoticed within. The ability for the magnet to remain unseen is a major design capability that has been heavily exploited for high end packaging across all industries. On top of that these magnetic closures have proven to be more reliable than other types of closures like metal latches or velcro seals.
The magnet most importantly leaves a lasting impression on consumers. The streamline look and satisfying click is what really why brands choose to pay a premium for a sleek and memorable packaging experience that truly elevates a packaging experience. |
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var id = 'label_' + newFor;
$(this).attr({'id':id, 'for':newFor});
});
}
reindex_formset = function( formset_zone ){
var formset = $(formset_zone).find( '.nsorte' );
for( var cpt=0;cpt<formset.length;cpt++ ){
index_form( formset[cpt], cpt );
};
$("#id_form-TOTAL_FORMS").val( parseInt( cpt ) );
};
set_event = function(){
$('.modal').on('click',".bt_rm_sorte",function(){
$(this).parents(".nsorte").remove();
reindex_formset( "#formsetZone" );
});
};
$('.modal').on('click',"#bt_add_sorte",function(){
$( "#eform" ).clone(true).appendTo( $("#formsetZone") );
reindex_formset( "#formsetZone" );
});
set_event();
});
// CKEditor Focus Horrible Hack
$.fn.modal.Constructor.prototype.enforceFocus = function() {
modal_this = this
$(document).on('focusin.modal', function (e) {
if (modal_this.$element[0] !== e.target && !modal_this.$element.has(e.target).length
&& !$(e.target.parentNode).hasClass('cke_dialog_ui_input_select')
&& !$(e.target.parentNode).hasClass('cke_dialog_ui_input_text')
&& !$(e.target.parentNode).hasClass('cke_dialog_ui_input_textarea')) {
modal_this.$element.focus()
}
})
};
|
Stand against threat from gay marriage, head of the Catholic church will tell worshippers
Churchgoers are to be urged to take a stand against gay marriage by the leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales.
In a letter to be read from 2,500 pulpits during mass this Sunday, the Archbishop of Westminster will warn that David Cameron’s pledge to legalise homosexual marriage would threaten the true meaning of a sacred union.
In a significant intervention in the gay marriage debate, the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols will urge the country’s five million Roman Catholics to sign petitions and lobby their MPs about the changes.
Controversy: The letter by Reverend Nichols (left) argues marriage between a man and a woman is at the 'foundation of our society'. Lord Carey (right) said no one had the right to redefine the institution
The letter warns that plans to extend marriage to same-sex couples would be a ‘profoundly radical step’ that reduces it to a vague commitment between two people.
The letter says the roots of marriage lie in human nature and the pattern of complementarity and fertility in the union are affirmed by many other religious traditions.
It argues that matrimony is an expression of 'our fundamental humanity' and says: 'Neither the Church nor the State has the power to change this fundamental understanding of marriage itself.'
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It continues: 'Its status in law is the prudent fruit of experience, for the good of the spouses and the good of the family.
'In this way, society esteems the married couple as the source and guardians of the next generation. As an institution marriage is at the foundation of our society.'
The text, which is co-signed by the RC Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Reverend Peter Smith, argues that marriage between a man and a woman is at the ‘foundation of our society’.
In an article for the Daily Mail last month, Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, wrote: ‘Marriage precedes both the state and the church, and neither of these institutions have the right to redefine it in such a fundamental way.’
Backing: The Prime Minister is a strong supporter of plans to legalise same-sex marriage
The last time the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church used a pastoral letter to intervene on a political issue, during attempts to inflict quotas on faith schools in 2007, the government climbed down within days.
The letter is expected to have a more moderate tone than comments made at the weekend by Keith O’Brien, leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, who described gay marriage proposals as grotesque.
Cardinal O’Brien insisted that the reforms would shame the United Kingdom in the eyes of the world.
He said: ‘Since all the legal rights of marriage are already available to homosexual couples, it is clear this proposal is not about rights but rather is an attempt to redefine marriage at the behest of a small minority of activists.
‘If marriage can be redefined so that it no longer means a man and a woman but two men or two women, why stop there? Why not allow three men, or a woman and two men, to constitute a marriage, if they pledge their fidelity to one another?’
The Prime Minister is a strong supporter of plans to legalise same-sex marriage, which are also supported by the Lib Dems, and are set to be formally unveiled later this month.
But the proposal has divided the Conservative Party and put Mr Cameron on a collision course with religious leaders.
Prime Minister David Cameron’s official spokesman said: 'The Government has made clear its commitment to equality.
'We believe people should have the option of civil marriage, irrespective of sexual orientation.'
He also said that the timing of the consultation had been chosen to allow legislation to be taken through Parliament before the general election planned for 2015.
But he declined to speculate on the timetable for any Bill, telling reporters: 'We normally set out the timetable for legislation at the time of the Queen’s Speech and we do it session by session.
'We have purposefully set up this consultation with a timetable that would allow us to have that legislation in this Parliament.'
Reverend Vincent Nichols' letters warns that plans to extend marriage to same-sex couples would be a 'profoundly radical step'
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg told ITV’s The Agenda: 'I think marriage is defined surely by two people who love each other and want to make a commitment to each other.
'Depriving same-sex couples of that public display in this day and age, I think most people think "Come on, let’s move with the times".'
Civil partnerships were introduced for gay couples in 2005 but by law they cannot be referred to as marriages.
The clergymen are the latest to denounce the Government’s backing for marriage to include gay couples. In January, the Anglican Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, insisted governments did not have the moral authority to redefine marriage.
If the law is changed, Britain will become the seventh European country to recognise same-sex marriage, after the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Spain, Portugal and Norway.
The Catholic archbishops’ letter also appears to challenge Equalities Minister Lynne Featherstone’s remarks last week that the church does not ‘own’ marriage and that the state was entitled to make changes to the institution.
‘The reasons given by our Government for wanting to change the definition of marriage are those of equality and discrimination,’ the letter says.
‘But our present law does not discriminate unjustly when it requires both a man and a woman for marriage. It simply recognises and protects the distinctive nature of marriage.
‘Changing the legal definition of marriage would be a profoundly radical step. Its consequences should be taken seriously now.
‘There would be no recognition of the complementarity of male and female or that marriage is intended for the procreation and education of children.
‘The roots of the institution of marriage lie in our nature. This pattern is affirmed by many other religious traditions – understood as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman.’
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Archbishop of Westminster tells churchgoers to stand against the threat of gay marriage |
Best Western Your Memories Hotel, a modern manufacture with intense elements of memory from the local traditional architecture, it is placed in an extent of 7000 square miles and is surrounded by a unique full garden. All of our apartments allocate big verandas and balconies with views of mountain, sea or our garden. The luxury and comfort of apartments, the space of reception, the splendid swimming-pool, playground, the spaces of focus, the application of traditional Cretan diet, in combination with the qualitative level of services and a friendly-family environment, create the suitable conditions for comfortable and pleasant holidays. We operate all year round and we wait for you, ready to satisfy your highest requirements of recreation and relaxation.
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11TH COURT OF APPEALS
EASTLAND, TEXAS
JUDGMENT
Irma Munguia, * From the County Court at Law No. 2
of Taylor County
Trial Court No. 2-470-14.
Vs. No. 11-16-00011-CR * December 29, 2017
The State of Texas, * Memorandum Opinion by Wright, C.J.
(Panel consists of: Wright, C.J.,
Willson, J., and Bailey, J.)
This court has inspected the record in this cause and concludes that
there is no error in the judgment below. Therefore, in accordance with this
court’s opinion, the judgment of the trial court is in all things affirmed.
|
/*
* Copyright (c) 2010-2011, NVIDIA Corporation
* All rights reserved.
*
* Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
* modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
* * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
* notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
* * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
* notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
* documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
* * Neither the name of NVIDIA Corporation nor the
* names of its contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
* derived from this software without specific prior written permission.
*
* THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
* ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
* WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE
* DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL <COPYRIGHT HOLDER> BE LIABLE FOR ANY
* DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
* (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES;
* LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND
* ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
* (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS
* SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
*/
#include <cugar/basic/cuda/arch.h>
#include <cugar/basic/cuda/pointers.h>
#include <cugar/basic/functors.h>
#include <cugar/basic/algorithms.h>
#include <cugar/basic/cuda/scan.h>
#include <cugar/basic/utils.h>
namespace cugar {
namespace cuda {
namespace bintree {
typedef Radixtree_context::Split_task Split_task;
// find the most significant bit smaller than start by which code0 and code1 differ
template <typename Integer>
CUGAR_FORCEINLINE CUGAR_HOST_DEVICE int32 find_leading_bit_difference(
const int32 start_level,
const Integer code0,
const Integer code1)
{
int32 level = start_level;
while (level >= 0)
{
const Integer mask = Integer(1u) << level;
if ((code0 & mask) !=
(code1 & mask))
break;
--level;
}
return level;
}
#define RADIX_TREE_USE_VOLATILE 1
#define RADIX_TREE_USE_FENCE 1
#define RADIX_TREE_USE_ATOMIC_RELEASE 1
#if defined(RADIX_TREE_USE_VOLATILE)
#define RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_LOAD(x) load<LOAD_VOLATILE>(x)
#define RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_STORE(x,v) store<STORE_VOLATILE>(x,v)
#else
#define RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_LOAD(x) load<LOAD_CG>(x)
#define RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_STORE(x,v) store<STORE_CG>(x,v)
#endif
#if defined(RADIX_TREE_USE_FENCE)
#define RADIX_TREE_RELEASE_FENCE() __threadfence()
#else
#define RADIX_TREE_RELEASE_FENCE()
#endif
#if defined(RADIX_TREE_USE_ATOMIC_RELEASE)
#define RADIX_TREE_RELEASE(x,v) atomicExch(x,v)
#else
#define RADIX_TREE_RELEASE(x,v) RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_STORE(x,v)
#endif
// do a single kd-split for all nodes in the input task queue, and generate
// a corresponding list of output tasks
template <uint32 BLOCK_SIZE, typename Tree, typename Integer>
__global__ void split_kernel(
const uint32 grid_size,
Tree tree,
const uint32 max_leaf_size,
const uint32 n_nodes,
const uint32 n_codes,
const Integer* codes,
int32* flags,
Split_task* tasks,
uint32* skip_nodes,
uint32* out_node_count,
uint32* out_leaf_count,
uint32* work_counter)
{
const uint32 LOG_WARP_SIZE = 5;
const uint32 WARP_SIZE = 1u << LOG_WARP_SIZE;
volatile __shared__ uint32 warp_offset[ BLOCK_SIZE >> LOG_WARP_SIZE ];
const uint32 warp_tid = threadIdx.x & (WARP_SIZE-1);
const uint32 warp_id = threadIdx.x >> LOG_WARP_SIZE;
uint32 node = 0;
uint32 begin = 0;
uint32 end = 0;
uint32 level = uint32(-1);
uint32 parent = uint32(-1);
uint32 skip_node = uint32(-1);
uint32 split_index = 0;
int32 node_flag = -1;
bool proper_split = false;
bool terminated = false;
// keep the entire warp looping until there's some work to do
while (__any(!terminated))
{
// fetch new tasks for inactive lanes which are done processing their node (i.e. node_flag != 0)
const uint32 new_node = cuda::alloc<1>( node_flag != 0, work_counter, warp_tid, warp_offset + warp_id );
if (node_flag != 0) // check if we are done processing the current node
{
// check whether we are done processing all nodes
if (new_node >= n_nodes)
terminated = true;
// reset the node
node = new_node;
begin = 0;
end = 0;
level = uint32(-1);
parent = uint32(-1);
skip_node = uint32(-1);
split_index = 0;
node_flag = 0;
proper_split = false;
}
//node_flag = terminated ? 0 : *(volatile int32*)(flags + node);
node_flag = terminated ? 0 : RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_LOAD(flags + node);
if (node_flag != 0)
{
// fetch this node's description
const Split_task in_task = RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_LOAD( (uint4*)tasks + node );
parent = in_task.m_parent;
begin = in_task.m_begin;
end = in_task.m_end;
level = in_task.m_level;
split_index = (begin + end)/2;
skip_node = RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_LOAD( skip_nodes + node );
// check whether this is a valid node, needing a proper split
if (node_flag == 1)
{
// check whether the input node really needs to be split
if (end - begin > max_leaf_size)
{
if (level != uint32(-1))
{
// adjust the splitting level so as to make sure the split will produce either 2 or 0 children
level = find_leading_bit_difference(
level,
codes[begin],
codes[end-1] );
}
// check again if there is any chance to make a split, after the level has been adjusted
if (level != uint32(-1))
{
// find the "partitioning pivot" using a binary search
split_index = find_pivot(
codes + begin,
end - begin,
mask_and<Integer>( Integer(1u) << level ) ) - codes;
// this shouldn't be needed, but... force a good split
if (split_index == begin || split_index == end)
split_index = (begin + end)/2;
}
// mark this as a proper split
proper_split = true;
}
}
}
#define RADIX_TREE_WRITE_NODE( OUTPUT_INDEX, PARENT, BEGIN, END, LEVEL, SKIP, RELEASE_VALUE ) \
do { \
RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_STORE( (uint4*)tasks + OUTPUT_INDEX, make_uint4( PARENT, BEGIN, END, LEVEL ) ); \
RADIX_TREE_UNCACHED_STORE( skip_nodes + OUTPUT_INDEX, SKIP ); \
RADIX_TREE_RELEASE_FENCE(); \
RADIX_TREE_RELEASE( flags + OUTPUT_INDEX, RELEASE_VALUE ); \
} while (0)
// split the node if it contains more than one code
const uint32 child_count = (node_flag != 0) && (end - begin > 1u) ? 2u : 0u;
// alloc the actual children
//const uint32 node_offset = cuda::alloc<2>( child_count, out_node_count, warp_tid, warp_offset + warp_id );
const uint32 node_offset = atomicAdd( out_node_count, child_count );
// write the them out
if (child_count == 2)
{
RADIX_TREE_WRITE_NODE( node_offset+0, node, begin, split_index, level-1, node_offset+1, proper_split ? 1 : -1 ); // mark nodes produced by "virtual" splits with a -1
RADIX_TREE_WRITE_NODE( node_offset+1, node, split_index, end, level-1, skip_node, proper_split ? 1 : -1 ); // mark nodes produced by "virtual" splits with a -1
}
const bool generate_leaf = (node_flag == 1) && (proper_split == false);
// count how many leaves we need to generate
//const uint32 leaf_index = cuda::alloc<1>( generate_leaf, out_leaf_count, warp_tid, warp_offset + warp_id );
const uint32 leaf_index = atomicAdd( out_leaf_count, generate_leaf ? 1u : 0u );
// write out the current node if it's not virtual
if (node_flag == 1)
{
tree.write_node(
node,
parent,
generate_leaf ? false : true,
generate_leaf ? false : true,
generate_leaf ? leaf_index : node_offset,
skip_node,
level,
begin,
end,
generate_leaf ? uint32(-1) : split_index );
// make a leaf if necessary
if (generate_leaf)
tree.write_leaf( leaf_index, node, begin, end );
}
}
}
// do a single kd-split for all nodes in the input task queue, and generate
// a corresponding list of output tasks
template <typename Tree, typename Integer>
void split(
Tree tree,
const uint32 max_leaf_size,
const uint32 n_nodes,
const uint32 n_codes,
const Integer* codes,
int32* flags,
Split_task* tasks,
uint32* skip_nodes,
uint32* out_node_count,
uint32* out_leaf_count,
uint32* work_counter)
{
const uint32 BLOCK_SIZE = 128;
const size_t max_blocks = cuda::max_active_blocks(split_kernel<BLOCK_SIZE,Tree,Integer>, BLOCK_SIZE, 0);
const size_t n_blocks = cugar::min( max_blocks, size_t(n_nodes + BLOCK_SIZE-1) / BLOCK_SIZE );
const size_t grid_size = n_blocks * BLOCK_SIZE;
split_kernel<BLOCK_SIZE> <<<n_blocks,BLOCK_SIZE>>> (
grid_size,
tree,
max_leaf_size,
n_nodes,
n_codes,
codes,
flags,
tasks,
skip_nodes,
out_node_count,
out_leaf_count,
work_counter );
//cudaDeviceSynchronize();
}
} // namespace bintree
template <typename Tree, typename Integer>
void generate_radix_tree(
Radixtree_context& context,
const uint32 n_codes,
const Integer* codes,
const uint32 bits,
const uint32 max_leaf_size,
const bool keep_singletons,
Tree& tree)
{
const uint32 max_nodes = cugar::max( n_codes * 2u - 1u, 1u );
tree.reserve_nodes( max_nodes );
tree.reserve_leaves( cugar::max( n_codes, 1u ) );
// reserve storage for internal queues
need_space( context.m_task_queues, max_nodes );
need_space( context.m_skip_nodes, max_nodes );
context.m_counters.resize( 3 );
context.m_counters[0] = 1; // nodes counter
context.m_counters[1] = 0; // leaf counter
context.m_counters[2] = 0; // work counter
context.m_task_queues[0] = Radixtree_context::Split_task( uint32(-1), 0, n_codes, bits-1 );
context.m_skip_nodes[0] = uint32(-1);
caching_device_vector<int32> flags( max_nodes, 0u );
flags[0] = 1u; // mark the root node as ready to be split
// build the radix tree in a single pass
bintree::split(
tree.get_context(),
max_leaf_size,
max_nodes,
n_codes,
codes,
raw_pointer( flags ),
raw_pointer( context.m_task_queues ),
raw_pointer( context.m_skip_nodes ),
raw_pointer( context.m_counters ),
raw_pointer( context.m_counters ) + 1,
raw_pointer( context.m_counters ) + 2 );
context.m_nodes = context.m_counters[0];
context.m_leaves = context.m_counters[1];
}
template <typename Tree_writer, typename Integer>
void generate_radix_tree(
const uint32 n_codes,
const Integer* codes,
const uint32 bits,
const uint32 max_leaf_size,
const bool keep_singletons,
Tree_writer& tree)
{
Radixtree_context context;
generate_radix_tree( context, n_codes, codes, bits, max_leaf_size, keep_singletons, tree );
}
} // namespace cuda
} // namespace cugar
|
On Saturday, January 11, two Fegely Middle School English teachers, Mrs. Mindy Malaski and Mrs. Lisa Norman, took a group of 50 PreAP students to the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois.
But the story doesn’t start there… For the past six years years, all three sixth grade English teachers at Fegely have read the Young Hoosier Book Award Nominee Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy to their classes. This inspiring piece tells the story of a child survivor of the Lodz Ghetto. Each year, students’ interests are piqued by the story of Syvia Perlmutter. And each year, these three teachers try to figure out a way to take the students to the Illinois Holocaust Museum—only to be thwarted by the cost and distance.
Unable to figure out a way to take this trip on a school day, two teachers decided to write a PTEF grant to provide this experience for their PreAP classes. The Portage Township Education Foundation (PTEF) hosts an annual grant campaign as a way to support Portage teachers to provide amazing out-of-the-box experiences for their students. We were also wrote a successful grant from the museum to help cover our admission costs, allowing those dollars to return to the PTEF.
Our students missed games, practices, and family events to attend. We were blessed by parent and teacher chaperones. In addition to the kindness of parents, Fegely teachers Mrs. Dessa Kelley, Ms. Jenelle Meiss, and Mrs. Natalie Lucas volunteered to chaperone this Saturday trip, too.
One of the main draws to this opportunity is that the students get to hear from a survivor. The museum arranged for a survivor to tell her story to our group. Our speaker told her story of living as a hidden child during the Holocaust. She told many stories how she and her mother both survived this time. After she told her story, she made herself available to answer questions from our students. They said, “I still see her doll, her book, and loved hearing her story; it was both powerful and emotional.” She taught us to treasure our belongings, family, and memories, and that we should not take our freedom for granted.
Additionally, the museum arranges for student tours to be led by docents who are survivors, descended from survivors, or generally knowledgeable about the Holocaust. Students learned from the artifacts in the museum. They learned from the personal stories from their docent and the survivor. They learned from the questions their peers asked. Our students said, “The trip to the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center was a life changing experience.”
Students took away many great ideas from this field trip. Here are some of the best quotes that they brought home with them. “Keep Calm and Carry On.” No matter what is going on you need to keep moving forward. Our message from our survivor story was, “Treasure your freedom.” And overall, the message of the program was “Now it is up to you.” We are in charge of our lives and our destinies. We will never let this happen again. We are hopeful for a bright future. Again, we will be forever grateful for this amazing field trip.
In the future, we would love to be able to plan a similar experience for ALL of our sixth grade students. |
Sample code for Chapter 5 - "First-class functions"
From the book "Fluent Python" by Luciano Ramalho (O'Reilly, 2015)
http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920032519.do
|
1 Answer
1
A loose translation: Why does the Torah need to emphasize that a Mamzer is forbidden even after 10 generations?
There is an opinion in the Talmud Yerushalmi that a berya, a complete creature can become nullified if it is intermingled among a mixture of more that nine hundred and sixty.
If you calculate the percentage of a Mamzer that is left after 10 generations, it is 1/1024 - [Note that a Mamzer can marry a convert or descendant of converts. The child is still a Mamzer. Rambam, Hilchot Issurei Biah 15:7-8]
The child of a Mamzer and a non-Mamzerite woman would have 50% Mamzerness. [Halachically the child is completely a Mamzer, but biologically he is only half a Mamzer]
A grandson would have twenty-five percent from the father.
The third generation will have an eighth.
The fourth will have a sixteenth.
The fifth will have one thirty-second from the original mamzer.
The sixth will have one sixty-fourth.
The seventh generation will only have one out of one hundred and twenty-eight.
The eighth will have one out of two hundred and fifty-six.
The ninth will have one out of five hundred and twelve.
The tenth generation will only have one out of one thousand and twenty-four from the original mamzer.
Because one might argue that according to the minority opinion in the Talmud Yerushalmi the child my no longer be a Mamzer after 10 generations, the Torah explicitly refutes that claim.
I don't see why the same logic can't be used to explain why the Torah mentions 10 generations by a Moavite or Ammonite. |
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
It's time for another update on progress! This time we've reached Level 30 after about 19 hours /played. Most of that time was spent running in circles around Ashenvale and Southern Barrens looking for rare mobs - gief SilverDragon! It's not worth just skipping those ones because they give really good xp and sometimes also nice rewards.
It's really quiet out there in the world... I miss not being part of a guild at the moment. I notice this especially when we go into one of the cities and the trade channel suddendly springs to life - Oh, there ARE people out there.
I'm finding I have mana troubles again at times, especially when I need to heal when there are a few mobs or an elite on us. It's not really a problem, I just need to drink a bit more often. My problem is that [Regrowth] (161 mana, 2 sec cast, 318-360 + hot) doesn't seem very mana efficient and [Healing Touch] (183 mana, 3 sec cast, 502-606) takes juuust too long to cast. I'm considering using [Glyph of Healing Touch] which reduces cast time to 1.5 sec but only heals for 250-300 then, and would cost just short of 140 mana. It's a shame we don't get Nourish until level 80 though.
Does anyone have suggestions for healy spells at low level? Apart from respeccing resto for levelling that is :)
It's time for another update on progress! This time we've reached Level 30 after about 19 hours /played. Most of that time was spent running in circles around Ashenvale and Southern Barrens looking for rare mobs - gief SilverDragon! It's not worth just skipping those ones because they give really good xp and sometimes also nice rewards.
It's really quiet out there in the world... I miss not being part of a guild at the moment. I notice this especially when we go into one of the cities and the trade channel suddendly springs to life - Oh, there ARE people out there.
I'm finding I have mana troubles again at times, especially when I need to heal when there are a few mobs or an elite on us. It's not really a problem, I just need to drink a bit more often. My problem is that [Regrowth] (161 mana, 2 sec cast, 318-360 + hot) doesn't seem very mana efficient and [Healing Touch] (183 mana, 3 sec cast, 502-606) takes juuust too long to cast. I'm considering using [Glyph of Healing Touch] which reduces cast time to 1.5 sec but only heals for 250-300 then, and would cost just short of 140 mana. It's a shame we don't get Nourish until level 80 though.
Does anyone have suggestions for healy spells at low level? Apart from respeccing resto for levelling that is :) |
Leveron called up to Honduras for international friendly vs. El Salvador
August 5, 20131:58 PM PDT
NOTE - Match was cancelled on August 6, as a result Johnny Leveron will no longer leave for Honduras on August 12.
VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that centre back Johnny Leveron has been called up by Honduras for their international friendly against El Salvador August 14 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
The native of Yoro, Honduras, has made 22 international appearances for his country and scored three goals since making his debut in 2010.
Honduras will use the upcoming friendly as preparation for the fourth and final round of the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers, otherwise known as “The Hex,” which begins next month. The top three teams will qualify directly for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while the fourth-placed side will play a home-and-home series with New Zealand to determine the final entrant. Honduras currently trails third-place Mexico by just one point.
Leveron will join the Honduran national squad on August 12 and return on August 15, meaning he will be eligible for selection in Vancouver’s match against Colorado Rapids later in the week.
The 23-year-old defender has started all 13 of his appearances with Whitecaps FC in his first season in MLS. He was named to the MLS Team of the Week for Week 22 after a rock-solid performance against Philadelphia Union with the ‘Caps playing down a man for most of the match. |
ARM Discloses Technical Details Of The Next Version Of The ARM Architecture
27 October 2011
First details of ARMv8 architecture released
SANTA CLARA, CA, USA – OCT.27, 2011– ARM today disclosed technical details of its new ARMv8 architecture, the first ARM architecture to include a 64-bit instruction set. ARMv8 broadens the ARM architecture to embrace 64-bit processing and extends virtual addressing, building on the rich heritage of the 32-bit ARMv7 architecture upon which market leading cores such as the Cortex™-A9 and Cortex-A15 processors are built.
The ARM architecture is unique in its ability to span the full range of electronic devices and equipment, from tiny sensors through to large scale infrastructure equipment. Building on the industry standard 32-bit ARM architecture, the new ARMv8 architecture will expand the reach of ARM processor-based solutions into consumer and enterprise applications where extended virtual addressing and 64-bit data processing are required.
The ARMv8 architecture consists of two main execution states, AArch64 and AArch32. The AArch64 execution state introduces a new instruction set, A64 for 64-bit processing. The AArch32 state supports the existing ARM instruction set. The key features of the current ARMv7 architecture, including TrustZone®, virtualization and NEON™ advanced SIMD, are maintained or extended in the ARMv8 architecture.
“With our increasingly connected world, the market for 32-bit processing continues to expand and evolve creating new opportunities for 32-bit ARMv7 based processors in embedded, real-time and open application platforms.” said Mike Muller, CTO, ARM. “We believe the ARMv8 architecture is ideally suited to enable the ARM partnership to continue to grow in 32-bit application spaces and bring diverse, innovative and energy-efficient solutions to 64-bit processing markets.”
In support of the introduction of the ARMv8 architecture, ARM is working to ensure a robust design ecosystem to support the 64-bit instruction set. The ARM compiler and Fast Models with ARMv8 support have already been made available to key ecosystem partners. Initial support for a range of open source operating systems, applications and third-party tools is already in development. Working together the ARM partnership is collaborating to accelerate development of a 64-bit ecosystem, in many cases as a natural extension to the broad ecosystem in place to support ARMv7 based devices in the market today.
"ARM is an important partner for Microsoft," said KD Hallman, general manager, Microsoft Corp. "The evolution of ARM to support a 64-bit architecture is a significant development for ARM and for the ARM ecosystem. We look forward to witnessing this technology's potential to enhance future ARM-based solutions."
“The combination of NVIDIA’s leadership in energy-efficient, high-performance processing and the new ARMv8 architecture will enable game-shifting breakthroughs in devices across the full range of computing – from smartphones through to supercomputers,” said Dan Vivoli, senior vice president, NVIDIA.
“The current growth trajectory of data centers, driven by the viral explosion of social media and cloud computing, will continue to accelerate. The ability to handle this data increase with energy-efficient solutions is vital,” said Vinay Ravuri, vice president and general manager of AppliedMicro’s Processor Business Unit. “The ARM 64-bit architecture provides the right balance of performance, efficiency and cost to scale to meet these growing demands and we are very excited to be a leading partner in implementing solutions based on the ARMv8 architecture.”
The ARMv8 architecture will enable the development of ARM architecture compatible devices that can be designed to maximize the benefits across both 32-bit and 64-bit application areas. This will bring the advantages of energy-efficient 64-bit computing to new applications such as high-end servers and computing, as well as offering backwards compatibility and migration for existing software through a consistent architecture.
The ARMv8 architecture specifications describing all aspects of the ARMv8 architecture are available now to partners under license. ARM will disclose processors based on ARMv8 during 2012, with consumer and enterprise prototype systems expected in 2014.
About ARM
ARM designs the technology that is at the heart of advanced digital products, from wireless, networking and consumer entertainment solutions to imaging, automotive, security and storage devices. ARM's comprehensive product offering includes 32-bit RISC microprocessors, graphics processors, video engines, enabling software, cell libraries, embedded memories, high-speed connectivity products, peripherals and development tools. Combined with comprehensive design services, training, support and maintenance, and the company's broad Partner community, they provide a total system solution that offers a fast, reliable path to market for leading electronics companies. |
430 So.2d 1016 (1982)
Gerald W. WILEY, Plaintiff-Appellee,
v.
MISSOURI PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY, Defendant-Appellant.
No. 82-229.
Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Third Circuit.
October 22, 1982.
Writ Denied January 10, 1983.
Dubuisson & Dubuisson, James G. Dubuisson, Opelousas, for defendant-appellant.
*1017 Carol J. Aymond, Bunkie, for plaintiffappellee.
Before DOMENGEAUX, DOUCET and YELVERTON, JJ.
DOUCET, Judge.
This is a retaliatory dischargeconflicts of lawcase involving an injured railway worker seeking to invoke state anti-discrimination laws.
Can a railroad employee, discharged for filing (and subsequently settling) a claim under the F.E.L.A., maintain a suit for wrongful discharge pursuant to Louisiana Revised Statute 23:1361. That is the issue presented for our consideration. As far as we are aware, this is the first reported case wherein application of the aforesaid wrongful discharge provision of our workmens compensation laws has been asserted.
The trial judge summarized the facts giving rise to this suit as follows:
"... on May 9, 1979, while in the course and scope of his employment by defendant, Missouri Pacific Railroad Company, plaintiff sustained an injury. As a result of these injuries plaintiff entered into a release with the railroad in consideration of the sum of $10,000.00 being paid to him by his employer. The plaintiff was required to sign a release which expressly stated the plaintiff had resigned from the services of the railroad and that he would not thereafter be employed by that company or any of its affiliated or subsidary companies. On November 20, 1980, the railroad sent a letter to plaintiff which read as follows:
"Our records indicate that you hold seniority on the Missouri Pacific Railroad.
Your services are needed at this time; therefore, you are requested to contact this office prior to December 1, 1980.
If for any reason you are unable to do so, please furnish medical evidence of your inability to do so. If you have not marked up in the allotted time, or given evidence to why you cannot you will be considered absent without proper authority and in violation of proper instructions."
At the instigation of defendant, plaintiff was re-employed by the railroad in December of 1980 and thereafter continued to work for the railroad until he was discharged by letter dated May 1, 1981 which read as follows:
"Please refer to your letter of March 13, 1980 wherein you relinquished all employment rights with Missouri Pacific Railroad, and agreed to release all claim for back wages, lost time, etc. This letter was signed as a final settlement growing out of a personal injury sustained by you at Luling, Louisiana on May 9, 1979.
We are advised that you were erroneously allowed to return to work.
This letter is to advise you that you cannot be permitted to work for Missouri Pacific Railroad again in any capacity, due to your final settlement dated March 13, 1980."
After trial on the merits, the trial court rendered judgment in favor of plaintiff, Gerald W. Wiley, awarding $21,421.40, representing one year's earnings plus attorney's fees in the sum of $3,500.00, pursuant to La.R.S. 23:1361. From that judgment defendant Missouri Pacific Railroad Company has appealed, specifying the following alleged errors:[1]
"1.
`The trial judge erred in holding that R.S. 23:1361 applied to a previous assertion of a claim under the Federal Employer's Liability Act.
2.
The trial judge erred in holding that plaintiff was discharged from his employment because of having asserted a previous claim under the Federal Employers' Liability Act.
3.
The trial judge erred in not holding that the provisions of R.S. 23:1361 are unconstitutional *1018 if applied to previous claims asserted under the Federal Employers' Liability Act on the ground that such provisions would constitute state legislation in a field of law pre-empted by laws passed by the Congress of the United States of America.
4.
The trial Judge erred in failing to hold that the provisions of R.S. 23:1361 would be unconstitutional if applied to previous assertion of claims under the Federal Employers' Liability Act on the ground that the Act would then be broader than its title."
The historical development of the employment relationship, leading up to the wrongful discharge action, was succinctly summarized in Pugh v. See's Candies, Inc., 116 Cal.App.3d 311,171 Cal.Rptr. 917 (1981), as follows:
"The law of the employment relationship has been, and perhaps still is, in the process of continuing evolution. The old law of master and servant, which held sway through the eighteenth century and to some extent beyond, viewed the relationship as primarily one of status rather than of contract. While agreement gave rise to the relationship and might establish certain of its terms, it was "custom and public policy, not the will of the parties, [which] defined the implicit framework of mutual rights and obligations." (Selznick, Law, Society and Industrial Justice (1969) p. 123.)
The essence of the relationship as so defined drew its contours from the model of the householdin which, typically, the servant worked, the master had general authority to discipline the servant, and it was the servant's duty to obey. (Id., at pp. 124-125.) At the same time, the master had certain responsibilities for the servant's general welfare. (Id., at p. 128.) The relationship was thus in a sense paternalistic. And it was not terminable at will; rather, there existed a presumption (in the absence of contrary agreement) that employment was for a period of one year. (Id., at p. 125.)
With the industrial revolution in the nineteenth century the law of master and servant underwent a gradual remodeling, primarily at the hands of the judiciary. Primary emphasis came to be placed, through contract doctrine, upon the freedom of the parties to define their own relationship. "The emphasis shifted from obligation to freedom of choice." (Id., at p. 131.) The terms of the contract were to be sought in voluntary agreement, express or implied, the employee being presumed to have assented to the rules and working conditions established by the employer. (Ibid.)
In light of the generally superior bargaining power of the employer, "the employment contract became [by the end of the nineteenth century] a very special sort of contractin large part a device for guaranteeing to management unilateral power to make rules and exercise discretion." (Ibid.) And management's unilateral power extended, generally, to the term of the relationship as well. The new emphasis brought with it a gradual weakening of the traditional presumption that a general hiring (i.e., one without a specific term) was for a year, and its replacement by the converse presumption that "a general or indefinite hiring is prima facie a hiring at will." (Wood, A Treatise on the Law of Master and Servant (1877) § 134, fn. 49.)3 In California, this presumption is reflected in Labor Code section 2922, which provides: "An employment, having no specified term, may be terminated at the will of either party on notice to the other. Employment for a specified term means an employment for a period greater than one month."
The recognized inequality in bargaining power between employer and individual employee undergirded the rise of the labor unions and the institutionalization of collective bargaining.4 And through collective bargaining, unions have placed limitations on the employer's unilateral right of termination. Under most union contracts, employees can only be dismissed for "just cause," and disputes over what constitutes cause for dismissal are *1019 typically decided by arbitrators chosen by the parties.5 Collective bargaining agreements, however, cover only a small fraction of the nation's work force,6 and employees who either do not or (as in the case of managerial employees such as Mr. Pugh) cannot form unions7 are left without that protection.
In recent years, there have been established by statute a variety of limitations upon the employer's power of dismissal. Employers are precluded, for example, from terminating employees for a variety of reasons, including union membership or activities, race, sex, age or political affiliation.8 Legislatures in this country have so far refrained, however, from adopting statutes, such as those which exist in most other industrialized countries,9 which would provide more generalized protection to employees against unjust dismissal. And while public employees may enjoy job security through civil service rules10 and due process,11 the legal principles which give rise to these protections are not directly applicable to employees in private industry.12" (Footnotes omitted).
Thus, under the traditional rule, an employer could discharge a long-term employee for no cause, bad cause, or any cause whatsoever, without regard to his years of satisfactory performance, or the substantial opportunities he may have foregone to remain in the employer's service. As a result thereof the employee without recourse often suffered the cost and inconvenience of searching for a new job (if available), moving expenses and the costs of relocating a family, and emotional distress from embarrassment and loss of status. Until recently the "at will" doctrine was considered so well established that courts applied the rule without inquiring into its logic.
Both legislatures and courts have limited the "employment at will" doctrine in recent years to protect participants in union activity[2], workmen's compensation claimants[3], employees serving on jury duty[4], veterans[5], debtors[6], and informants[7], and prohibit employment practices that discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin[8], or age[9].
Factors which courts have considered in finding rights to job security include special or separate consideration given by the employee for the position, the common law of the job, and the longevity of the employee in the job. In the first instance courts have looked at benefits to the employer, such as surrender of tort claims[10], contributions to the business such as bringing in a special account[11], and the extent of job training. The separate consideration necessary to sustain a permanent employment contract may also have arisen from special reliance by the employee or a demonstration that the employee forfeited something other than services in order to procure the jobe.g.the *1020 sale of a business where the offer of employment constituted an inducement for the change of status[12], relinquishing a good job or turning down another favorable opportunity in return for a promise of job stability[13], uprooting his or her family and moving long distances to accept a job[14], or hard-sell recruiting efforts[15]. Note, Implied Contract Rights to Job Security, 26 Stan.L.Rev. 335 (1974).
In other cases courts have looked to the "common law of the job", or established policy of the firm, to determine the parties understanding as to the duration of a job. The firm's policy may be ascertained from handbooks[16], memorandum to employees[17], oral statements, or the job itself may imply a necessary and natural duration[18]. Furthermore, longevity of service may give rise to implied job security inasmuch as pension and health care plans are a form of deferred compensation and the unexpected severance of an elderly employee both leaves the worker in a precarious position and unjustly enriches the employer[19]. Similarly, inclusion in the employment contract of a covenant not to compete may support a claim that the employee would not be dismissed except for good cause. Implied Contract Rights to Job Security, supra.
The United States Supreme Court has recognized implied contractual rights to job security as a property right within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. In Perry v. Sindermann, 408 U.S. 593, 92 S.Ct. 2694, 33 L.Ed.2d 570 (1972), a faculty member who had taught in a state college system for 10 years was dismissed without hearing. Although the college did not have a tenure system, the school's faculty guide stated that a teacher's job was secure as long as the teacher's services were satisfactory and he or she was cooperative. At the expiration of Sindermann's 10th one year contract, the Board of Regents of Odessa Junior College voted not to offer him another contract, provided no official statement, no hearing and no appeal. A press release alleged that plaintiff's nonretention was due to insubordination that arose while he was serving as President of the Texas Junior College Teachers Association. The Supreme Court held that the denial of an opportunity to prove an implied contractual right to employment security violated plaintiff's due process rights. Said the Court:
[A]bsence of such an explicit contractual provision [tenure] may not always foreclose the possibility that a teacher has a "property" interest in re-employment. For example, the law of contracts in most, if not all, jurisdictions has long employed a process by which agreements, though not formalized in writing, may be "implied."109
Another approach applied by courts to deter unjust dismissals is the implied contractual duty to perform in good faith. In Fortune v. National Cash Register Co., 373 Mass. 96,364 N.E.2d 1251 (1977), the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court held that implicit in the plaintiff's employment contract was a covenant of good faith which limited the employer's power to discharge. Accord: Pugh v. Seas Candies, supra. This court has heretofore recognized, in other contexts, that a contract terminable at will is nevertheless subject to limitation on the exercise of that will, to wit: that such termination not be arbitrary and capricious. *1021 Gautreau v. Southern Farm Casualty Insurance Co., 410 So.2d 815 (La.App. 3rd Cir. 1982) writ granted, La., 414 So.2d 392. In Monge v. Beebe Rubber Co., 114 N.H. 130, 316 A.2d 549 (1974), the New Hampshire Supreme Court imposed a good faith limitation on employer discharge on the grounds that an absolute right to discharge endangered the important public policy of improving labor relations in the state.
Related hereto is: Summers, Individual Protection Against Unjust Dismissal: Time For A Statute, 62 Va.L.Rev. 481 (1976); Peck, Unjust Discharges from Employment: A Necessary Change in the Law, 40 Ohio St.L.J. 1 (1979); Employment at Will and the Law of Contracts, 23 Buffalo L.Rev. 211 (1973); The Employee's Emerging Right to Sue for Arbitrary or Unfair Discharge, 6 Emp.Rel.L.J. 422 (1980); Kelsay v. Motorola, Inc.: Tort Action for Retaliatory Discharge upon Filing Workmen's Compensation Claim, 12 John Marshall J.Prac. & Proc. 659 (1979); Protecting the Private Sector At Will Employee Who "Blows the Whistle": A Cause of Action Based Upon Determinants of Public Policy, 1977 Wisc.L.Rev. 777; Feinman, The Development of the Employment at Will Rule, 20 Am.J.Legal Hist. 118 (1976); Non-Statutory Cause of Action for an Employer's Termination of an "At Will" Employment Relationship: A Possible Solution to the Economic Imbalance in the Employer-Employee Relationship, 24 N.Y.L.Sch.L.Rev. 743 (1979); and last but not least, Protecting At Will Employees Against Wrongful Discharge: The Duty to Terminate Only in Good Faith, 93 Harv.L.Rev. 1816 (1980).
Louisiana protection from unjust discharge has as its origin La.Civ.Code Art. 2749 which provides:
Art. 2749. Liability for dismissal of laborer without cause
Art. 2749. If, without any serious ground of complaint, a man should send away a laborer whose services he has hired for a certain time, before that time has expired, he shall be bound to pay to such laborer the whole of the salaries which he would have been entitled to receive, had the full term of his services arrived.
However, the article's humane purpose of preventing abusive discharge has at times been thwarted by a narrow, limited construction of the term "hired for a certain time". Under jurisprudence of years past, permanent employment was often equated with employment at will. Thus, an injured worker who asserted his right to workmen's compensation and was discharged often found himself without recourse. In response to this abusive practice of employers, the Louisiana legislature in 1980, with the aid of organized labor, drafted a statute to protect injured workers who seek to avail themselves of our workmen's compensation laws. The enacted statute reads as follows:
SUBPART E. UNLAWFUL DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED [NEW]
§ 1361. Unlawful discrimination prohibited
A. No person, firm or corporation shall refuse to employ any applicant for employment because of such applicant having asserted a claim for workmen's compensation benefits under the provisions of this Chapter or under the law of any state or of the United States. Nothing in this Section shall require a person to employ an applicant who does not meet the qualifications of the position sought.
B. No person shall discharge an employee from employment because of said employee having asserted a claim for benefits under the provisions of this Chapter or under the law of any state or of the United States. Nothing in this Chapter shall prohibit an employer from1 discharging an employee who because of injury can no longer perform the duties of his employment.
C. Any person who has been denied employment or discharged from employment in violation of the provisions of this Section shall be entitled to recover from the employer or prospective employer who has violated the provisions of this Section a civil penalty which shall be the equivalent of the amount the employee *1022 would have earned but for the discrimination based upon the starting salary of the position sought or the earnings of the employee at the time of the discharge, as the case may be, but not more than one year's earnings, together with a reasonable attorney's fee.
Added by Acts 1980, No. 704, § 1.
1 Changed from "form" to "from" on authority of R.S. 24:253.
(emphasis ours)
Hence, under Louisiana law, an employer must show good cause for discharging an employee engaged for a fixed term. Lanier v. Alenco, 459 F.2d 689 (5th Cir.C.A. 1972); LSA-C.C. Art. 2749. Assertion of a claim for workmen's compensation benefits is not good cause for discharge. LSA-R.S. 23:1361.
With regard to appellant's contention that the trial judge erred in finding that plaintiff was discharged for having asserted a claim against his employer, we note the following reasons assigned by the trial judge in his reasons for judgment:
"The railroad's letter of May 1, 1981 specifically advised the plaintiff that he could not be permitted to work for the railroad again in any capacity due to his final settlement dated March 13, 1980. The reason plaintiff was discharged was because of his assertion of a claim against the railroad."
We cannot say the trial judge's finding on this factual matter is clearly wrong; indeed, it appears to be the only conclusion supportable by the evidence. The only contrary evidence concerning the reasons for plaintiff's discharge is the ipse dixit statement of Mr. Robert L. Cathers, claims agent for the railroad, that plaintiff did not possess the character that defendant desired in its employees. We agree with the trial judge that plaintiff was dismissed for having asserted a claim against his employer. Accordingly, we proceed to address the issue of whether R.S. 23:1361 can be applied under the circumstances presented.
Railway employees are covered by the Federal Employers' Liability Act, 45 U.S. C.A. § 51 et seq., which extends to employees any part of whose duties further or substantially affect interstate commerce. As noted by Professors Malone and Johnson: "The expansive definition of the interstate commerce requirement of the FELA and the relative ease with which the requirement of negligence may be established under it have combined to make it virtually certain that an injured railway employee would not even seek benefits under a state compensation act." Malone & Johnson, Workers Compensation § 413 (1980 ed.). The relative ease with which recovery may be had is evidenced in Rogers v. Missouri Pacific Railroad Co., 352 U.S. 500, 77 S.Ct. 443, 1 L.Ed.2d 493 (1957), rehearing denied 353 U.S. 943, 77 S.Ct. 808, 71 L.Ed.2d 764, wherein it was held that the test of a jury case is whether proofs justify with reason conclusion that employer negligence played any part, even the slightest, in producing injury, and it does not matter that, from the evidence, the injury was attributable to employee's contributory negligence, since the statute expressly imposes liability upon the employer to pay damages for injury due in whole or part to the employer's negligence. Thus, under the FELA the employer is stripped of his common law defenses and the injured worker's burden is eased. Inasmuch as the act is remedial in nature, it is afforded a liberal construction.
From the foregoing we discern that although entitled a liability act, the standard of proof required to sustain an action is such that the FELA is, at least in part, compensatory in nature. We find the FELA to be within the scope of laws designated in LSA-R.S. 23:1361.
Furthermore, we perceive no conflict between state and federal interests. The state interest expressed in R.S. 23:1361 remains the same whether plaintiff's claim be categorized as tort or workmen's compensationprotecting the assertion of legal right from retaliatory repercussion. On the other hand, no federal policy is interfered with by affording railroad employees the protection of R.S. 23:1361. Clearly, Louisiana is free to accord its workers greater protection from discrimination.
*1023 We find Andrews v. Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co., 406 U.S. 320, 92 S.Ct. 1562, 32 L.Ed.2d 95 (1972), relied upon by appellant, to be inapposite. Andrews held that where the only source of a railroad employee's right not to be discharged was a collective bargaining agreement between the railroad and union, the plaintiff-employee who had not pursued his administrative remedy under the Railway Labor Act could not bring an action against the railroad for wrongful discharge. The plaintiff herein asks for no relief under any collective agreement; rather, he seeks to invoke La.R.S. 23:1361. We have found no law evidencing an intention to render federal channels exclusive for retaliatory discharge claims.
The principal purpose of R.S. 23:1361 is remedial, rather than penal. Remedial and penal statutes are distinguishable in terms of the nature of the evil sought to be remedied by the legislation; it is penal if it undertakes to redress to the public and remedial if it undertakes to remedy a wrong to the individual. 3 Sutherland, Statutory Construction, § 60.03, at 33 (4th ed. Sands, 1974); State v. Boniface, 369 So.2d 115 (La.1979). R.S. 23:1361 was designed to protect individuals from discrimination by virtue of their assertion of legal right.
Inasmuch as R.S. 23:1361 is a remedial statute, it is to be liberally construed to suppress the evil and to advance the remedy. Starks v. Orleans Motors, Inc., 372 F.Supp. 928 (E.D.La.1974). What is a liberal construction is ordinarily one which makes the statutory rule or principle apply in more situations than would be the case under a strict construction. State v. Boniface, supra. In the present case the evil to be deterred is unjust dismissals. The employee must be able to exercise his right in an unfettered fashion without being subjected to reprisal. The remedy is intended to place the discriminated-against employee in the same position he would have been but for the employer's retaliatory conduct, thereby affording the worker an opportunity to organize his affairs and enter the work force anew. Extending the statute's remedy to workers discharged for asserting FELA claims is entirely consistent with liberal construction afforded remedial acts.
Next, appellant contends that R.S. 23:1361 entitled "Unlawful discrimination prohibited", is unconstitutional in that it violates Art. 3 Section 15(A) of the 1974 Louisiana Constitution which requires that "Every bill ... shall be confined to one object. Every bill shall contain a brief title indicative of the object." According to appellant, the body of the statute involved is broader than the title inasmuch as the title makes no reference to federal laws, therefore R.S. 23:1361 is invalid. However, it is only where the variance in the provisions of an act is palpable and totally irreconcilable with its title, or where both title and body express two distinct subjects, that the intention of the legislature will be held to be in conflict with the Constitution. Jefferson Parish v. Louisiana Dept. of Corrections, 259 La. 1063, 254 So.2d 582 (1971). The act at issue specifically prohibits discrimination against employees asserting a claim "under the provisions of this Chapter or under the law of any state or of the United States". The purpose of the constitutional provision that every statute have a title indicative of its object is not to require that the title of an act be an index of its contents, but only that the title in general direct attention to the purposes of the law. State v. Sliger, 261 La. 999, 261 So.2d 643 (1972). The title does not limit its application to claims for workmen's compensation benefits under state law; it does give fair notice as to its scope. We find R.S. 23:1361 constitutional.
Furthermore, the evidence indicates that plaintiff established a prima facie case under La.Civ.Code Art. 2749. The abovementioned letter received by plaintiff noted his seniority, requested his return to work and warned "If you have not marked upon in the allotted time, or given evidence as to why you cannot you will be considered without proper authority and in violation of proper instructions." Apparently, it was the understanding of the parties that the employment relationship would continue indefinitely *1024 pending the occurrence of some good and just cause for termination. Hence the term of employment was ascertainable. However, our resolution of plaintiff's R.S. 23:1361 claim renders it unnecessary for us to decide this issue.
For the reasons assigned, the judgment appealed is affirmed at appellant's cost.
AFFIRMED.
DOMENGEAUX, J., concurred in result only and assigned reasons.
DOMENGEAUX, Judge, concurring.
I concur in the result only. I agree that the circumstances of this case and the fact that plaintiff's claim was asserted and settled under the F.E.L.A. is such that his suit herein is lawfully asserted under the provisions of La.R.S. 23:1631.
I also agree that La.R.S. 23:1361 is not violative of Art. 3, Section 15(A) of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974.
NOTES
[1] Appellant does not rely on the release provisions wherein plaintiff agrees not to return to work for Missouri Pacific Railroad.
[2] National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 158(a).
[3] Frampton v. Central Indiana Gas Co., 260 Ind. 249, 297 N.E.2d 425 (1973).
[4] Ness v. Hocks, 272 Or. 210, 536 P.2d 512 (1975).
[5] Universal Military Training and Service Act, 50 U.S.C.App. § 459(b) (1968); Carter v. United States, 401 F.2d 1238 (D.C.Cir.1968).
[6] Consumer Credit Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1674(a) (1970).
[7] Harless v. First National Bank in Fairmont, 246 S.E.2d 270 (W.Va.1978); cf: Tameny v. Atlantic Richfield Co., 27 Cal.3d 167, 164 Cal. Rptr. 839, 610 P.2d 1330 (1980) refusing to participate in an illegal price-fixing scheme; Sheets v. Teddy's Frosted Foods, Inc., 179 Conn. 471, 427 A.2d 385 (1980); Petermann v. Teamster's Local 396, 174 Cal.App.2d 184, 344 P.2d 25 (1959) refusal to give perjured testimony.
[8] Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, § 701 et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. For a recent case involving reverse discrimination discharge claims pursuant to the abovementioned act see Morgan v. O'Bryant, 671 F.2d 23 (1st Cir.1981).
[9] Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. § 623 (1970).
[10] Pierce v. Tennessee Coal Iron & R.R., 173 U.S. 1, 19 S.Ct. 335, 43 L.Ed. 591 (1905).
[11] Downes v. Poncet, 38 Misc. 799, 78 N.Y.S. 883 (N.Y. City Ct. 1902).
[12] Bondi v. Jewels by Edwar, Ltd., 267 Cal. App.2d 672, 73 Cal.Rptr. 494 (2d Dist.1964).
[13] Maloney v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 352 F.2d 936 (D.C.Cir.1965), cert. denied 383 U.S. 948, 86 S.Ct. 1201, 16 L.Ed.2d 219 (1966).
[14] Ward v. Consolidated Foods Corp., 480 S.W.2d 483 (Tex.Civ.App.1972).
[15] Id.
[16] Greene v. Howard Univ., 412 F.2d 1128 (D.C.Cir.1969).
[17] Brawthen v. H & R Block, Inc., 28 Cal. App.3d 131, 104 Cal.Rptr. 486 (1st Dist.1972).
[18] Woods v. M.A. Shumard & Co., 114 La. 451, 38 So. 416 (1905); Sarusal v. Seung, 96 Wash. 295, 165 P. 116 (1917).
[19] Fulton v. Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Assoc. of America, 63 Tenn.App. 569, 476 S.W.2d 644 (1971).
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"After eight months of waiting, he walked towards me for the first time two days ago," Moser's wife, Wynonna, 48, told PEOPLE backstage at Dancing with the Stars on Monday, adding that fellow contestant Lisa Vanderpump was one of the first people to walk with him. "It's been an emotional ride for me this week."
Of Moser's prosthetic leg, the country star said, "It freaked me out because I've seen him in a wheelchair and using a walker, and he just walked towards me and I was like, 'Wow.' I was so stunned. I saw the wreck, I saw him lose the leg."
Wynonna has nothing but praise for the fellow musician.
"He's so positive," she said. "I call him Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky. It's really irritating, because sometimes I just want to complain or act tired about dancing, and he'll say, 'But you're moving and you're looking so great.' I'm like, 'Go talk to Tony. You guys are so alike.' "
Although on Monday the judges panned her and partner Tony Dovolani's prom-themed samba that put them in last place for the night, Wynonna still feels positive.
"I look out in the audience and I see all this love," she said. "I feel so grateful tonight. I'll go home with that in mind." |
PT cruiser. Put me on the waiting list. I’m hoping for sometime this summer (but before school lets out would be even better so my students can stop bugging me about it along with the rest of my family). He doesn’t want to do it near any holiday because he wants it to be it’s own special day for us. This kind of ticks me off because there’s pretty much a holiday each month! I told him that I don’t care if we get engaged on the national anniversary of the invention of toilet paper for crying out loud! I just want to marry his stubborn butt! That may sound wacky but he remembers EVERYTHING (which drives me a bit nuts at times). Before anyone comments about anything weird about this relationship you should know that we are opposites that compliment each other, my son adores him, my family adores him (and is eagerly anticipating the ring add much as I am), and his family adores me (but tastefully nonverbal about the future). His friends that have seen him through many bad relationships in the past say that they’ve never seen him happier since we’ve been together and my friends say the same. What can I say but I have found that special someone that I want to annoy for the rest of my life! 😜
serotonin: yeah – the first few trips plan the route ahead and think through what any turns are like and check out a cycling map if it’s an area you wouldn’t usually walk. Junctions are often not designed very safely for bikes and it’s good to know in advance of you should just get off and walk across a really steep or weirdly organized turn. Happy biking once there are no surpises though 🙂
Peppermint14: I feel horrible for disappearing off the face of the earth. Life decided to punch me in the face all at once. Everything is fine and I’m ok. Thank you everyone for asking, I’m currently working on the list for tomorrow |
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~~~ COVER REVEAL~~~ Hit the Spot by J. Daniels
Is this love or just a game?
Tori Rivera thinks Jamie McCade is rude, arrogant, and worst of all . . . the sexiest man she's ever laid eyes on. His reputation as a player is almost as legendary as his surfing skills. No matter how her body heats up when he's around, she's determined not to be another meaningless hookup.
Jamie McCade always gets what he wants. The sickest wave. The hottest women. And Tori, with her long legs and smart mouth, is definitely the hottest one. He knows Tori wants him-hell, most women do-but she won't admit it. After months of chasing and one unforgettable kiss, it's time for Jamie to raise the stakes.
Jamie promises that soon Tori won't just want him in her bed, she'll be begging for it-and he might be right. Somehow he's found the spot in her heart that makes her open up like never before. But with all she knows about his past, can she really trust what's happening between them? Is Jamie playing for keeps or just playing to win?
This book can be read as a stand-alone. Book 1--Four Letter Word
EXCERPT
“Bek came in to meet Brody for dinner.”
Oh shit. I know where this is going.
“She said you had a meltdown and missed lunch.”
“Meltdown is a strong word...” I hesitate. “I had several rapid moments of clarity.”
There. That sounds better.
I get up off him and walk into the kitchen. I've already pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and uncapped it when he joins me.
“Sweetheart, what's bothering you?” His voice is so soft and tender that it's hard not to make eye contact. “Talk to me, Noelle.”
“Everything hit me, okay?” I say quietly, looking at his legs and leaning against the kitchen table. “The wedding. The fact that it means I'm totally stuck with you forever. Seeing you with Casey and realizing that's next and you'd be perfect and that I'm not really an adult, I'm just pretending because I don't know if I'm ready for any of this super grown-up stuff and I'm stressed and I can't eat and I'm so tired of the fighting and stressing and being overwhelmed all the time.”
“Look at me, Noelle.”
I don't.
He grabs my face and forces it up, meaning I have nowhere to look other than at his firm, blue gaze. “I'm fucking terrified of marrying you.”
My lips are dry. “You are?” My voice cracks halfway through are.
“Yeah.” Drake's mouth twitches to the side. “I've never been so terrified of anything in my life. It's scary, Noelle. It's stressful, and I wonder every day if your crazy family is going to make you throw your hands in the air and say, 'Fuck it. I'm done with this wedding.' I hate your being so worked up over all this when it's supposed to be fun. I'm scared you're going to change your mind because you're trying to do so much and I have no idea how to help you or make it better.”
“I'm not changing my—”
“Shh.” He presses his thumb to my mouth, still holding my face. “You are stressed. You're overwhelmed. You're working hard and not taking downtime. And as for seeing me with Casey... Well, I guess we had to have this conversation sooner or later.”
I gently move his thumb from my mouth. “I don't even know if you want kids, Drake.”
“Of course you do.” He's really smiling now. “I've told you before I do. I want nothing more than a family with you. My family is fucked up in the worst way, and yours is in the best way. I figure we can find the balance there.”
“It doesn't scare you?”
“Sure it does. But we have time.”
Tori froze a foot away, blinking at me. She didn’t speak. If she had a reason for coming in here, it looked like that reason just left her. She seemed lost.
“Legs,” I probed, when she kept with the staring and not speaking routine.
“Mm?”
“What are you doin’ in here, babe?”
I had no fucking idea what was going on, but unless Tori wanted to watch some chick grind all over me, she needed to get what she came for and step out.
She wet her lips. I watched her neck work with a swallow.
“You showed me your dick,” she stated.
I felt my mouth twitch. Fuck yeah. Breathing a laugh, I relaxed back onto the bench, arms spread behind me and hands gripping the black leather cushion. I tipped my head to the side. “See that impression is stickin’,” I said. “What’s that got to do with this?”
“You showed me your dick after I flashed you. That was your move.”
“Yeah.” I nodded. What the fuck was she getting at?
Tori smiled. Her sin-colored lips stretching slow. “This is mine,” she said, lifting her shoulders as if this shit she was declaring wasn’t a big deal, which it sure as fuck was.
This is hers…Oh, fuck me.
Fuck. Me.
Tori moved closer. Whatever smirk I was wearing pulled from my mouth. That pressure built again, in my chest and lower. I shifted on the bench.
“Legs,” I warned, my voice vibrating in my throat as I watched her walk toward me. “What’d I say about takin’ this shit places you can handle? Did you think this through?”
I was willing to bet she didn’t. If she had and knew how this could play out, with her bent over and me buried deep, she wouldn’t be back here.
“Shh.” Tori stopped in front of my knees. “If we talk, I won’t go through with this,” she admitted, sounding anxious. “And I doubt you’d be chattin’ up the girl who was supposed to be in here, so quit it. Just sit there. Shut up. And keep your hands to yourself.”
“You know what you’re doin’?” I asked, looking up at her. “’Cause in this room I’m allowed to touch, babe. Rules are out there.” I tipped my chin at the door, keeping her gaze. “Not in here. In here, I’m participatin’. You don’t like that deal, you better quit now and think of another move, ’cause the second you start takin’ shit off, Legs, I’m on you.”
“Then I guess I don’t need to worry,” Tori shot back, speaking with confidence and smiling again. The fuck did that mean? My brow tightened. “Say again?”
“I don’t need to worry ’cause I’m not taking anything off, meaning you won’t be on me. I’m just dancing.”
I stared at her for a beat. Then a laugh rumbled in my chest as I thought about how fucked she was.
“What?” she asked, tilting her head all cute. “This is a really good move.”
“Know it is. Not laughing ’cause of that.”
“Then why are you laughing?” She brought her hands to her hips and studied me, looking on the verge of an attitude. Her eyes narrowed. “If you think I need to take my clothes off to win this bet, then you are mistaken, Jamie McCade. I know how you feel about me in this uniform. This is gonna kill you.”
“Legs, hate to tell you this, but you’re wrong, babe. You gotta worry.”
“And why’s that?”
I dropped my arms and sat forward, elbows resting on my thighs. “You start dancin’ on me and I’m touching you,” I promised, watching her blink. “You start dancin’ anywhere in this room and I’m touching you. You don’t gotta strip, babe. I just threw that out there ’cause that’s where I thought this was headed. Telling me you’re makin’ a move and you’re makin’ it in a strip club, figured you’d be taking shit off, but honest to God, it don’t matter. Like I said before, rules are out there. Not in here. Only way I’m keeping my hands to myself is if I’m fuckin’ dead.”
“These are my rules,” Tori countered, bending down to get closer. “And unless you want me to holler out for my new friend with the gold tooth who looks like he eats narcissistic assholes for breakfast, I suggest you follow them, Jamie.”
I chuckled, knowing who she was talking about. Dude made sure I was clear on a few things before letting me back in here.
Something I wasn’t sharing with Legs. “And what are these rules, babe?” I asked.
She straightened and snapped, “I already told you. Sit there and shut up.” Tori put her hand on my shoulder and shoved, pushing me back until I was pressing against the bench again. Then keeping her grip there, she swung her knee up, braced it on the leather, and lowered herself onto my lap, lifting her other knee and boxing me in with it.
I pulled in breath through my nose and curled my hands into fists on the cushion. “And the touching?” I asked, voice strained as I stared at the shape of her tits.
They grew closer as she leaned forward, her hands shifting to hold on behind me, and my gaze snapped up to meet hers when her face got an inch away.
“Beg for it,” she whispered.
My eyes flickered wider. Hers brightened with impending victory.
No shit. Tori was gonna let me touch, but I had to call it. I had to let her win.
I had to fucking beg.
Jesus.
Why’d she have to be so good at this shit?
I steadied my gaze, telling her as my head tilted back, “Think I’ll just enjoy the ride.”
J.Daniels is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Sweet Addiction series, the Alabama Summer series, and the Dirty Deeds series.
She would rather bake than cook, she listens to music entirely too loud, and loves writing stories her children will never read. Her husband and children are her greatest loves, with cupcakes coming in at a close second.
J grew up in Baltimore and resides in Maryland with her family.
Sign up to receive her newsletter and get special offers and exclusive release info: http://authorjdaniels.com/newsletter/Twitter | Instagram | Website | Facebook | Amazon Author Page |Goodreads | Reader’s Group
Ashes to ashes. Dust to dust. And all that fucking shit. I had killed. I had sacrificed. The innocent and the corrupt. I knew blood and I knew
violence. Never imagining I could know love too. Mia Ryder was a woman to love. To cherish. To fucking claim.
Now, forever, and every day in between. If there was anyone I’d go to Hell and back for, it was her.
Even if meant, going to war with… My fucking brother.
“Don’t fuck with me, Noah. I gotta enough fuckin’ bullshit
to deal with. Don’t need your shit, too.” “Tell me, Creed… she’s yours right?” he questioned,
narrowing his eyes at me. “Then what’s her favorite color?” I jerked back like he had hit me. Knowing exactly where he
was going with this. “Time’s up. It’s pink. How about her middle name? Don’t
remember?” he mocked, cocking his head to the side. “They wanted to name her
Savannah after h…
BlurbYou’ve heard the rumors. Yes, they’re all true. The women…the bank account…the really big… Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself. I’m just saying, there’s a reason some
call me Mr. Big. But none of it will matter to her. I’ve known her since we
were kids. And she’s just as off limits now as she was then. She’s my best friend’s little sister and when he asked me to give her the
grand tour, he did not mean of my bedroom. So Mr. Big has to stay under wraps… One problem, she’s the only woman
I’ve ever truly loved. But with the secret I’m keeping, she’ll never love me
back.
Cover Design by Cassy Roop at Pink Ink DesignsPhotography by Wander Aguiar PhotographyModels: Jamie Walker and Tiffany MarieBlurb Cooper Cruz knows what it means to be
surrounded and bound by family. Loyalty, brotherhood, and protection are all
learned, earned, and respected by him and the Ravage Motorcycle Club family he
grew up in. At the same, he’s a man, having fun and living the life he has
always envisioned, until a trip to Florida changes everything. Bristyl Daniels knows what it means to be
smothered and bound by family. Bonds run deep with her father and all the
members of the Sinister Sons Motorcycle Club she has grown up in. But now she’s
all woman and wishes the… |
Q: What Opry member was recognized for his humanitarian efforts with the 1993 Minnie Pearl and Harmony Awards?
A: Vince Gill, who will perform at the Ryman American Pride Benefit Concert Nov. 11. Proceeds will benefit the victims families of the Sept. 11 attacks.
MUSIC AND MORE
REBA DOES THE CMA AWARDS
Reba McEntire has been added to the list of artists who'll perform on "The 35th Annual CMA Awards."
The three-hour show -- airing live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Wed., Nov. 7 (8-11 p.m. EST) on CBS --- will also feature a special Country Music Hall of Fame segment introduced by Marty Stuart and a musical tribute to "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" with Dan Tyminski, Alison Krauss and Union Station and more.
CMA is teaming with eBay for weekly "CMA Awards Charity Auctions" until Nov. 14 to help raise funds and build awareness for eBay's "Auction For America" and other causes (members.ebay.com/aboutme/cma-charity).
TIM MCGRAW'S 17th NO.1
Tim McGraw has nothing to be angry about as he reaches the top spot on the country singles chart for the 17th time with the Bruce Robison penned "Angry All The Time." This is the second consecutive No.1 single from the platinum-selling and CMA-nominated album "Set This Circus Down."
Last weekend saw McGraw's most successful Swampstock benefit to date and two Radio Music Awards wins for Country Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "My Next Thirty Years."
In a message taped for the RMAs during band rehearsals in Nashville, McGraw said, "Thanks to the fans and country radio and for the band and their families support. We had a lot of fun touring this summer, they (Dance Hall Doctors) did a great job."
McGraw is currently gearing up for his performance of "Cowboy In Me" on the 35th Annual CMA Awards Show on CBS Nov. 7.
HANK WILLIAMS' PATRIOTIC SONG
Hank Williams Jr. has hit the heart of America with his remake of "A Country Boy Can Survive." The new song, "America Can Survive," debuted this week at No. 47 on the R & R charts and 55 on Billboard.
Williams sang the song on the Country Freedom Concert Oct. 21 and received the longest ovation of the concert. Fellow artists -- including Tim McGraw and Faith Hil --, rose to their feet backstage for a standing ovation as he left the stage.
Williams will support his new project, "The Almeria Club & Other Select Venues," with a major media tour. The new CD mixes high-end acoustics with fiddle, banjo, piano and slide guitar all by top musicians from Nashville, Austin and Los Angeles. Nickel Creek and Kid Rock make guest appearances.
GARTH BROOKS TV APPEARANCES
Opry member Garth Brooks is negotiating with CBS to do a series of three live performance TV specials to promote his new album, "Scarecrow." No details regarding location or dates for the specials have been revealed. However, there is speculation that the specials may assist in the Sept. 11 relief efforts.
Brooks has said he won't be touring in support of "Scarecrow."
WYNONNA SINGS ELVIS
Wynnona Judd will appear in song on the new Disney animated movie "Lilo & Stitch." She has recorded Elvis Presley's "Burning Love" for the movie soundtrack. The film will be released next summer.
United Press International is a leading provider of news, photos and information to millions of readers around the globe via UPI.com and its licensing services.
With a history of reliable reporting dating back to 1907, today’s UPI is a credible source for the most important stories of the day, continually updated - a one-stop site for U.S. and world news, as well as entertainment, trends, science, health and stunning photography. UPI also provides insightful reports on key topics of geopolitical importance, including energy and security.
A Spanish version of the site reaches millions of readers in Latin America and beyond.
UPI was founded in 1907 by E.W. Scripps as the United Press (UP). It became known as UPI when after a merger with the International News Service in 1958, which was founded in 1909 by William Randolph Hearst. Today, UPI is owned by News World Communications. |
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Mega Man RPG Prototype Roleplay & Games
As you may know, Zero/Phoenix made a MMPU script that isn't EXACTLY MMPU, but similar in style. Here, you can do the same thing he does! The main character can be whoever you want him to be.Phoenix may step in to do his own story here as an example, or I may do my own to do an example, we shall see what happens.If it's ACTUALLY Mega Man Powered Up, go to this RP.
Some random storylines based upon Mega Man Powered Up Posted by Beta Miser on March 4th, 2015 at 10:26pm Viewed 846 Times
The year was 20XX. Dr. Wily has plotted to take over the world once more. He had kidnapped Mega Man and hypnotized 8 robot masters. Bt Man had to take Mega Man's place. However, the robot masters he faced were familiar to him...
What's going on!? Where's Rock!? Not sure, but I'm going to have to do his job for him, I guess.
Bt Man travels through a field of the basic mets. The weapons he has is his buster, the Shadow Blade, and the Skull Barrier. He ends up inside the lab, where Sargent Man is seen protecting Dr. Light.
The mechas here are getting in fast! They are multiplying! But it makes me wonder why Wily would send these creatures instead of his own robot masters. Bt Man, we're going to need you to find Proto Man and bring him here. We also need you to make Wily leave the lab before it collapses! Got it! There is a whole lot of mets out there. You'll need this.Sargent Man tosses his shield in front of Bt Man. Your shield? You sure about this? With these weaklings coming at us? The ones outside are way bigger in numbers. You might need it more than I do. Besides, who knows WHAT Wily has up his sleeve.
Obtained Sargent Shield!
Bt Man faces more Mets and even a Big Eye before finding Proto Man facing a robot that looks Similar to Dr. Wily, which is in a red version of the Wily Saucer. Wily appears in the screen that is on the top.
MUHAHAHAHAHA! How do you like my new creation, the Wily-tron?
The robot has a buster for an arm, in which it uses to fire a fully-charged shot at Proto Man, who didn't block the attack in time, shutting down and becoming severely damaged, but not fully disabled.
Proto Man! What is your plan this time, Dr. Wily!? Hahahahahaha! You think you could stop ME!? HA! If you MUST know, I have hypnotized 8 of your little friends and I'm using them for my evil purposes! You also might be wondering about Mega Man... Heh. That is why I was here. I wanted to DISTRACT you so I can get away with KIDNAPPING him! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You aren't getting away with this! I already have. Wily-tron! Destroy him!
The screen turns off. Bt Man faces Wily-tron. Before Wily-tron and the Red Saucer was destroyed, Wily-tron fires a quick and powerful shot at Bt Man, destroying his buster. Then the Wily-tron does the all-so-familiar blowing up thing.Bt Man returns, carrying Proto Man with the arm that wasn't destroyed.
Bt Man! What happened? And Proto Man? Wily created some robotic buster-arm clone of himself that blew off my buster and disabled Proto Man. Luckily, he isn't too terribly damaged, or else he could've been destroyed. Or worse, his Nuclear core would destroy the whole lab! I see. I may be able to fix Proto Man. I, sadly, only have extra parts for Mega Man and Proto Man, and Mega Man's buster is the only weapon to fit you. And that's good, actually. Wily kidnapped Mega Man and made all my friends evil. They are not the type of Robot Masters to be taken down easily, either. I may need to use the extra firepower. Alright. Roll, I need your assistance for this...
Screen fades to black. Dr. Light and Roll gives Bt Man a copy of the Mega Buster, and started on fixing Proto Man. Sargent Man was sent to make sure no other mechas were at the lab or near it. The scene is skipped to when Sargent Man re-enters.
No sign of a mecha anywhere. Wily must've sent them back to his lab or to other areas. Good. The lab is safe, but who knows what my hypnotized friends are doing. I actually managed to find their location.
And this is where the rest of the story depends on where you go, but the scenes are all the same.Bt Man goes through a field called Abbandoned Chamber and faces Zero.
Maverick Spotted! Z-Zero!? What are you talking about!? Wily changed his ways, and warned me that you became Maverick! I won't allow this! I'm taking you down!
With all 8 of his friends defeated, Bt Man heads off to the lair of Dr. Wily to- wait, what's this?
MESSAGE FROM DR. LIGHT Dr. Light, what's the problem? It seems that Wily had a back-up plan! He sent the Mega Man Killers out with another robot with each of them! Find them and stop whatever plans Wily has for them! Got it, Dr. Light!
So, Zero is on the top left corner, and MegaBossMan is on the top right. MegaBoy is in the middle of them. MetaKirb is on the bottom left corner, and Mikey is on the bottom right. In between them is Spinstrike. Between Zero and MetaKirb is EnderMan, and between MBM and Mikey is Tails. The places where Zero, MBM, Mikey, and MetaKirb were is the loctation of Enker, Punk, Ballade, and Quint respectively. Once again, the choice is yours, but the scripts are the same.
Bt Man goes halfway through Abbandoned Chamber and faces Enker.
Not so fast! Your journey ends here! Out of the way, Enker! Just try and attack! It'll just come right back at you!
Bt Man takes down Enker and continues on. At the end of the stage, he faces Dark Man.
M-my mission is to face you... I fear of my own end... Is Wily RECYCLING? That's a first. H-hey! I may not be strong, but that gives you no right to be mean!
You were lucky to defeat me once. Try to do it again! RAAAAH!Retro Pikachu transforms into his Ultimate Form. Retro Pikachu!? But I thought- HA! You really thought you could beat me THAT easily!? This ends here!
Bt Man takes down Retro Pikachu's Ultimate Form and continues.
Bt Man takes down all the Robot Master rematches and faces Copy Robot.
Heh. So you made it. A copy of ME!? Smart move, Wily, but it won't work! We'll see about that!
H-how were you able to defeat my robots!? Remaking Yellow Devil with an actual speaking voice? Smart. Sending Retro Pikachu at me in his Ultimate Form? A really good idea. Reusing ALL the Robot Masters I already faced AND making a clone of myself? Not so much of a smart idea. It ends now, Dr. Wily! You will pay for what you done! Wha- How dare you! The Wily Machine 10 won't fail this time!
Bt Man takes down both forms. Wily, however, escapes, but Bt Man follows behind to Wily Castle 5, where he fights and takes down the Wily Capsule. But as it turns out, Wily was in a safety room, and it was Wily-tron riding the capsule all along! The Wily clone's legs replaced with jets, Bt Man faces off against the robot once more, and the Wily-tron was defeated once and for all. The room lightens up, and Wily steps out. Bt Man spots him.
Uh oh. This calls for a retreat!
Dr. Wily runs away, but Bt Man chases him to the cage that contains Mega Man in his neutral form of Rock. Wily, of course, begs for mercy for about the 12th time when his castle starts falling apart!
@Bt Man : Nice. XD dont forget that in the game i can PWN you with my toad. i guess i could make a fight with you. Lets do this.... Oh boy... I'm ready!
Ok... Lets get Ready,
Too easy. WEAPON GET: SHADOW BLADE!
After facing BT Man and obtaining the shadow blade, MetaKirb goes off to fight... And faces Rhythm_BCA!
So you are the acclaimed Rhythm_BCA.
Let's settle this in a Duel...
Easy. Weapon Get: Search Snake! After the supreme victory against Rhythm_BCA, Meta Goes of to fight... ThatOneEnderMan. Hey, It's my Pal ender. How about we go to a Duel and settle it?
Alright, Be prepared, I just faced like, 5 different people.
A little harder, but alright. WEAPON GET: Needle Cannon! After facing EnderMan, Meta Decides to face... Early Boss Battle??!?!?!?!?!?!!! This is random... Uh, who am i facing exactly? There's nothing i can do, I'm the announcer, but the rules For you are that you have to face some Boss battles. Your the stronger of the two people who are doing the thing right now! You need some more power for the battles To be even better! Also, your facing... Quint, Later you'll face the others...
Normal Ending:Bt Man and Rock teleports out. Wily, of course, managed to sneak out while the place was crumbling. The credits plays.
The ending for completing Wily-tron's 2nd Battle with no damage:Rock teleports out, but a random Quick Boomerang hits Bt Man, disabling his teleporting! Bt Man heads for the nearest exist, but a robot stops him in his path: Ninja Man!
I don't think so! I'm not letting you leave unless you defeat me, Bt Man! Ninja Man!? Are you insane!? You're gonna get us both crushed! Don't worry about that. I'll have enough time to escape after I destroy you!
Ninja Man can switch randomly between two forms: Swift and Cutter. After Ninja Man's health bar goes all the way down...
It's not over yet!Ninja Man pulls out 4 shadow starforce and transforms into his Shadow Form. THIS ENDS NOW! YOU WILL BE DESTROYED! No I will not! I will not back down! Time to say goodbye!
Bt Man takes down Ninja Man. Ninja Man reverts to normal.
How did you... Bah, forget this! I'm running out of time! You win this round, Bt Man, but I shall return!
Ninja Man teleports out. Bt Man manages to leave before the building collapses.
Aftermath:Proto Man was rebuilt, Mega Man was returned safely, and Bt Man's buster and teleporting system (For no damage against Wily-tron rematch) was repaired, and the extra Mega Buster was returned to storage when ever needed again.
Well Dr light seend me her so i have to find the objective and eliminate itSnake man stared walking sundely shadow blade strikes front of him!1!Stop it right there Snakeman im her to eliminate you WIly orders traitor
Wait what are you talking about shadow man im not a traitor im your feind sightShadowman did not lisen to snakeman words it fully charged at him and throws an shadow blade but snake man dodges it
Alright you want to battle Shadowman you will get one shoots Three Snake Search
Shadowman gets biten by one of the snakes but he Attacks with multi clones snake man looks around
Argh i cant find the right one wich one is???Sundly somen slashes the right Shadowman falls on ground half of its body is cuted down Cutman stands front of snakeman
Well snakeman i helped you so Wily is achiving all robots what he stolen long ago again on its side
Well thanks for help cutman lets get the stolen parts
Shadowman knew taht he made a mistake and he asked for forgivnes snakeman asked cutman to stop
Alright we gona rebuild you so you guessed to join on our side freind
I guess you were in right carry me on your back im damaged badly we need find wily and stop him
Snakeman and cutman and damaged shadowman head to the basse and retriving the Stollen robot parts what shadow man stoled but shadowman joins the good side whats going to happen next you will see |
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The body of a man has been found in the River Thames near Windsor.
Officers were called to reports of a body being found in the river near The Avenue in Datchet at 11.20am on Sunday, January 5.
The body has been retrieved.
Although formal identification has not yet taken place, the body is thought to be that of Tony Williams, aged 45, who went missing from Windsor more than one month ago on Saturday, November 30, 2019.
Officers expressed severe concern for his welfare at the time of his disappearance .
Mr Williams’ family have been informed and are being supported by Thames Valley Police at this time.
The death at this stage is being treated as unexplained while investigators continue to make enquiries, but there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances related to the death at this time.
Don't forget you can keep up to date with the latest news, what’s on and Reading FC stories via the free BerkshireLive app. |
Project Tango Hands-On: Computer Vision Is So Much Cooler Than You Think
Google's Project Tango tablet can see in 3D, but I didn't really understand why I, human person, would actually care about the technology beyond an abstract appreciation of the ideas behind it. Until I strapped one to my face, with an Oculus Rift-like head mask.
Until I strapped the mask on, I never believed that Project Tango could be more than just a concept. At best, I thought, it would end up being a gimmick, sold to sucker consumers who didn't know how to shop. I was so wrong.
Announced earlier this year, Project Tango wants "to give mobile devices a human scale understanding of space and motion." It uses a motion-sensing camera, a 3D depth camera (basically a really sophisticated Kinect), as well as a regular visual camera. All of the data is pulled in and processed in real-time by two computer vision processors.
The tablet version of the hardware uses Nvidia's Tegra K. In the words of one Google employee, "it's basically the most powerful tablet in the world right now." And the tech works very well! During Lee's presentation today, he says that the team has achieved just 1 per cent drift when using the tablets to map complicated spaces by walking around in them.
But it goes beyond just developer edition dreams. Project Tango's technical lead Johnny Lee announced that in addition to the dev-focused tablets, ATAP is working with LG to make a consumer version for 2015. For normals. Seriously.
Why would a regular person ever want to use a Tango device, even if it can see like a human and fit in your pocket? What does that mean in practical terms? How does it transcend gimmick status? Today I got my hands on a number of the apps and tools Google's been working on to explore that very question.
The one that made me giggle (joyful, not mocking) the most was an augmented reality headset built by Durious. The company already makes a Dive headset that lets you insert a phone so you can use it for VR experiences like an Oculus Rift. At Google I/O, though, Durious showed off a prototype developed especially for Project Tango, as well as a little demonstration app, that overlays an aquarium in front of your face. Fishes flying around right in front of Google's booth personnel. You can even move in and out of the water by kneeling and standing up. It takes all of the 3D gaming and immersive experience potential of the Oculus Rift but steps it up because it can see the world in front of you as well. Sure, the application is a little silly, but it shows you the potential of what's possible with Google Tango used as a head mounted display.
It's also an interesting expansion on the other VR concept Google is showing off at I/O. The simple concept uses a very basic cardboard design to turn your smartphone into a VR headset — so it's basically like a Dive made out of cardboard instead of Dive.
Gaming is one of the main development focuses for Project Tango team, and they have gone to lengths to build out a few different gaming experiences as well as partnering with studios like Epic Games. At I/O, Google showed off a few sample games, including a zombie killer in which you aim by moving the tablet around. Killing zombies is fun! But the most compelling experiences were some relatively empty maps you might find in a 3D shooter, which use Project Tango's 3D sensing capabilities. When you take a step forward in real life, the tablet notices you've moved and moves you inside the map you're looking at. As with the augmented reality experience above, it adds a new dimension to the the 360 VR you get from Oculus or Cardboard.
cThen there are more utilitarian applications that let you map the real world in front of you. In one very simple app, you walk to the four corners of a room, and Google Tango rends a very precise SketchUp outline of the space.
In another, designed by AutoCAD, you can precisely measure and model a room and its contents so that it's easier to do a little interior designing. No more going back and forth from the furniture store to measure something over and over. No more guess how much carpeting you need to buy.
More than anything else, I was impressed at just how well the technology works. Some of the real-time rendering in front of you can be a little a choppy and buggy, but when it comes to the actual measurements that the technology is making, they're ultra-precise. Project Tango works, and it's got real-world potential. It just needs some regular people polish now.
Over the last month or so I've spoken with several of the partner companies that actually built the technology that underlies Project Tango about what exactly Google hoped to do — and what it should do with Project Tango going forward. According to Farshid Sabet, SVP of Movidius, a company that makes one of the computer vision processors in the Tango smartphone from earlier this year, Google really wants to illustrate that the technology is more than just a professional tool or a wonky concept. And to make it more than tool for professionals, the software has to work in a dead simple way, because we're not going to put up with the hiccups the way a developer or a member of ATAP might.
Today, I got my first taste of what Google's been cooking up, and I can't wait to try to whole thing. And what might be most amazing is that it won't be long before we all get to.
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Samsung came in swinging with its new S10 range yesterday.
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I have shot hypersonics and black clouds ( I consider these higher end shells), but in all honesty, cheap winchesters and kents work just fine for me. My opinion is that hypersonics are not worth it for me, but that might not be the case for you if you shoot them and they work well for you. Then again, you are probably a better shot than me and you might take 40 yard shots and longer (maybe blindsides and hypersonics are better for longer shots). I really try to keep my shooting within my comfortable range which is no longer than 30 yards, but prefer to shoot ducks 20 yards and closer. Cheap shells work very good for me when I shoot in my range. I would buy a box next season if I were you and try them. Love to see them fold and hit the water dead!
the new remington shells are super loud.hunting buddy used them for 2 seasons he shot one woodie just as it poped of the water. it fell not dead he shot it again then again.this was over decoys so 25 yard tops.i start walking out to get it the duck pops up and tries to fly away i pulled up and shot it with cheap 8yr old federal ammo and put an end to that.second year we hunted 2 ducks come in we shot at them just above the water i was shooting cheap winchester experts him hypersonic.mine droped dead he missed his first shot then hit it with a second and it lived long enough to give us the slip 2 hrs of looking couldnt find it. were both not good shots and missed alot with ammo we both use.i never personaly tried the ammo.like the concept of the new winchester blindside but to rich for my blood.
BDhunter (3/21/2013)the new remington shells are super loud.hunting buddy used them for 2 seasons he shot one woodie just as it poped of the water. it fell not dead he shot it again then again.this was over decoys so 25 yard tops.i start walking out to get it the duck pops up and tries to fly away i pulled up and shot it with cheap 8yr old federal ammo and put an end to that.second year we hunted 2 ducks come in we shot at them just above the water i was shooting cheap winchester experts him hypersonic.mine droped dead he missed his first shot then hit it with a second and it lived long enough to give us the slip 2 hrs of looking couldnt find it. were both not good shots and missed alot with ammo we both use.i never personaly tried the ammo.like the concept of the new winchester blindside but to rich for my blood.
Sounds like your buddy's choke is too open.
"When you hear my third shot.....that's your signal to take 'em."-Phil Robertson
ya he used an improved choke then went to a mod.he gave up duck hunting couse he cant use lead anymore i suggested hevi shot if you like paying alot for shells his response was its not fast enough.some people i guess.good pattern results just picked up an 870 and have a bunch of cheap remington sportsmen ammo.hopping to pattern it soon.
I know that you were wanting to decide between the hypersonic and the blind side, but i think Federal Ammo's Black Cloud is by far the best shell for sale. I had always been biased for anything Remington especially when it came to ammo, but this past season i decided to give Black Clouds a try. It was by far the hardest hitting shell i had ever shot despite the 1450 fps. I did not have to take second shots on wounded ducks but instead they were dropping first hit. The best thing to do is just try different shells out on your own! hope this is some help!
While I won't put down Winchesters load I will say it is STEEL and only STEEL. No matter what color, how fast and what shape you make it... steel is steel is steel and will always be steel.
With that said, Hevi Metal is my go to load, 3" BB's for just about everything so I don't have to worry what box for what hunt. Yes it does have steel in it, which does help keep the price lower, but has REAL Hevi Shot pellets in this that truly make it hard hitting and the pattern density is amazing. |
HEREI wake up here, to the sweet sound of nothing To the peace and the quiet inside my head To a hush, hiding in the dark In the drowsy tranquility of your bed I get lost in the deep lull of my thoughts In the dulcet tones of my repose I hear the faintest echo of your breathing as it comes, and ever so gradually goes
I hear your body move across the sheetsYou graze my ear, as you touch my hair My arm brushes slightly against the duvet as I reach to find you there I feel the weight of your head upon my chest I feel the warmth of your hand on my thigh The silence is broken, for the briefest moment by the contented exhale of my sigh
Here, in the calm of your presenceHere, with the ease of your touch There is a peace, here in this quietAnd it’s telling me so much In the comfort of our silence Here, within this soothing serenity I close my eyes, and I listen, and Sunday morning whispers to me
If there were just a few more hoursto this perfect time of day If only, the din of our realities would kindly stay away If we could just keep the afternoon on the other side of the door We could stay here, in the stillness and I could hold you, a little more
No words that I need to say hereIn the peace of this quiet, I knowI want to hold on to this feeling, and to never let it go Here, in the comfort of our silence There is no place I’d rather be I close my eyes, and I listen,as Sunday morning whispers to me
I open my window, a crack, just to hear you You have this way, a knack, when I’m near you I close my eyes and listen Imagine the leaves, their glisten You relax and you sooth me You inspire and you move me You put my mind at ease As you breeze through the trees The rhythmof your tears It’s music to my ears The breath of a sigh As the clouds gently cry
I open the curtain, the blind Open my heart, my mind I see your scattered flight Framed in morning light
You relax
and you sooth me
You inspire
and you move me
You change
my mood
in an instance
You wash
my worries
to the distance
The tranquility
of the scene
Sprinkles
on my screen
The essence
The refrain
My affinity
for the rain
Silence I hear the furnace kick in, on this cool morning.An awakening nudge, from within the silence…my creative silence.
It is then that I notice,gradually notice moreThe nuances of early morningJust outside my doorThe stillness of the lakeThe shadows near the shoreA family of four ducksAnd behind them two moreA peaceful place to begin my dayAlone, with some time to explore
A window to an opened mind.A unique view, from within the silence…my creative silence.
The façade of my introspectionProtective, but paper thinAccessible, in the early morningWithout the voices or the dinAn undisturbed opportunityTo summon, from withinThe chance to visit placesWhere I have seldom beenInsights, subtly perceptibleLike the drop of a pin
The sound of my ideas resonates,clearly audible to me, from within the silence…my creative silence.
Discernable refrains of thoughtEchoing inside my peaceful shellThe intricacies of perceptionFrom the depths of my wellThe complexities of emotionThe conflicts that I must quellLost, and found, in the early morningImmersed in what to tellA place to elevate my opinionsUp from where they fell
I find my positive inspiration,emerging, from within the silence…my creative silence.
The early morning moves meAs the words start to flowDrifting through the shadowsLike the ducks, in a rowLines of innate substanceGaining momentum as they goBuoyant, lucid, more certainShedding inhibitions as they growBrought into the morning lightFrom this tranquil place I know
The quiet of the morning finds me here.Where I can hear myself think…within my creative silence.
The morning starts out the same…With smiles and good intentions With energy and lofty goals But, the minutes are tickingToward the end of both Toward the mid-day lull Imagination grinding to a halt Hitting the proverbial wall.
Wheels locked in place,gears wanting in power. I am time standing still,hand stuck on the hour.
The reluctant optimist,hopeful that there is more. I am a tree lined road,winding to the shore.
There is a fine line in place…That separates good from greatThat distinguishes less from more Potential, on the threshold of changeSometimes it meets a pathSometimes it’s on a ledgeThe brink of a breakthrough Precariously near the edge.
An expanse from a destination, a misstep from being lost. I am a suspension bridge,longing to be crossed.
The battered pitcher, that’s been to the well. I am the grizzled veteran, with stories left to tell.
Personal insights ready to be shared…
Seeing the importance of each day
Seeing the enormity of the little things
So much potential, yet to be met
Bringing along a passion for life
Bringing an open book to the table The mind is more than willing The body, fighting to be able.
A semi-automatic rifle, unsure of where it’s aimed. I am the winning lottery ticket, waiting to be claimed.
“People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it.”
– Jim Morrison
Confined
He goes to bed each night alone with the ache His internal conflict keeping them both awake Wakes up weary every morning lying beside his vanity With a smile for his children and a check mark for his sanity
Physical versus mentalin a battle of his pain Sensory and substantialis thesignal from his brain From necessity and habit you conceal what you feel It’s mind against matter with wounds that won’t heal
Scar tissue and time The confines of the mind Self-motivation Self-preservation Selfishly suppressing the pain Scar tissue and time A safe place to hide
He fights the painHis wounds remainSustaining himself from inside
An actor playing himselfin the true story of he
Absorbed in the role of everyman
and that’s who he has to beScripted by circumstancehe has lines on every page
Penned for his own purposes
he is resplendent on his stageA song written in his head
but needed by his heart Lyrics intended for healing they’re upbeat from the start Motivation for mind and body Affected, but indeed sincereHe givesa selfless performance for everyone to hear
Scar tissue and time The complexities of the mind Self-medication Self-preservation Selfishly deflecting the pain Scar tissue and time Enduring another dayDifferent roots of painNo Ledger or CobainDetermined to go another way
Scar tissue and time You conceal what you feel It’s mind against matter When wounds never heal
Scar tissue and timeIn theconfines of your mind You ascend another day Starting from behind
OursI sit at the end of the dock Alone, on the edge of a new dayI scan our horizon, and smile
Content, about thinking this wayIt just feels like it belongs to us That it’s all ours, and therefor mine That we have our own entire lake And our own sprawling shore lineThere is a definite sense of self A fulfillment, based on our decision Circumstances, that brought us to now How I got to this positionAs I breathe in our fresh air and feel our cool morning breeze My heart embraces the moment My mind notes all that it sees
I see our fence and our fire wood I see the garden we need to weed I see our house that we are renovating into the home that we needI look up to see our deck I see just how it’s positioned I can picture our awesome view Even more than we envisionedI see our tall, imposing hemlock Our kayaks that lie in its shade See the route we’ve taken to our place I see all the choices we’ve made
I see the end result to our patience I see the fruits of this past yearI see the promise in our future I see exactly how we got hereI see all of our perseverance I see the challenges that we’ve met I see how we’ve faced them all together and I am as content as I can get
Content with this life for our family Content with how this all came to be Content with this time that is ours Content, and smiling, at all that I see
The morning has a way of seducing me with her obvious charm. Quiet and unassuming, but full of character and warmth. She knows precisely how to push my buttons or when to put me at ease with that subtle smile. The openness and availability of the morning often leaves me sitting and listening, and thinking about how to extend that moment and capture her essence. I try to absorb the feeling she creates and take it with me into my busy day. When I let the morning touch my mood, the rest of the day becomes our companion and we have the morning to thank for getting us together. Our ebb and flow are interconnected in a reciprocal relationship and the pace of the day is whatever we agree upon. More often than not she gives me the energy to propel myself headlong into all of the possibilities…the crispness of that first rush of air filling my senses…body and mind invigorated with the newness of the day.
Six a.m. came none too soonI was up to join the birds.The sun stood smiling downA brightness warmth beyond my words.As I packed my thoughts to goI could feel my heart pound.I crept down the creaky stairwayDoor closed with little sound.There was no early morning chillI was fervent with anticipation.Striding anxiously down the roadThrough the schoolyard, past the station.There would be all day to play…To ride my bike or toss the ballFor now my focus was very clear…And I could hear this other call.
At last the dirt trail, framed by dewMy pace grew more rapid still.Soon I would see the brookAnd beside it was my hill.Perched there on top of the worldI spent many a boyhood morn.While all around me life beganAs another new day was born.Sometimes I would just lie thereStudying each nuance of sky.Imagining some world beyondWhere clearest blue was not so high.Where every breath of air is fresh…Where peaceful thoughts reside.A place where discovery goes on…Where days like this have never died. |
Fifth graders across New York State can describe the Age of Homespun as the time in our history when goods were not manufactured but made by hand. I can only hope that mothers of twins back then had friends as great as ours. In addition to all of the delicious food that keeps us going, check out these homespun beauties
Beautiful quilts hand-stitched by Diane Wardlow. The guys’ names are stitched right in! Matt and Leo love to rest on their bellies and look at the beautiful colors
Sue Salzman crocheted these soft clouds. Each is uniquely designed, just like our twins.
The star design of these blankets look great on the stars of our show, thanks to Eileen Selzer.
Moon boots compliments of Aunt Julia. (I happen to know there is a fifth bootie out there – it’s fun to learn on the fly!)
Aunt Susie is the heir apparent to a renowned knitting tradition. The “Netter Sweater ” has a whole new look and matching hats!
And these last two photographs? Gorgeous, right? Stay tuned for more, and for many, many touts and kudos to our dear friend Anna Sawin. Full blog entry to come on her and her talents. In the meantime, check her out at her website. She documents our lives so beautifully and we are indebted to her in countless ways. More on this in entries to come.
In the meantime, much love and thanks to all of the talented baby lovers who have been so generous to us. Matt & Leo know how much love is held in the stitches. |
Tire Service for Toyota & All Makes near Lynchburg, VA
Detailed Tire Inspections at Danville Toyota
When the tires on your Toyota Camry or RAV4 could use an inspection, rotation or inflation, turn to a professional tire service center like the one at Danville Toyota. Our dealership and service center caters to Toyota drivers from nearby Collinsville and Lynchburg, VA, and offer quality tire service as well as new tires for sale with professional installation.
Our service department staff consists of ASE Certified and Toyota factory-trained technicians who are here to provide comprehensive maintenance for your Toyota or other make; that includes keeping your vehicle's tires in quality condition, to promote continued safe travels.
When you visit our service center in Danville, VA for a tire-related issue or any other maintenance, our service technicians will first inspect your tires, inflating and rotating them if needed. When additional tire service or replacement is needed, our service advisors can go over a range of affordable options.
Find the Right Tires for Your Toyota
If new replacement tires are recommended after the detailed tire inspection from our trained and certified techs, we can assist you with selecting the right tire for your vehicle, taking into account your budget, preferences and driving needs.
We offer everything from value-priced all-season tires for your SUV or pickup truck to summer performance rubber for your sports car or sedan, so be sure to explore your tire options here at Danville Toyota. With our regular service and parts specials, you could save money on that new set of tires for your RAV4!
Schedule Tire Service & Visit Us in Danville, VA
Local drivers can schedule a tire service appointment online or give our service advisors a call at (434) 822-0300 for further assistance with their tire service or replacement needs.
Our service department staff in Danville, VA is proud to serve drivers near the cities of Lynchburg, Collinsvilland Martinsville. |
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I only dislike that sometimes is hard for me to find parking o and the fact that it doesn't have sunroof or gps,i don't like leather seats so im good with cloth I like that is blue and gray inside and aslo is 4 doors really soft to drive and really economy with the gas too.
2010 Honda Accord EX-L V6Used Cars
in
Troy, NY 12182
Average time on market:
25 days
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic
Color: Gold
Description:
Used 2010 Honda Accord EX-L V6 for sale
- $10,500, 81,000 miles with Bluetooth,
Sunroof/Moonroof
Avg. Dealer Rating: (9 reviews)
"My request for 'best price' was responded to with a request for me to come
look at the car. I was hoping for more, but did not expect to get more. So, all
in all, I'd say the dealer met my expectations."
2012 Honda Accord LX-PUsed Cars
in
Clifton Park, NY 12065
Average time on market:
25 days
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Transmission: 5-Speed Automatic
Color: Gray
Description:
Used 2012 Honda Accord LX-P for sale
- $12,500, 30,341 miles with Aluminum Wheels
Avg. Dealer Rating: (10 reviews)
"I purchased a used 2009 Suzuki SX4 Crossover.
Good:
* Used inventory seemed to be good quality, and pretty well prepped for sale.
* Dave Nash was quickly responsive to emails and phone calls, which I did appreciate.
* He was very helpful in arranging free delivery of the car from NY to CT.
Not So Good:
* I felt that some elements of the car's performance were swept under the carpet. For example, in test driving both the 2009 and the 2012 Suzuki SX4 Crossover that were on the lot, the engine performance of the 2009 seemed lacking compared to the 2012, even though they both carried the same engine. The response of: "Well, it's a 2009" didn't quite make sense to me.
In the end, I was satisfied enough to make a purchase."
2012 Honda Accord SEUsed Cars
in
Peekskill, NY 10566
Average time on market:
29 days
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Transmission: Automatic
Color: White
Description:
Used 2012 Honda Accord SE for sale
- $12,350, 38,683 miles with Leather Seats,
Alloy Wheels
Avg. Dealer Rating: (4 reviews)
"The Car was set out for me for our appointment, it was what he described
over the phone, and we made the deal - no worries, no hassle, easy process
- would come back again for my next purchase of a daily driver C300 or so....." |
Posts Tagged ‘Fusionism’
In my previous post, I took umbridge at faux-conservatives who repudiate core conservative beliefs in small government, and instead argue for the power of the state to achieve their aims. These people – the Mike Huckabees of the world – are a cancer on centre-right politics, and are anathema to the core values that we as a movement believe in.
The question remains however, how traditional conservatives – by which I mean people who believe in small government, but have socially conservative values, can reconcile such views with libertarianism within the Liberal Party, and work together towards a common goal.
I would suggest a possible way forward for the fusionism of conservatives and libertarians revolves around the “Leave Us Alone Coalition” – a direct opposition to the “Takings Coalition” of the left.
This dichotomy was first articulated by Conservative Guru Grover Norquist, and can be expressed as follows:
The Reagan Republican party and conservative movement can best be understood as a coalition of individuals and groups that — on the issue that brings them to politics — want the federal government to leave them alone.
The “Leave us Alone” coalition includes taxpayers who want the government to reduce the tax burden, property owners, farmers, and homeowners who want their property rights respected, gunowners who want the government to leave them and their guns alone, homeschoolers who wish to educate their own children as they see fit, traditional values conservatives who don’t want the government throwing condoms at their children and making fun of their religious values.
The Leave us Alone coalition also includes those Americans who serve in the military and police as they are the legitimate functions of government that protect Americans’ right to be left alone by foreign agressors or domestic criminals.
The modern American left is a “Takings Coalition,” a coalition of groups and individuals who view the proper role of government as taking things from one group and giving to another. This often is in the form of money. And the recipients of others money are usually the leaders of the “Takings Coalition.”
The Takings coalition consists of the Trial Lawyers, the corrupt Big City Machines, the Labor Union Bosses and the two wings of the Dependency Movement — those who remain trapped in dependency and those who make $80,000 a year managing the dependency of others and making sure they don’t get jobs and become Republicans. They are joined by the various coercive Utopians who want to reorganize society through force to make us stop wearing leather or driving sport utility vehicles or owning large toilets or otherwise run our lives as they see fit.
The Left puts forward the fiction that the Right want to force their morality on others. However, the homeschooler movement does not demand that homeschoolers be recognized as an alternative lifestyle. Gunowners do not insist that schools teach ten year olds books entitled “Heather has Two Hunters.”
What we see is a vision that conservatives and libertarians can agree on 90% of the time. One of a government that leaves people free to spend their money how they choose, leaves people free to practice their religion and does not force socially progressive programs down their throat.
Conservatives often rail about the breakdown of the family unit and call for government intervention to ‘fix’ this. Yet this ‘breakdown’ can be traced directly to government actions imposed upon soceity, through things like top-down changes to the Marriage Act. Similarly, one can make the case that sexual permissiveness was formulated through government mandated educational programs. Indeed, virtually every complaint on family issues by conservatives was caused directly by government action.
However, there is a clear and present danger here if social conservatives become social authoritarians. To quote Grover once again:
“In the 1980s, conservatives looked at polling data, and 70 percent of the people in the country were for prayer in school. And they introduced bills in Congress and constitutional amendments to legalize prayer in school. But most people who are for prayer in school think everybody else is for prayer in school, and therefore it’s not really a threatening issue.
But there’s a strong contingent who fear prayer in school because they’re pretty sure the prayer won’t be one they like. Some of these people may be antireligious, but some are other religious people who don’t get enough votes to be in charge of writing the prayers: Jews, the Amish, religious minorities. They hate prayer in school. So even though 70 percent tell you that they’re for prayer in school, 3 percent of the people in the room will say, “I hate you forever.” On Election Day, those 3 percent remember what you did, and you just lost votes on a 70 percent issue, as impossible as that sounds.
The answer, therefore, lies in fusionism:
“When you go from prayer in school to school choice, where you can send your kid to a school with exactly the kind of prayer you want—or no prayer at all—then all of a sudden the 3 percent you scared to death will be going, “Hey, I’m for that.” You’ve just turned opponents into allies.”
Another issue that often divides libertarians and conservatives is that of immigration. Libertarians often call for complete free trade in labour – ie open borders. Conservatives on the other hand are concerned about community and assimilation. This could lead to tension. However, if we look at the concerns conservatives have, again, it is government action that is to blame.And a similar solution can be applied. To once again quote Grover on the problem:
“People don’t become assimilated. They don’t learn American history. They don’t learn English. They don’t learn what it means to be an American. Well, that’s because we have a public school system that’s run by a monopoly, a unionized set of bureaucrats, and they don’t teach the people born in Nebraska how to be Americans and American history and how to speak and write English very well. So we have a problem with our government monopoly education system, and we have a problem with the welfare system.”
Fix that, and many of the concerns about immigration will become moot.
Perhaps more controversially, let us look at the issue of gay marriage:
“Sometime around 1600s, religion allows the state to nationalize marriage. So when people say, “We can’t let the state change a sacrament by allowing same-sex marriage,” I go, “Where were you 300 years ago, when you handed the state control of this issue?” So the proper political answer is: Churches, synagogues, and mosques should write marriage contracts, and the state should enforce contracts. You shouldn’t have sacraments organized, managed, and defined by the states. Communities of faith ought to be into denationalizing marriage, just as I want to denationalize healthcare and education, rather than trying to get the federal government to run the post office correctly or manage marriage correctly.”
Again, an outcome conservatives and libertarians can be happy with. And the list goes on.
Sure there are some things that conservatives and libertarians will disagree with, yet if we place politics into the dichotomy of a Leave Us Alone vs Takings Coalition, we can focus our energies on the 90% of things we agree on – and make a difference!
Obviously this will involve some compromise. Libertarians will have to accept that a total end to drug prohibition is unfeasible anytime in the foreseeable future, and conservatives will have to accept that they can no-longer support any financial or other discrimination against same sex couples, to use but two examples. But at the end of the day, this is a model that works.
Conservative/libertarian fusion formed the basis of the Reagan & Thatcher Revolutions. It achieved real results. Working together, we can make it happen again. But it involves a recognition that the heart of true conservative values are those classical liberal/libertarian principles of small government, individual freedom, and free markets.
Thus spoke President Ronald Reagan, without doubt one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. He continued “I think conservatism is really a misnomer just as liberalism is a misnomer for the liberals–if we were back in the days of the Revolution, so-called conservatives today would be the Liberals and the liberals would be the Tories. The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom and this is a pretty general description also of what libertarianism is.”
Thus it pains me greatly to see some self-proclaimed conservatives these days spitting on the legacy of great men like President Reagan and attacking libertarianism. Instead of true conservative beliefs – those of small government, individual freedom, and free markets, they preach social authoritarianism and government control. Casting aside the ideology of the ‘founding fathers’ of what is now considered conservative thought – great thinkers from John Locke and Thomas Jefferson to Milton Friedman and FA Von Hayek, they instead replace it with a statist regime little different to that of the socialists. Rather than trying to minimise the size and scope of government, they instead seek to use it to their own ends.
Seeking to use government to achieve your desired aims is certainly not without intellectual underpinnings. It is something many philosophers have argued in favour of for centuries. It certainly is not without some intellectual merit, although I vociferously disagree. One thing you can NOT call it, however, is conservative.
This new brand of statist social authoritarians style themselves as conservatives and attack libertarians for believing in the very things that conservative have argued in favour of for generations. Sure, there have been differences between conservatives and libertarians, drug prohibition being probably the greatest of the last two decades, but, at the core, both ideologies shared the same desire for freedom, and this is what made fusionism work.
Indeed, while conservatives and libertarians certainly can disagree on some issues, these are at the periphery. It is our shared view on the size and scope of government that unites us. Thus it is especially distressing that this new mould of faux-conservatives, who wish to impose their extreme and radical personal world-view upon society, seem so hostile to libertarian thought. I do not need to start listing examples of anti-freedom things such people propose, although adopting Obama’s ‘compulsory volunteerism’ conscription plan and supporting internet censorship come to mind. Nor do I need to remind people on how these people have shown no interest in free markets or supporting private enterprise. All I need to say is that conservatives previously – even social conservatives – accepted the notion of small government.
It was, after all, never laissez-faire government that led to the social outcomes that these people now so decry. It was not an absence of government regulation that led to the attack on the family unity, and social breakdown. Rather, it was – consistently and without exception – government intervention that caused such things. It always was, is, and will be, the actions of the government that have led to the outcomes that social conservatives now decry. Even on matters as divisive as abortion, many libertarians have supported the socially conservative position . Traditional social conservatives recognised this, and recognised that they, like libertarians, would have their outcomes achieved by a reduction of the power of the state. Alas no longer.
It is for this reason that rise of the Christian Left in the Liberal Party disturbs me greatly (and I use the term “Christian” loosely, and only as is the self-styled moniker of those who preach this mantra – their actions, let alone their theology, I find little Christian about). I joined the Liberal Party because, like Menzies, like Howard I believed in individual freedom – and I’ll be damned if some extremist social democrats hijack the party I love, and turn it into no more than a socially authoritarian labor whilst trumpeting their self-proclaimed conservative values.
The fact that there are now these faux-conservatives who argue for greater government regulation, greater responsibilities for the State and greater control over peoples lives, is nothing more than an insult to the memories of the true conservative heroes. It is not conservatism, but socialism in drag, and it is a disgrace.
If you want to be a social authoritarian statist, that’s fine. We live in a free country, and you have the right to be wrong. But please, please, don’t you dare call yourself a conservative. |
Monday, January 16, 2012
FASTING TIP
For many, week three feels like a breakthrough week! By now your body should be thoroughly detoxified, and if you successfully navigated that metabolic shift that happened in week two, you’re likely to find your-self coasting until day twenty-one.
As your body has become used to less food, you are more than likely experiencing fewer hunger pangs. Since your body has detoxified, you are most likely also experiencing less achiness and headaches. Because your body is not using as much energy to digest food, it can devote more energy into the restorative processes. During this last week you may also find you are sleeping better too.
Spiritually speaking, this week can be really powerful as you find yourself in your Fast Zone and your mind has made the leap to focusing more on God. |
Q:
Conditionally dequeue dependency of scripts
Please note that, I'm not telling about conditionally enqueue/dequeue scripts, I'm referring to conditionally dequeue certain dependencies from an existing enqueued scripts in front end. And please note the question is not plugin-specific. I want to be enlightened about the general rules.
I used Elementor (page builder) for front end. But it's not used in all my pages. So the default lightbox feature enabled in Elementor doesn't work in those pages. That's why I added my own lightbox throughout the site, using a regex $pattern ="/<a(.*?)href=('|\")(.*?).(bmp|gif|jpeg|jpg|png)('|\")(.*?)>/i"; hooked to the the_content filter. Thing's working fine, but-
Where there the Elementor gallery or lightbox is triggered, both the scripts are messing up. Two lightbox are being called, sometimes the gallery lightbox are conflicting and not working etc.
Solution 1:
I know I can conditionally filter the_content with the regex like:
if( ! is_singular('cpt') ) {
return $content = preg_replace($pattern, $replacement, $content);
}
But I actually want to keep this feature everywhere. Just want to remove the elementor lightbox where I want 'em to. So, I's trying the solution#2.
Solution 2:
What Elementor did, is something, like:
wp_enqueue_script('elementor-frontend', 'link/to/frontend.js', array('elementor-dialog', 'elementor-waypoints', 'jquery-swiper'), '1.9.7', true);
Now I want not to load the lightbox feature from Elementor, so I tried to dequeue the 'elementor-dialog':
if( is_singular('cpt') ) {
wp_dequeue_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
}
But it's not working, as the dependencies are set in 'elementor-frontend'. So I tried deregistering dialog:
if( is_singular('cpt') ) {
wp_dequeue_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
wp_deregister_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
}
It's devastating, because it dequeued the frontend.js.
How can I change the dependencies of frontend.js (handle: 'elementor-frontend') on the fly, so that I can change the dependencies to array('elementor-waypoints', 'jquery-swiper')?
A:
Solution 1:
Here we will dequeue and deregister elementor-dialog and elementor-frontend, then we will re-register elementor-frontend without the elementor-dialog dependency:
// This needs to fire after priority 5 which is where Elementor
// handles enqueueing scripts. We're ok since the default is 10.
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpse_elementor_frontend_scripts' );
function wpse_elementor_frontend_scripts() {
// Optionally add guard clauses such as checking if( ! is_singular('cpt') )...
// Bail if Elementor is not available.
if ( ! defined( 'ELEMENTOR_VERSION' ) ) {
return;
}
// Dequeue and deregister elementor-dialog
wp_dequeue_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
wp_deregister_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
// Dequeue and deregister elementor-frontend
wp_dequeue_script( 'elementor-frontend' );
wp_deregister_script( 'elementor-frontend' );
// Re-register elementor-frontend without the elementor-dialog dependency.
$suffix = ( defined( 'SCRIPT_DEBUG' ) && SCRIPT_DEBUG ) ? '' : '.min';
wp_register_script(
'elementor-frontend',
ELEMENTOR_ASSETS_URL . 'js/frontend' . $suffix . '.js',
[
//'elementor-dialog', // <-- We removed this
'elementor-waypoints',
'jquery-swiper',
],
ELEMENTOR_VERSION,
true
);
// debugging...
//$scripts = wp_scripts();
//exit ( print_r( $scripts ) );
}
Solution 2:
In this solution, we will use wp_scripts() to modify the $wp_scripts global and then safely deregister elementor-dialog.
We will remove the elementor-dialog dependency from the elementor-frontend handle, then dequeue the elementor-dialog script which is enqueued separately by the Elementor\Frontend class.
/**
* The Elementor\Frontend class runs its register_scripts() method on
* wp_enqueue_scripts at priority 5, so we want to hook in after this has taken place.
*/
add_action( 'wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpse_elementor_frontend_scripts_modifier', 6 );
function wpse_elementor_frontend_scripts_modifier() {
// Customize guard clauses to bail if we don't want to run this code.
/*if ( ! is_singular( 'cpt' ) ) {
return;
}*/
// Get all scripts.
$scripts = wp_scripts();
// Bail if something went wrong.
if ( ! ( $scripts instanceof WP_Scripts ) ) {
return;
}
// Array of handles to remove.
$handles_to_remove = [
'elementor-dialog',
];
// Flag indicating if we have removed the handles.
$handles_updated = false;
// Remove desired handles from the elementor-frontend script.
foreach ( $scripts->registered as $dependency_object_id => $dependency_object ) {
if ( 'elementor-frontend' === $dependency_object_id ) {
// Bail if something went wrong.
if ( ! ( $dependency_object instanceof _WP_Dependency ) ) {
return;
}
// Bail if there are no dependencies for some reason.
if ( empty( $dependency_object->deps ) ) {
return;
}
// Do the handle removal.
foreach ( $dependency_object->deps as $dep_key => $handle ) {
if ( in_array( $handle, $handles_to_remove ) ) {
unset( $dependency_object->deps[ $dep_key ] );
$dependency_object->deps = array_values( $dependency_object->deps ); // "reindex" array
$handles_updated = true;
}
}
}
}
// If we have updated the handles, dequeue the relevant dependencies which
// were enqueued separately Elementor\Frontend.
if ( $handles_updated ) {
wp_dequeue_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
wp_deregister_script( 'elementor-dialog' );
}
}
By modifying elementor-frontend before dequeueing elementor-dialog, we will not unintentionally dequeue elementor-frontend when we dequeue elementor-dialog.
When testing this code, I inspected the $wp_scripts global (via wp_scripts()) to ensure that the desired results took effect. E.g.
$scripts = wp_scripts();
print_r( $scripts );
Relevant part of $scripts before modification:
...
[elementor-dialog] => _WP_Dependency Object
(
[handle] => elementor-dialog
[src] => http://example.com/wp-content/plugins/elementor/assets/lib/dialog/dialog.js
[deps] => Array
(
[0] => jquery-ui-position
)
[ver] => 4.1.0
[args] =>
[extra] => Array
(
[group] => 1
)
)
[elementor-frontend] => _WP_Dependency Object
(
[handle] => elementor-frontend
[src] => http://example.com/wp-content/plugins/elementor/assets/js/frontend.js
[deps] => Array
(
[0] => elementor-dialog
[1] => elementor-waypoints
[2] => jquery-swiper
)
[ver] => 1.9.7
[args] =>
[extra] => Array
(
[group] => 1
)
)
...
Relevant part of $scripts after modification:
(Note that the elementor-dialog node has now been removed.)
...
[elementor-frontend] => _WP_Dependency Object
(
[handle] => elementor-frontend
[src] => http://example.com/wp-content/plugins/elementor/assets/js/frontend.js
[deps] => Array
(
[0] => elementor-waypoints
[1] => jquery-swiper
)
[ver] => 1.9.7
[args] =>
[extra] => Array
(
[group] => 1
)
)
...
|
Holiday lights
Friday
Oct 5, 2012 at 12:35 PMOct 5, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Darrin Newman, of Illuminations by Newman towers over buildings in downtown Chillicothe, making preparations for the annual holiday lighting. Here, he is working on the building just north of where the old Leeper Hotel building once stood. Main Street Chillicothe oversees the downtown lighting program, which includes nearly every downtown structure outlined in white lights.
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Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery. |
Michael Birch Reveals Ridiculous Plan To Reinvent Bebo, The Company He Sold For $US850 Million And Bought Back For $US1 Million
Earlier this summer, Michael Birch bought back the company he and his wife founded together, Bebo.
Bebo was once an all-powerful social network and in 2008, it sold to AOL for $US850 million. Facebook came from behind and crushed it, destroying Bebo’s value but not Birch’s wealth. He and his wife made a combined $US600 million on the deal. Birch was able to re-acquire Bebo for $US1 million.
What does he plan to do with the company? He’s not sure.
“The new Bebo will be very different from the old one,” he says after showcasing some phallic artwork produced on the initial site. “Will it work? Who knows.” |
Opening New Windows With JavaScript, Version 1.2
A an excellent script for allowing links to open new windows while keeping the code standards compliant.
If you look at the last line of the script, you will notice that the JSTarget.init() function takes three parameters (all optional). This is what makes this script more flexible than the previous versions. |
Sample records for ray spectrometer suite
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in its role as collector and disseminator of information on nuclear techniques has long had an interest in gamma rayspectrometer methods and has published a number of Technical Reports on various aspects of the subject. At an Advisory Group Meeting held in Vienna in November 1986 to review appropriate activities the IAEA could take following the Chernobyl accident, it was recommended that preparation begin on a new Technical Report on airborne gamma rayspectrometer surveying, taking into account the use of the technique for environmental monitoring as well as for nuclear emergency response requirements. Shortly thereafter the IAEA became the lead organization in the Radioelement Geochemical Mapping section of the International Geological Correlation Programme/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Project on International Geochemical Mapping. These two factors led to the preparation of the present Technical Report. 18 figs, 4 tabs
A free standing x-ray transmission grating has been coupled with a soft x-ray streak camera to produce a time resolved x-rayspectrometer. The instrument has a temporal resolution of approx. 20 psec, is capable of covering a broad spectral range, 2 to 120 A, has high sensitivity, and is simple to use requiring no complex alignment procedure. In recent laser fusion experiments the spectrometer successfully recorded time resolved spectra over the range 10 to 120 A with a spectral resolving power, lambda/Δlambda of 4 to 50, limited primarily by source size and collimation effects
The authors describe a spectrometer system developed for electron, ion, and x-ray spectroscopy of gas-phase atoms and molecules following inner-shell excitation by tunable synchrotron radiation. The spectrometer has been used on beamline X-24A at the National Synchrotron Light Source for excitation-dependent studies of Ar L-shell and K-shell photoexcitation and vacancy decay processes. The instrumentation and experimental methods are discussed, and examples are given of electron spectra and coincidence spectra between electrons and fluorescent x-rays
An outline is given of recent developments in particle and photon induced x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Following a brief description of the basic mechanism of semiconductor detector operation a comparison is made between semiconductor detectors, scintillators and gas filled proportional devices. Detector fabrication and cryostat design are described in more detail and the effects of various device parameters on system performance, such as energy resolution, count rate capability, efficiency, microphony, etc. are discussed. The main applications of these detectors in x-ray fluorescence analysis, electron microprobe analysis, medical and pollution studies are reviewed
Measurement of energy spectra of beta particles emitted from nuclei in beta-decay processes provides information concerning the mass difference of these nuclei between initial and final state. Moreover, experimental beta spectra yield information on the feeding of the levels in the daughter nucleus. Such data are valuable in the construction and checking of the level schemes. This thesis describes the design, construction, testing and usage of a detector for the accurate measurement of the mentioned spectra. In ch. 2 the design and construction of the beta spectrometer, which uses a hyper-pure germanium crystal for energy determination, is described. A simple wire chamber is used to discriminate beta particles from gamma radiation. Disadvantages arise from the large amounts of scattered beta particles deforming the continua. A method is described to minimize the scattering. In ch. 3 some theoretical aspects of data analysis are described and the results of Monte-Carlo simulations of the summation of annihilation radiation are compared with experiments. Ch. 4 comprises the results of the measurements of the beta decay energies of 103-108 In. 87 refs.; 34 figs.; 7 tabs
A subkilovolt spectrometer has been produced to permit high-energy-resolution, time-dependent x-ray intensity measurements. The diffracting element is a curved mica (d = 9.95A) crystal. To preclude higher order (n > 1) diffractions, a carbon x-ray mirror that reflects only photons with energies less than approx. 1.1 keV is utilized ahead of the diffracting element. The nominal energy range of interest is 800 to 900 eV. The diffracted photons are detected by a gold-surface photoelectric diode designed to have a very good frequency response, and whose current is recorded on an oscilloscope. A thin, aluminium light barrier is placed between the diffracting crystal and the photoelectric diode detector to keep any uv generated on or scattered by the crystal from illuminating the detector. High spectral energy resolution is provided by many photocathodes between 8- and 50-eV wide placed serially along the diffracted x-ray beam at the detector position. The spectrometer was calibrated for energy and energy dispersion using the Ni Lα 1 2 lines produced in the LLNL IONAC accelerator and in third order using a molybdenum target x-ray tube. For the latter calibration the carbon mirror was replaced by one surfaced with rhodium to raise the cut-off energy to about 3 keV. The carbon mirror reflection dependence on energy was measured using one of our Henke x-ray sources. The curved mica crystal diffraction efficiency was measured on our Low-Energy x-ray (LEX) machine. The spectrometer performs well although some changes in the way the x-ray mirror is held are desirable. 16 figures
Currently, field γ ray spectrometry can not rapidly measure γ ray full spectrum, so a field microcomputerized multichannel γ rayspectrometer based on notebook computer is described, and the γ ray full spectrum can be rapidly measured in the field
The Geological Survey of Norway has developed a system for mobile gamma rayspectrometer surveying suitable for use in nuclear emergencies where potentially dangerous radioactive materials have been released into the environment. The measuring system has been designed for use with different kinds of transportation platforms. These include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and vans. The choice of transportation platform depends on the nature of the nuclear emergency. Widespread fallout from a distant source can be mapped quickly from the air while local sources of radiation can be delineated by a car-borne system. The measuring system processes gamma ray spectra in real time. The operator of the system is therefore able to guide surveying in accordance with meaningful data values and immediately report these values to decision making The operator is presented with a number of different displays suited to different kinds of nuclear emergencies that lead to more efficient surveying. Real time processing of data m...
Rutherford electronic X-rayspectrometer readout is based on the combination of two established techniques (a) the detection and location of soft X-rays by means of multichannel electron multiplier arrays (MCP's), and (b) the electronic readout of charge distributions (generally in multi-wire proportional counters) by means of the delay line techniques. In order for the latter device to function well a charge signal of approximately 10 6 electrons must be available to the delay line wand. This is achieved in the present device by means of two cascaded MCP's which can produce electron gains up to approximately 10 8 , and so operate the delay line from the single electron pulses generated at the front face of an MCP by a soft X-ray. The delay line readout technique was chosen because of its simplicity (both in terms of the necessary hardware and the associated electronics), robustness, and ease of implementation. In order to achieve the target spatial resolution of 50 μm (fwhm) or 20 μm (standard deviation) it was necessary to adapt the charge collection system so that the readout takes place from a length of delay line 200 mm long. The general layout of the system and the functions of the electronic circuits are described. Performance testing, setting up procedures and trouble shooting of the system are discussed. (U.K.)
A high resolution solar soft X-rayspectrometer (SOX) payload onboard a satellite is developed. A silicon drift detector (SDD) is adopted as the detector of the SOX spectrometer. The spectrometer consists of the detectors and their readout electronics, a data acquisition unit and a payload data handling unit. A ground test system is also developed to test SOX. The test results show that the design goals of the spectrometer system have been achieved. (authors)
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in collaboration with SRI/Sarnoff is developing monolithic CMOS detectors optimized for x-ray astronomy. The goal of this multi-year program is to produce CMOS x-ray imaging spectrometers that are Fano noise limited over the 0.1-10keV energy band while incorporating the many benefits of CMOS technology. These benefits include: low power consumption, radiation "hardness", high levels of integration, and very high read rates. Small format test devices from a previous wafer fabrication run (2011-2012) have recently been back-thinned and tested for response below 1keV. These devices perform as expected in regards to dark current, read noise, spectral response and Quantum Efficiency (QE). We demonstrate that running these devices at rates ~> 1Mpix/second eliminates the need for cooling as shot noise from any dark current is greatly mitigated. The test devices were fabricated on 15μm, high resistivity custom (~30kΩ-cm) epitaxial silicon and have a 16 by 192 pixel format. They incorporate 16μm pitch, 6 Transistor Pinned Photo Diode (6TPPD) pixels which have ~40μV/electron sensitivity and a highly parallel analog CDS signal chain. Newer, improved, lower noise detectors have just been fabricated (October 2013). These new detectors are fabricated on 9μm epitaxial silicon and have a 1k by 1k format. They incorporate similar 16μm pitch, 6TPPD pixels but have ~ 50% higher sensitivity and much (3×) lower read noise. These new detectors have undergone preliminary testing for functionality in Front Illuminated (FI) form and are presently being prepared for back thinning and packaging. Monolithic CMOS devices such as these, would be ideal candidate detectors for the focal planes of Solar, planetary and other space-borne x-ray astronomy missions. The high through-put, low noise and excellent low energy response, provide high dynamic range and good time resolution; bright, time varying x-ray features could be temporally and
For the development of small-scale soft X-rayspectrometer, first, some small-scale soft X-ray detection elements are developed, it is included GaAs irradiated with neutron, GaAs irradiated with proton, multi-layer mirror, plane mirror and small scale X-ray diode et al. Soft X-rayspectrometers built of multi-layer mirror-GaAs (with neutron irradiation), and plane mirror-small-scale XRD, and plane mirror-GaAs (with proton irradiation) are prepared. These spectrometers are examined in Shen Guang-II laser facility, and some external estimation are given. (authors)
A high intensity electron-impact x-ray source using a one-dimensional Pierce lens has been built for the purpose of calibrating a bent crystal x-rayspectrometer. This source focuses up to 100 mA of 20-keV electrons to a line on a liquid-cooled anode. The line (which can serve as a virtual slit for the spectrometer) measures approximately 800 μ x 2 cm. The source is portable and therefore adaptable to numerous types of spectrometer applications. One particular application, the calibration of a high resolution (r = 10 4 ) time-resolved cyrstal spectrometer, will be discussed in detail
A prototype gamma-rayspectrometer utilizing xenon gas near the critical point (166 degrees C, 58 atm) is under development. The spectrometer will function as a room-temperature ionization chamber detecting gamma rays in the energy range 100 keV2 MeV, with an energy resolution intermediate between semiconductor (Ge) and scintillation (NaI) spectrometers. The energy resolution is superior to that of a NaI scintillation spectrometer by a substantial margin (approximately a factor 5), and accordingly, much more information can be extracted from a given gamma-ray spectrum. Unlike germanium detectors, the spectrometer possesses the capability for sustained operation under ambient temperature conditions without a requirement for liquid nitrogen
The distribution of arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) in himematsutake was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-rayspectrometer (SEM-EDX). The atomic percentage of the metals was confirmed by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Results show that the accumulation of ...
A sample planchette with several samples in a spectrometer is rotated so as to position each sample in succession in a counting position. To change the planchette, the cover of the spectrometer raises together with the planchette and rotates to the side into a vertical magazine. The planchette is unhooked onto a tray which rapidly moves to a position above the cover, and the next planchette in the magazine stack moves upwards on a tray and is hooked to the cover and taken to the counting station. Three chains ensure the movement of the planchette trays in the magazine, one for raising the uncounted samples up the magazine, one for shifting the counted ones to the upper stack, and one to move the counted planchettes higher up the magazine. The movement of the chains is controlled by microswitches. (ORU) [de
The Geological Survey of Norway has developed a system for mobile gamma rayspectrometer surveying suitable for use in nuclear emergencies where potentially dangerous radioactive materials have been released into the environment. The measuring system has been designed for use with different kinds of transportation platforms. These include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and vans. The choice of transportation platform depends on the nature of the nuclear emergency. Widespread fallout from a distant source can be mapped quickly from the air while local sources of radiation can be delineated by a car-borne system. The measuring system processes gamma ray spectra in real time. The operator of the system is therefore able to guide surveying in accordance with meaningful data values and immediately report these values to decision making authorities. The operator is presented with a number of different displays suited to different kinds of nuclear emergencies that lead to more efficient surveying. Real time processing of data means that the results of a survey can be delivered to decision makers immediately upon return to base. It is also possible to deliver data via a live mobile telephone link while surveying is underway. The measuring system can be adjusted to make measurements lasting between 1 second and 5 seconds. The spatial density of measuring positions depends on the duration of each measurement and the speed of travel of the measuring system. Measuring with 1 s intervals while travelling at 50 km/h in a car results in a measurement every 14 m along the road. Measuring with 1 s intervals in an aeroplane travelling at 250 km/h produces a measurement for every 70 m travelled. Eight hours surveying can produce up to 30000 measurements over a region hundreds of kilometres across. (Author)
To study the light collection optics of the ISX-B two-dimensional (2-D) Thomson scattering system, we have implemented in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Fusion Energy Division (FED) PDP-10 two computer programs, LENS and SPECT, that trace rays through a lens system and a spectrometer, respectively. The lens package follows the path of any kind of ray (meridional or skew) through a centered optical system formed by an arbitrary number of spherical surfaces. The spectrometer package performs geometrical ray tracing through a Czerney-Turner spectrometer and can be easily modified for studying any other configuration. Contained herein is a description of the procedures followed and a listing of the computer programs
A secondary-source energy-dispersive x-rayspectrometer has been built and tested. In this instrument the primary source of x rays is a tungsten-target tube powered by a high-voltage (75 kV), a high-power (3.7 kW) generator from a wavelength spectrometer (G.E. XRD-6). The primary polychromatic x rays irradiate an elemental foil, the secondary source. Its characteristic essentially monochromatic x rays are used to irradiate the sample. Fluorescent x rays from the sample are detected and resolved by a lithium-drifted silicon detector, multichannel-analyzer system. The design of the instrument provides a convenient means for changing the secondary, and hence, the energy of the excitation radiation
The calibration campaign of the National Ignition Facility X-raySpectrometer (NXS) was carried out at the OMEGA laser facility. Spherically symmetric, laser-driven, millimeter-scale x-ray sources of K-shell and L-shell emission from various mid-Z elements were designed for the 2–18 keV energy range of the NXS. The absolute spectral brightness was measured by two calibrated spectrometers. We compare the measured performance of the target design to radiation hydrodynamics simulations.
The calibration campaign of the National Ignition Facility X-raySpectrometer (NXS) was carried out at the Omega laser facility. Spherically symmetric, laser-driven, millimeter-scale x-ray sources of K-shell and L-shell emission from various mid-Z elements were designed for the 2-18 keV energy range of the NXS. The absolute spectral brightness was measured by two calibrated spectrometers. We compare the measured performance of the target design to radiation hydrodynamics simulations.
The evaluation unit is designed as a CAMAC modular system. It processes analog signals from the detector, amplifies them, digitizes them, stores them, and displays them. The analog data collection system consists of a high voltage supply, a linear amplifier, and an analog-to-digital convertor. The digital part of the data collection system consists of a data memory and a mapping unit. The control and calculation system consisting of a controller, a memory, an expandable working memory, a floppy disk controller, a parallel input and output for the terminal, and a controller for block transfer, provides the control of the entire spectrometer and the calculations for qualitative and quantitative analyses. It also provides connection to the peripherals: the disk operating system, the graphics terminal with keyboard, and the mosaic printer. (M.D.)
GA.SP is a general purpose 4{pi} detector array for advanced {gamma}-spectroscopy and, in the same time, a suitable system for reaction mechanism studies. The detector is sited at the LNL Tandem+Linac accelerator and has been built as a joint project of INFN Padova, LNL, Milano and Firenze. The array consists of 40 Compton suppressed HPGe detectors and of a 4{pi} calorimeter composed of 80 BGO crystals. The detector houses a reaction chamber of 34 cm diameter where a charged particles multiplicity filter composed of 40 Si detectors is going to be installed. Evaporation residues produced in the centre of GA.SP can be injected into the recoil mass spectrometer (RMS, named CAMEL) in use at LNL, without the need to remove any of the gamma detectors. The coupled operation of GA.SP, RMS and Si ball will give a unique instrument for identification and study of weak reaction channels. (author). 6 figs.
GA.SP is a general purpose 4π detector array for advanced γ-spectroscopy and, in the same time, a suitable system for reaction mechanism studies. The detector is sited at the LNL Tandem+Linac accelerator and has been built as a joint project of INFN Padova, LNL, Milano and Firenze. The array consists of 40 Compton suppressed HPGe detectors and of a 4π calorimeter composed of 80 BGO crystals. The detector houses a reaction chamber of 34 cm diameter where a charged particles multiplicity filter composed of 40 Si detectors is going to be installed. Evaporation residues produced in the centre of GA.SP can be injected into the recoil mass spectrometer (RMS, named CAMEL) in use at LNL, without the need to remove any of the gamma detectors. The coupled operation of GA.SP, RMS and Si ball will give a unique instrument for identification and study of weak reaction channels. (author). 6 figs
An X-rayspectrometer with the pulse light feedback in the preamplifier has been designed. The resolution has been obtained to be 168 eV on line of 5.9 keV. The analysis of the electronics and detector contribution to the resolution has been performed
The current state-of-the-art in portable gamma-rayspectrometers and portable spectrometry systems is discussed. A comparison of detector performance and features of commercially available systems are summarised. Finally, several applications of portable systems are described. (author)
X-ray fluorescence is an analytical technique of prier importance in archaeometry, for restoration and art history investigation; it is because of non-destructive and multi-elemental character of the analysis simplicity and high speed of operation, ability to produce immediate analytical results for the objects, which can neither be sampled nor removed to the laboratory Recent advances in X-ray tubes, X-ray detectors and electronic provided an opportunity to produce portable high resolution XRF spectrometers characterized by a good reliability and analytical performance; in this paper a prototype portable XRF spectrometer based on a small size, low power X-ray tube and a thermometrically cooled Si-Pin detector is described. The spectrometer provides a possibility for direct and secondary target excitation geometry use of proper secondary target and filter and size adjustment of the primary photon bean by using a set of different beam collimators; the portable XRF spectrometer was successfully applied to study art objects in the Art History Museum in Vienna, including such objects as old master paintings bronze and brass alloys of antique as well as Renaissance objects and silver/copper coins produced at different locations. Quantitative and Quantitative analysis were amedee depending of the curator questions and discussed from the point of view of art History. The importance of the results for restoration and authentification of the art objects is also emphasized
A description is given of an instrumentation for control of an X-rayspectrometer used in solid state physics experiments. The instrumentation includes a personal computer (PC) and a European Computer Bus (ECB) interface system. Details are given of the operating software. (author)
For x-ray spot sizes of a few tens of microns or smaller, a millimeter-sized flat analyzer crystal placed ???1 cm from the sample will exhibit high energy resolution while subtending a collection solid angle comparable to that of a typical spherically bent crystal analyzer (SBCA) at much larger working distances. Based on this observation and a nonfocusing geometry for the analyzer optic, we have constructed and tested a short working distance (SWD) multicrystal x-rayspectrometer. This prototype instrument has a maximum effective collection solid angle of 0.14 sr, comparable to that of 17 SBCA at 1 m working distance. We find good agreement with prior work for measurements of the Mn K?? x-ray emission and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering for MnO, and also for measurements of the x-ray absorption near-edge structure for Dy metal using L??2 partial-fluorescence yield detection. We discuss future applications at third- and fourth-generation light sources. For concentrated samples, the extremely large collection angle of SWD spectrometers will permit collection of high-resolution x-ray emission spectra with a single pulse of the Linac Coherent Light Source. The range of applications of SWD spectrometers and traditional multi-SBCA instruments has some overlap, but also is significantly complementary. ?? 2008 American Institute of Physics.
This paper describes the onboard calibration process of REXIS (the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer), an instrument on OSIRIS-REx. OSIRIS-REx, scheduled to be launched in 2016, is a planetary mission intending to return a regolith sample from a near Earth asteroid called Bennu. REXIS, a student-led collaboration between Harvard and MIT, is a soft X-ray (0.5-7.5 keV) coded-aperture telescope with four X-ray CCDs and a gold coated stainless steel mask. REXIS will measure the surface elementa...
The X-ray/gamma-rayspectrometer (XGRS) instrument onboard the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will map asteroid 433 Eros in the 0.2 keV to 10 MeV energy region. Measurements of the discrete line X-ray and gamma-ray emissions in this energy domain can be used to obtain both qualitative and quantitative elemental composition maps of the asteroid surface. The NEAR X-ray/gamma-rayspectrometer (XGRS) was turned on for the first time during the week of 7 April 1996. Rendezvous with Eros 433 is expected during December 1998. Observations of solar X-ray spectra during both quiescent and active periods have been made. A gamma-ray transient detection system has been implemented and about three gamma-ray transient events a week have been observed which are associated with either gamma-ray bursts or solar flares
An X-rayspectrometer has been designed consisting of a preamplifier with light pulse feedback, and a Si (Li) detector. The electric(FET) circuit is given of the preamplifier designed on field effect transistors. An identification is made of the types of noises of a sink current of 7.5 mA. It is established that a significant part of the total noise comes from the detector-FET system, and white noise from leakage current in the detector. The use in the spectrometer of the preamplifier with light pulse feedback enables the white noise to be reduced to 40-45 eV with a detector leakage current of 10 -13 A. A decrease in the noise of the detector-FET system is only possible owing to the improved technology in the manufacture of FET's. The energy resolution of the spectrometer for the 5.9 keV line is 168 eV
This paper discusses the development of an energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectrometer for the rapid, automated, close-coupled analysis of solid mixed plutonium--uranium oxide fuel pellets. Reasons are given for the system design, which is intended to give a relative precision (RSD) of +-0.3% in a total analysis time of three minutes. The principal problems in an EDX system are in maximizing the plutonium count rates
Two Dual Ion Spectrometer flight units of the Fast Plasma Instrument Suite (FPI) for the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) have returned to MSFC for flight testing. Anticipated to begin on June 30, tests will ensue in the Low Energy Electron and Ion Facility of the Heliophysics and Planetary Science Office (ZP13), managed by Dr. Victoria Coffey of the Natural Environments Branch of the Engineering Directorate (EV44). The MMS mission consists of four identical spacecraft, whose purpose is to study magnetic reconnection in the boundary regions of Earth's magnetosphere.
To assist in the characterization of the radiological contents of contract-handled waste containers at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP), the SWEPP Gamma-RaySpectrometer (SGRS) System has been developed by the Radiation Measurements and Development Unit of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The SGRS system software controls turntable and detector system activities. In addition to determining the concentrations of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides, this software also calculates attenuation-corrected isotopic mass ratios of-specific interest. This document describes the software design for the data acquisition and analysis software associated with the SGRS system
To assist in the characterization of the radiological contents of contract-handled waste containers at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP), the SWEPP Gamma-RaySpectrometer (SGRS) System has been developed by the Radiation Measurements and Development Unit of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The SGRS system software controls turntable and detector system activities. In addition to determining the concentrations of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides, this software also calculates attenuation-corrected isotopic mass ratios of-specific interest. This document describes the software design for the data acquisition and analysis software associated with the SGRS system.
The SWEPP Gamma-RaySpectrometer (SGRS) System has been developed by the Radiation Measurement and Development Unit of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to assist in the characterization of the radiological contents of contact-handled waste containers at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP). In addition to determining the concentrations of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides, the software also calculates attenuation-corrected isotopic mass ratios of specific interest, and provides controls for SGRS hardware as required. This document serves as a user's guide for the data acquisition and analysis software associated with the SGRS system
Many planetary surface processes leave traces of their actions as features in the size range 10s to 100s of microns. The Mapping X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (MapX) will provide elemental imaging at 100 micron spatial resolution, yielding elemental chemistry at a scale where many relict physical, chemical, or biological features can be imaged and interpreted in ancient rocks on planetary bodies and planetesimals. MapX is an arm-based instrument positioned on a rock or regolith with touch sensors. During an analysis, an X-ray source (tube or radioisotope) bombards the sample with X-rays or alpha-particles / gamma-rays, resulting in sample X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). X-rays emitted in the direction of an X-ray sensitive CCD imager pass through a 1:1 focusing lens (X-ray micro-pore Optic (MPO)) that projects a spatially resolved image of the X-rays onto the CCD. The CCD is operated in single photon counting mode so that the energies and positions of individual X-ray photons are recorded. In a single analysis, several thousand frames are both stored and processed in real-time. Higher level data products include single-element maps with a lateral spatial resolution of 100 microns and quantitative XRF spectra from ground- or instrument- selected Regions of Interest (ROI). XRF spectra from ROI are compared with known rock and mineral compositions to extrapolate the data to rock types and putative mineralogies. When applied to airless bodies and implemented with an appropriate radioisotope source for alpha-particle excitation, MapX will be able to analyze biogenic elements C, N, O, P, S, in addition to the cations of the rock-forming elements >Na, accessible with either X-ray or gamma-ray excitation. The MapX concept has been demonstrated with a series of lab-based prototypes and is currently under refinement and TRL maturation.
The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-raySpectrometer (MaGIXS) is a NASA sounding rocket instrument designed to obtain spatially resolved soft X-ray spectra of the solar atmosphere in the 6-24 Å (0.5-2.0 keV) range. The instrument consists of a single shell Wolter Type-I telescope, a slit, and a spectrometer comprising a matched pair of grazing incidence parabolic mirrors and a planar varied-line space diffraction grating. The instrument is designed to achieve a 50 mÅ spectral resolution and 5 arcsecond spatial resolution along a +/-4-arcminute long slit, and launch is planned for 2019. We report on the status and our approaches for fabrication and alignment for this novel optical system. The telescope and spectrometer mirrors are replicated nickel shells, and are currently being fabricated at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The diffraction grating is currently under development by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); because of the strong line spacing variation across the grating, it will be fabricated through e-beam lithography.
Wired array studies are being conducted at the SNL Z accelerator to maximize the x-ray generation for inertial confinement fusion targets and high energy density physics experiments. An integral component of these studies is the characterization of the time-resolved spectral content of the x-rays. Due to potential spatial anisotropy in the emitted radiation, it is also critical to diagnose the time-evolved spectral content in a space-resolved manner. To accomplish these two measurement goals, we developed an x-rayspectrometer using a set of high-speed detectors (silicon PIN diodes) with a collimated field-of-view that converged on a 1-cm-diameter spot at the pinch axis. Spectral discrimination is achieved by placing high Z absorbers in front of these detectors. We built two spectrometers to permit simultaneous different angular views of the emitted radiation. Spectral data have been acquired from recent Z shots for the radial and polar views. UNSPEC1 has been adapted to analyze and unfold the measured data to reconstruct the x-ray spectrum. The unfold operator code, UFO2, is being adapted for a more comprehensive spectral unfolding treatment
The ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider has collected several hundred million cosmic ray events during 2008 and 2009. These data were used to commission the Muon Spectrometer and to study the performance of the trigger and tracking chambers, their alignment, the detector control system, the data acquisition and the analysis programs. We present the performance in the relevant parameters that determine the quality of the muon measurement. We discuss the single element efficiency, resolution and noise rates, the calibration method of the detector response and of the alignment system, the track reconstruction efficiency and the momentum measurement. The results show that the detector is close to the design performance and that the Muon Spectrometer is ready to detect muons produced in high energy proton-proton collisions.
The vTAS suite provides graphical assistance to prepare and perform inelastic neutron scattering experiments on a TAS instrument, including latest multiplexed instrumental configurations, such as FlatCone, IMPS and UFO. The interactive display allows for flexible translation between instrument positions in real space and neutron scattering conditions represented in reciprocal space. It is a platform independent public domain software tool, available for download from the website of the Institut Laue Langevin (ILL).
Efforts to measure the double beta decay of 76 Ge as predicted by Grand Unified Theories have resulted in the development of a high resolution germanium diode gamma-rayspectrometer with an exceptionally low background. This paper describes the development of this system and how these techniques can be utilized to significantly reduce the background in high resolution photon spectrometers at only a moderate cost
A NaI scintillator spectrometer system for the measurement of gamma-ray spectra in tokamak discharges has been developed and installed on the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade. Two NaI scintillators are viewing the plasma at two different angles with respect to the equatorial plane. The main features of the spectrometer system (energy range: 0.3-23 MeV) and of the unfolding technique used to restore physical spectra from the pulse-height distributions are described: a method of solution with regularisation for matrix equations of large size, allowing to process count distributions with significant statistical noise, has been developed. A dedicated software, portable to any platform, has been written both for the acquisition and the analysis of the spectra. The typical gamma-ray spectra recorded in hydrogen and deuterium discharges, also with additional heating, are presented and discussed; two components have been observed: (a) thick-target Bremsstrahlung gamma-rays produced by runaway electrons hitting the Inconel po...
Calorimetric X-ray detectors are very sensitive to their environment. The boundary conditions can have a profound effect on the gain including heat sink temperature, the local radiation temperature, bias, and the temperature of the readout electronics. Any variation in the boundary conditions can cause temporal variations in the gain of the detector and compromise both the energy scale and the resolving power of the spectrometer. Most production X-ray calorimeter spectrometers, both on the ground and in space, have some means of tracking the gain as a function of time, often using a calibration spectral line. For small gain changes, a linear stretch correction is often sufficient. However, the detectors are intrinsically non-linear and often the event analysis, i.e., shaping, optimal filters etc., add additional non-linearity. Thus for large gain variations or when the best possible precision is required, a linear stretch correction is not sufficient. Here, we discuss a new correction technique based on non-linear interpolation of the energy-scale functions. Using Astro-HSXS calibration data, we demonstrate that the correction can recover the X-ray energy to better than 1 part in 104 over the entire spectral band to above 12 keV even for large-scale gain variations. This method will be used to correct any temporal drift of the on-orbit per-pixel gain using on-board calibration sources for the SXS instrument on the Astro-H observatory.
A low background gamma-rayspectrometer has been constructed for measuring artificial and natural radioative isotopes. The design of the spectrometer, its properties and the application to the determination of natural radioactivity of dental ceramics are described. (orig.)
The Institute of Solid State Physics of the Vienna University of Technology is established with an X-ray Photoelectron Spectrometer Kratos XSAM 800. In its original state the instrument enables measurements of photoelectron spectra in a semiautomatical mode. After mounting of the specimen an eventual surface cleaning by argon ion sputtering is possible. Next steps are setting of x-ray tube high voltage and current, start energy and energy range of spectrum and time of measurement. Data are obtained by an x-t plotter and evaluations are performed from the registration charts. If necessary, measured spectra have to be digitized by means of a scanner. In the Introduction of this thesis the principle of X-ray photoelectron spectrometry is treated including a number of practical examples. It shows that an automation allows an extension of the performance of the instrument. Details are remote controlled experiments, wider energy ranges with improved energy resolution. Furthermore, the digitized data treatment enables background subtration, determination of line positions and integrated signal strengths, and is the detection of lowlevel of lines (the peak with lowamplitude) possible. A further advantage is the computer assisted documentation and comparison of results from different specimens. After this description of the essential requirements different possible solutions of an automation are discussed. Thus, it is decided to develop a completely new hardware for a perfect control of the spectrometer. A further decision is to be made on the most efficient kind of micro processor. From the considerations follows a completely new control board with a transputer as multi tasking processor. The complete control unit consists of a digital system, an analog system and a power unit. The digital system controls settings and spectra accumulation and includes the transputer board, the pc-link card, the i/o-card and the step scanning control board. The analog system controls the
A new generation of advanced laser, accelerator, and plasma confinement devices are emerging that are producing extreme states of light and matter that are unprecedented for laboratory study. Examples of such sources that will produce laboratory x-ray emissions with unprecedented characteristics include megajoule-class and ultrafast, ultraintense petawatt laser-produced plasmas; tabletop high-harmonic-generation x-ray sources; high-brightness zeta-pinch and magnetically confined plasma sources; and coherent x-ray free electron lasers and compact inverse-Compton x-ray sources. Characterizing the spectra, time structure, and intensity of x rays emitted by these and other novel sources is critical to assessing system performance and progress as well as pursuing the new and unpredictable physical interactions of interest to basic and applied high-energy-density (HED) science. As these technologies mature, increased emphasis will need to be placed on advanced diagnostic instrumentation and metrology, standard reference data, absolute calibrations and traceability of results.We are actively designing, fabricating, and fielding wavelength-calibrated x-rayspectrometers that have been employed to register spectra from a variety of exotic x-ray sources (electron beam ion trap, electron cyclotron resonance ion source, terawatt pulsed-power-driven accelerator, laser-produced plasmas). These instruments employ a variety of curved-crystal optics, detector technologies, and data acquisition strategies. In anticipation of the trends mentioned above, this paper will focus primarily on optical designs that can accommodate the high background signals produced in HED experiments while also registering their high-energy spectral emissions. In particular, we review the results of recent laboratory testing that explores off-Rowland circle imaging in an effort to reclaim the instrumental resolving power that is increasingly elusive at higher energies when using wavelength
The tangential gamma-rayspectrometer (TGRS) of the JET tokamak fusion facility is an important diagnostics for investigating the fast particle evolution. A well defined field of view for the TGRS diagnostics is essential for its proper operation and this is to be determined by a rather complex system of collimators and shields both for the neutron and gamma radiations. A conceptual design for this system has been carried out with the main design target set to maximize the signal-to-background ratio at the spectrometer detector, the ratio being defined in terms of the plasma emitted gamma radiation and the gamma-ray background. As a first phase of the TGRS diagnostics upgrade a set of two tandem collimators has been designed with the aim of determining a quasi-tangential field of view through JET tokamak plasmas. A modular design of the tandem system has been developed in order to allow for the construction of different configurations for deuterium and deuterium-tritium discharges. The internal structure of the collimators consists of nuclear grade lead and high density polyethylene slabs arranged in an optimized pattern. The performance of a simplified geometry of the tandem collimator configuration has been evaluated by neutron and photon transport calculations and the numerical results show that the design parameters can be attained.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We utilize a new detector material, polycrystalline mercuric iodide, for background suppression by active anticoincidence shielding in gamma-rayspectrometers. Two...
The Atmospheric Chemistry Suite (ACS) package is an element of the Russian contribution to the ESA-Roscosmos ExoMars 2016 Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) mission. ACS consists of three separate infrared spectrometers, sharing common mechanical, electrical, and thermal interfaces. This ensemble of spectrometers has been designed and developed in response to the Trace Gas Orbiter mission objectives that specifically address the requirement of high sensitivity instruments to enable the unambiguous detection of trace gases of potential geophysical or biological interest. For this reason, ACS embarks a set of instruments achieving simultaneously very high accuracy (ppt level), very high resolving power (>10,000) and large spectral coverage (0.7 to 17 μm—the visible to thermal infrared range). The near-infrared (NIR) channel is a versatile spectrometer covering the 0.7-1.6 μm spectral range with a resolving power of ˜20,000. NIR employs the combination of an echelle grating with an AOTF (Acousto-Optical Tunable Filter) as diffraction order selector. This channel will be mainly operated in solar occultation and nadir, and can also perform limb observations. The scientific goals of NIR are the measurements of water vapor, aerosols, and dayside or night side airglows. The mid-infrared (MIR) channel is a cross-dispersion echelle instrument dedicated to solar occultation measurements in the 2.2-4.4 μm range. MIR achieves a resolving power of >50,000. It has been designed to accomplish the most sensitive measurements ever of the trace gases present in the Martian atmosphere. The thermal-infrared channel (TIRVIM) is a 2-inch double pendulum Fourier-transform spectrometer encompassing the spectral range of 1.7-17 μm with apodized resolution varying from 0.2 to 1.3 cm-1. TIRVIM is primarily dedicated to profiling temperature from the surface up to ˜60 km and to monitor aerosol abundance in nadir. TIRVIM also has a limb and solar occultation capability. The technical concept of
The monitoring of minimum detectable activity is becoming increasingly important as environmental concerns and regulations require more sensitive measurement of the radioactivity levels in the workplace and the home. In measuring this activity, however, the background becomes one of the limiting factors. Anticoincidence systems utilizing both NaI(T1) and plastic scintillators have proven effective in reducing some components of the background, but radiocontaminants in the various regions of these systems have limited their effectiveness, and their cost is often prohibitive. In order to obtain a genuinely low background detector system, all components must be free of detectable radioactivity, and the cosmic ray produced contribution must be significantly reduced. Current efforts by the authors to measure the double beta decay of Germanium 76 as predicted by Grand Unified Theories have resulted in the development of a high resolution germanium diode gamma spectrometer with an exceptionally low background. This paper describes the development of this system, outlines the configuration and operation of its preamplifier, linear amplifier, analog-to-digital converter, 4096-channel analyzer, shielding consisting of lead-sandwiched plastic scintillators wrapped in cadmium foil, photomultiplier, and its pulse generator and discriminator, and then discusses how the system can be utilized to significantly reduce the background in high resolution photon spectrometers at only moderate cost
A 3 cm 3 multichannel gamma spectrometer for DOE applications is under development by Digirad Corporation. The device is based on a position sensitive detector packaged in a compact multi-chip module (MCM) with integrated readout circuitry. The modular, multichannel design will enable identification and quantitative analysis of radionuclides in extended sources, or sources containing low levels of activity. The MCM approach has the advantages that the modules are designed for imaging applications, and the sensitivity can be arbitrarily increased by increasing the number of pixels, i.e. adding modules to the instrument. For a high sensitivity probe, the outputs for each pixel can be corrected for gain and offset variations, and summed digitally. Single pixel results obtained with discrete low noise readout indicate energy resolution of 3 keV can be approached with currently available CdZnTe. The energy resolution demonstrated to date with MCMs for 511 keV gamma rays is 10 keV
Full Text Available A portable gamma-rayspectrometer based on a Pocket PC has been developed. A 12-bit pipeline analog-to-digitalconverter (ADC associated with an implemented pulse height histogram function on field programmable gate array (FPGAoperating at 15 MHz is employed for pulse height analysis from built-in pulse amplifier. The system, which interfaces withthe Pocket PC via an enhanced RS-232 serial port under the microcontroller facilitation, is utilized for spectrum acquisition,display and analysis. The pulse height analysis capability of the system was tested and it was found that the ADC integralnonlinearity of ±0.45% was obtained with the throughput rate at 160 kcps. The overall system performance was tested usinga PIN photodiode-CsI(Tl crystal coupled scintillation detector and gamma standard radioactive sources of Cs-137 andCo-60. Low cost and the compact system size as a result of the implemented logical function are also discussed.
Model H-90A is a 4-channel differential Gamma-rayspectrometer with microcomputer. It consists of a console and NaI(TL) crystal detector with a diameter of φ75 mm x 75 mm. The instrument has excellent performance such as automatic spectrum stabilization, automatic regular timing measurement and automatic calculation of uranium, thorium and potassium contents and their ratios. Original data can be manually and automatically stored. The instrument is provided with shut down supply protective device, reading out can be repeated or be further processed through RS-232 interface output in the case of connection with computer. The working command is inputted by 'soft key' and performed by slice microcomputer automatically through software. It can be used not only in radioactive geological mapping, geochemical research and rapid field assay of radioactive elements in mineral and rock samples, but also for exploration and reconnaissance survey for uranium, thorium, potassium and seeking gold, as well as environmental monitoring
Observations for transient radiation made by the Gamma RaySpectrometer on the SMM satellite are summarized. Spectra were obtained from 215 solar flares and 177 gamma-ray bursts. No narrow or moderately broadened lines were observed in any of the bursts. The rate of bursts is consistent with a constant over the mission but is weakly correlated with solar activity. No evidence was found for bursts of 511 keV line emission, unaccompanied by a strong continuum, at levels not less than 0.05 gamma/sq cm s for bursts lasting not more than 16 s. No evidence was found for broad features near 1 MeV from Cyg X-1, the Galactic center, or the Crab in 12-d integrations at levels not less than 0.006 gamma/sq cm s. No evidence was found for transient celestial narrow-line emission from 300 keV to 7 MeV on min-to-hrs-long time scales from 1984 to 1989.
The X-rayspectrometer (XRS) onboard Suzaku is the first X-ray microcalorimeter array in orbit. The sensor array is operated at 60mK, which is attained by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator and superfluid liquid helium. The neon dewar is a vacuum-insulated container for the XRS. The requirements for the XRS dewar are to maintain the detector and the cryogenic system under the mechanical environment at launch ({approx}15G), and to attain a lifetime of 3 years in a near-earth orbit. It is characterized with adoptions of solid neon as the second cryogen and a mechanical cooler, design optimization of the support straps for the neon tank to reduce the heat load as much as possible, and shock absorbers to mitigate the mechanical environment at launch. Microphonics from the mechanical cooler was one of the concerns for the detector performance, but the ground test results proved that they do not interfere with the detector. After about 1 month in orbit, its thermal performance showed that the dewar potentially achieves its design goals.
The objective transmission grating was one of the earliest inventions in the field of X-ray astronomy and has been incorporated into Skylab, HERO-P, and EXOTAT. In recent years there have been advances in grating technology and spectrometer design. A high precision mechanical ruling and replication process for manufacturing large self-supporting transmission gratings has been developed by an industrial manufacturer in cooperation with the Max-Planck-Institute (MPI). Theoretical analyses have determined the optimum configuration of the grating facets and the grating surface in order to correct third order aberations and obtain maximum resolving power. We have verified experimentally that the predicted efficiencies may be achieved. In addition, an experimental study of large grating assemblies for space telescopes was made in industry with scientific guidance by MPI. Main objectives of this study were the determination of mechanical loads during launch, as well as the design, construction and fabrication of a representative model of a ROSAT grating ring. Performancy studies including instrument pro-perties as well as the simulated radiation from hot plasmas have shown the ability of SPECTROSAT to perform high efficiency, high resolution line-spectroscopy on a wide variety of cosmic X-ray sources.
The MESSENGER Gamma-RaySpectrometer (GRS) measures energy spectra of gamma rays emanating from the surface of Mercury. Analysis of these spectra provides elemental abundances of surface material. The MESSENGER mission necessarily provides some data normalization challenges for GRS analysis. So as to keep the spacecraft cool while orbiting the dayside of the planet, the orbits are highly eccentric, with altitudes varying from 200-500 km to ~ 15,000 km. A small fraction of time is spent at the low altitudes where gamma-ray signals are largest, requiring a large number of orbits to yield sufficient counting statistics for elemental analysis. Also, the sunshade must always shield the spacecraft from the Sun, which causes the orientation of the GRS often to be far from nadir-pointing, so the detector efficiency and attenuation of gamma rays from the planet must be known for a wide range of off-nadir orientations. An efficiency/attenuation map for the expected ranges of orientations and energies was constructed in a ground calibration experiment for a limited range of orientations using a nuclear reactor and radioisotope sources, and those results were extended to other orientations by radiation transport computations using as input a computer-aided design model of the spacecraft and its composition. This normalization has allowed abundance determinations of elements K, Th, and U from radioisotopes of these elements in the Mercury regolith during the first quarter of the year-long mission. These results provide constraints on models of Mercury's chemical and thermal evolution. The normalization of gamma-ray spectra for surface elements not having radioisotopes is considerably more complex; these gamma rays come from neutron inelastic-scatter and capture reactions in the regolith, where the neutrons are generated by cosmic ray impact onto the planet. A radiation transport computation was performed to generate the expected count rates in the neutron-generated gamma-ray
The documentation and software programs developed for the reception, initial processing (quickbook), and production analysis of data obtained by solar X-ray spectroscopy, stellar spectroscopy, and X-ray polarimetry experiments on OSO-8 are listed. The effectiveness and sensitivity of the Bragg crystal scattering instruments used are assessed. The polarization data polarimetric data obtained shows that some X-ray sources are polarized and that a larger polarimeter of this type is required to perform the measurements necessary to fully understand the physics of X-ray sources. The scanning Bragg crystal spectrometer was ideally suited for studying rapidly changing solar conditions. Observations of the Crab Nebula and pulsar, Cyg X-1, Cyg X-2, Cyg X-3, Sco X-1, Cen X-3, and Her X-1 are discussed as well as of 4U1656-53 and 4U1820-30. Evidence was obtained for iron line emission from Cyg X-3.
The filter-fluorescer spectrometer (FFS) is a powerful tool for measuring x-ray spectrum from high fluence x-ray sources. However, this technique is limited to energies less than 120 keV, because there are no practical absorption edges available above this energy. In this paper, we present a new method of utilizing the filter-fluorescer system for x-ray spectral measurement above 120 keV. The new apparatus is called hyper-filter-fluorescer spectrometer
A Philips 1220 X-rayspectrometer (semi-automatic) was fully automated by the addition of a custom-built automatic sample-loader constructed at the National Institute for Metallurgy and a Texas 980 A mini-computer. The mini-computer was interfaced to the existing control circuits of the X-rayspectrometer through a custom-built logic-circuit unit that controls the automatic sample-loader and X-rayspectrometer on instructions received from the mini-computer. The controlling software is written in BASIC
The project developed a new method for producing high quality mercuric iodide crystals of x-ray and gamma spectrometers. Included are characterization of mercuric iodide crystal properties as a function of growth environment and fabrication and demonstration of room-temperature-operated high-resolution mercuric iodide spectrometers
Wave length Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (WD-XRF) is a non-destructive well-established analytical technique widely used in industrial and research applications for materials characterization. In nuclear industry various types of alloys have been used as per their application and importance. Few of them like SS-304, SS-316 and SS-316L are being regularly used for manufacturing of glove boxes at AFFF SS-304 alloy has been used in glove boxes of production line of MOX fuel due to its corrosive resistance and SS-316L is being used in chemical quality control lab and microwave applicator due to its acidic resistivity. In view of this an endeavor has been taken up to characterize these alloy steel. The experiments were carried out using a Rigaku make 'supermini', WD-XRF spectrometer having 200W Pd X-ray tube, 12 sample holder position, scintillation and proportional counters as a detector. All the parameters such as kV, mA, collimator, crystal and detectors were selected and operated via computer as per the given programme except for the sample preparation. EZscan (Energy Atomic Number Scan) technique is applied for the analysis of the above samples and the results obtained were in close agreement with the standard values. The present paper describes the characterization of SS-304L and SS-316L which have got better corrosion resistance properties against acids due to its compositions and suited for glove box manufacturing. (author)
We discuss the performance simulation of the X-raySpectrometer in Chang'E-1 satellite based on Geant4 system. It is divided in three parts, the efficiency simulation, the energy spectrum response and direction response. It provides the guidance on making the spectrometer. (authors)
The application of a fully automatic Philips PW 1220 X-rayspectrometer to the analysis of slag and silicate materials is described. The controlling software, written in BASIC and the operational instructions for the automatic spectrometer as applied in this report are available on request
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Abstract ======== This data set consists of the MESSENGER GRS uncalibrated observations, also known as EDRs. The GRS experiment is a gamma rayspectrometer designed...
We have built a 36-pixel superconducting tunnel junction X-rayspectrometer for chemical analysis of dilute samples in the soft X-ray band. It offers an energy resolution of {approx}10-20 eV FWHM below 1 keV, a solid angle coverage of {approx}10{sup -3}, and can be operated at total rates of up to {approx}10{sup 6} counts/s. Here, we describe the spectrometer performance in speciation measurements by fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the Advanced Biological and Environmental X-ray facility at the ALS synchrotron.
We have built a 36-pixel high-resolution superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) soft X-rayspectrometer for chemical analysis of dilute metals by fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron. Soft X-ray absorption edges are preferred over traditional hard X-ray spectroscopy at the K-edges, since they have narrower natural linewidths and exhibit stronger chemical shifts. STJ detectors are preferred in the soft X-ray band over traditional Ge or grating spectrometers, since they have sufficient energy resolution to resolve transition metal L and M lines from light element K emission, and sufficient detection efficiency to measure the weak lines of dilute specimens within an acceptable time. We demonstrate the capabilities of our STJ spectrometer for chemical analysis with soft XAS measurements of molybdenum speciation on the Mo M{sub 4,5}-edges.
Prototype gamma-rayspectrometers utilizing xenon gas at high pressure, suitable for applications in the nuclear safeguards, arms control, and nonproliferation communities, have been developed at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). These spectrometers function as ambient-temperature ionization chambers detecting gamma rays with good efficiency in the energy range 50 keV - 2 MeV, with an energy resolution intermediate between semiconductor (Ge) and scintillation (NaI) spectrometers. They are capable of prolonged, low-power operation without a requirement for cryogenic fluids or other cooling mechanisms, and with the addition of small quantities of 3 He gas, can function simultaneously as efficient thermal neutron detectors
Filter-fluorescer x-rayspectrometer using solid state photo-detectors instead of the photomultiplier tubes in order to reduce the γ-ray background noise is reported. A significant reduction of the γ-ray background noise is expected, because solid state photo-detectors are very small in size compared with the photomultiplier tubes. It has been confirmed that the γ-ray background is reduced in the target irradiation experiments with the Gekko MII glass laser. (author)
The paper describes a multiplex coding system associated with a solid state spectrometer Si(Li) designed to be placed at the focus of a grazing incidence telescope. In this instrument the spectrometric and imaging functions are separated. The coding system consists in a movable mask with pseudo randomly distributed holes, located in the focal plane of the telescope. The pixel size lies in the range 100-200 microns. The close association of the coding system with a Si(Li) detector gives an imaging spectrometer combining the good efficiency (50% between 0,5 and 10 keV) and energy resolution (ΔE approximately 90 to 160 eV) of solid state spectrometers with the spatial resolution of the mask. Simulations and results obtained with a laboratory model are presented
High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy is a relatively new field that holds great promise for further understanding of high energy astrophysical processes. When the high resolution gamma-rayspectrometer (GRSE) was removed from the GRO payload, a balloon program was initiated to permit continued development and improvement of instrumentation in this field, as well as continued scientific observations. The Gamma-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (GRIS) is one of the experiments selected as part of this program. The instrument contains a number of new and innovative features that are expected to produce a significant improvement in source location accuracy and sensitivity over previous balloon and satellite experiments
Full Text Available Bruker™ EM27/SUN instruments are commercial mobile solar-viewing near-IR spectrometers. They show promise for expanding the global density of atmospheric column measurements of greenhouse gases and are being marketed for such applications. They have been shown to measure the same variations of atmospheric gases within a day as the high-resolution spectrometers of the Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON. However, there is little known about the long-term precision and uncertainty budgets of EM27/SUN measurements. In this study, which includes a comparison of 186 measurement days spanning 11 months, we note that atmospheric variations of Xgas within a single day are well captured by these low-resolution instruments, but over several months, the measurements drift noticeably. We present comparisons between EM27/SUN instruments and the TCCON using GGG as the retrieval algorithm. In addition, we perform several tests to evaluate the robustness of the performance and determine the largest sources of errors from these spectrometers. We include comparisons of XCO2, XCH4, XCO, and XN2O. Specifically we note EM27/SUN biases for January 2015 of 0.03, 0.75, –0.12, and 2.43 % for XCO2, XCH4, XCO, and XN2O respectively, with 1σ running precisions of 0.08 and 0.06 % for XCO2 and XCH4 from measurements in Pasadena. We also identify significant error caused by nonlinear sensitivity when using an extended spectral range detector used to measure CO and N2O.
An X-rayspectrometer which is sensitive in the 0.5-7-keV energy range and is intended for use onboard astronomical satellites has been studied. The Bragg reflected rays from a doubly bent crystal positioned downstream of the focal plane of a grazing-incidence concentrator are focused along the a...
A "stigmatic" focusing, Bragg crystal spectrometer was developed and used for high spectral resolution X-ray emission line diagnostics on hot laboratory plasmas. The concept be applied at the focal plane of an orbiting X-ray telescope where it offers several advantages over conventional spectrometers, i.e., mechanical simplicity, high resolving power and sensitivity, simultaneous measurement of an extended segment of spectrum, and good imaging properties. The instrument features a simple, unambiguous, non-scanning spectrum readout that is not adversely affected by either spacecraft pointing error or source extent. The performance of the instrument is estimated in the context of the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysical Facility mission.
Radioactivity induced in detectors by protons and secondary neutrons limits the sensitivity of spaceborne gamma-rayspectrometers. Three dimensional Monte Carlo transport codes have been employed to simulate particle transport of cosmic rays and inner-belt protons in various representations of the Gamma Ray Observatory Spacecraft and the Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment. Results are used to accurately quantify the contributions to the radioactive background, assess shielding options and examine the effect of detector and space-craft orientation in anisotropic trapped proton fluxes. (author)
The use of barium based products in protective barrier materials proved successful for many years until their cost of manufacture and increases in labour costs for fixing and stopping saw the introduction of lead ply as the material of choice in diagnostic X-raysuites. Whilst the advantage of sheet lead as a barrier for diagnostic X-rays, where the photoelectric effect predominates is recognised, this precedence is somewhat negated by the high cost of manufacture and delays in supply. Lead lined ply also requires external cladding after erection for an acceptable finish to be obtained. Such cost increases have prompted us to re-evaluate the use of precast barium plaster sheets (Barytes Board) as an alternative barrier material
A bent quartz crystal spectrometer of the Johann type with a spectral resolution of lambda/Δlambda = 10,000 to 25,000 is used on TFTR to determine central plasma parameters from the spectra of heliumlike and lithiumlike metal impurity ions (Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni). The spectra are observed along a central radial chord and are recorded by a position sensitive multiwire proportional counter with a spatial resolution of 250. Standard delay-line time-difference readout is employed. The data are histogrammed and stored in 64k of memory providing 128 time groups of 512-channel spectra. The central ion temperature and the toroidal plasma rotation are inferred from the Doppler broadening and Doppler shift of the K lines. The central electron temperature, the distribution of ionization states, and dielectronic recombination rates are obtained from satellite-to-resonance line ratios. The performance of the spectrometer is demonstrated by measurements of the Ti XXI K radiation
There is a need for higher resolution spectrometers as a tool for inelastic x-ray scattering. Currently, resolving power around R = 10,000 is advertised. Measured RIXS spectra are often limited by this instrumental resolution and higher resolution spectrometers using conventional gratings would be prohibitively large. We are engaged in a development program to build blazed multilayer grating structures for diffracting soft x-rays in high order. This leads to spectrometers with dispersion much higher than is possible using metal coated-gratings. The higher dispersion then provides higher resolution and the multilayer gratings are capable of operating away from grazing incidence as required. A spectrometer design is presented with a total length 3.8 m and capable of 10 5 resolving power.
There is a need for higher resolution spectrometers as a tool for inelastic x-ray scattering. Currently, resolving power around R = 10,000 is advertised. Measured RIXS spectra are often limited by this instrumental resolution and higher resolution spectrometers using conventional gratings would be prohibitively large. We are engaged in a development program to build blazed multilayer grating structures for diffracting soft x-rays in high order. This leads to spectrometers with dispersion much higher than is possible using metal coated-gratings. The higher dispersion then provides higher resolution and the multilayer gratings are capable of operating away from grazing incidence as required. A spectrometer design is presented with a total length 3.8m and capable of 10 5 resolving power.
Background spectra of several spectrometers have been recorded in a deep underground laboratory located in the Frejus tunnel. The results show that an α ray induced background from the 210 Pb decay is observed. A possible explanation could be related to the adsorption of the Rn gas on the surfaces of the Ge crystal and/or other parts during the assembly of the spectrometer. (orig.)
The high resolution X-Ray crystal spectrometer at the JET tokamak has been upgraded with the main goal of measuring the tungsten impurity concentration. This is important for understanding impurity accumulation in the plasma after installation of the JET ITER-like wall (main chamber: Be, divertor: W). This contribution provides details of the upgraded spectrometer with a focus on the aspects important for spectral analysis and plasma parameter calculation. In particular, we describe the determination of the spectrometer sensitivity: important for impurity concentration determination.
Problems and possibilities of applying semiconductor detector spectrometers in radiometric analyses are described. A summary of the state of the art and tendencies of device engineering and spectra evaluation is given. Liquid-nitrogen cooled Li-drifted Si-detectors and high-purity Ge-detectors are compared. Semiconductor detectors working at room temperature are under development. In this connection CdTe and HgI 2 semiconductor detectors are compared. The use of small efficient computers in the spectrometer systems stimulates the development of algorithms for spectra analyses and for determining the concentration. Fields of application of energy dispersive X-rayspectrometers are X-ray diffraction and X-ray macroanalysis in investigating the structure of extensive surface regions
GRIS is a prospective experiment designed to measure hard X-rays and γ-rays of solar flares in the energy range from 50 keV to 200 MeV as well as solar neutrons > 30 MeV. This study considers results of GEANT 4 simulation of GRIS detectors response to cosmic background radiation and to the solar flare SOL2002-07-23 (X4.8). It is shown that the GRIS spectrometers have enough sensitivity and energy resolution to measure redshifts of some narrow γ-rays in flare spectra, that the low energy thresholds of the detectors can be lowered considerably without a risk of counting rate saturation during high magnitude flares and that at a choice between LaBr 3 (Ce) and CeBr 3 the second one is a preferable scintillator for a hard X-ray and γ-rayspectrometer of solar flares. (paper)
Two calculational methods for analyzing the spectrum which measured by indoor low background multi-channels gamma-raysspectrometer (Na(Tl)) to get the specific activity of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K of the sample are discussed, they are the spectrum analysis method and the characteristic energy peak method (inverse matrix method) respectively. The sample spectrum are analyzed with the program designed according to the two methods, and compared with the results by HPGe gamma-raysspectrometer, showing that the relative deviation is ≤10% with the two methods. (authors)
Mercuric iodide (HgI 2 ) exhibits properties which make it attractive for use as a solid state nuclear radiation detector. The wide bandgap (E g = 2.1 eV) and low dark current allow room temperature operation, while the high atomic number provides a large gamma-ray cross section. However, poor hole transport has been a major limitation in the routine fabrication of high-resolution spectrometers using this material. This paper presents the results of gamma-ray response and charge transport parameter measurements conducted during the past year at EG ampersand G/EM on 96 HgI 2 spectrometers. The gamma-ray response measurements reveal that detector quality is correlated with the starting material used in the crystal growth. In particular, an increased yield of high-resolution spectrometers was obtained from HgI 2 which was synthesized by precipitation from an aqueous solution, as opposed to using material from commercial vendors. Data are also presented which suggest that better spectrometer performance is tied to improved hole transport. Finally, some initial results on a study of detector uniformity reveal spatial variations which may explain why the correlation between hole transport parameters and spectrometer performance is sometimes violated. 6 refs., 3 figs
New mobile analytical device based on combination of X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectrometer has been developed for prompt and quantitative characterization of chemical component from Al to U in nuclear waste or undeclared materials. The excitation source of the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer is an air-cooled X-ray tube with Ag transmission anode. For collection of secondary X-ray photons and data processing, a compact Amptek X-ray detector system is applied with silicon drift X-ray detector. The XRF system operates in confocal mode with focal volume around 1-4 mm 3 . Varying the geometrical position and orientation of the sample optional part of its surface can be analyzed. The Raman unit includes thermoelectrically cooled laser source having 500 mW power at wavelength 785 nm. In order to obtain spectral information from sample surface a reflection-type probe is connected by optical fibres to the Raman spectrometer. A mini focusing optics is set up to the sensor-fibre that provides the system to operate as confocal optical device in reflection mode. The XRF spectrometer with X-ray detector, Raman probe and X-ray tube are mechanically fixed and hermetically connected to an aluminium chamber, which can be optionally filled with helium. The chamber is mounted on a vertical stage that provides moving it to the sample surface. A new model and computer code have been developed for XRF quantitative analysis which describes the mathematical relationship between the concentration of sample elements and their characteristic X-ray intensities. For verification of the calculations standard reference alloy samples were measured. The results was in good agreement with certified concentrations in range of 0.001-100 w%. According to these numerical results this new method is successfully applicable for quick and non-destructive quantitative analysis of waste materials without using standard samples. (author)
The WINKLER spectrometer is a matrix of nine high-purity {ital n}-type germanium detectors developed for astrophysical observations and terrestrial radiation monitoring. The spectrometer has been fitted with a set of modulation collimator grids designed for imaging hard x-ray and gamma-ray sources by the Mertz, Nakano, and Kilner method. This technique employs a pair of gridded collimators in front of each detector with the number of grid bars varying from one to {ital N}, where {ital N} is the number of detectors. When the collimator pairs are rotated through a full 360-degree angular range, the detector signals provide the information for a two-dimensional band-limited Fourier reconstruction of order {ital N}. Tests of the spectrometer with single and multiple point sources as well as continuous source distributions are reported.
X-ray spectroscopy is the primary tool for performing atomic physics with Electron beam ion trap (EBITs). X-ray instruments have generally fallen into two general categories, 1) dispersive instruments with very high spectral resolving powers but limited spectral range, limited count rates, and require an entrance slit, generally, for EBITs, defined by the electron beam itself, and 2) non-dispersive solid-state detectors with much lower spectral resolving powers but that have a broad dynamic range, high count rate ability and do not require a slit. Both of these approaches have compromises that limit the type and efficiency of measurements that can be performed. In 1984 NASA initiated a program to produce a non-dispersive instrument with high spectral resolving power for x-ray astrophysics based on the cryogenic x-ray calorimeter. This program produced the XRS non-dispersive spectrometers on the Astro-E, Astro-E2 (Suzaku) orbiting observatories, the SXS instrument on the Astro-H observatory, and the planned XMS instrument on the International X-ray Observatory. Complimenting these spaceflight programs, a permanent high-resolution x-ray calorimeter spectrometer, the XRS/EBIT, was installed on the LLNL EBIT in 2000. This unique instrument was upgraded to a spectral resolving power of 1000 at 6 keV in 2003 and replaced by a nearly autonomous production-class spectrometer, the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS), in 2007. The ECS spectrometer has a simultaneous bandpass from 0.07 to over 100 keV with a spectral resolving power of 1300 at 6 keV with unit quantum efficiency, and 1900 at 60 keV with a quantum efficiency of 30%. X-ray calorimeters are event based, single photon spectrometers with event time tagging to better than 10 us. We are currently developing a follow-on instrument based on a newer generation of x-ray calorimeters with a spectral resolving power of 3000 at 6 keV, and improved timing and measurement cadence. The unique capabilities of the x-ray
An efficient, high-resolution, vertical-focusing, Bragg crystal x-rayspectrometer has been specifically designed and constructed for use in measurements of x rays produced in collisions of energetic heavy ions. In this report the design and resulting operational characteristics of the final instrument are fully described. A wide variety of sample data is also included to illustrate the utility of this device in several areas of research. 14 refs., 38 figs
The TRIUMF-ISAC gamma-ray escape-suppressed spectrometer (TIGRESS) is a new γ-ray detector array being developed for use at TRIUMF's Isotope Separator and Accelerator (ISAC) radioactive ion beam facility. TIGRESS will comprise 12 32-fold segmented clover-type HPGe detectors coupled with 20-fold segmented modular Compton suppression shields and custom digital signal processing electronics. This paper provides an overview of the TIGRESS project and progress in its development to date.
To determine the calibration factors of an airborne gamma-rayspectrometer measuring large area gamma-ray emitting source at deferent flying height, a series of Monte Carlo simulations were drawn. Response energy spectrums of NaI crystals in airplane caused by nature-decay-series calibration-pads, and calibration factors on different heights above Cs-137 plane source, were obtained. The calculated results agreed with the experimental data well. (authors)
Solar Orbiter is a Sun-observing mission led by the European Space Agency, addressing the interaction between the Sun and the heliosphere. It will carry ten instruments, among them the X-ray imaging spectrometer STIX. STIX will determine the intensity, spectrum, timing, and location of thermal and accelerated electrons near the Sun through their bremsstrahlung X-ray emission. This report gives a brief overview of the STIX scientific goals and covers in more detail the instrument design and challenges
The test principle, test set and surveying methods for conducting gamma-ray spectrometry on conveyer are presented. The conversion coefficient of the spectrometer has been found by using duallinear regression analysis of uranium and radon and their higher and lower bands of gamma-ray spectra. The efficient equilibrium factor can be quickly determined, and the direct determination of uranium in the non-equilibrium condition of uranium and radium can be made
This report discusses the various problems which are encountered when a crystal spectrometer is used for the purpose of observing polarized x-ray lines. A polarimeter is proposed based on the novel idea of using two series of equivalent atomic planes in a single crystal. The present status of the astronomical x-ray detection techniques are described with emphasis on two dimensional detectors which are polarization sensitive. (author)
A review of the different curves for the efficiency fit of a high resolution gamma-rayspectrometer was made. These curves are used to fit the efficiency of our detector system. In order to study the goodness of the different fits various standards were used, and the ICRP GAM-83 exercise results were employed. (author)
Solar X-raySpectrometer (SOXS)' mission, which was launched onboard GSAT-2 Indian spacecraft on 08 May 2003 by GSLV-D2 rocket to study the solar flares. The SOXS Low Energy Detector (SLD) payload was designed, developed and ...
Jan 27, 2016 ... We present the first results from the 'Low Energy Detector' payload of 'Solar X-raySpectrometer (SOXS)' mission, which was launched onboard GSAT-2 Indian spacecraft on 08 May 2003 by GSLV-D2 rocket to study the solar flares. The SOXS Low Energy Detector (SLD) payload was designed, developed ...
The Paranaguá Terrane, located in the coastal portion of the states of Santa Catarina, Paraná and São Paulo in Southern Brazil is a crustal segment constituted mainly by an igneous complex, with a variety of granitic rocks inserted into the Serra do Mar ridge. The average altitude is approximately 1200 m above sea level, with peaks of up to 1800 m. Due to the difficulty of accessing the area, a shortage of outcrops and the thick weathering mantle, this terrane is understudied. This research aims to evaluate the gamma-ray spectrometry data of the granitic suites of the Paranaguá Terrane, in correspondence with the geological, petrographical, lithogeochemical, relief and mass movement information available in the literature. Aerogeophysical data were acquired along north-south lines spaced at 500 m, with a mean terrain clearance of 100 m. These data cover potassium (K, %), equivalent in thorium (eTh, ppm) and equivalent in uranium (eU, ppm). After performing a critical analysis of the data, basic (K, eU, eTh) and ternary (R-K/G-eTh/B-eU) maps were generated and then superimposed on the digital elevation model (DEM). The investigation of the radionuclide mobility across the relief and weathering mantle consisted of an analysis of the schematic profiles of elevation related with each radionuclide; a comparison of the K, eU and eTh maps with their 3D correspondents; and the study of mass movements registered in the region. A statistical comparison of lithogeochemical (K, U, Th) and geophysical (K, eU, eTh) data showed consistency in all the granitic suites studied (Morro Inglês, Rio do Poço and Canavieiras-Estrela). Through gamma-ray spectrometry, it was possible to establish relationships between scars (from mass movements) and the gamma-ray responses as well as the radionuclide mobility and the relief and to map the granitic bodies.
The PorGamRays project aims to develop a portable gamma-ray detection system with both spectroscopic and imaging capabilities. The system is designed around a stack of thin Cadmium Zinc Telluride (CZT) detectors. The imaging capability utilises the Compton camera principle. Each detector is segmented into 100 pixels which are read out through custom designed Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). This device has potential applications in the security, decommissioning and medical fields. This work focuses on the near-field imaging performance of a lab-based demonstrator consisting of two pixelated CZT detectors, each of which is bonded to a NUCAM II ASIC. Measurements have been made with point {sup 133}Ba and {sup 57}Co sources located {approx}35mm from the surface of the scattering detector. Position resolution of {approx}20mm FWHM in the x and y planes is demonstrated.
X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy has become a widely accepted method in the metallurgical field for analysis of both minor and major elements. As encountered in many other analytical techniques, the problem of matrix effect generally known as the interelemental effects is to be dealt with effectively in order to make the analysis accurate. There are several methods by which the effects of matrix on the analyte are minimised or corrected for and the mathematical correction is one among them. In this method the characteristic secondary X-ray intensities are measured from standard samples and correction coefficients. If any, for interelemental effects are evaluated by mathematical calculations. This paper describes attempts to evaluate the correction coefficients for interelemental effects by multiple linear regression programmes using a computer for the quantitative analysis of stainless steel and a nickel base cast alloy. The quantitative results obtained using this method for a standard stainless steel sample are compared with the given certified values. (author)
The X-RaySpectrometer (XRS) instrument of Suzaku provided the first measurement of the non-X-ray background (NXB) of an X-ray calorimeter spectrometer, but the data set was limited. The Soft X-raySpectrometer (SXS) instrument of Hitomi was able to provide a more detailed picture of X-ray calorimeter background, with more than 360 ks of data while pointed at the Earth, and a comparable amount of blank-sky data. These data are important not only for analyzing SXS science data, but also for categorizing the contributions to the NXB in X-ray calorimeters as a class. In this paper, we present the contributions to the SXS NXB, the types and effectiveness of the screening, the interaction of the screening with the broad-band redistribution, and the residual background spectrum as a function of magnetic cut-off rigidity. The orbit-averaged SXS NXB in the range 0.3-12 keV was 4 × 10-2 counts s-1 cm-2. This very low background in combination with groundbreaking spectral resolution gave SXS unprecedented sensitivity to weak spectral lines.
High resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy is a relatively new field that holds great promise for further understanding of high energy astrophysical processes. Preliminary results such as the annihilation radiation from the galactic center, the 26 Al line from the galactic plane and cyclotron lines from neutron stars may well be just the initial discoveries of a rich and as yet undeveloped field. When the high resolution gamma-rayspectrometer (GRSE) was removed from the GRO payload NASA decided to initiate a balloon program to permit continued development and improvement of instrumentation in this field, as well as continued scientific observations. The Gamma-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (GRIS) is one of the experiments selected as part of this program. The instrument contains a number of new and innovative features that are expected to produce a significant improvement in source location accuracy and sensitivity over previous balloon and satellite experiments. 6 refs., 2 figs
Hard X-ray spectroscopy is an essential diagnostics used to understand physical processes that take place in high energy density plasmas produced by intense laser-plasma interactions. A bundle of hard X-ray detectors, of which the responses have different energy thresholds, is used as a conventional single-shot spectrometer for high-flux (>10{sup 13} photons/shot) hard X-rays. However, high energy resolution (Δhv/hv < 0.1) is not achievable with a differential energy threshold (DET) X-rayspectrometer because its energy resolution is limited by energy differences between the response thresholds. Experimental demonstration of a Compton X-rayspectrometer has already been performed for obtaining higher energy resolution than that of DET spectrometers. In this paper, we describe design details of the Compton X-rayspectrometer, especially dependence of energy resolution and absolute response on photon-electron converter design and its background reduction scheme, and also its application to the laser-plasma interaction experiment. The developed spectrometer was used for spectroscopy of bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by intense laser-plasma interactions using a 200 μm thickness SiO{sub 2} converter. The X-ray spectrum obtained with the Compton X-rayspectrometer is consistent with that obtained with a DET X-rayspectrometer, furthermore higher certainly of a spectral intensity is obtained with the Compton X-rayspectrometer than that with the DET X-rayspectrometer in the photon energy range above 5 MeV.
An instrument was fabricated for use of x-ray resonant inelastic scattering with high-energy resolution in expectation of finding new physical phenomena in strongly correlated electron systems. In the scattering x-rayspectrometer, an asymmetric Johanson crystal spectrometer, which was deployed in an asymmetric Rowland configuration, was designed, fabricated and assessed. The performance expected theoretically for the Johanson spectrometer was recognized from experiments by use of synchrotron radiation. (Y. Kazumata)
Here we present an operational method to improve accuracy and information content of ground-based measurements of stratospheric NO 2 . The motive is to improve the investigation of trends in NO 2 , and is important because the current trend in NO 2 appears to contradict the trend in its source, suggesting that the stratospheric circulation has changed. To do so, a new software package for retrieving NO 2 vertical profiles from slant columns measured by zenith-sky spectrometers has been created. It uses a Rodgers optimal linear inverse method coupled with a radiative transfer model for calculations of transfer functions between profiles and columns, and a chemical box model for taking into account the NO 2 variations during twilight and during the day. Each model has parameters that vary according to season and location. Forerunners of each model have been previously validated. The scheme maps random errors in the measurements and systematic errors in the models and their parameters on to the retrieved profiles. Initialisation for models is derived from well-established climatologies. The software has been tested by comparing retrieved profiles to simultaneous balloon-borne profiles at mid-latitudes in spring
Here we present an operational method to improve accuracy and information content of ground-based measurements of stratospheric NO{sub 2}. The motive is to improve the investigation of trends in NO{sub 2}, and is important because the current trend in NO{sub 2} appears to contradict the trend in its source, suggesting that the stratospheric circulation has changed. To do so, a new software package for retrieving NO{sub 2} vertical profiles from slant columns measured by zenith-sky spectrometers has been created. It uses a Rodgers optimal linear inverse method coupled with a radiative transfer model for calculations of transfer functions between profiles and columns, and a chemical box model for taking into account the NO{sub 2} variations during twilight and during the day. Each model has parameters that vary according to season and location. Forerunners of each model have been previously validated. The scheme maps random errors in the measurements and systematic errors in the models and their parameters on to the retrieved profiles. Initialisation for models is derived from well-established climatologies. The software has been tested by comparing retrieved profiles to simultaneous balloon-borne profiles at mid-latitudes in spring.
The application of a space-resolving spectrometer to X-ray Thomson Scattering (XRTS) experiments has the potential to advance the study of warm dense matter. This has motivated the design of a spherical crystal spectrometer, which is a doubly focusing geometry with an overall high sensitivity and the capability of providing high-resolution, space-resolved spectra. A detailed analysis of the image fluence and crystal throughput in this geometry is carried out and analytical estimates of these quantities are presented. This analysis informed the design of a new spectrometer intended for future XRTS experiments on the Z-machine. The new spectrometer collects 6 keV x-rays with a spherically bent Ge (422) crystal and focuses the collected x-rays onto the Rowland circle. The spectrometer was built and then tested with a foam target. The resulting high-quality spectra prove that a spherical spectrometer is a viable diagnostic for XRTS experiments.
Safeguards isotopic measurements require the best spectrometer systems with excellent resolution, stability and throughput. Up until about a year ago, gamma ray spectroscopy has always been done using the analog amplifier, which processes the pulses from the preamplifier to remove the noise, reject the pile up signals, and shape the signals into some desirable form before sending them to the analog to digital converter (ADC) to be digitized. In late 1996, EG and G Ortec introduced a digital gamma rayspectrometer (DSPec) which uses digital technology to analyze the preamplifiers' pulses from all types of germanium and silicon detectors. Considering its performance, digital based spectroscopy may become the way of future gamma ray spectroscopy
The XSST (X-RaySpectrometer/Spectrograph Telescope) rocket payload launched by a Nike Boosted Black Brant was designed to provide high spectral resolution coronal soft X-ray line information on a spectrographic plate, as well as time resolved photo-electric records of pre-selected lines and spectral regions. This spectral data is obtained from a 1 x 10 arc second solar region defined by the paraboloidal telescope of the XSST. The transition region camera provided full disc images in selected spectral intervals originating in lower temperature zones than the emitting regions accessible to the XSST. A H-alpha camera system allowed referencing the measurements to the chromospheric temperatures and altitudes. Payload flight and recovery information is provided along with X-ray photoelectric and UV flight data, transition camera results and a summary of the anomalies encountered. Instrument mechanical stability and spectrometer pointing direction are also examined.
The authors described the method and results for determination of seven radionuclides: 238 U, 235 U, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 40 K, 60 Co and 137 Cs in the river sediment Certified Reference Material (CRM) using a HPGe gamma-rayspectrometer. The accuracy and reliability of measurement results were improved through varieties of techniques, which include: precise calibration of the gamma-rayspectrometer, coincidence summing correction and interference peak correction, two kinds of peak analysis methods (TPA and function fit), and utilization of as many as possible characteristic gamma-rays. Present measurement results for the seven radionuclides were in agreement with the verification results of the CRM with 1 σ or 2σ uncertainty, and its relative deviation were in the range of +1.0%--6.5%
A matrix-independent fundamental parameter-based calibration model for an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer has been developed. This model, which is part of a fundamental parameter approach quantification method, accounts for both the excitation and detection probability. For each...... secondary target a number of relative calibration constants are calculated on the basis of knowledge of the irradiation geometry, the detector specifications, and tabulated fundamental physical parameters. The absolute calibration of the spectrometer is performed by measuring one pure element standard per...
A high resolution fluorescence spectrometer using a Johann geometry in a back scattering arrangement was developed. The spectrometer, with a resolution of 0.3 eV at 6.5 keV, combined with an incident beam, with a resolution of 0.7 eV, form the basis of a high resolution instrument for measuring x-ray absorption spectra. The advantages of the instrument are illustrated with the near edge absorption spectrum of dysprosium nitrate. 10 refs., 4 figs
A new X-rayspectrometer developed in ATOMKI is described. The measuring head contains a p-type Si(Li) detector surrounded by an Al collimator, a charge sensitive preamplifier and a vacuum cryostat. The analog pulse processor uses filters with variable parameters. The characteristic properties of the spectrometer (energy resolution, its dependence on load, stability) are investigated. The background is measured using three different radioactive sources and the results are compared with those of other pulse forming techniques. (D.Gy.)
The regional radiometric gamma-ray spectrometry map of Syria, scaled 1/1000000, for surficial concentration of the total radioactivity (Ur), eU, eTh and %K was completely achieved after normalizing the airborne and carbon data sets to match each other. It worthy notice that, the anomalies found to be closely related to either phosphate and/or glauconite deposits. It is worth mentioning that throughout the survey work many scattered occurrences of secondary uranium mineralization were found as spots in some formations and phosphate rocks. Where this phenomena attributes to chemical and physical disseminating instead of accumulating the radioelements. So, that leads to a weak expectation for usual surface uranium deposits where attributed to the oxidizing condition. Then this expectation remains, as an open question requires answering through planning to subsurface prospecting. (Author)
A novel, light-weight, hand-held gamma-ray detector with directional sensitivity is being designed. The detector uses a set of multiple rings around two cylindrical surfaces, which provides precise location of two interaction points on two concentric cylindrical planes, wherefrom the source location can be traced back by back projection and/or Compton imaging technique. The detectors are 2.0 × 2.0 mm europium-doped strontium iodide (SrI2:Eu2+) crystals, whose light output has been measured to exceed 120,000 photons/MeV, making it one of the brightest scintillators in existence. The crystal’s energy resolution, less than 3% at 662 keV, is also excellent, and the response is highly linear over a wide range of gamma-ray energies. The emission of SrI2:Eu2+ is well matched to both photo-multiplier tubes and blue-enhanced silicon photodiodes. The solid-state photomultipliers used in this design (each 2.0 × 2.0 mm) are arrays of active pixel sensors (avalanche photodiodes driven beyond their breakdown voltage in reverse bias); each pixel acts as a binary photon detector, and their summed output is an analog representation of the total photon energy, while the individual pixel accurately defines the point of interaction. A simple back-projection algorithm involving cone-surface mapping is being modeled. The back projection for an event cone is a conical surface defining the possible location of the source. The cone axis is the straight line passing through the first and second interaction points.
In order to obtain information on radioactive background induced in the Apollo 15 and 16 gamma-rayspectrometers (7 cm x 7 cm NaI) by particle irradiation during spaceflight, and identical detector was flown and returned to earth on the Apollo 17 mission. The induced radioactivity was monitored both internally and externally from one and a half hours after splashdown. When used in conjunction with a computation scheme for estimating induced activation from calculated trapped proton and cosmic-ray fluences, these results show an important contribution resulting from both thermal and energetic neutrons produced in the heavy spacecraft by cosmic-ray interactions.
We are developing high-resolution cryogenic gamma-rayspectrometers for nuclear science and non-proliferation applications. The gamma-ray detectors are composed of a bulk superconducting Sn foil absorber attached to multilayer Mo/Cu transition-edge sensors (TES). The energy resolution achieved with a 1 x 1 x 0.25 mm 3 Sn absorber is 50 -90eV for γ-rays up to 100 keV and it decreases for large absorber sizes. We discuss the trade-offs between energy resolution and dynamic range, as well as development of TES arrays for higher count rates and better sensitivity
We are developing high-resolution cryogenic gamma-rayspectrometers for nuclear science and non-proliferation applications. The gamma-ray detectors are composed of a bulk superconducting Sn foil absorber attached to a multilayer Mo/Cu transition-edge sensor (TES). The energy resolution of a detector with a 1x1x0.25 mm{sup 3} Sn absorber is 50-90 eV FWHM for {gamma}-rays up to 100 keV, and it decreases for larger absorbers. Here, we present the detector performance for different absorber volumes, and discuss the trade-offs between energy resolution and dynamic range.
A portable X-ray diffractometer equipped with an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer was improved so as to obtain a diffraction pattern and a fluorescence spectrum in air from one and the same small area of a specimen. The reason why the portable XRD with an XRF spectrometer was specially designed for archaeology may be understood from the following facts: (1) some objects exhibited in museums are not allowed to be transferred from the open air to a vacuum, even if their volumes are small; (2) some objects are very difficult to move from their original sites; (3) some parts of exhibits are extremely fragile and cannot be examined in a vacuum; and (4) information on the chemical composition and structure from the same area of an object offers a better understanding of the constitutive materials of the object. Some examples of the use of a portable X-ray diffractometer equipped with an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer in the field are also introduced. Experimental results of Sho-kannon, Snew's mask and Tutankhamun's golden mask are shown here. (author)
The use of Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTS) in the soft x-ray region is advocated as a possible route to spectral resolution superior to that attainable with a grating system. A technical plan is described for applying FTS to the study of the absorption spectrum of helium in the region of double ionization around 60--80 eV. The proposed scheme includes a Mach-Zehnder interferometer deformed into a rhombus shape to provide grazing incidence reflections. The path difference between the interfering beams is to be tuned by translation of a table carrying four mirrors over a range ±1 cm which, in the absence of errors generating relative tilts of the wave fronts, would provide a resolving power equal to the number of waves of path difference: half a million at 65 eV, for example. The signal-to-noise ratio of the spectrum is analyzed and for operation on an Advanced Light Source bending magnet beam line should be about 330
This report describes the application of portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry to characterize materials related to deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) of contaminated facilities. Two portable XRF instruments manufactured by TN Spectrace were used in a technology evaluation as part of the Large-Scale Demonstration Project (LSDP) held at the Chicago Pile-5 Research Reactor (CP-5) located at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). The LSDP is sponsored by the US Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science and Technology, Deactivation and Decommissioning Focus Are (DDFA). The objective of the LSDP is to demonstrate innovative technologies or technology applications potentially beneficial to the D and D of contaminated facilities. The portable XRF technology offers several potential benefits for rapid characterization of facility components and contaminants, including significant cost reduction, fast turnaround time,a nd virtually no secondary waste. Field work for the demonstration of the portable XRF technology was performed from August 28--September 3, 1996 and October 30--December 13, 1996
Beta-decay studies are one of the main goals of the DEcay SPECtroscopy experiment (DESPEC) to be installed at the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). DESPEC aims at the study of nuclear structure of exotic nuclei. A new modular Decay Total Absorption gamma-raySpectrometer (DTAS) is being built at IFIC and is specially adapted to studies at fragmentation facilities such as the Super Fragment Separator (Super-FRS) at FAIR. The designed spectrometer is composed of 16 identical NaI(Tl) scintillation crystals. This work focuses on the characterization of these independent modules, as an initial step for the characterization of the full spectrometer. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed in order to understand the detector response.
In this work, we have built a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometer in a planar configuration coupled to a Raman head and a digital optical microscope, for in situ analysis. Several geometries for the XRF apparatus and digital microscope are possible in order to overcome spatial constraints and provide better measurement conditions. With this combined spectrometer, we are now able to perform XRF and Raman measurements in the same point without the need for sample collection, which can be crucial when dealing with cultural heritage objects, as well as forensic analysis. We show the capabilities of the spectrometer by measuring several standard reference materials, as well as other samples usually encountered in cultural heritage, geological, as well as biomedical studies.
LAXRIS (large area x-ray imaging spectrometer) is an experimental, balloon-borne, hard x-ray telescope that consists of a coaligned array of x-ray imaging spectrometer modules capable of obtaining high angular resolution (1--3 arcminutes) with moderate energy resolution in the 20- to 300-keV region. Each spectrometer module consists of a CsI(Na) crystal coupled to a position-sensitive phototube with a crossed-wire, resistive readout. Imaging is provided by a coded aperture mask with a 4-m focal length. The high angular resolution is coupled with rather large area (/approximately/800 cm 2 ) to provide good sensitivity. Results are presented on performance and overall design. Sensitivity estimates are derived from a Monte-Carlo code developed to model the LAXRIS response to background encountered at balloon altitudes. We discuss a variety of observations made feasible by high angular resolution. For instance, spatially resolving the nonthermal x-ray emission from clusters of galaxies is suggested as an ideal program for LAXRIS. 15 refs., 5 figs
Extensive studies have been carried out on the structure of X-ray spectra from the highly stripped ions of first transition elements and their behavior in high temperature plasma, using a high resolution crystal spectrometer. Calculation was made on the design and the use of a curved crystal spectrometer for plasma diagnostics. A Johann type crystal spectrometer for measuring X-ray lines was constructed on the basis of the calculation. The characteristics of curved crystals of LiF, Ge and quartz used for the measurement of Kα lines from first transition elements were investigated. Vacuum sparks have been formed for producing high temperature plasma which emits X-ray lines from highly stripped ions. Two different structures of vacuum spark plasma were shown, that is, thermalized point plasma and extended plasma associated with non-thermal electrons. The X-ray lines from the extended plasma, those associated with the K shell from the point plasma and the Kα lines of Ti through Zn from the point plasma have been observed. (Kako, I.)
Two portable NaI(Tl) spectrometers with four energy windows were used for the recording of gamma-ray counts over soil and rock of differing natural radioactivity. The exposure rates at the field sites were simultaneously measured with a high-pressure argon ionization chamber. Background measureme......Two portable NaI(Tl) spectrometers with four energy windows were used for the recording of gamma-ray counts over soil and rock of differing natural radioactivity. The exposure rates at the field sites were simultaneously measured with a high-pressure argon ionization chamber. Background...... measurements at sea were carried out in order to estimate the non-terrestrial contributions to the instrument readings. Counts recorded in the three high-energy windows of the spectrometers were converted into radiometrically equivalent concentrations of thorium, uranium, and potassium in the ground. Large....... The theoretical exposure rates deducible from the experimental radioelement concentrations at the field sites were in good agreement both with the ionization-chamber readings (corrected for cosmic-ray background) and with the exposure rates measured by total gamma-ray counting. From this and other results...
An X-ray bent-crystal spectrometer, which is developed by Southwestern Institute of Physics, has been aligned and experimental on the HL-1 Tokamak device. It has been used to acquire experimental spectrum. This spectrometer has time resolution function and is a high through-put and high resolution Bragg crystal spectrometer with Johann configuration. It uses a large quartz lamina, its effective area is 11 x 5 cm 2 , with a radius of curvature of 377 cm as the dispersion element. The detector is a large size (10 x 10 cm 2 ) one-dimensional resolving multiwire proportional counter, and the spectral resolving power is R ≅ 18000. Under the injection of Ar into hydrogen plasma, the He-like Ar ion satellite spectra at some wavelength ranges are obtained. The central ion temperature has been given out from the Doppler broadening of He-like Ar x VII 3.9457 angstrom resonance line. This shows the success of spectrometer developed. The experimental results and the further improvement of this spectrometer are also discussed
A monolithic spectrometer is disclosed for use in spectroscopy. The spectrometer is a single body of translucent material with positioned surfaces for the transmission, reflection and spectral analysis of light rays.
The high resolving measurement of hard X-ray spectra generated in laser-produced plasma is usually performed using a cylindrically curved crystal spectrometer. In this paper, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation are performed to investigate the dependence of the energy range and resolving power on various design parameters, including crystal bending radius, source to crystal standoff distance, source size, location of the detector, etc. The investigation provides a means to design and develop cylindrically transmission curved crystal spectrometer which is used in hard X-ray diagnostics. The results show that crystal bending radius has a great influence on energy range of spectra and resolving power, and the separation between the spectral lines increases with the distance behind the focal circle faster than the line width, resulting in increased resolving power with distance. (authors)
A BASIC computer programme has been developed that measures the long- and short-term stability of an X-rayspectrometer and operational errors (and compares them with the limits specified by the manufacturer) and the dead time of the associated detectors. The programme also carries out checks on the spectrometer with regard to the performance of different combinations of the crystals, the detectors, the collimators, the sin 2 THETA angles, the apertures, the tracking of the sin 2 THETA amplifier, the operation of the second-order spectrum circuits, the operation of the automatic pulse-height analyser, the condition of the detectors, the condition of the X-ray tube, spectral contamination by the tube spectrum, and physical contamination by analytical specimens. Although the measurements take 15 hours, there is no disruption to normal, routine laboratory work since the measurements can be made automatically after routine work has been completed. Only four sample positions are required for this monitoring programme
In order to make the magnetic β-rayspectrometer suitable for rapid measurements of electron spectra with short-lived nuclides, twelve small GM counters have been arrayed along the focal plane of a 180deg focusing flat type design. All the signal pulses from each one of these detectors are mixed together onto a single cable. By means of multichannel PHA, each pulse can be traced back to the specific detector which sent it out. In order to avoid time consuming evacuation procedures, the sample source is placed outside a thin window of the preevacuated analyzer chamber. By the use of this multichannel spectrometer a β-ray spectrum with maximum energy up to about 10 MeV can be measured within 1 min or so. Electron spectra measured with 113m In, 119m In and 144 Pr source are shown. (author)
This paper presents the principal results of a study concerning low-level counting capabilities of GeLi gamma-rayspectrometers. The expression adopted for the theoretical sensitivity limit of gamma spectrometers has been experimentally verified with very low activity samples, using 17 installations of various characteristics. This expression sets off the influence of the efficiency, the environmental conditions on the sensitivity limits. It can be used also to eliminate the fraudulents peaks in automatical analysis of gamma-ray spectras. At last, it provides a list of criteria to determine the most suitable characteristics of a detector according to a special problem. Informations which have to be obtained from the manufacturers are specified [fr
The first aim of this project was the characterisation of the VG Scientific Clam 100 based, XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). Spectrometer in the Physics department at Dublin City University Detailed energy scale and intensity scale calibrations were carried out using sputter-cleaned Au (Gold), Ag (Silver), Cu (Copper) and Pd (Palladium) foil samples. Analysis of these calibration spectra against standard reference spectra led to an accurate energy calibration and the production of indi...
The results obtained from an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over the Sagavanirktok map area of Alaska are presented. Based on the criteria outlined in the general section on interpretation, a total of eight uranium anomalies have been outlined on the interpretation map. However, all of these zones are only weakly to moderately anomalous. None are thought to be indicative of local enrichment of uranium to economically significant levels. No follow-up work is recommended
Preliminary identifications of instrumental and atmospheric background lines detected by the gamma-rayspectrometer on NASA's Solar Maximum Mission satellite (SMM) are presented. The long-term and stable operation of this experiment has provided data of high quality for use in this analysis. Methods are described for identifying radioactive isotopes which use their different decay times. Temporal evolution of the features are revealed by spectral comparisons, subtractions, and fits. An understanding of these temporal variations has enabled the data to be used for detecting celestial gamma-ray sources.
The wavelength calibration of x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer is a key issue for the measurements of plasma rotation. For the lack of available standard radiation source near 3.95 Å and there is no other diagnostics to measure the core rotation for inter-calibration, an indirect method by using tokamak plasma itself has been applied on joint Texas experimental tokamak. It is found that the core toroidal rotation velocity is not zero during locked mode phase. This is consistent with the observation of small oscillations on soft x-ray signals and electron cyclotron emission during locked-mode phase
A semiconductor detector x-rayspectrometer has been constructed for the analysis of elements in air particulate specimens. The excitation radiation is provided, either directly or indirectly, using a low power (40 watts) Ag anode x-ray tube. Less than 100 ng for most of the elements in the range Mg → Zr, Pb are easily detected within two 1-minute counting intervals. A calibration technique for light element analysis and an experimental method which compensates for particle size effects are discussed. (auth)
The SWEPP Gamma-RaySpectrometer (SGRS) System has been developed by the Radiation Measurements and Development Unit of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory to assist in the characterization of the radiological contents of contact-handled waste containers at the Stored Waste Examination Pilot Plant (SWEPP). In addition to determining the concentrations of gamma-ray-emitting radionuclides, the software also calculates attenuation-corrected isotopic mass ratios of specific interest, and provides controls for SGRS hardware as required. This document presents the test plan and report for the data acquisition and analysis software associated with the SGRS system
OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid's regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectrosco...
This paper summarizes the experience gained in the use of a carborne gamma-rayspectrometer system for mapping both natural and man-made radiation. Particular emphasis is placed on the calibration of the system for converting the gamma-ray measurements to ground concentrations of potassium, uranium and thorium and the activity of {sup 137}Cs. During the Finnish Emergency Response Exercise (Resume95), the carborne system was shown to be effective in mapping both natural and man-made radiation from {sup 137}Cs fallout and in locating radioactive sources. The application of the carborne system for mineral exploration is also demonstrated. (au). 10 refs.
We propose a new method of alpha (α)-ray measurement that detects helium atoms with a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (QMS). A demonstration is undertaken with a plastic-covered 241 Am α-emitting source to detect α-rays stopped in the capsule. We successfully detect helium atoms that diffuse out of the capsule by accumulating them for 1-20h in a closed chamber. The detected amount is found to be proportional to the accumulation time. Our method is applicable to probe α-emitting radioactivity in bulk material
This paper summarizes the experience gained in the use of a carborne gamma-rayspectrometer system for mapping both natural and man-made radiation. Particular emphasis is placed on the calibration of the system for converting the gamma-ray measurements to ground concentrations of potassium, uranium and thorium and the activity of 137 Cs. During the Finnish Emergency Response Exercise (Resume95), the carborne system was shown to be effective in mapping both natural and man-made radiation from 137 Cs fallout and in locating radioactive sources. The application of the carborne system for mineral exploration is also demonstrated. (au)
Cryogenic high-resolution X-rayspectrometers are typically operated with thin IR blocking windows to reduce radiative heating of the detector while allowing good x-ray transmission. We have estimated the temperature profile of these IR blocking windows under typical operating conditions. We show that the temperature in the center of the window is raised due to radiation from the higher temperature stages. This can increase the infrared photon flux onto the detector, thereby increasing the IR noise and decreasing the cryostat hold time. The increased window temperature constrains the maximum window size and the number of windows required. We discuss the consequences for IR blocking window design
This paper summarizes the experience gained in the use of a carborne gamma-rayspectrometer system for mapping both natural and man-made radiation. Particular emphasis is placed on the calibration of the system for converting the gamma-ray measurements to ground concentrations of potassium, uranium and thorium and the activity of {sup 137}Cs. During the Finnish Emergency Response Exercise (Resume95), the carborne system was shown to be effective in mapping both natural and man-made radiation from {sup 137}Cs fallout and in locating radioactive sources. The application of the carborne system for mineral exploration is also demonstrated. (au). 10 refs.
The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is the student collaboration experiment proposed and built by an MIT-Harvard team, launched aboard NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission. REXIS complements the scientific investigations of other OSIRIS-REx instruments by determining the relative abundances of key elements present on the asteroid's surface by measuring the X-ray fluorescence spectrum (stimulated by the natural solar X-ray flux) over the range of energies 0.5 to 7 keV. REXIS consists of two components: a main imaging spectrometer with a coded aperture mask and a separate solar X-ray monitor to account for the Sun's variability. In addition to element abundance ratios (relative to Si) pinpointing the asteroid's most likely meteorite association, REXIS also maps elemental abundance variability across the asteroid's surface using the asteroid's rotation as well as the spacecraft's orbital motion. Image reconstruction at the highest resolution is facilitated by the coded aperture mask. Through this operation, REXIS will be the first application of X-ray coded aperture imaging to planetary surface mapping, making this student-built instrument a pathfinder toward future planetary exploration. To date, 60 students at the undergraduate and graduate levels have been involved with the REXIS project, with the hands-on experience translating to a dozen Master's and Ph.D. theses and other student publications.
The Elpasolite Planetary Ice and Composition Spectrometer (EPICS) is an innovative, low-resource gamma-ray and neutron spectrometer for planetary science missions, enabled by new scintillator and photodetector technologies. Neutrons and gamma rays are produced by cosmic ray interactions with planetary bodies and their subsequent interactions with the near-surface materials produce distinctive energy spectra. Measuring these spectra reveals details of the planetary near-surface composition that are not accessible through any other phenomenology. EPICS will be the first planetary science instrument to fully integrate the neutron and gamma-rayspectrometers. This integration is enabled by the elpasolite family of scintillators that offer gamma-ray spectroscopy energy resolutions as good as 3% FWHM at 662 keV, thermal neutron sensitivity, and the ability to distinguish gamma-ray and neutron signals via pulse shape differences. This new detection technology will significantly reduce size, weight, and power (SWaP) while providing similar neutron performance and improved gamma energy resolution compared to previous scintillator instruments, and the ability to monitor the cosmic-ray source term. EPICS will detect scintillation light with silicon photomultipliers rather than traditional photomultiplier tubes, offering dramatic additional SWaP reduction. EPICS is under development with Los Alamos National Laboratory internal research and development funding. Here we report on the EPICS design, provide an update on the current status of the EPICS development, and discuss the expected sensitivity and performance of EPICS in several potential missions to airless bodies.
The main goal of the gamma-rayspectrometer (GRS) onboard Chang'E-1 (CE-1) is to acquire global maps of elemental abundances and their distributions on the moon, since such maps will significantly improve our understanding of lunar formation and evolution. To derive the elemental maps and enable research on lunar formation and evolution, raw data that are received directly from the spacecraft must be converted into time series corrected gamma-ray spectra. The data correction procedures for the CE-1 GRS time series data are thoroughly described. The processing procedures to create the time series gamma-ray spectra described here include channel processing, optimal data selection, energy calibration, gain correction, dead time correction, geometric correction, orbit altitude normalization, eliminating unusable data and galactic cosmic ray correction. Finally, descriptions are also given on data measurement uncertainties, which will help the interested scientists to understand and estimate various uncertainties associated with the above data processing. (research papers)
The next generation of γ-rayspectrometers like AGATA will provide high quality γ-ray spectra by the new Gamma-Ray Tracking technique (GRT). Position sensitive HPGe detectors will allow for precise Doppler correction and small broadening of lines for spectroscopy at relativistic energies. GRT is based on the interaction position of the γ-rays within the volume of the highly segmented germanium detectors provided by Pulse Shape Analysis (PSA) methods. The proof of principle of GRT was already demonstrated with great success however systematic deviations from expected results occur. The parameterization of the following detector properties and their impact on PSA were thoroughly investigated and optimized: electron and hole mobility, crystal axis orientation, space charge distributions, crystal impurities, response functions of preamplifiers and digitizers, linear and differential crosstalk, time alignment of pulses and the distance metric. Results of an improved PSA performance are presented.
The main goal of the gamma-rayspectrometer (GRS) onboard Chang'E-l (CE-1) is to acquire global maps of elemental abundances and their distributions on the moon, since such maps will significantly improve our understanding of lunar formation and evolution. To derive the elemental maps and enable research on lunar formation and evolution, raw data that are received directly from the spacecraft must be converted into time series corrected gamma-ray spectra. The data correction procedures for the CE-1 GRS time series data are thoroughly described. The processing procedures to create the time series gamma-ray spectra described here include channel processing, optimal data selection, energy calibration, gain correction, dead time correction, geometric correction, orbit altitude normalization, eliminating unusable data and galactic cosmic ray correction. Finally, descriptions are also given on data measurement uncertainties, which will help the interested scientists to understand and estimate various uncertainties associated with the above data processing.
We present a short working distance miniature x-ray emission spectrometer (miniXES) based on the cylindrical von Hamos geometry. We describe the general design principles for the spectrometer and detail a specific implementation that covers Kβ and valence level emission from Fe. Large spatial and angular access to the sample region provides compatibility with environmental chambers, microprobe, and pump/probe measurements. The primary spectrometer structure and optic is plastic, printed using a 3-dimensional rapid-prototype machine. The spectrometer is inexpensive to construct and is portable; it can be quickly set up at any focused beamline with a tunable narrow bandwidth monochromator. The sample clearance is over 27 mm, providing compatibility with a variety of environment chambers. An overview is also given of the calibration and data processing procedures, which are implemented by a multiplatform user-friendly software package. Finally, representative measurements are presented. Background levels are below the level of the Kβ 2,5 valence emission, the weakest diagram line in the system, and photometric analysis of count rates finds that the instrument is performing at the theoretical limit.
A multichannel vacuum Brag-crystal spectrometer has been developed for high-resolution measurements of the line emission from tokamak plasmas in the wavelength region between 4 and 25 /angstrom/. The spectrometer employs a bent crystal in Johann geometry and a microchannel-plate intensified photodiode array. The instrument is capable of measuring high-resolution spectra (λ/Δλ ∼ 3000) with fast time resolution (4 msec per spectrum) and good spatial resolution (3 cm). The spectral bandwidth is Δλ/λ 0 = 8/angstrom/. A simple tilt mechanism allows access to different wavelength intervals. In order to illustrate the utility of the new spectrometer, time- and space-resolved measurements of the n = 3 to n = 2 spectrum of selenium from the Princeton Large Torus tokamak plasmas are presented. The data are used to determine the plasma transport parameters and to infer the radial distribution of fluorinelike, neonlike, and sodiumlike ions of selenium in the plasma. The new ultra-soft x-rayspectrometer has thus enabled us to demonstrate the utility of high-resolution L-shell spectroscopy of neonlike ions as a fusion diagnostic. 43 refs., 23 figs
A gamma-rayspectrometer based on LaBr{sub 3}(Ce) scintillator has been used for measurements of hard X-ray emission generated by runaway electrons in the FT-2 tokamak plasmas. Using of the fast LaBr{sub 3}(Ce) has allowed extending count rate range of the spectrometer by a factor of 10. A developed digital processing algorithm of the detector signal recorded with a digitizer sampling rate of 250 MHz has provided a pulse height analysis at count rates up to 10{sup 7} s{sup −1}. A spectrum deconvolution code DeGaSum has been applied for inferring the energy distribution of runaway electrons escaping from the plasma and interacting with materials of the FT-2 limiter in the vacuum chamber. The developed digital signal processing technique for LaBr{sub 3}(Ce) spectrometer has allowed studying the evolution of runaways energy distribution in the FT-2 plasma discharges with time resolution of 1–5 ms.
A preliminary design study is being performed on a soft X-rayspectrometer to measure K-shell spectra emitted by a warm dense plasma generated on Axis-I of the Dual-Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Testing (DARHT) facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The 100-ns-long intense, relativistic electron pulse with a beam current of 1.7 kA and energy of 19.8 MeV deposits energy into a thin metal foil heating it to a warm dense plasma. The collisional ionization of the target by the electron beam produces an anisotropic angular distribution of K-shell radiation and a continuum of both scattered electrons and Bremsstrahlung up to the beam energy of 19.8 MeV. The principal goal of this project is to characterize these angular distributions to determine the optimal location to deploy the soft X-rayspectrometer. In addition, a proof-of-principle design will be presented. The ultimate goal of the spectrometer is to obtain measurements of the plasma temperature and density to benchmark equation-of-state models of the warm dense matter regime.
The software suite SITENNO is developed for processing diffraction data collected in coherent X-ray diffraction imaging experiments of non-crystalline particles using an X-ray free-electron laser. Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging is a promising technique for visualizing the structures of non-crystalline particles with dimensions of micrometers to sub-micrometers. Recently, X-ray free-electron laser sources have enabled efficient experiments in the ‘diffraction before destruction’ scheme. Diffraction experiments have been conducted at SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser (SACLA) using the custom-made diffraction apparatus KOTOBUKI-1 and two multiport CCD detectors. In the experiments, ten thousands of single-shot diffraction patterns can be collected within several hours. Then, diffraction patterns with significant levels of intensity suitable for structural analysis must be found, direct-beam positions in diffraction patterns determined, diffraction patterns from the two CCD detectors merged, and phase-retrieval calculations for structural analyses performed. A software suite named SITENNO has been developed to semi-automatically apply the four-step processing to a huge number of diffraction data. Here, details of the algorithm used in the suite are described and the performance for approximately 9000 diffraction patterns collected from cuboid-shaped copper oxide particles reported. Using the SITENNO suite, it is possible to conduct experiments with data processing immediately after the data collection, and to characterize the size distribution and internal structures of the non-crystalline particles
Mars Pathfinder and the Russian Mars-96 will carry an Alpha Proton X-RaySpectrometer (APXS) for the determination of the chemical composition of Martian rocks and soil. The instrument will measure the concentration of all major and many minor elements, including C,N and O, at levels above typically 1%. The method employed consist of bombarding a sample of 50 mm diameter with alpha particles from a radioactive source (50 mCi of Cm-244) and measuring: (i) backscattered alpha particles (alpha mode) (ii) protons from (a,p) reactions with some light elements (proton mode) (iii) characteristic X-rays emitted from the sample (X-ray mode). The APXS has a long standing space heritage, going back to Surveyor V,VI and VII (1967/68) and the Soviet Phobos (1988) missions. The present design is the result of an endeavour to reduce mass and power consumption to 600g/ 300mW. It consist of a sensor head containing the alpha sources, a telescope of a silicon detectors for the detection of the alpha particles and protons and a separate X-ray detector with its preamplifier, and an electronics box (80x70x60 mm) containing a microcontroller based multichannel spectrometer. The paper will describe the APXS flight hardware and present results obtained with the flight instrument that will show the instrument capabili- ties and the expected results to be obtained during surface operations on Mars.
The SAGE spectrometer allows simultaneous in-beam γ-ray and internal conversion electron measurements, by combining a germanium detector array with a highly segmented silicon detector and an electron transport system. SAGE is coupled with the ritu gas-filled recoil separator and the great focal-plane spectrometer for recoil-decay tagging studies. Digital electronics are used both for the γ ray and the electron parts of the spectrometer. SAGE was commissioned in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaeskylae in the beginning of 2010.
The 40 K radioactive of' the pressed powder sample was determined by Epsilon 5 high-energy polarized energy dispersive X ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometer. The correlation coefficient of the standard curve method was 0.9910, the precision was 2.98% and the relative deviation of the measurement standard samples was up to 6.40%, which showed that the precision and accuracy of the method were also good. Simultaneous measurement of seven soil samples using this method and γ-spectrometer were carried, the results of two analytical methods were compared using a paired t-test by SPSS program, which showed that there was no significant difference in the two sets of data, P>0.05. It indicated that EDXRF could be a potential simple method for analyzing 40 K radioactive in soil samples. (authors)
A portable and compact photon spectrometer to be used for photon in-photon out experiments, in particular x-ray emission spectroscopy, is presented. The instrument operates in the 25–800 eV energy range to cover the full emissions of the FEL1 and FEL2 stages of FERMI. The optical design consists of two interchangeable spherical varied-lined-spaced gratings and a CCD detector. Different input sections can be accommodated, with/without an entrance slit and with/without an additional relay mirror, that allow to mount the spectrometer in different end-stations and at variable distances from the target area both at synchrotron and at free-electron-laser beamlines. The characterization on the Gas Phase beamline at ELETTRA Synchrotron (Italy) is presented
The possibility of decreasing the background of the X-rayspectrometer detector using the rise-time pulse selection method was investigated. Si(Li)-detectors of 10 and 25 mm 2 square were investigated. Spectrometer channel was composed of ORTEC-472 amplifier and ULTIMA/2 multichannel analyzer on the base of NOVA-3 minicomputer. The energy resolution was equal to 300 eV on 14 KeV line. The pulses of detection allowing were transmitted to analog-to-digital converter. The detection was allowed if front photopeak square) were measured at 17.4, 20.3 and 59.6 keV. 4-6-fold decrease of X-factor was obtained without any loss of detection efficiency. The combination of the method with collimation of radiation in the centre of the detector gives an extremely low value of X-factor which agress with theretical estimations
A matrix-independent fundamental parameter-based calibration model for an energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer has been developed. This model, which is part of a fundamental parameter approach quantification method, accounts for both the excitation and detection probability. For each secondary target a number of relative calibration constants are calculated on the basis of knowledge of the irradiation geometry, the detector specifications, and tabulated fundamental physical parameters. The absolute calibration of the spectrometer is performed by measuring one pure element standard per secondary target. For sample systems where all elements can be analyzed by means of the same secondary target the absolute calibration constant can be determined during the iterative solution of the basic equation. Calculated and experimentally determined relative calibration constants agree to within 5-10% of each other and so do the results obtained from the analysis of an NBS certified alloy using the two sets of constants. (orig.)
A combined thermal neutron detector and gamma-rayspectrometer system, including: a detection medium including a lithium chalcopyrite crystal operable for detecting thermal neutrons in a semiconductor mode and gamma-rays in a scintillator mode; and a photodetector coupled to the detection medium also operable for detecting the gamma rays. Optionally, the detection medium includes a .sup.6LiInSe.sub.2 crystal. Optionally, the detection medium comprises a compound formed by the process of: melting a Group III element; adding a Group I element to the melted Group III element at a rate that allows the Group I and Group III elements to react thereby providing a single phase I-III compound; and adding a Group VI element to the single phase I-III compound and heating; wherein the Group I element includes lithium.
A large NaI(T1) spectrometer is expected to play a crucial role in the measurement of the energy spectra from an all-sky survey of high-energy celestial gamma rays on the Gamma Ray Observatory. The crystal size and requirements of space flight have resulted in a novel crystal-packaging and optics combination. The structure of this spectrometer and the operating characteristics determined in a test program using high energy positrons are described
The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument is a student collaboration instrument on the OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return mission scheduled for launch in September 2016. The REXIS science mission is to characterize the elemental abundances of the asteroid Bennu on a global scale and to search for regions of enhanced elemental abundance. The thermal design of the REXIS instrument is challenging due to both the science requirements and the thermal environment in which it will operate. The REXIS instrument consists of two assemblies: the spectrometer and the solar X-ray monitor (SXM). The spectrometer houses a 2x2 array of back illuminated CCDs that are protected from the radiation environment by a one-time deployable cover and a collimator assembly with coded aperture mask. Cooling the CCDs during operation is the driving thermal design challenge on the spectrometer. The CCDs operate in the vicinity of the electronics box, but a 130 °C thermal gradient is required between the two components to cool the CCDs to -60 °C in order to reduce noise and obtain science data. This large thermal gradient is achieved passively through the use of a copper thermal strap, a large radiator facing deep space, and a two-stage thermal isolation layer between the electronics box and the DAM. The SXM is mechanically mounted to the sun-facing side of the spacecraft separately from the spectrometer and characterizes the highly variable solar X-ray spectrum to properly interpret the data from the asteroid. The driving thermal design challenge on the SXM is cooling the silicon drift detector (SDD) to below -30 °C when operating. A two-stage thermoelectric cooler (TEC) is located directly beneath the detector to provide active cooling, and spacecraft MLI blankets cover all of the SXM except the detector aperture to radiatively decouple the SXM from the flight thermal environment. This paper describes the REXIS thermal system requirements, thermal design, and analyses, with
An x-rayspectrometer employing a thin (50 μm) silicon transmission crystal was used to record high-resolution Cu Kα spectra from a laboratory x-ray source. The diffraction was from the (331) planes that were at an angle of 13.26° to the crystal surface. The components of the spectral lines resulting from single-vacancy (1s) and double-vacancy (1s and 3d) transitions were observed. After accounting for the natural lifetime widths from reference double-crystal spectra and the spatial resolution of the image plate detector, the intrinsic broadening of the transmission crystal was measured to be as small as 0.67 eV and the resolving power 12 000, the highest resolving power achieved by a compact (0.5 m long) spectrometer employing a single transmission crystal operating in the hard x-ray region. By recording spectra with variable source-to-crystal distances and comparing to the calculated widths from various geometrical broadening mechanisms, the primary contributions to the intrinsic crystal broadening were found to be the source height at small distances and the crystal apertured height at large distances. By reducing these two effects, using a smaller source size and vignetting the crystal height, the intrinsic crystal broadening is then limited by the crystal thickness and the rocking curve width and would be 0.4 eV at 8 keV energy (20 000 resolving power).
An active polynomial grating has been designed for use in synchrotron radiation soft-X-ray monochromators and spectrometers. The grating can be dynamically adjusted to obtain the third-order-polynomial surface needed to eliminate the defocus and coma aberrations at any photon energy. Ray-tracing results confirm that a monochromator or spectrometer based on this active grating has nearly no aberration limit to the overall spectral resolution in the entire soft-X-ray region. The grating substrate is made of a precisely milled 17-4 PH stainless steel parallel plate, which is joined to a flexure-hinge bender shaped by wire electrical discharge machining. The substrate is grounded into a concave cylindrical shape with a nominal radius and then polished to achieve a roughness of 0.45 nm and a slope error of 1.2 mu rad rms. The long trace profiler measurements show that the active grating can reach the desired third-order polynomial with a high degree of figure accuracy.
Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) are being developed as X-ray detectors because they combine the high energy resolution of cryogenic detector technologies with the high count rate capabilities of athermal devices. We have built STJ spectrometers for chemical analysis of dilute samples by high-resolution soft X-ray spectroscopy at the synchrotron. The instruments use 36 pixels of 200 (micro)m x 200 (micro)m Nb-Al-AlOx-Al-Nb STJs with 165 nm thick Nb absorber films. They have achieved an energy resolution of ∼10-20 eV FWHM for X-ray energies below 1 keV, and can be operated at a total count rate of ∼10 6 counts/s. For increased user-friendliness, we have built a liquid-cryogen-free refrigerator based on a two-stage pulse tube cryocooler in combination with a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization stage. It holds the STJ detector at the end of a 40-cm-long cold finger, and attains the required operating temperature of ∼0.3 K at the push of a button. We describe the instrument performance and present speciation measurements on Eu dopant activators in the novel scintillator material SrI 2 to illustrate the potential for STJ spectrometers at the synchrotron
This manual was prepared as an aid to those interested in the interpretation and application of high-sensitivity aerial gamma-rayspectrometer data in uranium exploration. Particular emphasis is on the first 10 radiometric surveys performed under the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. The primary purpose of aerial gamma-rayspectrometer surveys in the NURE program is to map regional distributions of near-surface natural radioelements, i.e., the uranium and thorium decay series, and potassium-40. These data along with an understanding of the geochemical behavior of the pertinent isotopes under a variety of conditions allow uranium-enriched areas of the earth's crust (uraniferous provinces) to be identified as part of the regional appraisal phase of prospecting. Uranium ore deposits tend to occur more frequently in these generally enriched regions than elsewhere, and, consequently, uraniferous provinces constitute preferred territory for follow-up exploration methods such as detailed aerial or surface radiometric prospecting, geological studies, etc., to define potential prospects. These in turn may be investigated by still more detailed surface geological studies perhaps supplemented by radon or uranium geochemical surveys and exploration drilling and logging. This manual outlines the fundamentals of uranium geology and geochemistry along with interpretive approaches which may be used to identify statistically and geochemically significant uranium anomalies and uraniferous provinces. Follow-up prospecting methods are summarized along with guides to recent literature. Specific suggestions are made as to interpretive approaches and applicable follow-up prospecting procedures tailored to fit the data characteristics and general environment of each of the first 10 NURE aerial gamma-rayspectrometer surveys performed by Geodata International, Inc. and Texas Instruments Incorporated
The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student-led instrument being designed, built, and operated as a collaborative effort involving MIT and Harvard. It is a part of NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, which is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of the primitive carbonaceous chondrite-like asteroid 101955 Bennu in 2019. REXIS will determine spatial variations in elemental composition of Bennu's surface through solar-induced X-ray fluorescence. REXIS consists of four X-ray CCDs in the detector plane and an X-ray mask. It is the first coded-aperture X-ray telescope in a planetary mission, which combines the benefit of high X-ray throughput of wide-field collimation with imaging capability of a coded-mask, enabling detection of elemental surface distributions at approximately 50-200 m scales. We present an overview of the REXIS instrument and the expected performance.
A number of observations from the SMM Gamma-RaySpectrometer are presented that altogether strongly indicate that the high-energy emission from flares is anisotropic. They are: (1) the fraction of events detected at energies above 300 keV near the limb is significantly higher than is expected for isotropically emitting flares; (2) there is a statistically significant center-to-limb variation in the 300-1000-keV spectra of flares; and (3) nearly all of the events detected at above 10 MeV are located near the limb.
The alpha particle X-rayspectrometers on the Mars exploration rovers Spirit and Opportunity accomplished extensive elemental analysis of the Martian surface through a combination of XRF and PIXE. An advanced APXS is now part of the Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity rover. APXS spectra contain contributions which enhance elemental peak areas but which do not arise from these elements within the sample under study, thereby introducing error into derived concentrations. A detailed examination of these effects in the MSL APXS enables us to test two schemes for making the necessary corrections.
During the months of July and August of 1980, Aero Service Division Western Geophysical Company of America conducted an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over eleven (11) 3 0 x 1 0 and one (1) 4 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of the Alaska North Slope. These include the Barrow, Wainwright, Meade River, Teshekpuk, Harrison Bay, Beechey Point, Point Lay, Utukok River, Lookout Ridge, Ikpikpuk River, Umiat, and Sagavanirktok quadrangles. This report discusses the results obtained over the Harrison Bay map area
The design and performance of a self-contained microprocessor-based gamma-rayspectrometer for use in geophysical measurements using nuclear techniques is described. The instrument uses single-channel analyzers which are inherently simpler and faster than the Wilkinson or successive approximation ADC. A novel technique of gain stabilization together with a simple means of energy calibration has been developed. The modular design of the equipment makes it suitable for multidetector usage, required in a number of nucleonic gauges for the quantitative measurement of chemical constituents. (orig.)
Four separate techniques for calibrating energy dispersive x-rayspectrometers are described. They include the use of (1) individual evaporated elemental thin-film standards, (2) nebulized multielement standard solution deposits to determine relative elemental sensitivity factors, (3) a semi-empirical approach to calculate relative elemental sensitivity factors, and (4) thick pure element disks. The first three techniques are applicable for a broad range of elements. The utilization of nebulized multielement standard solution deposits, along with an evaporated single element thin-film standard for absolute system calibration, is the most accurate method of the calibration techniques described
During the months of June through October, 1980, Aero Service Division Western Geophysical Company of America conducted an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over eleven (11) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles located in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and seven (7) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles in North and South Dakota. This report discusses the results obtained over the Aberdeen, South Dakota map area. The final data are presented in four different forms: on magnetic tape; on microfiche; in graphic form as profiles and histograms; and in map form as anomaly maps, flight path maps, and computer printer maps
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted along the 99 0 longitude meridian from the Canadian border southward to the Mexican border. A total of 1555 line miles of geophysical data were acquired and, subsequently, compiled. The north-south tieline was flown as part of the National Uranium Resources Evaluation. NURE is a program of the US Department of Energy's Grand Junction, Colorado, office to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States
Our gamma-rayspectrometer system, designed for field use, offers high efficiency and high resolution for safeguards applications. The system consists of three 40% high-purity germanium detectors and a LeCroy 3500 data acquisition system that calculates a composite spectrum for the three detectors. The LeCroy 3500 mainframe can be operated remotely from the detector array with control exercised through modems and the telephone system. System performance with a mixed source of 125 Sb, 154 Eu, and 155 Eu confirms the expected efficiency of 120% with the overall resolution showing little degradation over that of the worst detector
The results obtained from an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over the Point Lay map area of Alaska are presented. Based on the criteria outlined in the general section on interpretation, a total of six uranium anomalies have been indicated on the interpretation map. All six are only weakly to moderately anomalous in either uranium or the uranium ratios. None of these are thought to be of any economic significance. No follow-up work is recommended for the Point Lay Quadrangle
The results obtained from a gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over the Wainwright map area of Alaska are presented. Based on the criteria outlined in the general section of interpretation, a total of seven uranium anomalies have been outlined on the interpretation map. With the exception of Anomaly 1, all are located over the higher terrain of the foothills in the southern portion of the quadrangle. All seven anomalies are only weakly to moderately anomalous. There are no indications anywhere within the area of any significant preferential accumulations of uranium. None of the anomalies are thought to be of any economic importance. No follow-up work is recommended
The results obtained from an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over the Meade River map area of Alaska are presented. Based on the criteria outlined in the general section on interpretation, a total of eight uranium anomalies have been outlined on the interpretation map. Most of these are only weakly to moderately anomalous. Zones 3 and 7 are relatively better than the others though none of the anomalies are thought to be of any economic significance. No follow-up work is recommended
Processing the analog signals from an energy dispersive X-rayspectrometer requires a great number of functions to be assembled. Instead of using function modules, it was decided to build a unit intended for working out digital-input data to the mini-computer, from the signals delivered by the Si(Li) detector. The unit contains six cards intended for the following functions: main amplifier, stabilizer of the threshold level and pile-up detector, amplitude encoder, pulse generator and fast amplifier, chronometer with dead time correction and high voltage polarization [fr
During the months of June through October, 1980, Aero Service Division Western Geophysical Company of America conducted an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over eleven (11) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles located in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and seven (7) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles in North and South Dakota. This report discusses the results obtained over the Devil's Lake map area of North Dakota. The final data are presented in four different forms: on magnetic tape; on microfiche; in graphic form as profiles and histograms; and in map form as anomaly maps, flight path maps, and computer printer maps
A comprehensive study of the efficiency calibration and calibration verification of Ge gamma-rayspectrometers was performed using semi-empirical, computational Monte-Carlo (MC), and transfer methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the quantification of gamma-emitting radionuclides in complex matrices normally encountered in environmental and food samples. A wide range of gamma energies from 59.5 to 1836.0 keV and geometries from a 10-mL jar to 1.4-L Marinelli beaker were studied on four Ge spectrometers with the relative efficiencies between 102% and 140%. Density and coincidence summing corrections were applied. Innovative techniques were developed for the preparation of artificial complex matrices from materials such as acidified water, polystyrene, ethanol, sugar, and sand, resulting in the densities ranging from 0.3655 to 2.164 g cm{sup −3}. They were spiked with gamma activity traceable to international standards and used for calibration verifications. A quantitative method of tuning MC calculations to experiment was developed based on a multidimensional chi-square paraboloid. - Highlights: • Preparation and spiking of traceable complex matrices in extended geometries. • Calibration of Ge gamma spectrometers for complex matrices. • Verification of gamma calibrations. • Comparison of semi-empirical, computational Monte Carlo, and transfer methods of Ge calibration. • Tuning of Monte Carlo calculations using a multidimensional paraboloid.
The operation of a beta ray energy spectrometer based on a two-or three-element silicon detector telescope is described. The front detector (A) is a thin, totally depleted, silicon surface barrier detector either 40 μm, 72 μm or 98 μm thick. The back detector (C) is a Li compensated silicon detector, 5000 μm thick. An additional thin detector can be inserted between these two detectors when additional photon rejection capability is required in intense photon fields. The capability of the spectrometer to reject photons is based on the fact that incident photons will have a small probability of simultaneously losing detectable energy in two detectors and an even smaller probability of losing detectable energy in all three detectors. Electrons, however, above a low energy threshold, will always record simultaneous, events in all three detectors. The spectrometer is capable of measuring electron energies from a lower energy coincidence threshold of 70 keV with 60% efficiency increasing to 100% efficiency in the energy region between 150 keV and 2.5 MeV. (Author)
A comprehensive study of the efficiency calibration and calibration verification of Ge gamma-rayspectrometers was performed using semi-empirical, computational Monte-Carlo (MC), and transfer methods. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the quantification of gamma-emitting radionuclides in complex matrices normally encountered in environmental and food samples. A wide range of gamma energies from 59.5 to 1836.0 keV and geometries from a 10-mL jar to 1.4-L Marinelli beaker were studied on four Ge spectrometers with the relative efficiencies between 102% and 140%. Density and coincidence summing corrections were applied. Innovative techniques were developed for the preparation of artificial complex matrices from materials such as acidified water, polystyrene, ethanol, sugar, and sand, resulting in the densities ranging from 0.3655 to 2.164 g cm −3 . They were spiked with gamma activity traceable to international standards and used for calibration verifications. A quantitative method of tuning MC calculations to experiment was developed based on a multidimensional chi-square paraboloid. - Highlights: • Preparation and spiking of traceable complex matrices in extended geometries. • Calibration of Ge gamma spectrometers for complex matrices. • Verification of gamma calibrations. • Comparison of semi-empirical, computational Monte Carlo, and transfer methods of Ge calibration. • Tuning of Monte Carlo calculations using a multidimensional paraboloid
This work shows the possibility of use of the nondedicated gamma and X-ray detection head on the basis of planar HPGe detector with a big sensitive area equal to 2000 mm''2 as a part of X-ray fluorescent spectrometer during students' practicum.
The new alpha particle X-rayspectrometer (APXS) is part of the Athena payload of the two Mars Exploration Rovers (MER). The APXS sensor head is attached to the turret of the instrument deployment device (IDD) of the rover. The APXS is a very light-weight instrument for determining the major and minor elemental composition of Martian soils, rocks, and other geological materials at the MER landing sites. The sensor head has simply to be docked by the IDD on the surface of the selected sample. X-ray radiation, excited by alpha particles and X rays of the radioactive sources, is recorded by a high-resolution X-ray detector. The X-ray spectra show elements starting from sodium up to yttrium, depending on their concentrations. The backscattered alpha spectra, measured by a ring of detectors, provide additional data on carbon and oxygen. By means of a proper calibration, the elemental concentrations are derived. Together with data from the two other Athena instruments mounted on the IDD, the samples under investigation can be fully characterized. Key APXS objectives are the determination of the chemistry of crustal rocks and soils and the examination of water-related deposits, sediments, or evaporates. Using the rock abrasion tool attached to the IDD, issues of weathering can be addressed by measuring natural and abraded surfaces of rocks.
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in collaboration with SRI/Sarnoff has been engaged in a multi year effort to advance the technology of monolithic back-thinned CMOS detectors for use as X-ray imaging spectrometers. The long term goal of this campaign is to produce X-ray Active Pixel Sensor (APS) detectors with Fano limited performance over the 0.1-10keV band while incorporating the many benefits of CMOS technology. These benefits include: low power consumption, radiation "hardness", high levels of integration, and very high read rates. Such devices would be ideal for candidate post 2020 decadal missions such as LYNX and for smaller more immediate applications such as CubeX. Devices from a recent fabrication have been back-thinned, packaged and tested for soft X-ray response. These devices have 16μm pitch, 6 Transistor Pinned Photo Diode (6TPPD) pixels with ˜135μV/electron sensitivity and a highly parallel signal chain. These new detectors are fabricated on 10μm epitaxial silicon and have a 1k by 1k format. We present details of our camera design and device performance with particular emphasis on those aspects of interest to single photon counting X-ray astronomy. These features include read noise, X-ray spectral response and quantum efficiency.
The Gamma RaySpectrometer (GRS) on the SMM completed close to 10 years of highly successful operation when the spacecraft reentered the atmosphere on December 2, 1989. During this period the GRS detected 177 events above 300 keV which have been classified as cosmic gamma-ray bursts. A catalog of these events is in preparation which will include time profiles and spectra for all events. Visual inspection of the spectra indicates that emission typically extends into the MeV range, without any evidence for a high-energy cutoff; 17 of these events are also observed above 10 MeV. We find no convincing evidence for line-like emission features in any of the time-integrated spectra.
The Soft X-raySpectrometer (SXS) on the Astro-H observatory contains a 6x6 array of x-ray microcalorimeters that are cooled to 50 mK by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR). The ADR consists of three stages in order to provide stable detector cooling using either a 1.2 K superfluid helium bath or a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson (JT) cryocooler as its heat sink. Astro-H was renamed Hitomi after it was successfully launched in February 2016. The SXS carried approximately 36 liters of helium into orbit, and by day 5 the helium had cooled sufficiently (1.4 K) to allow operation of the ADR. This paper summarizes the ADRs performance during the 38 days that the satellite was operational.
Spectroscopy of K-shell transitions in highly charged heavy ions, like hydrogen-like uranium, has the potential to yield information about quantum electrodynamics (QED) in extremely strong nuclear fields as well as tests of the standard model, specifically parity violation in atomic systems. These measurements would represent the 'holy grail' in high-Z atomic spectroscopy. However, the current state-of-the-art detection schemes used for recording the K-shell spectra from highly charged heavy ions does not yet have the resolving power to be able to attain this goal. As such, to push the field of high-Z spectroscopy forward, new detectors must be found. Recently, x-ray calorimeter spectrometers have been developed that promise to make such measurements. In an effort to make the first steps towards attaining the 'holy grail', measurements have been performed with two x-ray calorimeter spectrometers (the XRS/EBIT and the ECS) designed and built at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. The calorimeter spectrometers have been used to record the K-shell spectra of highly charged ions produced in the SuperEBIT electron beam ion trap at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. Measurements performed with the XRS/EBIT calorimeter array found that the theoretical description of well-above threshold electron-impact excitation cross sections for hydrogen-like iron and nickel ions are correct. Furthermore, the first high-resolution spectrum of hydrogen-like through carbon-like praseodymium ions was recorded with a calorimeter. In addition, the new high-energy array on the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS) was used to resolve the K-shell x-ray emission spectrum of highly charged xenon ions, where a 40 ppm measurement of the energy of the K-shell resonance transition in helium-like xenon was achieved. This is the highest precision result, ever, for an element with such high atomic number. In addition, a first-of-its-kind measurement of
Spectroscopy of K-shell transitions in highly charged heavy ions, like hydrogen-like uranium, has the potential to yield information about quantum electrodynamics (QED) in extremely strong nuclear fields as well as tests of the standard model, specifically parity violation in atomic systems. These measurements would represent the 'holy grail' in high-Z atomic spectroscopy. However, the current state-of-the-art detection schemes used for recording the K-shell spectra from highly charged heavy ions does not yet have the resolving power to be able to attain this goal. As such, to push the field of high-Z spectroscopy forward, new detectors must be found. Recently, x-ray calorimeter spectrometers have been developed that promise to make such measurements. In an effort to make the first steps towards attaining the 'holy grail', measurements have been performed with two x-ray calorimeter spectrometers (the XRS/EBIT and the ECS) designed and built at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. The calorimeter spectrometers have been used to record the K-shell spectra of highly charged ions produced in the SuperEBIT electron beam ion trap at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, CA. Measurements performed with the XRS/EBIT calorimeter array found that the theoretical description of well-above threshold electron-impact excitation cross sections for hydrogen-like iron and nickel ions are correct. Furthermore, the first high-resolution spectrum of hydrogen-like through carbon-like praseodymium ions was recorded with a calorimeter. In addition, the new high-energy array on the EBIT Calorimeter Spectrometer (ECS) was used to resolve the K-shell x-ray emission spectrum of highly charged xenon ions, where a 40 ppm measurement of the energy of the K-shell resonance transition in helium-like xenon was achieved. This is the highest precision result, ever, for an element with such high atomic number. In addition, a first-of-its-kind measurement of the effect of the
The goal of the Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer ( MinXSS ) CubeSat is to explore the energy distribution of soft X-ray (SXR) emissions from the quiescent Sun, active regions, and during solar flares and to model the impact on Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere. The energy emitted in the SXR range (0.1–10 keV) can vary by more than a factor of 100, yet we have limited spectral measurements in the SXRs to accurately quantify the spectral dependence of this variability. The MinXSS primary science instrument is an Amptek, Inc. X123 X-rayspectrometer that has an energy range of 0.5–30 keV with a nominal 0.15 keV energy resolution. Two flight models have been built. The first, MinXSS -1, has been making science observations since 2016 June 9 and has observed numerous flares, including more than 40 C-class and 7 M-class flares. These SXR spectral measurements have advantages over broadband SXR observations, such as providing the capability to derive multiple-temperature components and elemental abundances of coronal plasma, improved irradiance accuracy, and higher resolution spectral irradiance as input to planetary ionosphere simulations. MinXSS spectra obtained during the M5.0 flare on 2016 July 23 highlight these advantages and indicate how the elemental abundance appears to change from primarily coronal to more photospheric during the flare. MinXSS -1 observations are compared to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite ( GOES ) X-ray Sensor (XRS) measurements of SXR irradiance and estimated corona temperature. Additionally, a suggested improvement to the calibration of the GOES XRS data is presented.
The ASPECT consortium (Adaptable Spectrometer Enabled by Cryogenic Technology) is currently constructing a generalised cryogenic platform for cryogenic detector work which will be able to accommodate a wide range of sensors. The cryogenics system is based on a small mechanical cooler with a further adiabatic demagnetisation stage and will work with cryogenic detectors at sub-Kelvin temperatures. The commercial aim of the consortium is to produce a compact, user-friendly device with an emphasis on reliability and portability which can easily be transported for specialised on-site work, such as beam-lines or telescope facilities. The cryogenic detector platform will accommodate a specially developed cryogenic sensor, either a metallic magnetic calorimeter or a magnetic penetration-depth thermometer. The detectors will be designed to work in various temperatures regions with an emphasis on optimising the various detector resolutions for specific temperatures. One resolution target is of about 10 eV at the energies range typically created in kaonic atoms experiments (soft x-ray energies). A following step will see the introduction of continuous, high-power, sub-Kelvin cooling which will bring the cryogenic basis for a high resolution spectrometer system to the market. The scientific goal of the project will produce an experimental set-up optimised for kaon-mass measurements performing high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy on a beam-line provided foreseeably by the J-PARC (Tokai, Japan) or DAΦNE (Frascati, Italy) facilities.
The Gamma-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (GRIS) is a powerful second-generation high-resolution gamma-rayspectrometer. It consists of an array of seven large (typically >200 cm 3 ) n-type Germanium detectors surrounded by a thick (15 m) NaI active shield. Its energy range is 0.02 to 10 MeV. A new detector segmentation technique will be employed to reduce the detector background. The β-decay background component, which is expected to be dominant in the 0.2--2 MeV range, will be suppressed by roughly a factor of 20. The 3σ GRIS sensitivity to a narrow Fe line at 847 keV (expected to be the most intense from a supernova) will be ∼2 x 10 -4 photons/cm 2 -s for an 8 hr observation of the LMC over Alice Springs, Australia with unsegmented detectors. The instrument in simplified form will be ready to observe SN 1987A in early 1988
Full Text Available In the experimental investigations of inertial confinement fusion, the laser-produced high-temperature plasma contains very abundant information, such as the electron temperature and density, ionization. In order to diagnose laser-plasma distribution in space and evolution in time, an elliptical curved crystal spectrometer has been developed and applied to diagnose X-ray of laser-produced plasma in 0.2~2.46 nm region. According to the theory of Bragg diffraction, four kinds of crystal including LiF, PET, MiCa, and KAP were chosen as dispersive elements. The distance of crystal lattice varies from 0.4 to 2.6 nm. Bragg angle is in the range of 30°~67.5°, and the spectral detection angle is in 55.4°~134°. The curved crystal spectrometer mainly consists of elliptical curved crystal analyzer, vacuum configuration, aligning device, spectral detectors and three-dimensional microadjustment devices. The spectrographic experiment was carried out on the XG-2 laser facility. Emission spectrum of Al plasmas, Ti plasma, and Au plasmas have been successfully recorded by using X-ray CCD camera. It is demonstrated experimentally that the measured wavelength is accorded with the theoretical value.
A high resolution (E/ΔE = 1200-1800) Bragg crystal x-rayspectrometer is being developed to measure plasma parameters in National Ignition Facility experiments. The instrument will be a diagnostic instrument manipulator positioned cassette designed mainly to infer electron density in compressed capsules from Stark broadening of the helium-β (1s 2 -1s3p) lines of krypton and electron temperature from the relative intensities of dielectronic satellites. Two conically shaped crystals will diffract and focus (1) the Kr Heβ complex and (2) the Heα (1s 2 -1s2p) and Lyα (1s-2p) complexes onto a streak camera photocathode for time resolved measurement, and a third cylindrical or conical crystal will focus the full Heα to Heβ spectral range onto an image plate to provide a time integrated calibration spectrum. Calculations of source x-ray intensity, spectrometer throughput, and spectral resolution are presented. Details of the conical-crystal focusing properties as well as the status of the instrumental design are also presented.
A method and an ultrahigh-resolution spectrometer including a precision mechanical structure for positioning inelastic X-ray scattering optics are provided. The spectrometer includes an X-ray monochromator and an X-ray analyzer, each including X-ray optics of a collimating (C) crystal, a pair of dispersing (D) element crystals, anomalous transmission filter (F) and a wavelength (W) selector crystal. A respective precision mechanical structure is provided with the X-ray monochromator and the X-ray analyzer. The precision mechanical structure includes a base plate, such as an aluminum base plate; positioning stages for D-crystal alignment; positioning stages with an incline sensor for C/F/W-crystal alignment, and the positioning stages including flexure-based high-stiffness structure.
Multi-elemental analysis by total reflection x-ray fluorescence spectrometry has evolved during two decades. At the present there are commercial equipment available for the chemical analysis in all kind of biological and mineral samples. The electronic industry has also been benefited from the scientific and technological developments in the field of TXRF. The basic components of the spectrometers can be summarized as follow: a) excitation source; b) geometric arrangement (optics) for collimation and monochromatization of the primary radiation; c) x-ray detector; d) hardware and software for operation of the instrument, data acquisition and spectral deconvolution to determine the concentrations of the element present in the sample (quantitative analysis). As optional there are manufacturers offering the conventional 45 degrees geometry for direct excitation of bulky liquid or solid samples. Personal communications of the author and the commercial brochures available at the moment of writing this presentation have allowed to list the following type of components used in the TXRF spectrometers for multi-elemental analysis (the devices used in the electronic industry to analyze silicon wafers are excluded). Excitation: high power x-ray tube, output from 1300 to 2000 watts; metal ceramic low power-ray tube, output up to 50 watts. Different anodes are used but molybdenum, tungsten and copper are frequent. The excitation systems can be customized according to the requirements of the laboratory. Detector: Si-Li semi-conductor liquid nitrogen cooled; silicon solid state thermoelectrically cooled (silicon drift detector SDD and Si-PIN diode). Optics: multilayer monochromator of Si-W or Ni-C; double multilayer monochromator. Electronics: spectroscopy amplifier, analog to digital converter adapted to a PC compatible computer with software in Windows environment for the whole operation of the spectrometer and for qualy/quantitative analysis of samples are standards in the
A Compton-scattering-based X-rayspectrometer is developed to obtain the energy distribution of fast electrons produced by intense laser and matter interactions. Bremsstrahlung X-rays generated by fast electrons in a material are used to measure fast electrons’ energy distribution in matter. In the Compton X-rayspectrometer, X-rays are converted into recoil electrons by Compton scattering in a converter made from fused silica glass, and a magnet-based electron energy analyzer is used to measure the energy distribution of the electrons that recoil in the direction of the incident X-rays. The spectrum of the incident X-rays is reconstructed from the energy distribution of the recoil electrons. The accuracy of this spectrometer is evaluated using a quasi-monoenergetic 6 MeV electron bunch that emanates from a linear accelerator. An electron bunch is injected into a 1.5 mm thick tungsten plate to produce bremsstrahlung X-rays. The spectrum of these bremsstrahlung X-rays is obtained in the range from 1 to 9 MeV. The energy of the electrons in the bunch is estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation of particle-matter interactions. The result shows that the spectrometer's energy accuracy is ±0.5 MeV for 6.0 MeV electrons.
The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-raySpectrometer (MaGIXS) is a NASA sounding rocket instrument designed to observe soft X-ray emissions at 0.5 - 2.0 keV energies (24 - 6 Å) from a solar active region. MaGIXS will, for the first time, obtain spatially resolved spectra of high-temperature, low-emission plasma within an active region core. The unique optical design includes a Wolter I telescope and a 3-optic grazing incidence spectrograph. The spectrograph consists of a finite conjugate, stigmatic mirror pair and a planar varied line space grating. The grazing incidence mirrors are being developed at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and are produced using electroform nickel-replication techniques, employing the same facilities developed for HERO, FOXSI, ART-XC and IXPE. The MaGIXS mirror mandrels have been fabricated, figured, and have completed the first phase of polishing. A set of three test shells were replicated and exposed to X-rays in the Stray Light Facility (SLF) at MSFC. Here we present results from mandrel metrology and X-ray testing at the SLF. We also discuss the development of a new polishing technique for the MaGIXS mirror mandrels, where we plan to use the Zeeko polishing machine.
OSIRIS-REx is the third spacecraft in the NASA New Frontiers Program and is planned for launch in 2016. OSIRIS-REx will orbit the near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, characterize it, and return a sample of the asteroid's regolith back to Earth. The Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is an instrument on OSIRIS-REx designed and built by students at MIT and Harvard. The purpose of REXIS is to collect and image sun-induced fluorescent X-rays emitted by Bennu, thereby providing spectroscopic information related to the elemental makeup of the asteroid regolith and the distribution of features over its surface. Telescopic reflectance spectra suggest a CI or CM chondrite analog meteorite class for Bennu, where this primitive nature strongly motivates its study. A number of factors, however, will influence the generation, measurement, and interpretation of the X-ray spectra measured by REXIS. These include: the compositional nature and heterogeneity of Bennu, the time-variable solar state, X-ray detector characteristics, and geometric parameters for the observations. In this paper, we will explore how these variables influence the precision to which REXIS can measure Bennu's surface composition. By modeling the aforementioned factors, we place bounds on the expected performance of REXIS and its ability to ultimately place Bennu in an analog meteorite class.
High-resolution X-ray spectra were recorded by the High-Energy Electronic X-ray (HENEX) spectrometer from a variety of targets irradiated by the Omega laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics. The HENEX spectrometer utilizes four reflection crystals covering the 1-20keV energy range and one quartz(10-11) transmission crystal (Laue geometry) covering the 11-40keV range. The time-integrated spectral images were recorded on five CMOS X-ray detectors. In the spectra recorded from krypton-filled gasbag and hohlraum targets, the helium-like K-shell transitions n=1-2, 1-3, and 1-4 appeared in the 13-17keV energy range. A number of additional spectral features were observed at energies lower than the helium-like n=1-3 and n=1-4 transitions. Based on computational simulations of the spectra using the FLYCHK/FLYSPEC codes, which included opacity effects, these additional features are identified to be inner-shell transitions from the Li-like through N-like krypton charge states. The comparisons of the calculated and observed spectra indicate that these transitions are characteristic of the plasma conditions immediately after the laser pulse when the krypton density is 2x10{sup 18}cm{sup -3} and the electron temperature is in the range 2.8-3.2keV. These spectral features represent a new diagnostic for the charge state distribution, the density and electron temperature, and the plasma opacity. Laboratory experiments indicate that it is feasible to record K-shell spectra from gold and higher Z targets in the >60keV energy range using a Ge(220) transmission crystal.
This report of research is on the development of X-ray Photo-Electron Spectrometer (PES) for diagnosis of tokamak plasma. The spectrometer utilizes the fact that the energy of photo-electron is given by the difference between the energy of X-ray and the binding energy of materials. In the research of this year, we constructed two spectrometers; one is operated in KAIST tokamak and the other in KT1 tokamak. In addition, we reviewed the characteristics of the x-ray filter, the photo-electric effect of carbon foils and the detection efficiency of MCP and x-ray radiation of plasma. We measured the x-ray radiation in tokamak and diagnosed the qualitative plasma parameters from the analysis of data. The major interesting plasma parameters, which we can diagnose with the spectrometer, are the electron temperature, Z{sub eff}, the spatial distribution of x-ray radiation and etc. 27 refs., 2 tabs., 20 figs. (author)
High resolution L X-ray emission spectra of Cu have been measured by 0.75 MeV/u H, He, and F, 0.73 MeV/u Ar, 0.64 MeV/u Si, and 0.073 MeV/u Si ion impacts with a crystal spectrometer. The X-ray transition energies in the Cu target for L{iota}, L{eta}, L{alpha}{sub 1,2}, L{beta}{sub 1}, and L{beta}{sub 3,4} diagram lines induced by light ion impacts are determined, which are in good agreement with those given in the reference. The difference in L X-ray emission spectra produced by H, He, F, Si, and Ar ions are considered and the L{alpha}{sub 1,2} and L{beta}{sub 1} emission spectra are compared with the calculated ones based on the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock method. (author)
The time constant of the output signal of the front-end readout circuit of a traditional gamma-rayspectrometer with a NaI(Tl)+PMT structure is affected by temperature, measurement environment and the signal transmission cable, so it is difficult to get a good resolution spectrum, especially at higher counting rates. In this paper, a reset charge sensitive amplifier (RCSA) is designed for the gamma-rayspectrometer with a NaI(Tl)+PMT structure. The designed RCSA outputs a step signal, thus enabling the acquisition of double-exponential signals with a stable time constant by using the next stage of a CR differentiating circuit. The designed RCSA is mainly composed of a basic amplifying circuit, a reset circuit and a dark current compensation circuit. It provides the output step signal through the integration of the PMT output charge signal. When the amplitude of the step signal exceeds a preset voltage threshold, it triggers the reset circuit to generate a reset pulse (about 5 µs pulse width) to reset the output signal. Experimental results demonstrated that the designed RCSA achieves a charge sensitivity of 4.26×10 10 V/C, with a zero capacitance noise of 51.09 fC and a noise slope of 1.98 fC/pF. Supported by the digital shaping algorithm of the digital multi-channel analyzer (DMCA), it can maintain good energy resolution with high counting rates up to 150 kcps and with a temperature range from −19 °C to 50 °C. - Highlights: • A new reset type charge sensitive amplifier for gamma-rayspectrometer based on a photomultiplier tube is proposed. • Reset circuit formed by constant current source output a fixed width pulse to reset charge sensitive amplifier. • Photomultiplier tube dark current compensation circuit could increase the pulse through rate by decreasing reset frequency. • This amplifier outputs a step function signal that could match next stage circuit easily
The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) proposes a two year program to further advance the scientific capabilities of monolithic CMOS detectors for use as x-ray imaging spectrometers. This proposal will build upon the progress achieved with funding from a previous APRA proposal that ended in 2013. As part of that previous proposal, x- ray optimized, highly versatile, monolithic CMOS imaging detectors and technology were developed and tested. The performance and capabilities of these devices were then demonstrated, with an emphasis on the performance advantages these devices have over CCDs and other technologies. The developed SAO/SRI-Sarnoff CMOS devices incorporate: Low noise, high sensitivity ("gain") pixels; Highly parallel on-chip signal chains; Standard and very high resistivity (30,000Ohm-cm) Si; Back-Side thinning and passivation. SAO demonstrated the performance benefits of each of these features in these devices. This new proposal high-lights the performance of this previous generation of devices, and segues into new technology and capability. The high sensitivity ( 135uV/e) 6 Transistor (6T) Pinned Photo Diode (PPD) pixels provided a large charge to voltage conversion gain to the detect and resolve even small numbers of photo electrons produced by x-rays. The on-chip, parallel signal chain processed an entire row of pixels in the same time that a CCD requires to processes a single pixel. The resulting high speed operation ( 1000 times faster than CCD) provide temporal resolution while mitigating dark current and allowed room temperature operation. The high resistivity Si provided full (over) depletion for thicker devices which increased QE for higher energy x-rays. In this proposal, SAO will investigate existing NMOS and existing PMOS devices as xray imaging spectrometers. Conventional CMOS imagers are NMOS. NMOS devices collect and measure photo-electrons. In contrast, PMOS devices collect and measure photo-holes. PMOS devices have various
Core-level spectroscopy in the soft X-ray regime is a powerful tool for the study of chemical bonding processes. The ultrafast, ultrabright X-ray pulses generated by the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) allow these reactions to be studied in greater detail than ever before. In this study, we investigated a conceptual design of a spectrometer for the LCLS with imaging in the non-dispersive direction. This would allow single-shot collection of X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) measurements with varying laser pump X-ray probe delay or a variation of incoming X-ray energy over the illuminated area of the sample. Ray-tracing simulations were used to demonstrate how the components of the spectrometer affect its performance, allowing a determination of the optimal final design. These simulations showed that the spectrometer's non-dispersive focusing is extremely sensitive to the size of the sample footprint; the spectrometer is not able to image a footprint width larger than one millimeter with the required resolution. This is compatible with a single shot scheme that maps out the laser pump X-ray probe delay in the non-dispersive direction as well as resonant XES applications at normal incidence. However, the current capabilities of the Soft X-Ray (SXR) beamline at the LCLS do not produce the required energy range in a small enough sample footprint, hindering the single shot resonant XES application at SXR for chemical dynamics studies at surfaces. If an upgraded or future beamline at LCLS is developed with lower monochromator energy dispersion the width can be made small enough at the required energy range to be imaged by this spectrometer design.
Two computer programmes have been written for use on a fully automated Siemens SRS200 sequential X-ray-fluorescence spectrometer. The first of these is used to control the spectrometer via an LC200 logic controller using a Data General Nova IV minicomputer; the second is used for the on-line evaluation of the intensity results and the printout of the analytical results. This system is an alternative to the systems offered by Siemens Ltd, which consist of a Process PR310 or Digital DEC PDP1103 computer and the Siemens Spectra 310 software package. The multibatch capabilities of the programmes, with the option of measuring one sample or a tray of samples before the results are calculated, give the new programmes a major advantage over the dedicated software and, together with the elimination of human error in calculation, have resulted in increased efficiency and quality in routine analyses. A description is given of the two programmes, as well as instruction and guidelines to the user
Improvements in superconductor device fabrication, detector hybridization techniques, and superconducting quantum interference device readout have made square-centimeter-sized arrays of gamma-ray microcalorimeters, based on transition-edge sensors (TESs), possible. At these collecting areas, gamma microcalorimeters can utilize their unprecedented energy resolution to perform spectroscopy in a number of applications that are limited by closely-spaced spectral peaks, for example, the nondestructive analysis of nuclear materials. We have built a 256 pixel spectrometer with an average full-width-at-half-maximum energy resolution of 53 eV at 97 keV, a useable dynamic range above 400 keV, and a collecting area of 5 cm{sup 2}. We have demonstrated multiplexed readout of the full 256 pixel array with 236 of the pixels (91%) giving spectroscopic data. This is the largest multiplexed array of TES microcalorimeters to date. This paper will review the spectrometer, highlighting the instrument design, detector fabrication, readout, operation of the instrument, and data processing. Further, we describe the characterization and performance of the newest 256 pixel array.
This equipment, developed by Ital Structures, combines two kinds of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence techniques, the first using total reflection geometry and the second conventional 45 o geometry. The equipment is completely controlled by a PC and to reach the condition of total reflection is very easy because it is enough to load the file with the right position for the corresponding energy. In this apparatus we used an x-ray tube with an alloy anode of Mo/W with a long fine focus at 2200 W. To monochromatize the x-ray beam while choosing, for example, the Mo K alpha or W L alpha or a piece of white spectrum of 33 keV, we use a highly reflective multilayer made of Si/W with 2d = 45.5 A o . The detector used in the equipment is a lithium drifted silicon detector (Si(Li)) with an excellent energy resolution of 135 eV at 5.9 keV and 1000 cps. We developed two programs written in Windows 95, 98 and NT for a 32 bit microprocessor. The first one is called TYACQ32 and has the following functions: first, complete control of the hardware, second automatic alignment of the TX 2000 spectrometer and third acquisition of spectra. The second program is EDXRF32. This is a program to accomplish spectrum and quantitative analysis for TXRF and EDXRF 45 o degrees analysis. (author)
We present the result of the in-flight calibration of the effective area of the Soft X-raySpectrometer (SXS) on board the Hitomi X-ray satellite using an observation of the Crab nebula. We corrected for artifacts when observing high count rate sources with the X-ray microcalorimeter. We then constructed a spectrum in the 0.5-20 keV band, which we modeled with a single power-law continuum attenuated by interstellar extinction. We evaluated the systematic uncertainty of the spectral parameters by various calibration items. In the 2-12 keV band, the SXS result is consistent with the literature values in flux (2.20 ± 0.08 × 10-8 erg s-1 cm-2 with a 1 σ statistical uncertainty) but is softer in the power-law index (2.19 ± 0.11). The discrepancy is attributable to the systematic uncertainty of about +6%/-7% and +2%/-5% respectively for the flux and the power-law index. The softer spectrum is affected primarily by the systematic uncertainty of the Dewar gate valve transmission and the event screening.
We present results of inflight calibration of the point spread function of the Soft X-ray Telescope that focuses X-rays onto the pixel array of the Soft X-raySpectrometer system. We make a full array image of a point-like source by extracting a pulsed component of the Crab nebula emission. Within the limited statistics afforded by an exposure time of only 6.9 ks and limited knowledge of the systematic uncertainties, we find that the raytracing model of 1 {^'.} 2 half-power-diameter is consistent with an image of the observed event distributions across pixels. The ratio between the Crab pulsar image and the raytracing shows scatter from pixel to pixel that is 40% or less in all except one pixel. The pixel-to-pixel ratio has a spread of 20%, on average, for the 15 edge pixels, with an averaged statistical error of 17% (1 σ). In the central 16 pixels, the corresponding ratio is 15% with an error of 6%.
A test material for routine performance evaluation of energy-dispersive X-rayspectrometers (EDS) is presented. It consists of a synthetic, thick coating of C, Al, Mn, Cu, and Zr, in an elemental composition that provides interference-free characteristic X-ray lines of similar intensities at 10 kV scanning electron microscope voltage. The EDS energy resolution at the C-K, Mn-Lα, Cu-Lα, Al-K, Zr-Lα, and Mn-Kα lines, the calibration state of the energy scale, and the Mn-Lα/Mn-Kα intensity ratio as a measure for the low-energy detection efficiency are calculated by a dedicated software package from the 10 kV spectrum. Measurements at various input count rates and processor shaping times enable an estimation of the operation conditions for which the X-ray spectrum is not yet corrupted by pile-up events. Representative examples of EDS systems characterized with the test material and the related software are presented and discussed.
A gamma-rayspectrometer for use in geological exploration possesses four stripping ratios and three window sensitivities which must be determined to make the instrumentation applicable for field assay or airborne measurement of potassium, uranium, and thorium contents in the ground. Survey organizations in many parts of the world perform the instrument calibration using large pads of concrete which simulate a plane ground of known radioelement concentration. Calibration and monitoring trials with twelve facilities in ten countries prove that moisture absorption, radon exhalation, and particle-size effects can offset a radiometric grade assigned to concrete whose aggregate contains an embedded radioactive mineral. These and other calibration problems are discussed from a combined theoretical and practical viewpoint. (author)
A compact, low-cost, wireless gamma-rayspectrometer is a tool sought by a number of different organizations in the field of radiation detection. Such a device has applications in emergency response, battlefield assessment, and personal dosimetry. A prototype device fitting this description has been constructed in the Advanced Radiation Instrumentation Laboratory at Oregon State University. The prototype uses a CsI(Tl) scintillator coupled to a solid-state photomultiplier and a 40 MHz, 12-bit, FPGA-based digital pulse processor to measure gamma radiation, and is able to be accessed wirelessly by mobile phone. The prototype device consumes roughly 420 mW, weighs about 28 g (not including battery), and measures 2.54×3.81 cm{sup 2}. The prototype device is able to achieve 5.9% FWHM energy resolution at 662 keV.
Full Text Available The radioactivity of the three elements, potassium, uranium and thorium, in rocks of various types in Pattani Province was investigated by using a gamma rayspectrometer. It was found that potassium contents in igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks were 6.29 %, 2.21% and 1.54 % respectively. Uranium equivalent contents in igneous rock, sedimentary rocks and metamorphic rocks were found to be 22.51 ppm, 11.25 ppm and 14.13 ppm, while thorium contents in these rocks were 21.78 ppm, 18.88 ppm and 18.15 ppm respectively. The results obtained were similar to those reported by Pungtip Ranglek (1995 for igneous rock at Liwong Pluton site in Thepha, Na Thawi, Chana and Saba Yoi Districts, Songkhla Province, and were about six times higher than those reported by Kittichai Wattananikorn (1994 for igneous rock in the northern part of Thailand.
An investigation of the gamma background was carried out in the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS spallation neutron source. This study, performed with a yttrium-aluminum-perovskite (YAP) scintillator, follows high resolution pulse height measurements of the gamma background carried out on the same instrument with the use of a high-purity germanium detector. In this experimental work, a mapping of the gamma background was attempted, trying to find the spatial distribution and degree of directionality of the different contributions identified in the previous study. It is found that the gamma background at low times is highly directional and mostly due to the gamma rays generated in the moderator-decoupler system. The other contributions, consistently to the findings of a previous experiment, are identified as a nearly isotropic one due to neutron absorption in the walls of the experimental hall, and a directional one coming from the beam dump.
An investigation of the gamma background was carried out in the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS spallation neutron source. This study, performed with a yttrium-aluminum-perovskite (YAP) scintillator, follows high resolution pulse height measurements of the gamma background carried out on the same instrument with the use of a high-purity germanium detector. In this experimental work, a mapping of the gamma background was attempted, trying to find the spatial distribution and degree of directionality of the different contributions identified in the previous study. It is found that the gamma background at low times is highly directional and mostly due to the gamma rays generated in the moderator-decoupler system. The other contributions, consistently to the findings of a previous experiment, are identified as a nearly isotropic one due to neutron absorption in the walls of the experimental hall, and a directional one coming from the beam dump.
An investigation of the gamma background was carried out in the VESUVIO spectrometer at the ISIS spallation neutron source. This study, performed with a yttrium-aluminum-perovskite (YAP) scintillator, follows high resolution pulse height measurements of the gamma background carried out on the same instrument with the use of a high-purity germanium detector. In this experimental work, a mapping of the gamma background was attempted, trying to find the spatial distribution and degree of directionality of the different contributions identified in the previous study. It is found that the gamma background at low times is highly directional and mostly due to the gamma rays generated in the moderator-decoupler system. The other contributions, consistently to the findings of a previous experiment, are identified as a nearly isotropic one due to neutron absorption in the walls of the experimental hall, and a directional one coming from the beam dump.
The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) instrument contains a one-time deployable radiation cover that is opened using a shape memory alloy actuator (a "Frangibolt") from TiNi Aerospace and two torsion springs. The door will be held closed by the bolt for several years in cold storage during travel to the target asteroid, Bennu, and it is imperative to gain confidence that the door will open at predicted operational temperatures. This paper briefly covers the main design features of the radiation cover and measures taken to mitigate risks to cover deployment. As the chosen FD04 model Frangibolt actuator has minimal flight heritage, the main focus of this paper is the testing, results and conclusions with the FD04 while discussing key lessons learned with respect to the use of the FD04 actuator in this application.
A high-resolution x-rayspectrometer has been designed, calibrated, and deployed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to measure plasma parameters for a Kr-doped surrogate capsule imploded at NIF conditions. Two conical crystals, each diffracting the He α and He β complexes respectively, focus the spectra onto a steak camera photocathode for time-resolved measurements with a temporal resolution of NIF experimental results will also be discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory under contract DE-AC02-09CH11466 and by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.
Electron cyclotron resonance heating and electron cyclotron current drive, disruptive events, and sawtooth activity are all known to produce suprathermal electrons in fusion devices, motivating increasingly detailed studies of the generation and dynamics of this suprathermal population. Measurements have been performed in the past years in the tokamak a configuration variable (TCV) tokamak using a single pinhole hard-x-ray (HXR) camera and electron-cyclotron-emission radiometers, leading, in particular, to the identification of the crucial role of spatial transport in the physics of ECCD. The observation of a poloidal asymmetry in the emitted suprathermal bremsstrahlung radiation motivates the design of a proposed new tomographic HXR spectrometer reported in this paper. The design, which is based on a compact modified Soller collimator concept, is being aided by simulations of tomographic reconstruction. Quantitative criteria have been developed to optimize the design for the greatly variable shapes and positions of TCV plasmas.
Alpha particle X-rayspectrometer (APXS) is one of the payloads of Chang'E-3 lunar rover, the scientific objective of which is in-situ observation and off-line analysis of lunar regolith and rock. Distance measurement is one of the important functions for APXS to perform effective detection on the moon. The present paper will first give a brief introduction to APXS, and then analyze the specific requirements and constraints to realize distance measurement, at last present a new near infrared distance sensing algorithm by using the inflection point of response curve. The theoretical analysis and the experiment results verify the feasibility of this algorithm. Although the theoretical analysis shows that this method is not sensitive to the operating temperature and reflectance of the lunar surface, the solar infrared radiant intensity may make photosensor saturation. The solutions are reducing the gain of device and avoiding direct exposure to sun light.
The streaked x-rayspectrometer (SXS) is used with streak cameras [D. H. Kalantar, P. M. Bell, R. L. Costa, B. A. Hammel, O. L. Landen, T. J. Orzechowski, J. D. Hares, and A. K. L. Dymoke-Bradshaw, in 22nd International Congress on High-Speed Photography and Photonics, edited by D. L. Paisley and A. M. Frank (SPIE, Bellingham, WA, 1997), Vol. 2869, p. 680] positioned with a ten-inch manipulator on OMEGA [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] and OMEGA EP [L. J. Waxer et al., Presented at CLEO/QELS 2008, San Jose, CA, 4-9 May 2008 (Paper JThB1)] for time-resolved, x-ray spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas in the 1.4- to 20-keV photon-energy range. These experiments require measuring a portion of this photon-energy range to monitor a particular emission or absorption feature of interest. The SXS relies on a pinned mechanical reference system to create a discrete set of Bragg reflection geometries for a variety of crystals. A wide selection of spectral windows is achieved accurately and efficiently using this technique. It replaces the previous spectrometer designs that had a continuous Bragg angle adjustment and required a tedious alignment calibration procedure. The number of spectral windows needed for the SXS was determined by studying the spectral ranges selected by OMEGA users over the last decade. These selections are easily configured in the SXS using one of the 25 discrete Bragg reflection geometries and one of the six types of Bragg crystals, including two curved crystals.
We present the optical design of the Centurion soft X-ray resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrometer to be located on the SIX beamline at NSLS-II. The spectrometer is designed to reach a resolving power of 100 000 at 1000 eV at its best resolution. It is also designed to have continuously variable 2θ motion over a range of 112° using a custom triple rotating flange. We have analyzed several possible spectrometer designs capable of reaching the target resolution. After careful analysis, we have adopted a Hettrick-Underwood spectrometer design, with an additional plane mirror to maintain a fixed direction for the outgoing beam. The spectrometer can cancel defocus and coma aberrations at all energies, has an erect focal plane, and minimizes mechanical motions of the detector. When the beamline resolution is accounted for, the net spectral resolution will be 14 meV at 1000 eV. This will open up many low energy excitations to study and will expand greatly the power of soft X-ray RIXS.
We present the optical design of the Centurion soft X-ray resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) spectrometer to be located on the SIX beamline at NSLS-II. The spectrometer is designed to reach a resolving power of 100 000 at 1000 eV at its best resolution. It is also designed to have continuously variable 2θ motion over a range of 112° using a custom triple rotating flange. We have analyzed several possible spectrometer designs capable of reaching the target resolution. After careful analysis, we have adopted a Hettrick-Underwood spectrometer design, with an additional plane mirror to maintain a fixed direction for the outgoing beam. The spectrometer can cancel defocus and coma aberrations at all energies, has an erect focal plane, and minimizes mechanical motions of the detector. When the beamline resolution is accounted for, the net spectral resolution will be 14 meV at 1000 eV. This will open up many low energy excitations to study and will expand greatly the power of soft X-ray RIXS.
In this study the authors report on the results of the investigation of lead iodide material properties. The effectiveness of a zone refining purification method on the material purity is determined by ICP-MS and ICP-OES and correlated to the electrical and physical material properties. They show that this zone refining method is very efficient in removing impurities from lead iodide, and they also determine the segregation coefficient for some of these impurities. Triple axis X-ray diffraction (TAD) analysis has been used to determine the crystalline perfection of the lead iodide after applying various cutting, etching and fabrication methods. The soft lead iodide crystal was found to be damaged when cleaved by a razor blade, but by using a diamond wheel saw, followed by etching, the crystallinity of the material was much improved, as observed by TAD. Low temperature photoluminescence also indicates an improvement in the material properties of the purified lead iodide. Electrical properties of lead iodide such as carrier mobility, were calculated based on carrier-phonon scattering. The results for the electrical properties were in good agreement with the experimental data
The NEAR Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft will encounter the 433Eros asteroid for a one year orbital mission in December 1998. Its on-board remote sensing instrumentation includes X-ray and gamma-ray (XGRS) spectrometers. NEAR is an orbital mission and long integrations over spatially specific asteroid regions are generally not possible. A methodology for simulating longer integrations has been developed for XGRS and uses unique management, correlative and analytical ground systems to render mapping data products. Evaluation of the spatial environment is accomplished through virtual renderings of the asteroid surface giving incidence, emission and surface roughness factors. Extended computer plate modeling information is employed to optimize ground computer systems processing time. Interactive visualization systems have been developed to manage close to a million spectra that will be collected during the encounter. Feedback systems are employed to inspect, tag and calibrate spectral data products. Mission planning, systems development and managerial responsibilities have been distributed to cooperating science organizations at The Goddard Space Flight Center, The University of Arizona, Cornell University, The Applied Physics Laboratory and The Max Plank Institute
We have designed, built, and successfully fielded a highly efficient and gated Bragg crystal spectrometer for x-ray Thomson scattering measurements on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). It utilizes a cylindrically curved Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite crystal. Its spectral range of 7.4–10 keV is optimized for scattering experiments using a Zn He-α x-ray probe at 9.0 keV or Mo K-shell line emission around 18 keV in second diffraction order. The spectrometer has been designed as a diagnostic instrument manipulator-based instrument for the NIF target chamber at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA. Here, we report on details of the spectrometer snout, its novel debris shield configuration and an in situ spectral calibration experiment with a Brass foil target, which demonstrated a spectral resolution of E/ΔE = 220 at 9.8 keV.
Results connected with concentration measurements of Ni and Cu in low alloy steel and pig iron samples are presented. The samples were analysed by a Si(Li) detector X-rayspectrometer developed by the authors. The characteristic X-rays of elements were excited by a 5 mCi activity ring-shaped 125 I radioisotope source which emits the K-X-rays of Te and a weak γ-line of 35 keV energy. The semiconductor detector X-rayspectrometer can be used even more advantageously for analysis of major components of metallurgical samples. The method for quantitative analysis needed only one or a small number of standards. The interelement disturbing effects were mathematically corrected with computer
A reflecting crystal spectrometer consisting of three cylindrically bent quartz (110) crystals is described. It was designed to measure the 3 keV K β X-rays from pionic hydrogen and deuterium. Charge coupled devices (CCDs) were used as X-ray detectors. Projecting the reflexes of all three crystals on one common focus, an instrumental energy resolution below 1 eV was obtained at an energy of 2.9 keV. (orig.)
The Fourier Imaging X-raySpectrometer (FIXS) is one of four instruments on SAC-1, the Argentinian satellite being proposed for launch by NASA on a Scout rocket in 1992/3. The FIXS is designed to provide solar flare images at X-ray energies between 5 and 35 keV. Observations will be made on arcsecond size scales and subsecond time scales of the processes that modify the electron spectrum and the thermal distribution in flaring magnetic structures
Design and operating principle of the X-rayspectrometer which is applied for investigations of the chemical composition of the Mars soil, are described. The measurement performed in two points of the Mars surface have permitted to determine the content of magnesium, aluminium, silicon, potassium and 9 other elements in the Mars ground
The author reports the comparison results on natural radioactive nuclide contents of soil specimen from an uranium diggings with HPGe and NaI(Tl) γ-rayspectrometer. Relative method and athwart matrix method are used to analyze natural radioactive nuclide contents in samples of soil. The results are compared and are proven to be in accordance with each other
TIGRESS is a new generation γ-rayspectrometer designed for use with radioactive beams from ISAC. This paper gives an overview of the project and presents results from the first radioactive beam experiment with TIGRESS, the Coulomb excitation of 20,21Na.
The details of the quantitative X-ray spectral microanalysis performed with a wave dispersive spectrometer are described. Hydration of biological tissues, light element composition, low concentration of analyzed elements and their nonuniform distribution are the specific features of bioorganic film and tissue section. This paper is aimed to discuss the general approaches to both preparation technique and quantitative analysis principles [ru
The evolution of the hardware platforms, the modernization of the software tools, the access to the codes of a large number of young people and the popularization of the open source software for scientific applications drove us to design OASYS (ORange SYnchrotron Suite), a completely new graphical environment for modelling X-ray experiments. The implemented software architecture allows to obtain not only an intuitive and very-easy-to-use graphical interface, but also provides high flexibility and rapidity for interactive simulations, making configuration changes to quickly compare multiple beamline configurations. Its purpose is to integrate in a synergetic way the most powerful calculation engines available. OASYS integrates different simulation strategies via the implementation of adequate simulation tools for X-ray Optics (e.g. ray tracing and wave optics packages). It provides a language to make them to communicate by sending and receiving encapsulated data. Python has been chosen as main programming language, because of its universality and popularity in scientific computing. The software Orange, developed at the University of Ljubljana (SLO), is the high level workflow engine that provides the interaction with the user and communication mechanisms.
The cosmic gamma-ray burst spectrometer Konus-W has been successfully making observations for nearly one year, since the launch of the GGS-Wind spacecraft. The instrument consists of two large scintillator units of size and shape very nearly the same as the spectroscopy detectors on CGRO BATSE. These face towards the ecliptic poles so as to survey the sky in a moderately uniform fashion. At least 114 gamma ray bursts have triggered the system in the first 330 days of operation, yielding detailed time histories and spectra. A large number of additional events are seen in the background mode at much coarser resolution. These observations can be combined with those of the Interplanetary Network to reduce the total area of the segmented annular source fields derived from several degrees to about one degree in length, although the data cannot obtained from this spacecraft in the rapid turnaround mode needed to benefit the BACODINE system. The Konus spectra can be summarized presently as providing little indication of the frequent occurrence of major spectral features
The present work describes a few methodologies developed for fitting efficiency curves obtained by means of a HPGe gamma-rayspectrometer. The interpolated values were determined by simple polynomial fitting and polynomial fitting between the ratio of experimental peak efficiency and total efficiency, calculated by Monte Carlo technique, as a function of gamma-ray energy. Moreover, non-linear fitting has been performed using a segmented polynomial function and applying the Gauss-Marquardt method. For the peak area obtainment different methodologies were developed in order to estimate the background area under the peak. This information was obtained by numerical integration or by using analytical functions associated to the background. One non-calibrated radioactive source has been included in the curve efficiency in order to provide additional calibration points. As a by-product, it was possible to determine the activity of this non-calibrated source. For all fittings developed in the present work the covariance matrix methodology was used, which is an essential procedure in order to give a complete description of the partial uncertainties involved. (author)
We develop a ultra-low background gamma rayspectrometer, using active and passive shielding technique at the same time. Cosmic ray induced background is suppressed by means of active shield devices consisting of plastic scintillating plates of 50 mm thick and anti-coincidence electronic system. The shield is made of 150 mm thick walls of very low activity lead, especially 20 mm with activity of -1 and 0.36 s -1 with and without active shield, respectively, on the regions from 50 keV to 3 MeV. The detection efficiency curve has been precisely measured for regions from 80 keV to 2 MeV with a 10 3 ml marinelli beaker sample, made with calibrated mixed-sources consists of 109 Cd, 57 Co, 139 Ce, 203 Hg, 113 Sn, 85 Sr, 137 Cs, 60 Co and 88 Y. The virtues of the method are demonstrated by applying on experiment that requires the lowest detection limit
We are developing ultra-high energy resolution gamma-ray detectors based on superconducting transition edge sensors (TESs) for nuclear non-proliferation and fundamental science applications. They use bulk tin absorbers attached to molybdenum-copper multilayer TESs, and have achieved an energy resolution between 50 and 90 eV FWHM for gamma-ray energies below 122 keV. For increased user-friendliness, we have built a cryostat that attains the required detector operating temperature of 0.1 K at the push of a button without the use of cryogenic liquids. It uses a two-stage mechanical pulse tube refrigerator for precooling to ∼3 K, and a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator for cooling to the base temperature. The cryostat is fully automated, attains a base temperature below 30 mK without the use of cryogenic liquids, and has a hold time of ∼2 days at 0.1 K between 1-hour demagnetization cycles. Here we discuss the performance of the cryostat for operation in a Gamma-spectrometer with 112-pixel arrays of superconducting TES detectors
Hard X-ray spectra in solar flares obtained by the broadband spectrometers aboard Hinotori and SMM are compared. Within the uncertainty brought about by assuming the typical energy of the background X-rays, spectra by the Hinotori spectrometer are usually consistent with those by the SMM spectrometer for flares in 1981. On the contrary, flares in 1982 persistently show 20-50-percent higher flux by Hinotori than by SMM. If this discrepancy is entirely attributable to errors in the calibration of energy ranges, the errors would be about 10 percent. Despite such a discrepancy in absolute flux, in the the decay phase of one flare, spectra revealed a hard X-ray component (probably a 'superhot' component) that could be explained neither by emission from a plasma at about 2 x 10 to the 7th K nor by a nonthermal power-law component. Imaging observations during this period show hard X-ray emission nearly cospatial with soft X-ray emission, in contrast with earlier times at which hard and soft X-rays come from different places.
Recent advances in field-portable X-ray fluorescence (FP XRF) spectrometer technology have made it a potentially valuable screening tool for the industrial hygienist to estimate worker exposures to airborne metals. Although recent studies have shown that FP XRF technology may be better suited for qualitative or semiquantitative analysis of airborne lead in the workplace, these studies have not extensively addressed its ability to measure other elements. This study involved a laboratory-based evaluation of a representative model FP XRF spectrometer to measure elements commonly encountered in workplace settings that may be collected on air sample filter media, including chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, and zinc. The evaluation included assessments of (1) response intensity with respect to location on the probe window, (2) limits of detection for five different filter media, (3) limits of detection as a function of analysis time, and (4) bias, precision, and accuracy estimates. Teflon, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and mixed cellulose ester filter media all had similarly low limits of detection for the set of elements examined. Limits of detection, bias, and precision generally improved with increasing analysis time. Bias, precision, and accuracy estimates generally improved with increasing element concentration. Accuracy estimates met the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health criterion for nearly all the element and concentration combinations. Based on these results, FP XRF spectrometry shows potential to be useful in the assessment of worker inhalation exposures to other metals in addition to lead.
Experiments have been made to provide calibrated kinetic energy values for AES peaks in order to calibrate Auger electron spectrometers of various resolving powers. The kinetic energies are measured using a VG Scientific ESCALAB 2 which has power supplies appropriate for AES measurements in both the constant ΔE and constant ΔE/E modes. The absolute calibration of the energy scale is obtained by the development of a new measurement chain which, in turn, is calibrated in terms of the post-1990 representation of electron volts using XPS peaks with a traceable kinetic energy accuracy of 0.02 eV. The effects of instrumental and operating parameters, including the spectrometer dispersion and stray magnetic fields, are all assessed and contribute errors for three peaks not exceeding 0.06 eV and for two peaks not exceeding 0.03 eV. Calibrated positions in the direct spectrum are given for the Cu M 2,3 VV, Au N 6,7 VV, Ag M 4 NN, Cu L 3 VV and Au M 5 N 6,7 N 6,7 transitions at 0.2 eV resolution, referred to both the Standard Vacuum Level and the Fermi level. For the derivative spectrum the positions of the negative excursions are derived numerically by computer from this data and are established with the same accuracy. Data are tabulated for the above peaks in both the direct and differentiated modes for the popular resolutions of 0.15%, 0.3% and 0.6% produced by Gaussian broadening of the high resolution spectra. Differentiations are effected by both sinusoidal modulation and Savitzky-Golay functions of 2 eV and 5 eV peak-to-peak
Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) are being developed as energy-dispersive soft X-ray detectors, because they combine the high energy resolution of low-temperature detectors with the comparably high count rates of non-thermal devices. We have built a 36-pixel spectrometer based on 200 (micro)m x 200 (micro)m Nb-Al-AlOx-Al-Nb STJs. It offers an energy resolution of ∼10 to 20 eV FWHM in the soft X-ray band below 1 keV, a solid angle coverage (Omega)/4π ∼ 10 -3 , and can be operated at total rates up to ∼10 6 counts/s. For STJ operation by non-expert users, we have built a liquid-cryogen-free spectrometer with a mechanical pulse-tube cryocooler and a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. It is fully automated for cooldown to a base temperature of 3 days between demagnetization cycles for STJ operation at 0.3 K. The STJ spectrometers are used for speciation measurements on dilute samples by fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and can achieve sensitivities below 100 ppm. We discuss the spectrometer performance in representative applications on metals in meteorites in the context of geological signatures of biological activity
Superconducting tunnel junctions (STJs) are being developed as energy-dispersive soft X-ray detectors, because they combine the high energy resolution of low-temperature detectors with the comparably high count rates of non-thermal devices. We have built a 36-pixel spectrometer based on 200 {micro}m x 200 {micro}m Nb-Al-AlOx-Al-Nb STJs. It offers an energy resolution of {approx}10 to 20 eV FWHM in the soft X-ray band below 1 keV, a solid angle coverage {Omega}/4{pi} {approx} 10{sup -3}, and can be operated at total rates up to {approx}10{sup 6} counts/s. For STJ operation by non-expert users, we have built a liquid-cryogen-free spectrometer with a mechanical pulse-tube cryocooler and a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator. It is fully automated for cooldown to a base temperature of <30 mK in 15 hours, and has a hold time of >3 days between demagnetization cycles for STJ operation at 0.3 K. The STJ spectrometers are used for speciation measurements on dilute samples by fluorescence-detected X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and can achieve sensitivities below 100 ppm. We discuss the spectrometer performance in representative applications on metals in meteorites in the context of geological signatures of biological activity.
This paper describes two alternative algorithms which are applied to reduce the telemetry requirements for a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based, space-borne, X-rayspectrometer by on-board reconstruction of the X-ray events split over two or more adjacent pixels. The algorithms have been developed for the Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) on the X-ray multi-mirror (XMM) mission, the second cornerstone project in the European Space Agency's Horizon 2000 programme. The overall instrument and some criteria which provide the background of the development of the algorithms, implemented in Tartan ADA on an MA31750 microprocessor, are described. The on-board processing constraints and requirements are discussed, and the performances of the algorithms are compared. Test results are presented which show that the recursive implementation is faster and has a smaller executable file although it uses more memory because of its stack requirements. (orig.)
A portable total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (TXRF) was used to analyze leaching solutions of hijiki seaweeds. S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Fe, Ni, As and Br were detected in the solutions. Arsenic quantification results were compared to those from ICP-AES. The TXRF quantification results of arsenic were not significantly different from those of ICP-AES, as two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) method was applied to the significance test. This kind of small and high sensitive TXRF spectrometer can be used in food quality and environmental pollution investigation. (author)
The scheme of electronic module for sample feeding device control for the CRV type X-ray fluorescence analysis spectrometers is considered. This module provides realization of next functions: sample change operations and installation in starting position; signaling and defense at emergency cases; indication of any sample amount in the spectrometer chamber; testing function at tuning and testing of modules. All these principal functions are entrusted with microcontroller. Programming of the microcontroller is putting into effect by algorithm of the whole sample feeding device. In the capacity of microcontroller the single crystalline processor PICI16C54 and stepping motor of NV-306-V2202 model have been used
Data accumulated from 1980 to 1983 with the Gamma RaySpectrometer aboard NASA's Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite were searched for evidence of red and blue Doppler-shifted 1.37 MeV Mg-24 nuclear lines from SS 433. The SMM data base covers 270 days when SS 433 was in the field of view and includes periods of radio flaring and quiescence. No evidence was found for Doppler-shifted line emission in any of the spectra. The range of 3-sigma upper limits for individual 9 day integration periods was 0.0008-0.0023 photons/sq cm per sec for the blue beam, encompassing the reported about 1.5 MeV line, and 0.0008-0.002 photons/sq cm per sec for the red beam, encompassing the reported about 1.2 MeV line; the average 3-sigma upper limit in each beam for shifted about 1.37 MeV lines is 0.0015 photons/sq cm per sec for single 9 day integrations. The 3-sigma upper limit on 1.37 MeV gamma-ray emission over 23 9-day integration intervals for the red beam and 28 intervals for the blue beam is 0.0002 photons/sq cm per sec. These new limits from SMM can be reconciled with the HEAO 3 results only if SS 433 emits gamma radiation at or above the SMM sensitivity limit on rare occasions due to variable physical conditions in the system. 19 refs
Data accumulated from 1980 to 1983 with the Gamma RaySpectrometer aboard NASA's Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite were searched for evidence of red and blue Doppler-shifted 1.37 MeV Mg-24 nuclear lines from SS 433. The SMM data base covers 270 days when SS 433 was in the field of view and includes periods of radio flaring and quiescence. No evidence was found for Doppler-shifted line emission in any of the spectra. The range of 3-sigma upper limits for individual 9 day integration periods was 0.0008-0.0023 photons/sq cm per sec for the blue beam, encompassing the reported about 1.5 MeV line, and 0.0008-0.002 photons/sq cm per sec for the red beam, encompassing the reported about 1.2 MeV line; the average 3-sigma upper limit in each beam for shifted about 1.37 MeV lines is 0.0015 photons/sq cm per sec for single 9 day integrations. The 3-sigma upper limit on 1.37 MeV gamma-ray emission over 23 9-day integration intervals for the red beam and 28 intervals for the blue beam is 0.0002 photons/sq cm per sec. These new limits from SMM can be reconciled with the HEAO 3 results only if SS 433 emits gamma radiation at or above the SMM sensitivity limit on rare occasions due to variable physical conditions in the system.
Diffraction grating-based, wavelength dispersive high-resolution soft x-ray spectroscopy of celestial sources promises to reveal crucial data for the study of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium, the Interstellar Medium, warm absorption and outflows in Active Galactic Nuclei, coronal emission from stars, and other areas of interest to the astrophysics community. Our recently developed critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings combine the advantages of the Chandra high and medium energy transmission gratings (low mass, high tolerance of misalignments and figure errors, polarization insensitivity) with those of blazed reflection gratings (high broad band diffraction efficiency, high resolution through use of higher diffraction orders) such as the ones on XMM-Newton. Extensive instrument and system configuration studies have shown that a CAT grating-based spectrometer is an outstanding instrument capable of delivering resolving power on the order of 5,000 and high effective area, even with a telescope point-spread function on the order of many arc-seconds. We have fabricated freestanding, ultra-high aspect-ratio CAT grating bars from silicon-on-insulator wafers using both wet and dry etch processes. The 200 nm-period grating bars are supported by an integrated Level 1 support mesh, and a coarser external Level 2 support mesh. The resulting grating membrane is mounted to a frame, resulting in a grating facet. Many such facets comprise a grating array that provides light-weight coverage of large-area telescope apertures. Here we present fabrication results on the integration of CAT gratings and the different high-throughput support mesh levels and on membrane-frame bonding. We also summarize recent x-ray data analysis of 3 and 6 micron deep wet-etched CAT grating prototypes.
Materials containing radionuclides of natural origin and being subject to regulation because of their radioactivity are known as Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). By following International Atomic Energy Agency, we include in NORM those materials with an activity concentration, which is modified by human made processes. We present a brief review of the main categories of non-nuclear industries together with the levels of activity concentration in feed raw materials, products and waste, including mechanisms of radioisotope enrichments. The global management of NORM shows a high level of complexity, mainly due to different degrees of radioactivity enhancement and the huge amount of worldwide waste production. The future tendency of guidelines concerning environmental protection will require both a systematic monitoring based on the ever-increasing sampling and high performance of gamma-ray spectroscopy. On the ground of these requirements a new low-background fully automated high-resolution gamma-rayspectrometer MCA R ad has been developed. The design of lead and cooper shielding allowed to reach a background reduction of two order of magnitude with respect to laboratory radioactivity. A severe lowering of manpower cost is obtained through a fully automation system, which enables up to 24 samples to be measured without any human attendance. Two coupled HPGe detectors increase the detection efficiency, performing accurate measurements on small sample volume (180 cm 3 ) with a reduction of sample transport cost of material. Details of the instrument calibration method are presented. MCA R ad system can measure in less than one hour a typical NORM sample enriched in U and Th with some hundreds of Bq kg -1 , with an overall uncertainty less than 5 %. Quality control of this method has been tested. Measurements of three certified reference materials RGK-1, RGU-2 and RGTh-1 containing concentrations of potassium, uranium and thorium comparable to NORM have
During the months of August, September, and October of 1980, Aero Service Division Western Geophysical Company of America conducted an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over ten (10) areas over northern California and southwestern Oregon. These include the 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of Roseburg, Medford, Weed, Alturas, Redding, Susanville, Ukiah, and Chico along with the 1 0 x 2 0 areas of the Coos Bay quadrangle and the Crescent City/Eureka areas combined. This report discusses the results obtained over the Coos Bay, Oregon, map area. Line spacing was generally six miles for east/west traverses and eighteen miles for north/south tie lines over the northern one-half of the area. Traverses and tie lines were flown at three miles and twelve miles respectively over the southern one-half of the area. A total of 16,880.5 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 863.8 line miles are in this quadrangle
We present an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for high-resolution x-rayspectrometers. The ASIC is designed to read out signals from a pixelated silicon drift detector (SDD). Each hexagonal pixel has an area of 15 mmz and an anode capacitance of less than 100 fF. There is no integrated Field Effect transistor (FET) in the pixel, rather, the readout is done by wirebonding the anodes to the inputs of the ASIC. The ASIC provides 14 channels of low-noise charge amplification, high-order shaping with baseline stabilization, and peak detection with analog memory. The readout is sparse and based on low voltage differential signaling. An interposer provides all the interconnections required to bias and operate the system. The channel dissipates 1.6 mW. The complete 14-pixel unit covers an area of 210 mm 2 , dissipates 12 mW cm -2 , and can be tiled to cover an arbitrarily large detection area. We measured a preliminary resolution of 172 eV at -35 C on the 6 keV peak of a 55 Fe source
The construction technology for the calibration facilities of gamma-rayspectrometer oil logging system is introduced. It is referenced to the experience from similar calibration facilities at home and abroad. Facilities consist of 9 models. The effective diameter of each model is 1.5 m and the height is 6 m. Each borehole has U ore zone, Th ore zone, K ore zone, high mixed zone, high mixed thin zone, low mixed zone and barren zone. There are 45 zones in total. Each element model has 6 in, 8.5 in and 12 in of different diameters. The preventing radon migration and complete sealing technology are used for each zone to prevent radon from escaping. The density of models, homogeneity and moisture of radio elements have been measured that gives a complete data for calibration adjusting of the instrument. The sizes of facilities and the concentration of radioactivity are reasonable designed and conformed to the recommendation of IAEA. Parameters are consistent with the parameters of calibration facilities built by Houston University in America. The emanation coefficient of the facilities is lees than 1%. The dry density of filling is 2.12 g/cm 3 and the relative standard deviation is +- 1.9%
During the months of July-August 1980, Aero Service Division Western Geophysical Company of America conducted an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey over eleven (11) 3 0 x 1 0 and one (1) 4 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of the Alaskan North Slope. This report discusses the results obtained over the Barrow map area. The final data are presented in four different forms: on magnetic tape; on microfiche; in graphic form as profiles and histograms; and in map form as anomaly maps, flight path maps, and computer printer maps. The histograms and the multiparameter profiles are presented with the anomaly maps and flight path map in a separate bound volume. Complete data listings of both the reduced single record and the reduced averaged record data are found in the back of this report. The format of the printout of the microfiches and the format of the data files delivered on magnetic tape are in accordance with the specifications of the BFEC 1200-C and are described in appendices F through L of this report
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over ten (10) areas over northern California and southwestern Oregon. These include the 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of Roseburg, Medford, Weed, Alturas, Redding, Susanville, Ukiah, and Chico along with the 1 0 x 2 0 areas of the Coos Bay quadrangle and the Crescent City/Eureka areas combined. This report discusses the results obtained over the Alturas, California, map area. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of six (6) miles. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately eighteen (18) miles apart. A total of 16,880.5 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 1631.6 line miles are in this quadrangle. The purpose of this study is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States
Considered are main peculiarities of apparata called MIS-diods having metal-thin isolating semiconductor structure and used as detectors of low-energy gamma and X-ray radiation. Discussed are advantages of tunnel MIS-diods based on non-primitive carriers. Presented are results of experimental measurements carried out using system of metal-silion oxide-silicon with the oxide layer width of 10-25 A (silicon with acceptor concentration of 10 19 m -3 ). Data presented show that MIS-diods can be considered as diods with p-n - transition in which n + - region is an inversion layer near the semiconductor surface, and further a leant region is situated. When voltage is applied only the depth of the leant region changes. In case of high quality diods the leakage currents are very small. Results of the investigation performed show that MIS-diods with oxide film wiolth of 10-22 A (the film covering p-silicon with high specific resistance) can be used as spectrometers of low-energy photons having particularly high energetic solution at room temperature. An advantage of new diods is the reverse current significantly lower in comparison with that of usual detectors with the Schottky barrier
An airborne combined radiometric and magnetic survey was performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) over the area covered by the Mariposa, California and Nevada; Fresno, California; and Bakersfield, Caifornia 1:250,000 National Topographic Map Series (NTMS) 1 0 x 2 0 quadrangle maps. The survey was a part of DOE's National Aerial Radiometric Reconnaissance (ARR) program, which in turn is a part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. Data were collected by a helicopter equipped with a gamma-rayspectrometer having a large crystal volume, and a high sensitivity proton precession magnetometer. The radiometric system was calibrated at the Walker Field Calibration pads and the Lake Mead Dynamic Test range. Data quality was ensured throughout the survey by daily test flights and equipment checks. Radiometric data were corrected for live time, aircraft and equipment background, cosmic background, atmospheric radon, Compton scatter, and altitude dependence. The corrected data were statistically evaluated, plotted, and contoured to produce anomaly maps based on the radiometric response of individual geological units. These maps were interpreted and an anomaly interpretation map produced. Volume I contains a description of the systems used in the survey, a discussion of the calibration of the systems, the data processing procedures, the data display format, the interpretation rationale, and the interpretation methodology. A separate Volume II for each quadrangle contains the data displays and the interpretation results
Over 100 plastic toys from the 1970s and 1980s, both polyvinyl chloride ("vinyl") and nonvinyl, were analyzed in the study described here using a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to quantify hazardous metal content. A sampling of recent vinyl toys was also tested. The majority of nonvinyl samples were Fisher Price brand toys. The vinyl toys consisted largely of Barbie dolls and other dolls. Overall, lead or cadmium was found in 67% of vintage plastic toys, frequently at concentrations exceeding current U.S. and European limits. Arsenic was detected at levels of concern in 16% of the samples. In the nonvinyl toys, heavy metal content was found to correlate with certain colors of plastic. The likely sources of the detected metals are discussed. None of the contemporary vinyl toys contained detectable cadmium, lead, or arsenic. Given that vintage toys remain in widespread use by children in homes and other locations, the results illuminate a potential source of heavy metal exposure for children.
An airborne combined radiometric and magnetic survey was performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) over the area covered by the Peoria, Decatur, and Belleville, 1:250,000 National Topographic Map Series (NTMS), quadrangle maps. The survey was part of DOE's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. Data were collected by a helicopter equipped with a gamma-rayspectrometer with a large crystal volume, and with a high sensitivity proton procession magnetometer. The radiometric system was calibrated at the Walker Field Calibration pads and the Lake Mead Dynamic Test Range. Data quality was ensured during the survey by daily test flights and equipment checks. Radiometric data were corrected for live time, aircraft and equipment background, cosmic background, atmospheric radon, Compton scatter, and altitude dependence. The corrected data were statistically evaluated, plotted, and contoured to produce anomaly maps based on the radiometric response of individual geological units. The anomalies were interpreted and an interpretation map produced. Volume I contains a description of the systems used in the survey, a discussion of the calibration of the systems, the data collection procedures, the data processing procedures, the data presentation, the interpretation rationale, and the interpretation methodology. A separate Volume II for each quadrangle contains the data displays and the interpretation results
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over ten (10) areas over northern California and southwestern Oregon. These include the 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of Roseburg, Medford, Weed, Alturas, Redding, Susanville, Ukiah, and Chico along with the 1 0 x 2 0 areas of the Coos Bay quadrangle and the Crescent City/Eureka areas combined. This report discusses the results obtained over the Susanville, California, map area. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of six (6) miles. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately eighteen (18) miles apart. A total of 16,880.5 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 1642.8 line miles are in this quadrangle. The purpose of this study is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over eleven (11) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles located in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and seven (7) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles in North and South Dakota. The quadrangles located within the North and South Dakota survey area include Devil's Lake, New Rockford, Jamestown, Aberdeen, Huron, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls. This report discusses the results obtained over the Mitchell map area. The purpose of this program is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of six (6) miles. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately twenty-four (24) miles apart. A total of 21,481 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 1479 line miles are in this quadrangle
Oxidation in a regime where diffusion is rapid and pressures are low is addressed. Kinetic effects under these conditions are minimized and a protective oxide film of near-equilibrium composition that is a few nanometers thick may form. Ultrathin oxides have great potential for addressing the corrosion resistance of metals, since they do not always suffer stress-induced cracking upon thermal cycling, and can be reformed under high temperature, oxidizing environments. Ultrathin oxide films are also preferable to those on a thick oxide scale for electrochemical applications due to their electrical properties. To study the growth of these oxide films, we have developed a high signal x-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The instrument can measure the near-surface composition during growth under oxygen partial pressures of up to 10-5 mbar and surface temperatures up to 1300 K. Under these conditions, films grow to a level of 3 nm in 1 h. Experiments with Cu-Al alloys show rapid segregation of Al upon oxygen exposure at 875 K, whereas exposures at lower temperatures result in a mixed oxide. With a Ni-Al intermetallic, higher temperatures were needed to preferentially segregate Al. Thermal cycling followed by exposure to chlorine in the same instrument is used as a measure of the degree of corrosion resistance of the oxides in question.
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over eleven (11) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles located in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and seven (7) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles in North and South Dakota. The quadrangles located within the North and South Dakota survey area include Devil's Lake, New Rockford, Jamestown, Aberdeen, Huron, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls. This report discusses the results obtained over the New Rockford map area. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of six (6) miles. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately twenty-four (24) miles apart. A total of 21,481 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 1397 line miles are in this quadrangle. The purpose of this study is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States
An airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over eleven (11) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles located in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin and seven (7) 2 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles in North and South Dakota. The quadrangles located within the North and South Dakota survey area include Devil's Lake, New Rockford, Jamestown, Aberdeen, Huron, Mitchell, and Sioux Falls. This report discusses the results obtained over the Huron map area. Traverse lines were flown in an east-west direction at a line spacing of six (6) miles. Tie lines were flown north-south approximately twenty-four (24) miles apart. A total of 21,481 line miles of geophysical data were acquired, compiled, and interpreted during the survey, of which 1459 line miles are in this quadrangle. The purpose of this study is to acquire and compile geologic and other information with which to assess the magnitude and distribution of uranium resources and to determine areas favorable for the occurrence of uranium in the United States
A portable total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) spectrometer has been applied to a trace elemental analysis of wines. Sulfur, K, Mn, Fe, and Rb were detected. These five elements were quantified by using 1 ppm of Co as an internal standard. The quantified concentrations ranged from sub-ppm to several hundred ppm. Because of organic substances in wines, the scattering of the incident X-rays from the dry residues of wines becomes strong. Therefore, a high spectral background appears in TXRF spectra of wines. Because of this background, relative standard deviations of the quantified concentrations were from 4 to 28%. Although the high spectral background appeared in the TXRF spectra of the wines, a detection limit down to several tens of ppb was achieved. The present portable spectrometer can be applied to screening for trace elements in wines before an accurate and precise analysis using a large elemental analyzer. (author)
Basic design methods about the magnetic shield of an X-rayspectrometer for Chang'E Mission were introduced in this paper. The real magnetic field distribution was obtained through the measure experiment, and according to the measure results, the simulation to evaluate the magnetic shield effect was carded on. The results showed that the collimator can play a good role in magnetic shield to the electron. (authors)
Upgrade of the imaging X-ray crystal spectrometers continues in order to fulfill the high-performance diagnostics requirements on EAST. For the tangential spectrometer, a new large pixelated two-dimensional detector was deployed on tokamaks for time-resolved X-ray imaging. This vacuum-compatible detector has an area of 83.8 × 325.3 mm{sup 2}, a framing rate over 150 Hz, and water-cooling capability for long-pulse discharges. To effectively extend the temperature limit, a double-crystal assembly was designed to replace the previous single crystals for He-like argon line measurement. The tangential spectrometer employed two crystal slices attached to a common substrate and part of He- and H-like Ar spectra could be recorded on the same detector when crystals were chosen to have similar Bragg angles. This setup cannot only extend the measurable Te up to 10 keV in the core region, but also extend the spatial coverage since He-like argon ions will be present in the outer plasma region. Similarly, crystal slices for He-like iron and argon spectra were adopted on the poloidal spectrometer. Wavelength calibration for absolute rotation velocity measurement will be studied using cadmium characteristic L-shell X-ray lines excited by plasma radiation. A Cd foil is placed before the crystal and can be inserted and retracted for in situ wavelength calibration. The Geant4 code was used to estimate X-ray fluorescence yield and optimize the thickness of the foil.
During the months of July, August, and September 1979, an airborne high sensitivity gamma-rayspectrometer and magnetometer survey was conducted over ten 3 0 x 1 0 NTMS quadrangles of West-Central Alaska. The results obtained over the Norton Bay Map area are discussed. The final data are presented in four different forms: on magnetic tape; on microfiche; in graphic form as profiles and histograms; and in map form as anomaly maps and flight path maps. The histograms and the multiparameter are presented with the anomaly maps and flight path map in a separate volume. A total of twenty (20) uranium anomalies have been indicated on the interpretation map. No thorium anomalies were found. The uranium anomalies are all weak and generally have only U/K or U/T expression. Often the uranium concentration within the zone is low, and generally is less than 2.5 ppM. Only zones 9, with an average of 3.0 ppM eU, and 14, with 2.6 ppm have above average uranium content. Zone 14 is also the only uranium anomaly with combined U/K and U/T ratio anomalies. No single uranium anomaly is believed to represent an economic follow-up target. The most prospective area appears to be the elongate zone of generally high uranium content, formed by the deposits of the Shaktolik group, to the east of the Ungalik conglomerate. This zone flanks an elongate area of relatively strong shallow magnetic sources, interpreted to be related to a monozonitic intrusive of which the Christmas mountain forms part. This intrusive rock contains in other neighboring areas often high thorium and uranium concentrations and may here as well served as a possible source of uranium deposits
Highlights: • Proposed substantial radiation shielding design improvements of the CIXS system. • Radiation protection of the CIXS Port Interspace (PI) to provide personnel access. • The SDDR at PI was reduced by 100× from 2 mSv/h to 20 microSv/h. • A screen plate as a temporary shield at the CIXS maintenance period has been proposed. • The shadow effect created by a screen plate reduces SDDR by 9×. - Abstract: This paper presents new results of the MCNP neutronics analysis for the core imaging X-rayspectrometer (CIXS) system of the ITER Equatorial Port Plug #17 (EPP#17). Substantial radiation shielding design improvements of the CIXS system have been suggested as the outcomes of this analysis. These suggested improvements allow reaching two major goals: (1) radiation protection of the CIXS Port Interspace (PI) to provide personnel access for maintenance of the vacuum extension flange; (2) reduction of the neutron and gamma loads on the detectors to reduce the need for maintenance itself. By implementing the improvements in our models such as filling void spaces around the CIXS beams with boron carbide and inserting the tungsten collimators in the narrowed beam channel, we were able to reduce the Shut-Down Dose Rate (SDDR) in the PI by 100× from 2 mSv/h in the original CIXS design to 20 microSv/h. In case of non-changed MCNP geometry, the D1S method was applied in calculations of SDDR. To allow the maintenance access to the flange, a part of shielding was removed, therefore the R2Smesh methodology was applied instead of D1S. During the maintenance access of CIXS from the PI side, a screen plate was proposed to introduce behind which a worker receives much less SDDR.
A unique, alternative educational and public outreach product was created to investigate the use and effectiveness of auditory displays in science education. The product, which allows students to both visualize and hear seasonal variations in data detected by the Gamma RaySpectrometer (GRS) aboard the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, consists of an animation of false-color maps of hydrogen concentrations on Mars along with a musical presentation, or sonification, of the same data. Learners can access this data using the visual false-color animation, the auditory false-pitch sonification, or both. Central to the development of this product is the question of its educational effectiveness and implementation. During the spring 2003 semester, three sections of an introductory astronomy course, each with ˜100 non-science undergraduates, were presented with one of three different exposures to GRS hydrogen data: one auditory, one visual, and one both auditory and visual. Student achievement data was collected through use of multiple-choice and open-ended surveys administered before, immediately following, and three and six weeks following the experiment. It was found that the three student groups performed equally well in their ability to perceive and interpret the data presented. Additionally, student groups exposed to the auditory display reported a higher interest and engagement level than the student group exposed to the visual data alone. Based upon this preliminary testing,we have made improvements to both the educational product and our evaluation protocol. This fall, we will conduct further testing with ˜100 additional students, half receiving auditory data and half receiving visual data, and we will conduct interviews with individual students as they interface with the auditory display. Through this process, we hope to further assess both learning and engagement gains associated with alternative and multi-modal representations of scientific data that extend beyond
A high-resolution, time-resolving soft X-ray multichannel spectrometer (SOXMOS) that permits the simultaneous measurement of emission in two different spectral ranges has been developed and tested extensively for tokamak plasma diagnostics. The basic instrument is a high-resolution, interferometrically adjusted, extreme grazing incidence Schwob-Fraenkel duochromator. The instrument is equipped with two multichannel detectors that are adjusted interferometrically and scan along the Rowland circle. Each consists of an MgF 2 coated, funneled microchannel plate, associated with a phosphor screen image intensifier that is coupled to a 1024-element photodiode array by a flexible fibrer optic conduit. The total wavelength coverage of the instrument is 5 to 340 0 A with a measured resolution (FWHM) of about 0.2 A when equipped with a 600 g/mm grating, and 5 to 85 A with a resolution of about 0.06 A using a 2400 g/mm grating. The simultaneous spectral coverage of each detector varies from 15 A at the short wavelength limit to 70 A at the long wavelength limit with the lower dispersion grating. The minimum read-out time for a full spectral portion is 17 ms, but several individual lines can be measured with 1 ms time resolution by selected pixel readout. Higher time resolution can be achieved by replacing one multichannel detector with a single channel electron multiplier detector. Examples of data from the PLT and TFTR tokamaks are presented to illustrate the instrument's versatility, high spectral resolution, and high signal-to-noise ratio even in the 10 A region. 44 refs., 20 figs
X-ray spectra due to intrinsic Titanium are obtained on the FTU tokamak by using a space resolved bent crystal spectrometer. In a single discharge, spectra along five lines of sight with a maximum of 16 acquisitions at different times are recorded. Line identification is straightforward from previously published Ti spectra, and no wavelength disagreement (within the experimental errors) has been observed. To fit the spectra, three different methods are tested, each having as free parameters the background level, position (i.e. channel number of the peak) intensity and width of the resonance w line, and line intensity ratios of the satellites with respect to the resonance. Many information can be deduced from the results of the fit: ion and electron temperatures, He-like/Li-like ion charge ratio. Titanium density in the plasma core. Synthetic spectra built up with the values calculated by the fits are compared with the experimental data, and the temperature values are compared with the values from other diagnostics. The best agreement for ion and electron temperatures is obtained by simultaneous fitting of the resonance with 29 most prominent resolved and unresolved satellites; intensities of the dielectronic satellites have been calculated with the Boltzmann-Saha equation, while intensities of intercombination lines x and y and forbidden line z have been calculated with the Mewe's formula. For the dielectronic satellites as well as for intercombination lines, simulations are satisfactory, whereas for the forbidden line z the simulated lines are only 15-30% of the corresponding experimental values. A comparison of the resonance peak positions in different lines of sight allowed to exclude poloidal plasma rotation velocities > 2 10 4 m/s [it
Primary beam spectra were obtained for an X-ray industrial equipment (40-150 kV), and for a clinical mammography apparatus (25-35 kV) from beams scattered at angles close to 90 o , measured with a CdTe Compton spectrometer. Actual scattering angles were determined from the Compton energy shift of characteristic X-rays or spectra end-point energy. Evaluated contribution of coherent scattering amounts to more than 15% of fluence in mammographic beams. This technique can be used in clinical environments.
The Marshall Grazing Incidence X-raySpectrometer is a NASA sounding rocket payload providing a 0.6 - 2.5 nm spectrum with unprecedented spatial and spectral resolution. The instrument is comprised of a novel optical design, featuring a Wolter1 grazing incidence telescope, which produces a focused solar image on a slit plate, an identical pair of stigmatic optics, a planar diffraction grating and a low-noise detector. When MaGIXS flies on a suborbital launch in 2019, a slit-jaw camera system will reimage the focal plane of the telescope providing a reference for pointing the telescope on the solar disk and aligning the data to supporting observations from satellites and other rockets. The telescope focuses the X-ray and EUV image of the sun onto a plate covered with a phosphor coating that absorbs EUV photons, which then fluoresces in visible light. This 10-week REU project was aimed at optimizing an off-axis mounted camera with 600-line resolution NTSC video for extremely low light imaging of the slit plate. Radiometric calculations indicate an intensity of less than 1 lux at the slit jaw plane, which set the requirement for camera sensitivity. We selected a Watec 910DB EIA charge-coupled device (CCD) monochrome camera, which has a manufacturer quoted sensitivity of 0.0001 lux at F1.2. A high magnification and low distortion lens was then identified to image the slit jaw plane from a distance of approximately 10 cm. With the selected CCD camera, tests show that at extreme low-light levels, we achieve a higher resolution than expected, with only a moderate drop in frame rate. Based on sounding rocket flight heritage, the launch vehicle attitude control system is known to stabilize the instrument pointing such that jitter does not degrade video quality for context imaging. Future steps towards implementation of the imaging system will include ruggedizing the flight camera housing and mounting the selected camera and lens combination to the instrument structure.
In this work, we describe the solution developed by the gamma ray camera upgrade enhancement project to improve the spectroscopic properties of the existing JET γ-ray camera. Aim of the project is to enable gamma-ray spectroscopy in JET deuterium-tritium plasmas. A dedicated pilot spectrometer based on a LaBr{sub 3} crystal coupled to a silicon photo-multiplier has been developed. A proper pole zero cancellation network able to shorten the output signal to a length of 120 ns has been implemented allowing for spectroscopy at MHz count rates. The system has been characterized in the laboratory and shows an energy resolution of 5.5% at E{sub γ} = 0.662 MeV, which extrapolates favorably in the energy range of interest for gamma-ray emission from fast ions in fusion plasmas.
A hard X-ray (HXR) spectrometer has been developed to study the runaway electrons during the sawtooth activities and during the runaway current plateau phase on the J-TEXT tokamak. The spectrometer system contains four NaI scintillator detectors and a multi-channel analyzer (MCA) with 0.5 ms time resolution. The dedicated peak detection circuit embedded in the MCA provides a pulse height analysis at count rate up to 1.2 million counts per second (Mcps), which is the key to reach the high time resolution. The accuracy and reliability of the system have been verified by comparing with the hardware integrator of HXR flux. The temporal evolution of HXR flux in different energy ranges can be obtained with high time resolution by this dedicated HXR spectrometer. The response of runaway electron transport with different energy during the sawtooth activities can be studied. The energy evolution of runaway electrons during the plateau phase of runaway current can be obtained. - Highlights: • A HXR spectrometer with high time resolution has been developed on J-TEXT tokamak. • The response of REs transport during the sawtooth activities can be investigated. • The energy evolution of REs following the disruptions can be monitored.
The design of the gamma spectrometer PRIPYAT` intended for gamma spectra measurement in the energy range 0.2-3 MeV is discussed. The spectrometer may be used for the food and water control as well as for massive control of environmental contamination. Its background at Cs{sup 134} + Cs{sup 137} measurement regime is less then 9 c/s. 1 fig.
Accurate simulation of pellet implosions for direct drive inertial confinement fusion requires benchmarking the codes with experimental data. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has begun to measure the absolute intensity of radiation from laser irradiated targets to provide critical information for the radiatively preheated pellet designs developed by the Nike laser group. Two main diagnostics for this effort are two spectrometers incorporating three detection systems. While both spectrometers use 2500 lines/mm transmission gratings, one instrument is coupled to a soft x-ray streak camera and the other is coupled to both an absolutely calibrated Si photodiode array and a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. Absolute calibration of spectrometer components has been undertaken at the National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratories. Currently, the system has been used to measure the spatially integrated soft x-ray flux as a function of target material, laser power, and laser spot size. A comparison between measured and calculated flux for Au and CH targets shows reasonable agreement to one-dimensional modeling for two laser power densities
We present a cylindrically curved GaAs x-rayspectrometer with energy resolution ΔE/E = 1.1 × 10(-4) and wave-number resolution of Δk/k = 3 × 10(-3), allowing plasmon scattering at the resolution limits of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) x-ray free-electron laser. It spans scattering wavenumbers of 3.6 to 5.2/Å in 100 separate bins, with only 0.34% wavenumber blurring. The dispersion of 0.418 eV/13.5 μm agrees with predictions within 1.3%. The reflection homogeneity over the entire wavenumber range was measured and used to normalize the amplitude of scattering spectra. The proposed spectrometer is superior to a mosaic highly annealed pyrolytic graphite spectrometer when the energy resolution needs to be comparable to the LCLS seeded bandwidth of 1 eV and a significant range of wavenumbers must be covered in one exposure.
A high-resolution, DIM-based (Diagnostic Instrument Manipulator) x-ray crystal spectrometer has been calibrated for and deployed at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to diagnose plasma conditions and mix in ignition capsules near stagnation times. Two conical crystals in the Hall geometry focus rays from the Kr He- α, Ly- α, and He- β complexes onto a streak camera for time-resolved spectra, in order to measure electron density and temperature by observing Stark broadening and relative intensities of dielectronic satellites. Signals from these two crystals are correlated with a third crystal that time-integrates the intervening energy range. The spectrometer has been absolutely calibrated using a microfocus x-ray source, an array of CCD and single-photon-counting detectors, and K- and L-absorption edge filters. Measurements of the integrated reflectivity, energy range, and energy resolution for each crystal will be presented. The implications of the calibration on signal levels from NIF implosions and x-ray filter choices will be discussed. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DoE by Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory under contract DE-AC02-09CH11466 and by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.
Advances in technology and instrumentation open new windows for observing astrophysical objects. The first half of my dissertation involves the development of atomic layer deposition (ALD) coatings to create high reflectivity UV mirrors for future satellite astronomical telescopes. Aluminum (Al) has intrinsic reflectance greater than 80% from 90 – 2,000 nm, but develops a native aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer upon exposure to air that readily absorbs light below 250 nm. Thus, Al based UV mirrors must be protected by a transmissive overcoat. Traditionally, metal-fluoride overcoats such as MgF2 and LiF are used to mitigate oxidation but with caveats. We utilize a new metal fluoride (AlF3) to protect Al mirrors deposited by ALD. ALD allows for precise thickness control, conformal and near stoichiometric thin films. We prove that depositing ultra-thin ( 3 nm) ALD ALF3 to protect Al mirrors after removing the native oxide layer via atomic layer etching (ALE) enhances the reflectance near 90 nm from 5% to 30%.X-ray detector technology with high readout rates are necessary for the relatively bright Sun, particularly during large flares. The hot plasma in the solar corona generates X-rays, which yield information on the physical conditions of the plasma. The second half of my dissertation includes detector testing, characterization and solar science with the Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSats. The MinXSS CubeSats employ Silicon Drift Diode (SDD) detectors called X123, which generate full sun spectrally resolved ( 0.15 FWHM at 5.9 keV) measurements of the sparsely measured, 0.5 – 12 keV range. The absolute radiometric calibration of the MinXSS instrument suite was performed at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF) and spectral resolution determined from radioactive sources. I used MinXSS along with data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), Reuven Ramaty
This study extends the application of the portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry to the examination of elements in semi-arid urban landscapes of the Southern High Plains (SHP) of the United States, focusing on golf courses. The complex environmental challenges of this region and the unique management practices at golf course facilities could lead to differences in concentration and in the chemistry of elements between managed (irrigated) and non-managed (non-irrigated) portions of these facilities. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm from managed and non-managed areas of seven different facilities in the city of Lubbock, Texas, and analyzed for a suite of soil properties. Total elemental quantification was conducted using a PXRF spectrometer. Findings mostly indicated no significant differences in the concentration of examined elements between the managed and non-managed areas of the facilities. However, strong positive relationships (R = 0.82-0.91, p < 0.001) were observed among elements (e.g., Fe on the one hand and Cr, Mn, Ni, and As on the other; Cu and Zn; As and Cr) and between these elements and soil constituents or properties such as clay, calcium carbonate, organic matter, and pH. The strengths of these relationships were mostly higher in the non-managed areas, suggesting a possible alteration in the chemistry of these elements by anthropogenic influences in the managed areas. Principal component and correlation analyses within the managed areas suggested that As, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Ni could be of lithogenic origin, while Cu, Pb, and Zn could have anthropogenic influences. Only one possible, likely lithogenic, source of the elements was identified within the non-managed areas. As evidenced by the study, the PXRF spectrometer can be a valuable tool for elemental quantification and rapid investigation of elemental interaction and source apportionment in semi-arid climates.
X-ray calibration of the Electro-Optical Breadboard Model (EOBB) of the XXM Reflection Grating Spectrometer has been carried out at the Panter test facility in Germany. The EOBB prototype optics consisted of a four-shell grazing incidence mirror module followed by an array of eight reflection gratings. The dispersed x-rays were detected by an array of three CCDs. Line profile and efficiency measurements where made at several energies, orders, and geometric configurations for individual gratings and for the grating array as a whole. The x-ray measurements verified that the grating mounting method would meet the stringent tolerances necessary for the flight instrument. Post EOBB metrology of the individual gratings and their mountings confirmed the precision of the grating boxes fabrication. Examination of the individual grating surface`s at micron resolution revealed the cause of anomalously wide line profiles to be scattering due to the crazing of the replica`s surface.
We here present the principles and main physics capabilities behind the design of the radial gamma rayspectrometers (RGRS) system for alpha particle and runaway electron measurements at ITER. The diagnostic benefits from recent advances in gamma-ray spectrometry for tokamak plasmas and combines...... the measurements sensitive to α particles at characteristic resonant energies and to possible anisotropies of their slowing down distribution function. An independent assessment of the neutron rate by gamma-ray emission is also feasible. In case of runaway electrons born in disruptions with a typical duration...... of 100ms, a time resolution of at least 10ms for runaway electron studies can be achieved depending on the scenario and down to a current of 40 kA by use of external gas injection. We find that the bremsstrahlung spectrum in the MeV range from confined runaways is sensitive to the electron velocity space...
In 2007, a study of back-illuminated Charge-Coupled Devices (CCDs) for soft X-ray photon detection demonstrated the improvements that could be brought over more traditional micro-channel plate detectors for X-rayspectrometers based on diffraction gratings and position sensitive detectors. Whilst the spatial resolution was reported to be improved dramatically, an intrinsic limit of approximately 25 micrometers was found due to the spreading of the charge cloud generated in the CCD across several pixels. To overcome this resolution limit, it is necessary to move away from the current integrated imaging methods and consider a photon-counting approach, recording the photon interaction locations to the sub-pixel level. To make use of photon-counting techniques it is important that the individual events are separable. To maintain the throughput of the spectrometer for high intensity lines, higher frame rates and therefore higher readout speeds are required. With CCD based systems, the increased noise at high readout speeds can limit the photon-counting performance. The Electron-Multiplying CCD shares a similar architecture with the standard CCD but incorporates a g ain register . This novel addition allows controllable gain to be applied to the signal before the read noise is introduced, therefore allowing individual events to be resolved above the noise even at much higher readout rates. In the past, the EM-CCD has only been available with imaging areas too small to be practical in soft X-ray emission spectrometers. The current drive for large area Electron-Multiplying CCDs is opening this technology to new photon-counting applications, requiring in-depth analysis of the processes and techniques involved. Early results indicate that through the introduction of photon-counting techniques the resolution in such systems can be dramatically improved.
The trigger for the Barrel Muon Spectrometer of the ATLAS experiment at LHC will be given by means of Resistive Plate Chambers working in avalanche mode. Before being mounted on the experimental apparatus each RPC chamber will undergo detailed quality control tests. A dedicated cosmic rays test station with good tracking resolution is operational in Naples University and INFN laboratory. All working parameters of RPCs are monitored and measured. Moreover, the uniformity of the efficiency on the whole surface is measured. A brief description of the test station and results for the first 148 Units will be presented.
The OSIRIS-REx Mission was selected under the NASA New Frontiers program and is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of asteroid Bennu in 2019. 101955 Bennu (previously 1999 RQ36) is an Apollo (near-Earth) asteroid originally discovered by the LINEAR project in 1999 which has since been classified as a potentially hazardous near-Earth object. The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) was proposed jointly by MIT an...
An x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer has been developed on joint Texas experimental tokamak for the measurement of electron and ion temperatures from the K{sub α} spectra of helium-like argon and its satellite lines. A two-dimensional multi-wire proportional counter has been applied to detect the spectra. The electron and ion temperatures have been obtained from the Voigt fitting with the spectra of helium-like argon ions. The profiles of electron and ion temperatures show the dependence on electron density in ohmic plasmas.
A novel x-ray tube with a line filament has been developed for the in-situ calibration of the x-ray crystal spectrometer (XCS) in the KSTAR machine. The characteristics of the x-ray tube are investigated from the x-ray images obtained by using a pinhole and a CCD detector. It is found that the image has the width of about 0.1 mm, which is much improved as compared with the previous experimental results. In addition, there is a uniform region around the center of the image within its full length of 13.5 mm. This work may lead to the development of a novel x-ray tube with a line focus, which is required for the calibration of the XCS. Experimental results from the investigation of the x-ray tube are presented and the technical issues in a design of the in-situ calibration system using the x-ray tube for the KSTAR XCS are discussed. (author)
This research is concerned with the stabilization of spectra provided by a gamma-rayspectrometer. It is required to hold the calibration straight line of the spectrometer in a position which is fixed initially to better than 5x10 -5 channel. A prototype numerical stabilizer has been constructed : the SPECTROSTAB; it is made up of two independent control loops; one of these makes the spectrometer gain depend on the derivatives of a reference peak at high energies; the other makes the origin of the energy scale depend on the derivatives of a second reference peak at low energies A theoretical study of the behaviour of a control loop shows that a direct action stabilizer gives the most accurate stabilization; the loss in resolving power on the theoretical peaks of the spectra attains about 1 % with a scintillation detector, and 10 % with a semi-conductor detector. Various tests show that the expected results are obtained and that the displacement of the spectral peaks produced by the derivatives are hidden by errors in the calculation of the peak abscissae. (author) [fr
Software package for elemental analysis for X-ray spectrum obtained from Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) attached with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) has been developed: A Personal Computer Analyzer card PCA-800 is used to acquire data from the EDS. This spectrum is obtained in binary format, which is transformed into ASCII format using PCAII card software. The program is modular in construction and coded using Microsoft's QUICKBASIC compiler linker. Energy line library containing all lines of elements is created for analysis of acquired characteristic X-ray spectrum. Two techniques of peak identification are provided. Statistical tools are employed for smoothing of a curve and for computing area under the curve. Elemental concentration is calculated in weight % and in atomic. (author)
Precision measurements by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station of the primary cosmic-ray electron flux in the range 0.5 to 700 GeV and the positron flux in the range 0.5 to 500 GeV are presented. The electron flux and the positron flux each require a description beyond a single power-law spectrum. Both the electron flux and the positron flux change their behavior at ∼30 GeV but the fluxes are significantly different in their magnitude and energy dependence. Between 20 and 200 GeV the positron spectral index is significantly harder than the electron spectral index. The determination of the differing behavior of the spectral indices versus energy is a new observation and provides important information on the origins of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons.
From the features of spectra shape of Chang'e-1 γ-rayspectrometer(CE1-GRS) data, it is difficult to determine elemental compositions on the lunar surface. Aimed at this problem, this paper proposes using noise adjusted singular value decomposition (NASVD) method to extract orthogonal spectral components from CE1-GRS data. Then the peak signals in the spectra of lower-order layers corresponding to the observed spectrum of each lunar region are respectively analyzed. Elemental compositions of each lunar region can be determined based upon whether the energy corresponding to each peak signal equals to the energy corresponding to the characteristic gamma-ray line emissions of specific elements. The result shows that a number of elements such as U, Th, K, Fe, Ti, Si, O, Al, Mg, Ca and Na are qualitatively determined by this method. (authors)
The back-illuminated charge coupled devices (CCD) are suitable for soft X-ray photon detection. Their nominal performances suggest that they can boost both efficiency and resolving power of X-rayspectrometers based on diffraction gratings and two-dimensional position sensitive detectors. We tested the performances of two commercially available CCDs, intended to replace a more traditional microchannel plate (MCP) detector. Our tests show that the devices have excellent performances in terms of dark current, response linearity, detection efficiency and spatial resolution. We observed that the CCDs have better efficiency (more than 10 times) and better resolution (∼3 times) than the MCP. Moreover we found an intrinsic limit for the spatial resolution, which is almost independent of the detector pixel size and is estimated around 25 μm
The X-ray nova A0620-00 has been studied with the Ariel V crystal spectrometer/polarimeter for the presence of X-ray lines and polarization. Upper limits are obtained for the Si XIV, S XV and S XVI lines to a level of less than 2 eV at 3 sigma for the sulphur lines and 3.6 eV for Si XIV. No linear polarization is observed to a level of 2 per cent at 2.6 keV. These results are interpreted in terms of an accretion disk model for the source, in which the electron scattering depth tausub(es) approximately 20, and constraints are given on the disk geometry. (author)
We are developing x-ray Thomson scattering for applications in implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility. In particular we have designed and fielded MACS, a high-efficiency, gated x-rayspectrometer at 7.5–10 keV [T. Döppner et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 11D617 (2014)]. Here we report on two new Bragg crystals based on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG), a flat crystal and a dual-section cylindrically curved crystal. We have performed in situ calibration measurements using a brass foil target, and we used the flat HOPG crystal to measure Mo K-shell emission at 18 keV in 2nd order diffraction. Such high photon energy line emission will be required to penetrate and probe ultra-high-density plasmas or plasmas of mid-Z elements.
Precision measurements by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station of the primary cosmic-ray electron flux in the range 0.5 to 700 GeV and the positron flux in the range 0.5 to 500 GeV are presented. The electron flux and the positron flux each require a description beyond a single power-law spectrum. Both the electron flux and the positron flux change their behavior at ˜30 GeV but the fluxes are significantly different in their magnitude and energy dependence. Between 20 and 200 GeV the positron spectral index is significantly harder than the electron spectral index. The determination of the differing behavior of the spectral indices versus energy is a new observation and provides important information on the origins of cosmic-ray electrons and positrons.
Aims: The detection of very hot plasma in the quiescent corona is important for diagnosing heating mechanisms. The presence and the amount of such hot plasma is currently debated. The SphinX instrument on-board the CORONAS-PHOTON mission is sensitive to X-ray emission of energies well above 1 keV and provides the opportunity to detect the hot plasma component. Methods: We analysed the X-ray spectra of the solar corona collected by the SphinX spectrometer in May 2009 (when two active regions were present). We modelled the spectrum extracted from the whole Sun over a time window of 17 days in the 1.34-7 keV energy band by adopting the latest release of the APED database. Results: The SphinX broadband spectrum cannot be modelled by a single isothermal component of optically thin plasma and two components are necessary. In particular, the high statistical significance of the count rates and the accurate calibration of the spectrometer allowed us to detect a very hot component at ~7 million K with an emission measure of ~2.7 × 1044 cm-3. The X-ray emission from the hot plasma dominates the solar X-ray spectrum above 4 keV. We checked that this hot component is invariably present in both the high and low emission regimes, i.e. even excluding resolvable microflares. We also present and discuss the possibility of a non-thermal origin (which would be compatible with a weak contribution from thick-target bremsstrahlung) for this hard emission component. Conclusions: Our results support the nanoflare scenario and might confirm that a minor flaring activity is ever-present in the quiescent corona, as also inferred for the coronae of other stars.
Caliste-SO is a CdTe hybrid detector designed to be used as a spectrometer for a hard X-ray Fourier telescope. The imaging technique was implemented in the Yohkoh satellite in 1991 and the RHESSI satellite in 2002 to achieve arc-second angular resolution images of solar flares with spectroscopic capabilities. The next generation of such instruments will be the Spectrometer Telescope Imaging X-rays (STIX) on-board the Solar Orbiter mission adopted by the European Space Agency in 2011 for launch in 2017. The design and performance of Caliste-SO allows both high spectral resolution and high count rate measurements from 4 to 150 keV with limited demands on spacecraft resources such as mass, power and volume (critical for interplanetary missions). The paper reports on the flight production of the Caliste-SO devices for STIX, describing the test facilities built-up in Switzerland and France. It illustrates some results obtained with the first production samples that will be mounted in the STIX engineering model.
An x-ray grating spectrometer was built in order to measure opacities in the 50 eV to 250 eV spectral range with an average spectral resolution ∼ 50. It has been used at the LULI-2000 laser facility at École Polytechnique (France) to measure the Δn = 0, n = 3 transitions of several elements with neighboring atomic number: Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cu in the same experimental conditions. Hence a spectrometer with a wide spectral range is required. This spectrometer features one line of sight looking through a heated sample at backlighter emission. It is outfitted with one toroidal condensing mirror and several flat mirrors cutting off higher energy photons. The spectral dispersion is obtained with a flatfield grating. Detection consists of a streak camera sensitive to soft x-ray radiation. Some experimental results showing the performance of this spectrometer are presented.
An x-ray grating spectrometer was built in order to measure opacities in the 50 eV to 250 eV spectral range with an average spectral resolution ∼ 50. It has been used at the LULI-2000 laser facility at École Polytechnique (France) to measure the Δn = 0, n = 3 transitions of several elements with neighboring atomic number: Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cu in the same experimental conditions. Hence a spectrometer with a wide spectral range is required. This spectrometer features one line of sight looking through a heated sample at backlighter emission. It is outfitted with one toroidal condensing mirror and several flat mirrors cutting off higher energy photons. The spectral dispersion is obtained with a flatfield grating. Detection consists of a streak camera sensitive to soft x-ray radiation. Some experimental results showing the performance of this spectrometer are presented.
An x-ray grating spectrometer was built in order to measure opacities in the 50 eV to 250 eV spectral range with an average spectral resolution {approx} 50. It has been used at the LULI-2000 laser facility at Ecole Polytechnique (France) to measure the {Delta}n = 0, n = 3 transitions of several elements with neighboring atomic number: Cr, Fe, Ni, and Cu in the same experimental conditions. Hence a spectrometer with a wide spectral range is required. This spectrometer features one line of sight looking through a heated sample at backlighter emission. It is outfitted with one toroidal condensing mirror and several flat mirrors cutting off higher energy photons. The spectral dispersion is obtained with a flatfield grating. Detection consists of a streak camera sensitive to soft x-ray radiation. Some experimental results showing the performance of this spectrometer are presented.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose to utilize a new detector material, polycrystalline mercuric iodide, for background suppression by active anticoincidence shielding in gamma-ray...
An X-ray and Gamma-RaySpectrometer (XGRS) is on board the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft to determine the elemental composition of the surface of the asteroid 433 Eros. The Eros asteroid is highly oblate and irregular in shape. As a result, analysis methodologies are in many ways a divergence from comparable techniques. Complex temporal, spatial and instrument performance relationships must be accounted for during the analysis process. Field of view and asteroid surface geometry measurements must be modeled and then combined with real measurements of solar, spectral and instrument calibration information to derive scientific results. NEAR is currently orbiting 433 Eros and is in the initial phases of its primary data integration and mapping phases. Initial results have been obtained and bulk chemistry assessments have been obtained through specialized background assessment and data reduction techniques.
The detection sensitivities of the Alpha Particle X-raySpectrometer (APXS) instruments on the Mars Exploration Rovers for a wide range of elements were experimentally determined in 2002 using spectra of geochemical reference materials. A flight spare instrument was similarly calibrated, and the calibration exercise was then continued for this unit with an extended set of geochemical reference materials together with pure elements and simple chemical compounds. The flight spare instrument data are examined in detail here using a newly developed fundamental parameters approach which takes precise account of all the physics inherent in the two X-ray generation techniques involved, namely, X-ray fluorescence and particle-induced X-ray emission. The objectives are to characterize the instrument as fully as possible, to test this new approach, and to determine the accuracy of calibration for major, minor, and trace elements. For some of the lightest elements the resulting calibration exhibits a dependence upon the mineral assemblage of the geological reference material; explanations are suggested for these observations. The results will assist in designing the overall calibration approach for the APXS on the Mars Science Laboratory mission.
The soft x-rayspectrometer (SXS) instrument was launched aboard the Astro-H (Hitomi) observatory on February 17, 2016. The SXS is based on a high-sensitivity x-ray calorimeter detector system that has been successfully deployed in many ground and suborbital spectrometers. The instrument was to provide essential diagnostics for nearly every class of x-ray emitting objects from the atmosphere of Jupiter to the outskirts of galaxy clusters, without degradation for spatially extended objects. The SXS detector system consisted of a 36-pixel cryogenic microcalorimeter array operated at a heat sink temperature of 50 mK. In preflight testing, the detector system demonstrated a resolving power of better than 1300 at 6 keV with a simultaneous bandpass from below 0.3 keV to above 12 keV with a timing precision better than 100 μs. In addition, a solid-state anticoincidence detector was placed directly behind the detector array for background suppression. The detector error budget included the measured interference from the SXS cooling system and the spacecraft. Additional margin for on-orbit gain stability and on-orbit spacecraft interference were also included predicting an on-orbit performance that meets or exceeds the 7-eV FWHM at 6-keV requirement. The actual on-orbit spectral resolution was better than 5 eV FWHM at 6 keV, easily satisfying the instrument requirement. Here, we discuss the actual on-orbit performance of the SXS detector system and compare this to performance in preflight testing and the on-orbit predictions. We will also discuss the on-orbit gain stability, additional on-orbit interference, and measurements of the on-orbit background.
Highlights: • Some lines from X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) can be enhanced by non-thermal electrons, such as q, r satellite lines and z lines. • Analyze the non-thermal phenomena can reduce the error of electron temperature deduced from the intensity ratio of different lines of the He-like argon spectra from XICS. • XICS can be a tool to measure the non-thermal phenomena from these enhanced lines. - Abstract: A high spectra resolution X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer has been implemented on J-TEXT Tokamak for the measurements of K{sub α} spectra of helium-like argon and its satellite lines. The wavelength range of K{sub α} spectra of helium-like argon is from 3.9494 Å to 3.9944 Å that includes the resonance line w, intercombination lines x and y, forbidden line z and numerous satellite lines, referenced using standard Gabriel notation. In low-density discharge, the intensity of q, r satellite lines and z lines can be significantly enhanced by non-thermal electrons. Non-thermal electrons are produced due to the low plasma density. The high hard X-ray flux from NaI detector and significant downshift electron cyclotron emissions from energetic runaway electrons also indicated that there is a large population of runaway electrons in the low-density discharge. The non-thermal part of electrons can affect the excitation/transition equilibrium or ionization/recombination equilibrium. The q line is mainly produced by inner-shell excitation of lithium-like argon, and the r line is partially produced by inner-shell excitation of lithium-like argon and dielectronic recombination of helium-like argon.
The X-rayspectrometer used in high-energy-density plasma experiments generally requires both broad X-ray energy coverage and high temporal, spatial, and spectral resolutions for overcoming the difficulties imposed by the X-ray background, debris, and mechanical shocks. By using an elliptical crystal together with a streak camera, we resolve this issue at the SG-II laser facility. The carefully designed elliptical crystal has a broad spectral coverage with high resolution, strong rejection of the diffuse and/or fluorescent background radiation, and negligible source broadening for extended sources. The spectra that are Bragg reflected (23° < θ < 38°) from the crystal are focused onto a streak camera slit 18 mm long and about 80 μm wide, to obtain a time-resolved spectrum. With experimental measurements, we demonstrate that the quartz(1011) elliptical analyzer at the SG-II laser facility has a single-shot spectral range of (4.64–6.45) keV, a typical spectral resolution of E/ΔE = 560, and an enhanced focusing power in the spectral dimension. For titanium (Ti) data, the lines of interest show a distribution as a function of time and the temporal variations of the He-α and Li-like Ti satellite lines and their spatial profiles show intensity peak red shifts. The spectrometer sensitivity is illustrated with a temporal resolution of better than 25 ps, which satisfies the near-term requirements of high-energy-density physics experiments. (atomic and molecular physics)
NASA/GSFC and NIST-Boulder are collaborating on a program to advance superconducting transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeter technology toward Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6. The technology development for a TES imaging X-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer (TES microcalorimeter arrays and time-division multiplexed SQUID readout) is now at TRL 4, as evaluated by both NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) during mission formulation for the International X-ray Observatory (IXO). We will present the status of the development program. The primary goal of the current project is to advance the core X-ray Microcalorimeter Spectrometer (XMS) detector-system technologies to a demonstration of TRL 5 in 2014. Additional objectives are to develop and demonstrate two important related technologies to at least TRL 4: position-sensitive TES devices and code-division multiplexing (CDM). These technologies have the potential to expand significantly the range of possible instrument optimizations; together they allow an expanded focal plane and higher per-pixel count rates without greatly increasing mission resources. The project also includes development of a design concept and critical technologies needed for the thermal, electrical, and mechanical integration of the detector and readout components into the focal-plane assembly. A verified design concept for the packaging of the focal-plane components will be needed for the detector system eventually to advance to TRL 6. Thus, the current project is a targeted development and demonstration program designed to make significant progress in advancing the XMS detector system toward TRL 6, establishing its readiness for a range of possible mission implementations.
Highlights: • Some lines from X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer (XICS) can be enhanced by non-thermal electrons, such as q, r satellite lines and z lines. • Analyze the non-thermal phenomena can reduce the error of electron temperature deduced from the intensity ratio of different lines of the He-like argon spectra from XICS. • XICS can be a tool to measure the non-thermal phenomena from these enhanced lines. - Abstract: A high spectra resolution X-ray imaging crystal spectrometer has been implemented on J-TEXT Tokamak for the measurements of K_α spectra of helium-like argon and its satellite lines. The wavelength range of K_α spectra of helium-like argon is from 3.9494 Å to 3.9944 Å that includes the resonance line w, intercombination lines x and y, forbidden line z and numerous satellite lines, referenced using standard Gabriel notation. In low-density discharge, the intensity of q, r satellite lines and z lines can be significantly enhanced by non-thermal electrons. Non-thermal electrons are produced due to the low plasma density. The high hard X-ray flux from NaI detector and significant downshift electron cyclotron emissions from energetic runaway electrons also indicated that there is a large population of runaway electrons in the low-density discharge. The non-thermal part of electrons can affect the excitation/transition equilibrium or ionization/recombination equilibrium. The q line is mainly produced by inner-shell excitation of lithium-like argon, and the r line is partially produced by inner-shell excitation of lithium-like argon and dielectronic recombination of helium-like argon.
The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat is the first solar science oriented CubeSat mission flown for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, with the main objective of measuring the solar soft X-ray (SXR) flux and a science goal of determining its influence on Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere. These observations can also be used to investigate solar quiescent, active region, and flare properties. The MinXSS X-ray instruments consist of a spectrometer, called X123, with a nominal 0.15 keV full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) resolution at 5.9 keV and a broadband X-ray photometer, called XP. Both instruments are designed to obtain measurements from 0.5 - 30 keV at a nominal time cadence of 10 s. A description of the MinXSS instruments, performance capabilities, and relation to the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 0.1 - 0.8 nm flux is given in this article. Early MinXSS results demonstrate the capability of measuring variations of the solar spectral soft X-ray (SXR) flux between 0.8 - 12 keV from at least GOES A5-M5 (5 × 10^{-8} - 5 ×10^{-5} W m^{-2}) levels and of inferring physical properties (temperature and emission measure) from the MinXSS data alone. Moreover, coronal elemental abundances can be inferred, specifically for Fe, Ca, Si, Mg, S, Ar, and Ni, when the count rate is sufficiently high at each elemental spectral feature. Additionally, temperature response curves and emission measure loci demonstrate the MinXSS sensitivity to plasma emission at different temperatures. MinXSS observations coupled with those from other solar observatories can help address some of the most compelling questions in solar coronal physics. Finally, simultaneous observations by MinXSS and the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) can provide the most spectrally complete soft X-ray solar flare photon flux measurements to date.
An improved eight power splitter is designed and fabricated newly, which is crucial in the time-scale system of soft X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer. The spectrometer is used in ICF laser facility to measure the evolution of soft X-ray spectrum, whose duration is only several nanoseconds. The synchronization and high bandwidth of signals produced by power splitter are tested, which shows the power splitter could meet the strict requirements of the experiments. The discussion of further improvement of power splitter are also presented. (authors)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The X-ray Surveyor mission concept is one of NASA’s four large missions to be studied in the upcoming 2020 Astrophysics Decadal Review. It aims to be a true...
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This archive contains Mars Exploration Rover x-ray data products from the APXS instrument and ancillary files. Each product has a detached PDS label that describes...
National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Abstract ======== This data set consists of the MESSENGER GRS calibrated observations (CDRs) and the reduced data product (RDR). The GRS experiment is a gamma ray...
X-ray remote sensing is an established technique for chemical mapping of atmosphere-less inner solar system bodies. Chandrayaan-1 X-raySpectrometer (C1XS) [Grande et al, 2009], on-board the first Indian lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 [Bhandari et al, 2004], was flown with the objective [Crawford et al, 2009] of globally mapping the abundances of the major rock-forming elements Mg, Al, Si, Ca ,Ti and Fe with a spatial resolution of 25 km on the lunar surface. The instrument was developed by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL), UK in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) observations measure the abundance irrespective of the mineral structure. XRF spectral analysis can uniquely identify and quantify elemental signatures from all commonly occurring elements. C1XS is one of the first instruments to unambiguously map the abundance of elements from Na to Fe at scales of tens of kilometers. Because of the exceptionally low solar activity in 2009, the strongest solar flare observed was of C3 class and hence global mapping could not be achieved. However from the available coverage of ~ 5%, we have determined elemental abundances accurately through a detailed calibration of the instrument and inversion methodology [Narendranath et al, 2010; Athiray et al, 2013]. The end-to-end capacity to derive independent and accurate global surface chemical abundances using x-ray signatures was clearly demonstrated with C1XS. We present results from a comprehensive analysis of all data from C1XS with emphasis on the new finding of enhanced sodium in the southern lunar highlands that suggests possible new lithologies [Narendranath et al, 2011; Athiray et al, 2014]. It is generally believed that lunar highlands are mainly composed of plagioclase feldspar with lower amounts of the mafic minerals. Plagioclase in lunar samples have been found to have an anorthite content as high as An98 with the average highlands estimated to be An95
One uranium anomaly meets the minimum statistical requirements. Potassium (%K), equivalent Uranium (ppM eU), equivalent Thorium (ppM eT), eU/eT, eU/K, eT/K, and magnetic pseudo-contour maps are presented. Stacked Profiles showing geologic strip maps along each flight-line, together with sensor data, and ancillary data are presented. All maps and profiles were prepared on a scale of 1:250,000, but have been reduced to 1:500,000 for presentation. Anomaly number 1 is over an exposure of the Permian Shuksan metamorphic suite which is predominantly phyllite
Highlights: • Fast neutron and gamma-ray spectra were measured in a copper assembly irradiated with DT neutrons. • The results were compared with MCNP calculations. • Primary aim was to provide experimental data for checking and validation of nuclear data evaluations of copper. - Abstract: A neutronics benchmark experiment on a pure Copper assembly was performed at the Frascati Neutron Generator. The work aimed at testing of recent nuclear data libraries. This paper focuses on the measurement of fast neutron and gamma-ray flux spectra in the Copper assembly under DT neutron irradiation in two selected positions with a spectrometer based on the organic liquid scintillator NE-213. The measurement results were compared with Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations using MCNP and nuclear data from the JEFF-3.1.1 library. Calculations have been done with Cu data from JEFF-3.1.1, JEFF-3.2, FENDL-3 and ENDF/B-7.0. Discrepancies appear in the intermediate neutron energy range between experiment and calculation. Large discrepancies were observed in the gamma-ray spectra calculated with JEFF-3.2.
The sixth X-ray Japanese astronomy satellite, namely Astro-H, will be launched in 2015. The Soft X-raySpectrometer onboard the Astro-H is a 6 × 6 X-ray microcalorimeter array and provides us with both a high energy resolution of 3 years, which consequently requires that the vapor flow rate out of the helium tank should be very small knife edge devices to retain the liquid helium under zero gravity and safely vent the small amount of the helium vapor. We measured helium mass flow rates from the helium tank equipped in the engineering model dewar. We tilted the dewar at an angle of 75° so that one side of the porous plug located at the top of the helium tank attaches the liquid helium and the porous plug separates the liquid and vapor helium by thermomechanical effect. Helium mass flow rates were measured at helium tank temperatures of 1.3, 1.5 and 1.9 K. We confirmed that resultant mass flow rates are in good agreement within the systematic error or low compared to component test results and achieve all the requirements. The film flow suppression also worked normally. Therefore, we concluded that the SXS helium vent system satisfactorily performs integrated into the dewar.
We here present the principles and main physics capabilities behind the design of the radial gamma rayspectrometers (RGRS) system for alpha particle and runaway electron measurements at ITER. The diagnostic benefits from recent advances in gamma-ray spectrometry for tokamak plasmas and combines space and high energy resolution in a single device. The RGRS system as designed can provide information on α ~ particles on a time scale of 1/10 of the slowing down time for the ITER 500 MW full power DT scenario. Spectral observations of the 3.21 and 4.44 MeV peaks from the 9\\text{Be}≤ft(α,nγ \\right){{}12}\\text{C} reaction make the measurements sensitive to α ~ particles at characteristic resonant energies and to possible anisotropies of their slowing down distribution function. An independent assessment of the neutron rate by gamma-ray emission is also feasible. In case of runaway electrons born in disruptions with a typical duration of 100 ms, a time resolution of at least 10 ms for runaway electron studies can be achieved depending on the scenario and down to a current of 40 kA by use of external gas injection. We find that the bremsstrahlung spectrum in the MeV range from confined runaways is sensitive to the electron velocity space up to E≈ 30 -40 MeV, which allows for measurements of the energy distribution of the runaway electrons at ITER.
The OSIRIS-REx Mission was selected under the NASA New Frontiers program and is scheduled for launch in September of 2016 for a rendezvous with, and collection of a sample from the surface of asteroid Bennu in 2019. 101955 Bennu (previously 1999 RQ36) is an Apollo (near-Earth) asteroid originally discovered by the LINEAR project in 1999 which has since been classified as a potentially hazardous near-Earth object. The REgolith X-Ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) was proposed jointly by MIT and Harvard and was subsequently accepted as a student led instrument for the determination of the elemental composition of the asteroid's surface as well as the surface distribution of select elements through solar induced X-ray fluorescence. REXIS consists of a detector plane that contains 4 X-ray CCDs integrated into a wide field coded aperture telescope with a focal length of 20 em for the detection of regions with enhanced abundance in key elements at 50 m scales. Elemental surface distributions of approximately 50-200 m scales can be detected using the instrument as a simple collimator. An overview of the observation strategy of the REXIS instrument and expected performance are presented here.
We report for the first time the high-frequency analysis of Cyg X-1 up to hard X-ray using the spectrometer on International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL). After analyzing the possible contribution from the background, and using the INTEGRAL archive from 2005 March to 2008 May, power density spectra were obtained up to 130 keV. First, we show that their overall shape is very similar to that observed at lower energies as they are well described by sets of Lorentzians. The strength of this fast variability (up to 40 Hz) does not drop at high energy since we show that it remains at ∼25% rms, even in the highest energy bands. Second, the hard X-ray variability patterns of Cyg X-1 are state dependent: the softer the spectrum (or the lower the hardness ratio), the lower the total fractional variability and the higher the typical frequencies observed. The strength of the total variability as a function of energy and state is then investigated. By comparison with simultaneous and published RXTE/Proportional Counter Array data, we show that in the hard state it remains quite constant in the 2-130 keV energy range. In the softer state it is also flat up to 50 keV and may increase at higher energy. The implications of this behavior on the models are then discussed.
Highlights: • Fast neutron and gamma-ray spectra were measured in a copper assembly irradiated with DT neutrons. • The results were compared with MCNP calculations. • Primary aim was to provide experimental data for checking and validation of nuclear data evaluations of copper. - Abstract: A neutronics benchmark experiment on a pure Copper assembly was performed at the Frascati Neutron Generator. The work aimed at testing of recent nuclear data libraries. This paper focuses on the measurement of fast neutron and gamma-ray flux spectra in the Copper assembly under DT neutron irradiation in two selected positions with a spectrometer based on the organic liquid scintillator NE-213. The measurement results were compared with Monte Carlo radiation transport calculations using MCNP and nuclear data from the JEFF-3.1.1 library. Calculations have been done with Cu data from JEFF-3.1.1, JEFF-3.2, FENDL-3 and ENDF/B-7.0. Discrepancies appear in the intermediate neutron energy range between experiment and calculation. Large discrepancies were observed in the gamma-ray spectra calculated with JEFF-3.2.
with Kr+- and Ar+- ions of 300, 500, and 1000 eV. We examined the effect of different polishing parameters on the smoothening of the Co- and Ni-layers. The in-situ reflectivity of lambda equals 3.16 nm during deposition and the ex-situ grazing incidence reflectivity of Cu-K(alpha ) radiation (lambda...... multiplied by 6 cm2 Si (111) crystals for the Objective Crystal Spectrometer on the Russian Spectrum Rontgen Gamma satellite. The coatings on the flight crystals have a period Lambda of 3.95 plus or minus 0.02 nm and a reflectivity of more than 8% averaged over s- and p-polarization over the entire...
The results of a series of ground tests with a prototype of an active gamma-rayspectrometer based on a new generation of scintillation crystal (CeBr{sub 3}) are presented together with a consideration to its applicability to future Venus landing missions. We evaluated the instrument's capability to distinguish the subsurface elemental composition of primary rock forming elements such as O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, K and Fe. Our study uses heritage from previous ground and field tests and applies to the analysis of gamma lines from activation reaction products generated by a pulsed neutron generator. We have estimated that the expected accuracies achieved in this approach could be as high as 1–10% for the particular chemical element being studied.
Growing national interest in public safety has produced a sudden need for a type of radiation-monitoring equipment that doesn't exist anywhere commercially. An easily portable, very rugged, and completely self-contained instrument is required that can be set up quickly and virtually anywhere to detect and identify radioactive isotopes. The Electronics Engineering Department has responded to this need by designing and developing the first equipment that can fulfill all these requirements. This instrument, a 1024-channel gamma-rayspectrometer, has already gone into limited production to provide health physicists at LLL and other Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) laboratories with an effective tool for monitoring possible sources of radioactivity
The chemical state analysis of r.f.-sputtered amorphous oxide thin films was determined by a high resolution X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with double crystals. The polymerization degree of silicate anions in the silicate film was as same as a target (α-Quartz). The oxygen coordination number of Al 3+ ions in the aluminate film was different from a target (α-Al 2 O 3 ), and it was a mixture of 4 and 6 in a spinel-like structure. In CaO-SiO 2 and CaO-Al 2 O 3 films, when the film thickness is thin at the beginning of sputtering, the composition of films are in the shortage of CaO. But when the film thickness become thicker, the composition of films become as same as the target. From the results above, the chemical state of films and their variations with film thickness can be clarified by using the apparatus. (author)
The Soft X-raySpectrometer (SXS) instrument[1] on Astro-H[2] will use a 3-stage ADR[3] to cool the microcalorimeter array to 50 mK. In the primary operating mode, two stages of the ADR cool the detectors using superfluid helium at =1.20 K as the heat sink[4]. In the secondary mode, which is activated when the liquid helium is depleted, the ADR uses a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson cooler as its heat sink. In this mode, all three stages operate together to continuously cool the (empty) helium tank and singleshot cool the detectors. The flight instrument - dewar, ADR, detectors and electronics - were integrated in 2014 and have since undergone extensive performance testing. This paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of the ADR's operation, including cooling capacity, heat rejection to the heat sinks, and various measures of efficiency.
This technical innovation describes our experience using an X-ray magnetic resonance fusion (XMRF) software program to overlay 3-D MR images on real-time fluoroscopic images during sclerotherapy procedures for vascular malformations at a large pediatric institution. Five cases have been selected to illustrate the application and various clinical utilities of XMRF during sclerotherapy procedures as well as the technical limitations of this technique. The cases demonstrate how to use XMRF in the interventional suite to derive additional information to improve therapeutic confidence with regards to the extent of lesion filling and to guide clinical management in terms of intraprocedural interventional measures. (orig.)
A signal processing system which accepts input from an x-ray detector-preamplifier and produces a signal of reduced dynamic range for subsequent analog-to-digital conversion is disclosed. The system conditions the input signal to reduce the number of bits required in the analog-to-digital converter by removing that part of the input signal which varies only slowly in time and retaining the amplitude of the pulses which carry information about the x-rays absorbed by the detector. The parameters controlling the signal conditioner's operation can be readily supplied in digital form, allowing it to be integrated into a feedback loop as part of a larger digital x-ray spectroscopy system. 13 figs
Two types of wavelength-dispersive soft X-rayspectrometers, a high-dispersion type and a conventional one, for transmission electron microscopes were constructed. Those spectrometers were used to study the electronic states of valence electrons (bonding electrons). Both spectrometers extended the acceptable energy regions to higher than 2000 eV. The best energy resolution of 0.08 eV was obtained for an Al L-emission spectrum by using the high-dispersion type spectrometer. By using the spectrometer, C K-emission of carbon allotropes, Cu L-emission of Cu 1-x Zn x alloys and Pt M-emission spectra were presented. The FWHM value of 12 eV was obtained for the Pt Mα-emission peak. The performance of the conventional one was also presented for ZnS and a section specimen of a multilayer device. W-M and Si-K emissions were clearly resolved. Soft X-ray emission spectroscopy based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has an advantage for obtaining spectra from a single crystalline specimen with a defined crystal setting. As an example of anisotropic soft X-ray emission, C K-emission spectra of single crystalline graphite with different crystal settings were presented. From the spectra, density of states of π- and σ-bondings were separately derived. These results demonstrated a method to analyse the electronic states of valence electrons of materials in the nanometre scale based on TEM. (author)
The Crab nebula originates from a core-collapse SN in 1054. It has an anomalously low observed ejecta mass for a Fe-core collapse SN. Intensive searches were made for an undetected massive shell to solve this discrepancy. An alternative idea is that the SN1054 is an electron-capture (EC) explosion with a lower explosion energy than Fe-core collapse SNe. In the X-rays, imaging searches were performed for the plasma emission from the shell in the Crab outskirts. However, the extreme brightness hampers access to its vicinity. We used spectroscopic technique using the X-ray micro-calorimeter onboard Hitomi. We searched for the emission or absorption features by the thermal plasma and set a new limit. We re-evaluated the existing data to claim that the X-ray plasma mass is wind). We found that the observed mass limit can be compatible with both SN models if the environment has a low density of wind density parameter for the wind environment.
ORIGIN is a medium size high-energy mission concept submitted to ESA in response to the Cosmic Vision call issued on July 2010. The mission will investigate the evolution of the Universe by performing soft X-ray high resolution spectroscopic measurements of metals formed in different astrophysica...
design and use of a peltier cooled solid state detector for energy dispersive detection. Alignment and ... X-ray beam at a glancing angle less than the critical angle at which total ... materials is < 1 so that external total reflection takes place at an ...
A description is given of a computer program, GAUSS VII, which has been written to determine nuclide or isotopic activities from γ-ray spectra from GE semiconductor spectrometers. The preliminary portion of the program can determine the energy- and width-calibration equations, locate individual peaks and define ''peak regions'' that are significantly above the local spectral background. The user may edit these lists of peaks and regions. Each peak region is fitted with one or more components in which the peaks are represented by a Gaussian function or a Gaussian with one or two additive exponential tails on the low-energy side and one on the high-energy side. A step-like background function can be used with each component. The program will automatically recycle to add one or more components to a region if needed to improve the fit. The γ-ray energies and intensities are computed from the resulting Gaussian positions and peak areas. From a comparison of these peak energies and the γ-ray energies for various nuclides in a nuclide library, the nuclides that may be present are identified. The user may edit this nuclide list. The program identifies secondary γ rays that should be present for these nuclides and obtains peak areas for them, if the areas are not already available. All of the peak areas are then analyzed to obtain the best nuclidic activities. The peak areas for any one nuclide and those for nuclides that have interfering lines are analyzed in one least-squares ft. Nuclides whose activities are essentially 0, and peaks which cannot be accounted for are removed from the analysis. Besides the nuclidic activities, a peak-by-peak summary is provided. This program is intended to analyze large groups of spectra as well as an individual spectrum
The Fourier Imaging X-raySpectrometer (FIXS) is one of four instruments on SAC-1, the Argentinian satellite being proposed for launch by NASA on a Scout rocket in 1992/3. The FIXS is designed to provide solar flare images at X-ray energies between 5 and 35 keV. Observations will be made on arcsecond size scales and subsecond time scales of the processes that modify the electron spectrum and the thermal distribution in flaring magnetic structures.
The Crab nebula originated from a core-collapse supernova (SN) explosion observed in 1054 AD. When viewed as a supernova remnant (SNR), it has an anomalously low observed ejecta mass and kinetic energy for an Fe-core-collapse SN. Intensive searches have been made for a massive shell that solves this discrepancy, but none has been detected. An alternative idea is that SN 1054 is an electron-capture (EC) explosion with a lower explosion energy by an order of magnitude than Fe-core-collapse SNe. X-ray imaging searches were performed for the plasma emission from the shell in the Crab outskirts to set a stringent upper limit on the X-ray emitting mass. However, the extreme brightness of the source hampers access to its vicinity. We thus employed spectroscopic technique using the X-ray micro-calorimeter on board the Hitomi satellite. By exploiting its superb energy resolution, we set an upper limit for emission or absorption features from as yet undetected thermal plasma in the 2-12 keV range. We also re-evaluated the existing Chandra and XMM-Newton data. By assembling these results, a new upper limit was obtained for the X-ray plasma mass of ≲ 1 M⊙ for a wide range of assumed shell radius, size, and plasma temperature values both in and out of collisional equilibrium. To compare with the observation, we further performed hydrodynamic simulations of the Crab SNR for two SN models (Fe-core versus EC) under two SN environments (uniform interstellar medium versus progenitor wind). We found that the observed mass limit can be compatible with both SN models if the SN environment has a low density of ≲ 0.03 cm-3 (Fe core) or ≲ 0.1 cm-3 (EC) for the uniform density, or a progenitor wind density somewhat less than that provided by a mass loss rate of 10-5 M⊙ yr-1 at 20 km s-1 for the wind environment.
A high speed, digitally based, signal processing system which accepts input data from a detector-preamplifier and produces a spectral analysis of the x-rays illuminating the detector. The system achieves high throughputs at low cost by dividing the required digital processing steps between a ''hardwired'' processor implemented in combinatorial digital logic, which detects the presence of the x-ray signals in the digitized data stream and extracts filtered estimates of their amplitudes, and a programmable digital signal processing computer, which refines the filtered amplitude estimates and bins them to produce the desired spectral analysis. One set of algorithms allow this hybrid system to match the resolution of analog systems while operating at much higher data rates. A second set of algorithms implemented in the processor allow the system to be self calibrating as well. The same processor also handles the interface to an external control computer. 19 figs
EUROGAM is an Anglo/French Gamma Ray Detector which will alternate between the Tandem Van der Graaf at Daresbury and the Vivitron at Strasbourg. Because of the need to conform to the standards of Laboratories in two different countries, and the very sensitive nature of electronics for Germanium Gamma Ray telescopes, the newly emerging VXlbus (VMEbus EXtensions for Instrumentation) was chosen as the basis for control and data acquisition. This entailed a major programme of development for both the signal processing front end modules for Germanium and Bismuth Germanate detectors, and also for the hardware and software management of resources from within the VXI environment. The paper will concentrate mainly on the latter areas. (author)
There is a strong need for portable radiometric instrumentation that can both accurately confirm the presence of nuclear materials and allow isotopic analysis of radionuclides in the field. To fulfill this need the Safeguards Technology Program at LLNL has developed a hand-held, non-cryogenic, low-power gamma-ray and x-ray measurements and analysis instrument that can both search for and then accurately verify the presence of nuclear materials. We will report on the use of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors, detector electronics, and the new field-portable instrument being developed. We will also describe the isotopic analysis that allows enrichment measurements to be made accurately in the field. These systems provide capability for safeguards inspection and verification applications and could find application in counter-smuggling operations
There is a strong need for portable radiometric instrumentation that can both accurately confirm the presence of nuclear materials and allow isotopic analysis of radionuclides in the field. To fulfill this need the Safeguards Technology Program at LLNL has developed a hand-held, non-cryogenic, low-power gamma-ray and x-ray measurements and analysis instrument that can both search for and then accurately verify the presence of nuclear materials. We will report on the use of cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors, detector electronics, and the new field-portable instrument being developed. We will also describe the isotopic analysis that allows enrichment measurements to be made accurately in the field. These systems provide capability for safeguards inspection and verification applications and could find application in counter-smuggling operations.
Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (APXPS) is a powerful spectroscopy tool that is inherently surface sensitive, elemental, and chemical specific, with the ability to probe sample surfaces under Torr level pressures. Herein, we describe the design of a new lab-based APXPS system with the ability to swap small volume analysis chambers. Ag 3d(5/2) analyses of a silver foil were carried out at room temperature to determine the optimal sample-to-aperture distance, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis spot size, relative peak intensities, and peak full width at half maximum of three different electrostatic lens modes: acceleration, transmission, and angular. Ag 3d(5/2) peak areas, differential pumping pressures, and pump performance were assessed under varying N{sub 2}(g) analysis chamber pressures up to 20 Torr. The commissioning of this instrument allows for the investigation of molecular level interfacial processes under ambient vapor conditions in energy and environmental research.
The results of observations of 22 bright Galactic X-ray point sources are presented, and the most reliable measurements to date of X-ray column densities to these sources are derived. The results are consistent with the idea that some of the objects have a component of column density intrinsic to the source in addition to an interstellar component. The K-edge absorption due to oxygen is clearly detected in 10 of the sources and the Fe L and Ne K edges are detected in a few. The spectra probably reflect emission originating in a collisionally excited region combined with emission from a photoionized region excited directly by the central source.
For quantitative analysis of chemical elements by the method of X-ray spectroscopy a multichannel analyzer on the base of minicomputer with the INTEL 8080 A microprocessor is developed. The data acquisition and data processing systems which comprise a central processor, memory unit, ADC and display are described. Major system subprograms are enumerated. An example of Pb concentration determinating in a bronze specimen is given
Cosmic rays have been detected at energies in excess of 10 20 eV, and individual sources have been conclusively identified as intense emitters of gamma rays at energies up to 10 16 eV. There is clearly a great deal of exciting astrophysics to be learned from such studies, but it has been suggested that there may be particle physics to be learned from the cosmic beam as well. Based in particular on the reports of surprisingly high fluxes of underground muons from the direction of Cygnus X-3 modulated by the known orbital period, there have been several suggestions recently invoking stable supersymmetric particles produced at Cygnus X-3, enhanced muon production from high energy photons, quark matter, and ''cygnets.'' Although the underground muon results have been questioned, it may still be worthwhile to consider the possibility of new physics beyond the standard model with energy scale (G/sub F/)/sup -1/2/ ≥ 0.25 TeV. For example, there have been recent discussions on the experimental signatures to be observed from new high energy photon couplings to matter, exchanges between constituent quarks and leptons, and stable gluinos and photinos mixed in with the cosmic gamma ray flux. We describe here a possible detector to search for such effects. We utilize the possibility that point sources like Cygnus X-3 can be used to provide a directional time-modulated ''tagged'' high energy photon beam
In air-borne gamma-rayspectrometer survey, the observed data must be corrected for the background, Compton scattering and flight altitude. And the corrected data are usually converted into the radiometric elements equivalents of the ground, using the sensitivities of the survey system. Accordingly, the correction coefficients and the sensitivities are determined as follows for the KIER air-borne survey system. The stripping or Compton scattering coefficients α, β and γ at the ground level were first determined on the basis of the gamma-ray count rates due to the 5 concrete calibration pads of the Soosaek Airbase, together with the radiometric elements concentrations of the core samples taken from the pads. As for the determination of the exponential altitude coefficients anti μ(K), anti μ(U), anti μ(Th) and anti μ(Tc), the count rates observed over the Hongseong Test Strip of about 3 km length were used after they had been corrected for the background and Compton scattering. The background count rates mainly caused by the air-craft as well as cosmic radiations were determined with the data taken over the West Sea near Anmyon Island, Chung-cheongnam-do. And the corrected count rates observed over the Strip, combined with the average radiometric elements concentrations of the Strip, yielded the sensitivities k(K), k(U) and k(Th) at the 400 feet flight altitude. (author)
OSIRIS-REx is a NASA New Frontiers mission scheduled for launch in 2016 that will travel to the asteroid Bennu and return a pristine sample of the asteroid to Earth. The REgolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer (REXIS) is a student collaboration instrument on-board the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft. REXIS is a NASA risk Class D instrument, and its design and development is largely student led. The engineering team consists of MIT graduate and undergraduate students and staff at the MIT Space Systems Laboratory. The primary goal of REXIS is the education of science and engineering students through participation in the development of light hardware. In light, REXIS will contribute to the mission by providing an elemental abundance map of the asteroid and by characterizing Bennu among the known meteorite groups. REXIS is sensitive to X-rays between 0.5 and 7 keV, and uses coded aperture imaging to map the distribution of iron with 50 m spatial resolution. This paper describes the science goals, concept of operations, and overall engineering design of the REXIS instrument. Each subsystem of the instrument is addressed with a high-level description of the design. Critical design elements such as the Thermal Isolation Layer (TIL), radiation cover, coded-aperture mask, and Detector Assembly Mount (DAM) are discussed in further detail.
A description is given of a computer program, GAUSS VII, which has been written to determine #betta#-ray spectra from Ge semiconductor spectrometers. The preliminary portions of the program can determine the energy and width calibration equations, loacte individual peaks and define peak regions that are significantly above the local spectral background. The user may edit these lists of peaks and regions. Each peak region is fitted with one or more components in which the peaks are represented by a Gaussian function or a Gaussian with one or two additive exponential tails on the low-energy side and one on the high-energy side. A step-like background function can be used with each component. The program will automatically recycle to add one or more components to a region if needed to improve the fit. The #betta#-ray energies and intensities are computed from resulting Gaussian positions and peak areas. To allow the user to determine the best results, the results from the analyses for each region with different numbers of components can be printed and line-printer plots of the fits to the data can be made. The quality of the results depends primarily on the ability of the program to define a good spectral region for each analysis and the ability to recycle to determine the proper number of components
A coincidence shielded intrinsic Ge gamma-rayspectrometer incorporating a 25% efficient, high resolution coaxial diode inside a 30 cm diameter NaI(Tl) shield is described. System design eliminates the major cause of background and minimizes cosmic-ray created background events through the use of electronic means. The system provides a peak-to-Compton ratio of greater than 1000 to 1 for 137 Cs and high sensitivity for both low and high level radionuclide measurements. At 3 MeV the background is 0.000058 counts per minute per keV. At 1 MeV it is 0.00048 counts per minute per keV, and at 0.5 MeV it is 0.0045 counts per minute per keV. Traces of primordial radionuclides create background events such as at 2.614 MeV (0.016 counts per minute total peak area), at 2.448 MeV (0.0058 counts per minute per total peak area), and at 2.204 MeV (0.023 counts per minute per total peak area). The system is discussed with respect to its background design, methods to improve its design, and its application to measurements of neutron activated and environmental materials problems
The design of the fine grained 300 t liquid argon calorimeter BARS is described. The BARS electronics include about 30 K channels of low noise amplifiers and ADCs. The DAQ system makes it possible to select channels with signals above the chosen threshold. 48 scintillation horoscopes placed inside the liquid argon are used to form the first level trigger. The total number of scintillation counters in liquid argon is 384. Sums of ionization signals are used to produce the second level trigger. Results of the first use of liquid argon calorimetry for the measurements of tagged neutrino interactions, cosmic-ray muon spectra and composition of extensive atmospheric showers are discussed. (author)
The paper describes a white-beam X-ray energy dispersive diffractometer using the synchroton radiation from the DORIS ESR. The following features of the instrument are discussed: Horizontal or vertical scattering plane, collimators, sample environment, remote control of gonimeter, data acquisition, energy-sensitive detectors using small-area and large-area detector crystals, modes of operation, powder and single crystal diffraction. An example is given from a high-pressure study of YbH 2 using a diamond anvil cell. (orig./HP)
This report is the fourth of reports from The Department of Electrophysics covering measurement and interpretation of airborne gamma-spectrometry measurements. It describes different topics concerning the construction of a suitable calibration setup in the laboratory. The goal is to build a simple and cheap laboratory setup that can produce most of the gamma-ray data needed for an interpretation of spectra measured 50 to 120 m above ground level. A simple calibration setup has been build and tested. It may produce gamma-ray spectra similar to those measured in the air - from surface contamination with artificial nuclides and from 'bulk' natural radioactivity. It is possible to investigate the influence of the air above an aircraft carrying the detector (skyshine: scattering of gamma photons in the air above the detector). In order to reduce the influence of non-detected pile-up the count rates are kept low without reaching levels where the background spectra (to be subtracted) would cause unacceptable counting statistical fluctuations. Sources selected for the calibrations are heavy minerals sand (with thorium and uranium), potassium nitrate (with 40 K). These sources are 'bulk sources' of natural radioactivity. Cesium-137 has been selected as the basic artifical surface contamination nuclide. The report also discusses methods for comparing two spectra a priori assumed equal. Finally the properties of some materials that could be used as 'air-substitutes' in the calibration setup have been tested with respect to stability against moisture sorption. (au)
This paper presents the design of a constant memory board for the Rigaku X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, model 3064. This spectroscopy has been used to mineral analysis and materials characterization. It has been applied for elements instrumental analysis in mineral, metallic, ceramic, environmental samples and alloys. The memory board stores the elements sequence to be analyzed in the samples. It allows the automatic continuous operation of the spectroscopy and can be used as temporary register by the system. The spectroscopy data memory was composed by two permanent memory board with magnetic cores. The new memory board has a solid state static RAM, a data bus buffer, control and a special circuit to supply continuous power to the memory. (author)
A new sounding rocket payload that has been developed for X-ray spectroscopic studies of the solar corona is described. The instrument incorporates a grazing incidence Rowland mounted grating spectrograph and an extreme off-axis paraboloic sector feed system to isolate regions of the sun of order 1 x 10 arc seconds in size. The focal surface of the spectrograph is shared by photographic and photoelectric detection systems, with the latter serving as a part of the rocket pointing system control loop. Fabrication and alignment of the optical system is based on high precision machining and mechanical metrology techniques. The spectrograph has a resolution of 16 milliangstroms and modifications planned for future flights will improve the resolution to 5 milliangstroms, permitting line widths to be measured.
Spectroscopic diagnostics have great potential to obtain high temperature measurements of plasmas created in ICF targets. The plasmas may be over 1 mm in size and therefore, one of the first steps in making accurate spectroscopic measurements has been to improve the resolution of the instrument. A spectrograph is now available for Nova experiments which takes advantage of gated technology by coupling a Bragg crystal to a microchannel plate that can record data over a 250 ps time frame. The crystal disperses the x-rays, while slits add the ability to image the plasmas in the perpendicular direction. The characteristics of this diagnostic, TSPEC, will be evaluated for laser-produced plasmas. Recent data will be presented from colliding plasmas and large-scale hohlraums which indicate that imaging can greatly enhance the ability to diagnose these plasmas
Programs for X-ray powder crystallography are defined for use with a Hewlett Packard HP-65 (programmable) pocket calculator. These include the prediction of all Bragg reflections for defined P-, F-, I-cubic, tetragonal, hexagonal and orthorhombic cells; the calculation of the position of a specific Bragg reflection from defined unit cells with all symmetries except triclinic; interconversion of theta, 2theta, sin 2 theta and d, as well as the calculation of the Nelson-Riley function; the computation of crystal densities; the interconversion of rhombohedral and hexagonal unit cells, lsub(c) determinations for graphite, the calculation of a and c for boron carbide; and Miller index transformations between various unit cells. (author)
Full Text Available The set up and control of an underwater measuring instrument for radioactivity pollution in the marine environment is described. The detection system is based on a NaI scintillator (RADAM III with modifications for use in the marine environment with on-line measurements. The system is simple, has low power consumption and is stable for long-term monitoring (10 months. Before its deployment, the sensor was calibrated in the laboratory in a tank full of water to reproduce the marine environment. The calibrations were performed, by detecting the 661keV and 1461 keV gamma rays of known activity liquid sources 137 Cs and 40 K, respectively. The measured spectra in the laboratory were compared with spectra from a similar detector as acquired in the field. The analysis of the parallel measurement gave satisfactory agreement for the concentration of the potassium (40 K, as calculated from the salinity in the seawater, thus enabling the system for quantitative measurement of the seawater radioactivity.
Full Text Available A modeling method based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT was introduced to analyze the concentration of chromium, copper, zinc, arsenic and lead in soil with a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF spectrometer. A total of 111 soil samples were collected and observed. Denoising and baseline correction were performed on each spectrum before modeling. The optimum conditions for pre-processing were denoising with Coiflet 3 on the 3rd level and baseline correction with Coiflet 3 on the 9th level. Calibration curves were established for the five heavy metals (HMs. The detection limits were compared before and after the application of DWT, the qualitative detection limits and the quantitative detection limits were calculated to be three and ten times as high as the standard deviation with silicon dioxide (blank, respectively. The results showed that the detection limits of the instrument using DWT were lower, and that they were below national soil standards; the determination coefficients (R2 based on DWT-processed spectra were higher, and ranged from 0.990 to 0.996, indicating a high degree of linearity between the contents of the HMs in soil and the XRF spectral characteristic peak intensity with the instrument measurement.
A portable, hand-held X-ray fluorescence spectrometer has been used for a decade to elementally analyze prehistoric obsidian artifacts in the Mediterranean. Nearly 400 geological obsidian samples and 7500 obsidian artifacts have been analyzed. The pXRF can distinguish all individual sources, as well as assign artifacts specifically to most subsources. For the island sources of Lipari, Pantelleria, Sardinia, and Melos, it is important to address the usage of obsidian from specific subsources due to human selection based on physical properties of the raw material and their production practices, which may have changed over time from the Early Neolithic to the Bronze Age. The analysis of 50 or more artifacts from 60 different archaeological sites allows for statistical comparison between sites, and their contexts, geographic areas (e.g. coastal/inland, highland/lowland) and distance from geological sources. The frequency of transport between island sources and mainland sites is suggestive of maritime capabilities also for the transport of domesticated animals, ceramics, and other materials. This presentation will specifically address potential limitations of the portable XRF, including non-destructive surface analysis of potentially heterogeneous materials, and limited trace element detection compared to other analytical methods, versus its highly beneficial ``package'' of analyzing great numbers of artifacts non-destructively and rapidly without needing to export them from museums and facilities in many countries.
When using superfluid helium in low-gravity environments, porous plug phase separators are commonly used to vent boil-off gas while confining the bulk liquid to the tank. Invariably, there is a flow of superfluid film from the perimeter of the porous plug down the vent line. For the soft x-rayspectrometer onboard ASTRO-H (Hitomi), its approximately 30-liter helium supply has a lifetime requirement of more than 3 years. A nominal vent rate is estimated as ˜30 μg/s, equivalent to ˜0.7 mW heat load. It is, therefore, critical to suppress any film flow whose evaporation would not provide direct cooling of the remaining liquid helium. That is, the porous plug vent system must be designed to both minimize film flow and to ensure maximum extraction of latent heat from the film. The design goal for Hitomi is to reduce the film flow losses to knife-edge devices. Design, on-ground testing results, and in-orbit performance are described.
The potentiality of portable instrumentation lies on the possibility of the in situ determinations. Sampling, packaging and transport of samples from the site to the laboratory are avoided and the analysis becomes non destructive at all. However, detection limits for light elements are, in most cases, a limitation for quantification purposes. In this work a comparison between the results obtained with an X ray fluorescence spectrometer laboratory based and a portable instrument is performed. A set of 76 obsidian archaeological specimens from northwest Patagonia, Argentina was used to carry out the study. Samples were collected in the area of the middle and high basin of the Limay River. The analytical information obtained with both instrumentations was complemented with Principal Component Analysis in order to define groups and identify provenance sources. The information from both instruments allows arriving to the same conclusion about sample provenance and mobility of hunter-gatherer groups. Three groups of sources were identified in both cases matching with the geographical information. Also, same sets of outlier samples or not associated to these sources were found. Artifact samples were associated mainly to the closest sources, but some of them are related to sources located more than three hundred kilometers, evidencing the large mobility of the hunter-gatherers by the obsidian interchange. No significant differences between concentrations values obtained by laboratory based instrument and portable one were found. (author)
The Soft X-raySpectrometer (SXS) instrument on Astro-H will use a 3-stage ADR to cool the microcalorimeter array to 50 mK. In the primary operating mode, two stages of the ADR cool the detectors using superfluid helium at 1.20 K as the heat sink. In the secondary mode, which is activated when the liquid helium is depleted, two of the stages continuously cool the (empty) helium tank using a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson cooler as the heat sink, and the third stage cools the detectors. In the design phase, a high-fidelity model of the ADR was developed in order to predict both the cooling capacity and heat rejection rates in both operating modes. The primary sources of heat flow are from the salt pills, hysteresis heat from the magnets and magnetic shields, and power dissipated by the heat switches. The flight instrument dewar, ADR, detectors and electronics were integrated in mid-2014 and have since undergone extensive performance testing, in part to validate the performance model. This paper will present the thermodynamic performance of the ADR, including cooling capacity, heat rejection to the heat sinks, and various measures of efficiency.
An airborne combined radiometric and magnetic survey was performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) over the area covered by the Ely and Lund 1:250,000 National Topographic Map Series (NTMS quadrangle maps). The survey was part of DOE's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) Aerial Radiometric Reconnaissance program. Data were collected by a helicopter equipped with a gamma-rayspectrometer having a large crystal volume, and a high sensitivity proton precession magnetometer. The radiometric system was calibrated at the Walker Field Calibration pads and the Lake Mead Dynamic Test range. Data quality was ensured during the survey by daily test flights and equipment checks. Radiometric data were corrected for live time, aircraft and equipment background, cosmic background, atmospheric radon, Compton scatter, and altitude dependence. The corrected data were statistically evaluated, plotted, and contoured to produce anomaly maps based on the radiometric response of individual geological units. The maps were interpreted and an anomaly interpretation map produced. Volume I contains a description of the systems used in the survey, a discussion of the calibration of the systems, the data processing procedures, the data display format, the interpretation rationale, and interpretation methodology. Volume II contains the data displays for a quadrangle and the interpretation results
The electron spectrometer, SPEDE, has been developed and will be employed in conjunction with the Miniball spectrometer at the HIE-ISOLDE facility, CERN. SPEDE allows for direct measurement of internal conversion electrons emitted in-flight, without employing magnetic fields to transport or momentum filter the electrons. Together with the Miniball spectrometer, it enables simultaneous observation of γ rays and conversion electrons in Coulomb excitation experiments using radioactive ion beams.
A scintillation type gamma rayspectrometer employing coincidence counting, designed and built at the Physics Department of the University of Western Ontario is described. The spectrometer is composed of two anthracene and photomultiplier radiation detectors, two pulse analyzing channels, a coincidence stage, three scalers and a high voltage stabilized supply. A preliminary experiment to test the operation of the spectrometer was performed and the results of this test are presented. (author)
The design study treats the possibilities of quantitatively measuring the Soft X-ray spectrum of JET with a double crystal spectrometer device in parallel mode. This spectrometer type is much suited for broad band soft X-ray spectroscopy, also - due to its folded optical pathway - during D-T operation of JET; the expected detector count rates are far above the background level. Methods to fulfill the important condition of parallel orientation of the two crystals, to shield the device against neutrons and gamma rays, to obtain spectral resolution sufficient for spectral line profile measurements and to upgrade the device for continuous spatial scanning of the JET plasma are presented. (orig.)
Eight transportable calibration pads were built in to be used as concentration standards for portable and airborne gamma-rayspectrometers calibrations. The pads construction procedure is described in full detail. The pads, with dimensions of 1 m x 1 m x 0,30 m and masses between 593 kg and 673 kg were made radioactive by the addition of different amounts of k-feldspar, caldasite and monazitic sand to the concrete masses. The potassium, uranium and thorium concentration vary significantly in the pads, reaching maximum values of 5,7% of K, 45,6 ppm eU and 137 ppm eTh. The distribution of the gamma radiation flux from the pads surfaces and the heterogeneity magnitudes of the radioactive elements concentration were experimentally established. An example of gamma-rayspectrometer calibration is presented. (author)
Simulations of cosmic ray muon induced background of an HPGe detector placed inside an anti-Compton shield on the surface and in shallow underground is described. Investigation of several model set-ups revealed some trends useful for design of low-level gamma-rayspectrometers. It has been found that background spectrum of an HPGe detector can be scaled down with the shielding depth. No important difference is observed when the same set-up of the anti-Compton spectrometer is positioned horizontally or vertically. A cosmic-muon rejection factor of at least 40 (at around 1 MeV) can be reached when the anti-Compton suppression is operational. The cosmicmuon background can be reduced to such a level that other background components prevail, like those from the residual contamination of the detector and shield materials and/or from radon, especially for the underground facilities.
The X-ray spectra of 25 Seyfert galaxies measured with the Solid State Spectrometer on the Einstein Observatory have been investigated. This new investigation utilizes simultaneous data from the Monitor Proportional Counter, and automatic correction for systematic effects in the Solid State Spectrometer which were previously handled subjectively. It is found that the best-fit single-power-law indices generally agree with those previously reported, but that soft excesses of some form are inferred for about 48 percent of the sources. One possible explanation of the soft excess emission is a blend of soft X-ray lines, centered around 0.8 keV. The implications of these results for accretion disk models are discussed.
A new imaging high resolution x-ray crystal spectrometer (XCS) has been developed to measure continuous profiles of ion temperature and rotation velocity in fusion plasmas. Following proof-of-principle tests on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak and the NSTX spherical tokamak, and successful testing of a new silicon, pixilated detector with 1MHz count rate capability per pixel, an imaging XCS is being designed to measure full profiles of T i and ν φ on C-Mod. The imaging XCS design has also been adopted for ITER. Ion-temperature uncertainty and minimum measurable rotation velocity are calculated for the C-Mod spectrometer. The affects of x-ray and nuclear-radiation background on the measurement uncertainties are calculated to predict performance on ITER
A study of the background radiation in inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) and X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) based on an analytical model is presented. The calculation model considers spurious radiation originated from elastic and inelastic scattering processes along the beam paths of a Johann-type spectrometer. The dependence of the background radiation intensity on the medium of the beam paths (air and helium), analysed energy and radius of the Rowland circle was studied. The present study shows that both for IXS and XES experiments the background radiation is dominated by spurious radiation owing to scattering processes along the sample-analyser beam path. For IXS experiments the spectral distribution of the main component of the background radiation shows a weak linear dependence on the energy for the most cases. In the case of XES, a strong non-linear behaviour of the background radiation intensity was predicted for energy analysis very close to the backdiffraction condition, with a rapid increase in intensity as the analyser Bragg angle approaches π / 2. The contribution of the analyser-detector beam path is significantly weaker and resembles the spectral distribution of the measured spectra. Present results show that for usual experimental conditions no appreciable structures are introduced by the background radiation into the measured spectra, both in IXS and XES experiments. The usefulness of properly calculating the background profile is demonstrated in a background subtraction procedure for a real experimental situation. The calculation model was able to simulate with high accuracy the energy dependence of the background radiation intensity measured in a particular XES experiment with air beam paths.
A new XUV spectrometer designed to have a time-resolution of 3 ps and a spectral resolution of 0.1 A is described. It is basically a modified version of a Schwob-Fraenkel spectrometer, which is coupled to a new ultrafast electronic streak camera
This work aims to present the radioactive impurities gamma rays emitters detected in some radiopharmaceuticals widely applied to diagnosis and therapy purposes, supplied to nuclear medicine services in Brazil by the Radiopharmaceutical Center(CR) of Nuclear and Energy Research Institute, IPEN, in São Paulo. The analysis was undertaken by means of an HPGe gamma spectrometer. The radiopharmaceuticals analyzed were: {sup 111}In, {sup 201}Tl, {sup 177}Lu and {sup 99m}Tc. (author)
The p/p-ratio from 4 to 19 GeV has been measured using the NMSU/WiZard balloon borne matter antimatter superconducting spectrometer (MASS2) instrument. This is the first confirmation of the cosmic ray antiproton component made in this energy range since their discovery in 1979. The MASS2 instrument is an updated version of the instrument flown in 1979. The p/p- ratio is 1.52x10{sup -}4.
This paper describes the basic construction and performing theory of a set of low-background anti-compton high purity germanium gamma-rayspectrometer. On the basis of experiments, some factors which affect the energy resolution of the system are discussed. The optimum parameters configuration for the system is presented and it provides a decision-making ground for purchasing, installation and alignment of analogous system. (authors)
Elemental analysis of welding fume samples can be done using several laboratory-based techniques. However, portable measurement techniques could offer several advantages. In this study, we sought to determine whether the portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (XRF) is suitable for analysis of five metals (manganese, iron, zinc, copper, and chromium) on 37-mm polytetrafluoroethylene filters. Using this filter fitted on a cyclone in line with a personal pump, gravimetric samples were collected from a group of boilermakers exposed to welding fumes. We assessed the assumption of uniform deposition of these metals on the filters, and the relationships between measurement results of each metal obtained from traditional laboratory-based XRF and the portable XRF. For all five metals of interest, repeated measurements with the portable XRF at the same filter area showed good consistency (reliability ratios are equal or close to 1.0 for almost all metals). The portable XRF readings taken from three different areas of each filter were not significantly different (p-values = 0.77 to 0.98). This suggested that the metal rich PM(2.5) deposits uniformly on the samples collected using this gravimetric method. For comparison of the two XRFs, the results from the portable XRF were well correlated and highly predictive of those from the laboratory XRF. The Spearman correlation coefficients were from 0.325 for chromium, to 0.995 for manganese and 0.998 for iron. The mean differences as a percent of the mean laboratory XRF readings were also small (metals were moderately to strongly correlated with the total fine particle fraction on filters (Spearman rho = 0.41 for zinc to 0.97 for iron). Such strong correlations and comparable results suggested that the portable XRF could be used as an effective and reliable tool for exposure assessment in many studies.
A Compton-suppression spectrometer has been constructed for in-beam γ-ray work. It consists of a closed-end Ge(Li) detector with an efficiency of 21% and a resolution of 2.0 keV for 1.33 MeV γ-rays surrounded by a NaI(Tl) shield (dia. 230 mm, length 280 mm). The overall Compton-suppression factor for a 60 Co spectrum is 10. Details of the construction are discussed and experimental properties are compared with design calculations
Si and Ge are widely used as analyzing crystals for x-rays. Drastic and accurate shaping of Si or Ge gives significant advance in the x-ray field, although covalently bonded Si or Ge crystals have long been believed to be not deformable to various shapes. Recently, we developed a deformation technique for obtaining strongly and accurately shaped Si or Ge wafers of high crystal quality, and the use of the deformed wafer made it possible to produce fine-focused x-rays. In the present study, we prepared a cylindrical Ge wafer with a radius of curvature of 50 mm, and acquired fluorescent x-rays simultaneously from four elements by combining the cylindrical Ge wafer with a position-sensitive detector. The energy resolution of the x-ray fluorescence spectrum was as good as that obtained using a flat single crystal, and its gain was over 100. The demonstration of the simultaneous acquisition of high-resolution x-ray fluorescence spectra indicated various possibilities of x-ray spectrometry, such as one-shot x-ray spectroscopy and highly efficient wave-dispersive x-rayspectrometers
For the use of published general or theoretical sensitivity factors in quantitative AES and XPS the energy dependence of both the spectrometer transmission function and the detector sensitivity must be known. Here we develop simple procedures which allow these dependencies to be determined experimentally. Detailed measurements for a modified VG Scientific ESCALAB II, the metrology spectrometer, operated in both the constant ΔE/E and constant ΔE modes, are presented and compared with theoretical estimates. It is shown that an exceptionally detailed electron-optical calculation, involving proprietary information, would be required to match the accuracy of the experimental procedures developed. Removal of the spectrometer transmission function and the detector sensitivity terms allows the measured spectrum to be converted to the true electron emission spectrum irrespective of the mode of operation. This provides the first step to the provision of reference samples to calibrate the transmission functions and detector sensitivities of all instruments so that they, in turn, may produce true electron emission spectra. This is vital if (i) all instruments are to give consistent results, (ii) theoretical terms are to be used in quantifying either AES or XPS and (iii) reference data banks are to be established for AES or XPS
The recent availability of large volume cerium bromide crystals raises the possibility of substantially improving gamma-rayspectrometer limiting flux sensitivities over current systems based on the lanthanum tri-halides, e.g., lanthanum bromide and lanthanum chloride, especially for remote sensing, low-level counting applications or any type of measurement characterized by poor signal to noise ratios. The Russian Space Research Institute has developed and manufactured a highly sensitive gamma-rayspectrometer for remote sensing observations of the planet Mercury from the Mercury Polar Orbiter (MPO), which forms part of ESA's BepiColombo mission. The Flight Model (FM) gamma-rayspectrometer is based on a 3-in. single crystal of LaBr3(Ce(3+)) produced in a separate crystal development programme specifically for this mission. During the spectrometers development, manufacturing, and qualification phases, large crystals of CeBr3 became available in a subsequent phase of the same crystal development programme. Consequently, the Flight Spare Model (FSM) gamma-rayspectrometer was retrofitted with a 3-in. CeBr3 crystal and qualified for space. Except for the crystals, the two systems are essentially identical. In this paper, we report on a comparative assessment of the two systems, in terms of their respective spectral properties, as well as their suitability for use in planetary mission with respect to radiation tolerance and their propensity for activation. We also contrast their performance with a Ge detector representative of that flown on MESSENGER and show that: (a) both LaBr3(Ce(3+)) and CeBr3 provide superior detection systems over HPGe in the context of minimally resourced spacecraft and (b) CeBr3 is a more attractive system than LaBr3(Ce(3+)) in terms of sensitivities at lower gamma fluxes. Based on the tests, the FM has now been replaced by the FSM on the BepiColombo spacecraft. Thus, CeBr3 now forms the central gamma-ray detection element on the MPO spacecraft.
Multilayer desorption measurements of various substances adsorbed on a stainless steel substrate are found to exhibit desorption profiles consistent with a zeroth order desorption model. The singleness of the desorption transients together with their narrow peak widths makes the technique ideally suited for a heat of vaporization spectrometer for either substance analysis or identification
The SAGE spectrometer has been constructed for in-beam nuclear structure studies. SAGE combines a Ge-detector array and an electron spectrometer for detection of γ-rays and internal conversion electrons, respectively, and allows simultaneous observation of both electrons and γ-rays emitted from excited nuclei. SAGE is set up in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaeskylae and works in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled recoil separator and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer allowing the use of the recoil-decay tagging method. (orig.)
The SAGE spectrometer has been constructed for in-beam nuclear structure studies. SAGE combines a Ge-detector array and an electron spectrometer for detection of γ-rays and internal conversion electrons, respectively, and allows simultaneous observation of both electrons and γ-rays emitted from excited nuclei. SAGE is set up in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyvaeskylae and works in conjunction with the RITU gas-filled recoil separator and the GREAT focal-plane spectrometer allowing the use of the recoil-decay tagging method. (orig.)
Soft X-ray imaging and carbon near edge absorption fine structure spectroscopy (C-NEXAFS) has been used for the in-situ analysis of sporinite in a rank variable suite of organic rich sediments extending from recent up to high volatile A bituminous coal. The acquisition of chemically based images (contrast based on the 1s - 1{pi}* transition of unsaturated carbon), revealed a homogeneous chemical structure in the spore exine. C-NEXAFS microanalysis indicates chemical structural evolution in sporopollenin/sporinite with increases in maturation. The most significant change in the C-NEXAFS spectrum is an increase in unsaturated carbon, presumably aromatic, with rank. The rate of aromatization in sporinite exceeds that of the surrounding vitrinite. Increases in the concentration of unsaturated carbon are compensated by losses of aliphatic and hydroxylated aliphatic carbon components. Carboxyl groups are present in low and variable concentrations. Absorption due to carboxyl persists in the most mature specimen in this series, a high volatile A rank coal. The reactions which drive sporopollenin chemical structural evolution during diagenesis presumably involve dehydration, Diels-Alder cyclo-addition, and dehydrogenation reactions which ultimately lead to a progressively aromatized bio/geopolymer.
A performance evaluation of an X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer for X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) cross section measurements in a Secondary Target (ST) set-up has been carried out. Using Cd and Dy as STs, an annular 241 Am (∼1 Ci) radioactive source and an X-RaySpectrometer with a Si(Li) semiconductor detector, the photon effective flux factors (Ι 0 Gε) were measured for some elements with 22≤Ζ≤55 as a function of the characteristics X-Rays energy for two different distances Source-St (0.5 cm and 1.0 cm). Thin high purity foils and a few pellets made out of composed materials were used as samples for the Ι 0 Gε calibrations. the contribution of 59.54 KeV scattered photons to the XRF was analysed and the Scattering Correction Factor (SCF) due to excitation by 59.54 keV scattered photons was estimated in the Cd configuration for further cross section measurements improvements. (Author)
The possibilities of RGS-1M spectral equipment intended for determination of more detailed data on the solar flare structure are discussed. Spectrometer modernization permits to record the fine time structure of solar events in the hard X-ray range (50-90 keV). The main requirement for fine time analysis of nonstationary processes is determination of the maximum possible resolution at the maximum available length of the signal under investigation. The scheme of the time analyzer of splash events with the time resolution Δt=62.5 ms and the length of the range processed T=27.6 s is given and described. Operation of the spectrometer telemetric apparatus is considered in detail. The fine solar flare structure occurred on 14.04.79 with visually chosen periodic structure is shown as an example [ru
A long duration gamma-ray burst, GRB 160530A, was detected by the Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) during the 2016 COSI Super Pressure Balloon campaign. As a Compton telescope, COSI is inherently sensitive to the polarization of gamma-ray sources in the energy range 0.2–5.0 MeV. We measured the polarization of GRB 160530A using (1) a standard method (SM) based on fitting the distribution of azimuthal scattering angles with a modulation curve and (2) an unbinned, maximum likelihood method (MLM). In both cases, the measured polarization level was below the 99% confidence minimum detectable polarization levels of 72.3% ± 0.8% (SM) and 57.5% ± 0.8% (MLM). Therefore, COSI did not detect polarized gamma-ray emission from this burst. Our most constraining 90% confidence upper limit on the polarization level was 46% (MLM).
ASTRO-H is the sixth Japanese astronomy satellite scheduled for launch in 2014. The Soft X-raySpectrometer instrument is onboard ASTRO-H. This is a 6 × 6 array of X-ray microcalorimeters with an energy resolution of gravity, a porous plug phase separator made of sintered stainless is used. Since the vapor mass flow rate is only 29 μg/s, any additional superfluid film loss influences the lifetime of the liquid helium. Therefore, a film flow suppression system consisting of an orifice, a heat exchanger, and knife edge devices is adopted based on the design used for the X-raySpectrometer onboard Suzaku. The film flow will be suppressed to <2 μg/s, sufficiently smaller than the vapor flow rate. In the present investigation, the design and ground experiments of a helium vent system composed of the porous plug and film flow suppression system are presented. The results show that the phase separation and the film flow suppression are satisfactorily achieved.
There are many scientific applications, especially involving topics related to the equilibrium atomic-scale dynamics of condensed matter, that require both a narrower and a steeper resolution function and access to a broader dynamic range than are currently available. To meet these important scientific needs, a prototype of a novel ultrahigh-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer system has been designed and constructed at undulator-based beamline 30-ID at the Advanced Photon Source, Argonne National Laboratory. This prototype is designed to meet challenging mechanical and optical specifications for performing so-called CDFDW angular-dispersive x-ray crystal optics, which include a central ultra-thin CFW crystal and a pair of dispersing elements. The abbreviation CDFDW stands for: C – collimating crystal, D – dispersing-element crystal (two D-crystals are used in each CDFDW), F – anomalous transmission filter, and W – wavelength-selector crystal [1]. The mechanical design of the ultrahigh-resolution inelastic x-ray scattering spectrometer, as well as the preliminary test results of its precision positioning performance are presented in this paper.
CHESS has developed and successfully deployed a novel Dual Array Valence Emission Spectrometer (DAVES) for high energy resolution, hard x-ray spectroscopy. DAVES employs the simplest method for scanning multiple spherical crystals along a Rowland Circle. The new design achieves unique 2-color collection capability and is built to take special advantage of pixel array detectors. Our initial results show why these detectors greatly improve data quality. The presentation emphasizes flexibility of experimental design offered by DAVES. Prospects and benefits of 2-color spectroscopy are illustrated and discussed.
A new x-ray imaging crystal spectrometer diagnostic (XICS) is currently being built for installation on W7-X. This diagnostic will contribute to the study of ion and electron thermal transport and the evolution of the radial electric field by providing high resolution temperature and rotation measurements under many plasma conditions, including ECH heated plasmas. Installation is expected before the first experimental campaign (OP1.1), making an important set of measurements available for the first W7-X plasmas. This diagnostic will also work in concert with the HR-XCS diagnostic to provide an excellent diagnostic set for core impurity transport on W7-X.
We report the observation of new properties of primary cosmic rays He, C, and O measured in the rigidity (momentum/charge) range 2 GV to 3 TV with 90 ×106 helium, 8.4 ×106 carbon, and 7.0 ×106 oxygen nuclei collected by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) during the first five years of operation. Above 60 GV, these three spectra have identical rigidity dependence. They all deviate from a single power law above 200 GV and harden in an identical way.
This paper describes a rapid and accurate method of point-counting sands and silt-size in unconsolidated open-ocean sediments. As traditional techniques for this operation cannot be employed on the fine-grained material which frequently forms the bulk of deep sea marine sediments, an alternative method has been sought. The method described makes use of equipment known as QUANTEX-RAY comprising a computerised data acquisition and reduction system designed for use in X-ray energy spectrometry and used in conjunction with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Grains that cannot be identified by their visual morphology in the scanning electron microscope are analysed by X-ray spectrometry. Spectra are acquired in 200 seconds or less and processed by a sequence of software routines under semi-automatic control producing a listing of oxide concentrations as the final result. Each user must customize the control programme and operating conditions to suit his requirements
X-ray images of the 18 November 1980 limb flare taken by the HXIS instrument aboard SMM were analysed. The hard X-rays originated from three spots on the SW limb of the solar disk with different altitudes and time evolution. The locations of the brightest spots in hard and soft X-rays are compared
High-energy x-ray spectra of the Crab Nebula, Cyg XR-1, and Cen A have been determined from observations with the scintillation spectrometer on board the OSO-8 satellite, launched in June, 1975. Each of these sources was observed over two periods of 8 days or more, enabling a search for day-to-day and year-to-year variations in the spectral and temporal characteristics of the x-ray emission. No variation in the light curve of the Crab pulsar has been found from observations which span a 15-day period in March 1976, with demonstrable phase stability. Transitions associated with the binary phase of Cyg XR-1 and a large change in the emission from Cen A are reported
A 3-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) is used on the Soft X-raySpectrometer instrument on Astro-H to cool a 6x6 array of x-ray microcalorimeters to 50 mK. The ADR is supported by a cryogenic system consisting of a superfluid helium tank, a 4.5 K Joule-Thomson (JT) cryocooler, and additional 2-stage Stirling cryocoolers that pre-cool the JT cooler and cool radiation shields within the cryostat. The ADR is configured so that it can use either the liquid helium or the JT cryocooler as its heat sink, giving the instrument an unusual degree of tolerance for component failures or degradation in the cryogenic system. The flight detector assembly, ADR and dewar were integrated into the flight dewar in early 2014, and have since been extensively characterized and calibrated. This paper summarizes the operation and performance of the ADR in all of its operating modes
This work deals with the design of a gamma-rayspectrometer for the remote analysis of the chemical composition of planetary surfaces and was performed in the frame of a mission scenario to explore the planet Mercury. The research studies consisted first in characterizing the detection performances of a gamma-rayspectrometer using a high-purity germanium crystal cooled actively at cryogenic temperatures. The high energy resolution of the detector allows an accurate measurement of the chemical composition for the main elements from oxygen to uranium. Thereafter the studies dealt with the critical issues addressed for the use of such a detector onboard a mission to the inner solar system. The radiation damage caused by solar protons in germanium crystals was investigated by experimental and numerical means. It has been shown that the detector resolution begins getting damaged for proton fluences over 5*10 8 p/cm 2 . An annealing session where the crystal is heated up to 80 C degrees for a 4-day period allows the detector to get back a sufficient resolution. Annealing over 100 C degrees gives back the detector its initial resolution. Finally, a numerical thermal model of the instrument as well as some tests on a thermal mockup were performed to validate the thermal design of the instrument
The development of new focusing optics based on wide band Laue lenses operating from ~60 keV up to several hundred keV is particularly challenging. This type of hard X-ray or gamma ray optics requires a high performance focal plane detector in order to exploit to the best their intrinsic capabili...
SINP MSU provided a number of experiments with scintillator gamma-spectrometers for study of spectral, temporal and spatial characteristics of TGEs as well as for search of fast hard x-ray and gamma-ray flashes probably appearing at the moment of lightning. The measurements were done in Moscow region and in Armenia at Aragats Mountain. Each instrument used in this work was able to record data in so called “event mode”: the time of each interaction was recorded with ∼15 mcs accuracy together with detailed spectral data. Such design allowed one to look for fast sequences of gamma-quanta, coming at the moments of discharges during thunderstorms. The pulse-shape analysis made by detector electronics was used to separate real gammaray events and possible imitations of flashes by electrical disturbances when discharges occur. During the time period from spring to autumn of 2015 a number of TGEs were detected. Spectral analysis of received data showed that the energy spectrum of coming radiation in 20-3000 kev range demonstrate a set of gamma-ray lines that can be interpreted as radiation from Rn-222 daughter isotopes. The increase of Rn-222 radiation was detected during rainfalls with thunderstorm as well as during rainy weather without thunderstorms. Variations of Rn-222 radiation dominate in low energies (<2.6MeV) and must be taken into account in the experiments performed to measure low energy gamma-radiation from the electrons accelerated in thunderclouds. In order to determine the direction from which the additional gamma-quanta come the experiment with collimated gamma-spectrometer placed on rotated platform was done. The results of this experiment realized in Moscow region from august, 2015 will be presented as well as the results of comparison of different TGEs measured in Moscow region and in Armenia. (author)
The data collected by the L3+C muon spectrometer at the CERN Large Electron-Positron collider, LEP, have been used to search for short duration signals emitted by cosmic point sources. A sky survey performed from July to November 1999 and from April to November 2000 has revealed one single flux enhancement (chance probability = 2.6X10^{-3}) between the 17th and 20th of August 2000 from a direction with a galactic longitude of (265.02+-0.42)^° and latitude of (55.58+-0.24)^°. The energy of the detected muons was above 15 GeV.
The X-ray focusing properties of a bent single crystal diffracting in Bragg geometry are discussed. First, it is assumed that a polychromatic point source is focused to a point image. The elliptical arc that the crystal must trace and the aberrations caused by bending the crystal cylindrically are derived from the ray paths. For a source of finite size, the magnification is found to vary over the crystal's length, so that rays of different wavelength produce images of different size. More realistic treatments of penetration and diffraction are performed with spherical monochromatic incident waves, using Takagi-Taupin calculations to create the diffracted wave and the Fresnel integral to trace the diffracted wave's evolution. Such 'wave-optical' calculations on a symmetric Si (1 1 1) crystal with 7 keV X-rays predict beam sizes different from those found in ray traces. Optimal sample and detector placement therefore requires wave effects to be considered.
A selection of marine samples collected in the vicinity of Dublin Bay on the East Coast of Ireland and Galway Bay on the West Coast have been analyzed with a high resolution Compton suppression spectrometer designed for the analysis of low-level environmental samples. Radiocaesium levels in these samples are compared and some preliminary conclusions presented. The principal components of the spectrometer, which is described in detail, are (I) an upward-locking Ge(Li) detector mounted in a special NPR-type cryostat, (II) active shielding in the form of a well detector fashioned from NE102A scintillator and a NaI(T1) detector, (III) an anti-Compton analyzer and (IV) a multichannel analyzer. The multichannel analyzer is interfaced with a 32K microcomputer to a Digital VAX-11/780 computer where up-to-date gamma spectroscopy techniques are employed for the deconvolution of spectra, search and identification of each line and estimation of the activity of each radionuclide. (author)
A high-efficiency gamma-rayspectrometer has been designed and built to provide simultaneous anticoincidence and coincidence spectrometry of low-level environmental samples. The spectrometer consists of a large-volume Ge(Li) detector as the main detector and a well-type NaI(Tl) guard detector. The Ge(Li) detector is a closed-end coaxial detector housed in a crystal of the vertical dip-stick type. Its relative photopeak efficiency is 27.5%. The guard counter is a 23-cm-dia. by 23-cm-long NaI(Tl) crystal with a 7.8-cm-dia. by 18-cm-deep centre well. The passive shield consists of a 10-cm lead shield with copper and cadmium lining. The electronics is designed to operate independently and simultaneously in the anticoincidence mode as well as in the coincidence or in the normal passive shield mode. When operating in the anticoincidence mode the Compton edge of 137 Cs is reduced by a factor of 7.7 to provide a peak-to-Compton edge ratio of 480:1. Bulk samples up to about 300 cm 3 can be measured on the top of the detector end cap inside the well of the NaI(Tl) crystal. The lower limit of detection (1000 min counting time, 95% confidence level) for 137 Cs is 1.6 pCi in a 3.8-cm-dia. by 3.5-cm-high sample geometry. The design of the spectrometer, its properties and the application to investigations on the migration of radionuclides in the soil, the analysis of radioactive emissions of coal-fired power plants and to fallout studies are described. (author)
The SAGE spectrometer combines a Ge-detector array with a Si detector to allow simultaneous detection of γ-rays and electrons. A comprehensive GEANT4 simulation package of the SAGE spectrometer has been developed with the ability to simulate the expected datasets based on user input files. The measured performance of the spectrometer is compared to the results obtained from the simulations. (orig.)
The SAGE spectrometer combines a Ge-detector array with a Si detector to allow simultaneous detection of γ-rays and electrons. A comprehensive GEANT4 simulation package of the SAGE spectrometer has been developed with the ability to simulate the expected datasets based on user input files. The measured performance of the spectrometer is compared to the results obtained from the simulations. (orig.)
A correlation spectrometer can detect a large number of gaseous compounds, or chemical species, with a species-specific mask wheel. In this mode, the spectrometer is optimized for the direct measurement of individual target compounds. Additionally, the spectrometer can measure the transmission spectrum from a given sample of gas. In this mode, infrared light is passed through a gas sample and the infrared transmission signature of the gasses present is recorded and measured using Hadamard encoding techniques. The spectrometer can detect the transmission or emission spectra in any system where multiple species are present in a generally known volume.
The instruments in the extensive suite of spectrometers at the SNS are in various stages of installation and commissioning. The Back Scattering Spectrometer (BASIS) is installed and is in commissioning. It's near backscattering analyzer crystals provide the 3 eV resolution as expected. BASIS will enter the user program in the fall of 2007. The ARCS wide angular-range thermal to epithermal neutron spectrometer will come on line in the fall of 2007 followed shortly by the Cold Neutron Chopper Spectrometer. These two direct geometry instruments provide moderate resolution and the ability to trade resolution for flux. In addition both instruments have detector coverage out to 140o to provide a large Q range. The SEQUOIA spectrometer, complete in 2008, is the direct geometry instrument that will provide fine resolution in the thermal to epithermal range. The Spin-Echo spectrometer, to be completed on a similar time scale, will provide the finest energy resolution worldwide. The HYSPEC spectrometer, available no later than 2011, will provide polarized capabilities and optimized flux in the thermal energy range. Finally, the Vision chemical spectrometer will use crystal analyzers to study energy transfers into the epithermal range
CEA implemented an absolutely calibrated broadband soft X-rayspectrometer called DMX on the Omega laser facility at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) in 1999 to measure radiant power and spectral distribution of the radiation of the Au plasma. The DMX spectrometer is composed of 20 channels covering the spectral range from 50 eV to 20 keV. The channels for energies below 1.5 keV combine a mirror and a filter with a coaxial photo-emissive detector. For the channels above 5 keV the photoemissive detector is replaced by a conductive detector. The intermediate energy channels (1.5 keV power measurements with the new MLM channel and with the usual channel composed of a thin titanium filter and a coaxial detector (without mirror) are compared. All elements of the channel have been calibrated in the laboratory of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Germany's National Metrology Institute, at the synchrotron radiation facility BESSY II in Berlin using dedicated well established and validated methods.
Yet designed to measure charged component of the cosmic rays, the foreseen Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) could also release {gamma}-ray studies, in the energy range from GeV to TeV, using the tracker system, for {gamma}-rays converted in e{sup +}e{sup -} pair, and the electromagnetic calorimeter. In the first part of the thesis are described the calibrations and the performances of the engineering model of the calorimeter, obtained from the analysis of data taken during a test-beam performed at CERN in July 2002. In the second part of the thesis, the AMS-02 discovery potential for {gamma}-astrophysics is presented. While exposure maps of the {gamma}--sky are computed for one year of data taking with the {gamma}--detectors, the acceptance of the calorimeter is obtained from Monte-Carlo simulations. The AMS-02 potential is then estimated for signals from the Vela pulsar and for some supersymmetric signals from the Galactic Center. (author)
Following a NEA high priority nuclear data request, an experimental campaign to measure the prompt $\\gamma$-ray emissions from $^{235}$U has been performed. This has used the STEFF spectrometer at the new Experimental Area 2 (EAR2) within the neutron timeof-flight facility (n_TOF), a white neutron source facility at CERN with energies from thermal to approximately 1 GeV. Prior to the experimental campaign, STEFF has been optimised for the environment of EAR2. The experimental hall features a high background $\\gamma$-ray rate, due to the nature of the spallation neutron source. Thus an investigation into reduction of the background $\\gamma$-ray rate, encountered by the NaI(Tl) detector array of STEFF, has been carried out. This has been via simulations using the simulation package FLUKA. Various materials and shielding geometries have been investigated but the effects determined to be insufficient in reducing the background rate by a meaningful amount. The NaI(Tl) detectors have been modified to improve their ...
Bragg spectroscopy is one of the best established experimental methods for high energy resolution X-ray measurements and has been widely used in several fields, going from fundamental physics to quantum mechanics tests, synchrotron radiation and X-FEL applications, astronomy, medicine and industry. However, this technique is limited to the measurement of photons produced from well collimated or point-like sources and becomes quite inefficient for photons coming from extended and diffused sources like those, for example, emitted in the exotic atoms radiative transitions. The VOXES project's goal is to realise a prototype of a high resolution and high precision X-rayspectrometer, using Highly Annealed Pyrolitic Graphite (HAPG) crystals in the Von Hamos configuration, working also for extended sources. The aim is to deliver a cost effective system having an energy resolution at the level of eV for X-ray energies from about 2 keV up to tens of keV, able to perform sub-eV precision measurements with non point-like sources. In this paper, the working principle of VOXES, together with first results, are presented.
The influence of the instrumental function on the Cu Kα 1 emission line was investigated for the case of a double-crystal spectrometer. The magnitude of broadening for both Si(220) and Si(440) was calculated for a Lorentzian emission line with the width of 1-5 eV; the broadening for Si(220) is 0.12-0.18 eV while that for Si(440) is only 0.015-0.043 eV. The former is too large to be neglected, so the correction for the instrumental function is important. The spectrum affected by the instrumental function seems to keep the shape of Lorentzian though its width is larger. The fact indicates that the Lorentzian fitting analysis is effective if the appropriate correction for width is done
The forensic discrimination of adhesive cloth tapes often used in crimes was developed using a high-energy energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with 3-dimensional polarization optics. The best measurement condition for discrimination of the tape was as follows: secondary targets, Rh and Al 2 O 3 ; measurement time, 300 s for Rh and 600 s for Al 2 O 3 ; 14 elements (Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, Sr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Sb, Ba and Pb) were used for discrimination. It is found that the combined information of yarn density and the XRF peak intensity of the 14 elements successfully discriminated 29 out of 31 samples, of which 2 probably had the same origin. This technique is useful for forensic analysis, because it is nondestructive, rapid and easy. Therefore, it can be applied to actual forensic identification. (author)
The environmental measurement-while-drilling-gamma rayspectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides real-time environmental and drill bit data during drilling operations. The EMWD-GRS technology was demonstrated at Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration consisted of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation-producing contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled retention basin. These boreholes passed near previously sampled vertical borehole locations where concentrations of contaminant levels of cesium had been measured. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRs system during drilling are compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples.
The Environmental Measurement-While-Drilling-Gamma RaySpectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides the capability of producing real-time environmental and drillbit data during drilling operations. This demonstration plan presents information on the EMWD-GRS technology, demonstration design, Cs-137 contamination at the Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin, responsibilities of demonstration participants, and the policies and procedures for the demonstration to be conducted at the Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration will consist of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled retention basin. These boreholes will pass near previously sampled vertical borehole locations where concentrations of contaminant levels are known. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRS system during drilling will be compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples
The environmental measurement-while-drilling-gamma rayspectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides real-time environmental and drill bit data during drilling operations. The EMWD-GRS technology was demonstrated at Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration consisted of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation-producing contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled retention basin. These boreholes passed near previously sampled vertical borehole locations where concentrations of contaminant levels of cesium had been measured. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRs system during drilling are compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples
The Environmental Measurement-While-Drilling-Gamma RaySpectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides the capability of producing real-time environmental and drillbit data during drilling operations. This demonstration plan presents information on the EMWD-GRS technology, demonstration design, Cs-137 contamination at the Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin, responsibilities of demonstration participants, and the policies and procedures for the demonstration to be conducted at the Savannah River Site F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration will consist of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled retention basin. These boreholes will pass near previously sampled vertical borehole locations where concentrations of contaminant levels are known. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRS system during drilling will be compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples.
In this work of nuclear geophysical instrumentation the main purpose was the development of a gamma-rayspectrometer prototype with multi channel analyzer, since the spectroscopic amplifier until your firmware. The heart of the digital part was an ATMEL 8 bits microcontroller (AT89S8252). All circuits were made and assembled in the Laboratory of Applied Geophysical Instrumentation (LIGA) of IAG-USP. A microcontroller software was completely developed in C ANSI language using the Small Device C Compiler version 2.4.8, that is a free software distributed under General Public License (GPL). At first, microcontroller was used to change all digital circuit of one classic SCINTREX GAD-6 differential gamma-rayspectrometer. Measurement times with order of 2 days became possible, and it could work in non climate ambient. Then, after this stage, had been started the development of a multichannel analyzer (MCA) working in pulse height analyzer mode with 4096 channels capacity, to use in many kinds of nuclear detection. Besides it, was developed an automatic gain system for photopeak stabilization, by the use of one radioactive source ( 133 Ba). This automatic gain system is very important in the case of NaI(Tl) scintillometric detectors, due PMT sensitivity with temperature and aging of some laboratory electronic circuits. Two power supplies with high stability, using pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques were developed, in order to all system became free of electrical line break off. One PWM power polarizes a photo multiplier tube (PMT) with high voltage and another supplies remaining developed circuits. Calibration in energy using standards sources 137 Cs and 60 Co showed that gamma detector developed has a good linearity and low thermal drift, even working in absent of air-conditioned. Concentrations measurements of K, U and Th were made in samples of soils, vegetables, etc. (author)'
A multidimensional spectrometer for the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, and a method for making multidimensional spectroscopic measurements in the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The multidimensional spectrometer facilitates measurements of inter- and intra-molecular interactions.
The L3+C muon detector at the Cern electron-position collider, LEP, is used for the detection of very-high-energy cosmic \\gamma-ray sources through the observation of muons of energies above 20, 30, 50 and 100 GeV. Daily or monthly excesses in the rate of single-muon events pointing to some particular direction in the sky are searched for. The periods from mid July to November 1999, and April to November 2000 are considered. Special attention is also given to a selection of known \\gamma-ray sources. No statistically significant excess is observed for any direction or any particular source.
STIX is the X-ray spectral imaging instrument on-board the Solar Orbiter space mission of the European Space Agency, and together with nine other instruments will address questions of the interaction between the Sun and the heliosphere. STIX will study the properties of thermal and accelerated electrons near the Sun through their Bremsstrahlung X-ray emission, addressing in particular the emission from flaring regions on the Sun. The design phase of STIX has been concluded. This paper reports the final flight design of the instrument, focusing on design challenges that were faced recently and how they were addressed.
A method is proposed to determine the effective detector area for energy-dispersive X-rayspectrometers (EDS). Nowadays, detectors are available for a wide range of nominal areas ranging from 10 up to 150 mm2. However, it remains in most cases unknown whether this nominal area coincides with the "net active sensor area" that should be given according to the related standard ISO 15632, or with any other area of the detector device. Moreover, the specific geometry of EDS installation may further reduce a given detector area. The proposed method can be applied to most scanning electron microscope/EDS configurations. The basic idea consists in a comparison of the measured count rate with the count rate resulting from known X-ray yields of copper, titanium, or silicon. The method was successfully tested on three detectors with known effective area and applied further to seven spectrometers from different manufacturers. In most cases the method gave an effective area smaller than the area given in the detector description.
Planned experiment on research X-ray and gamma radiation and neutrons of solar flares is described in the paper. Descriptions of scientific equipment of GRIS, a condition of carrying out experiment and results of calculation of characteristics of its detector are provided [ru
The Active Particle-induced X-raySpectrometer (APXS) is an important payload mounted on the Yutu rover, which is part of the Chang'e-3 mission. The scientific objective of APXS is to perform in-situ analysis of the chemical composition of lunar soil and rock samples. The radioactive sources, 55Fe and 109Cd, decay and produce α-particles and X-rays. When X-rays and α-particles interact with atoms in the surface material, they knock electrons out of their orbits, which release energy by emitting X-rays that can be measured by a silicon drift detector (SDD). The elements and their concentrations can be determined by analyzing their peak energies and intensities. APXS has analyzed both the calibration target and lunar soil once during the first lunar day and again during the second lunar day. The total detection time lasted about 266 min and more than 2000 frames of data records have been acquired. APXS has three operating modes: calibration mode, distance sensing mode and detection mode. In detection mode, work distance can be calculated from the X-ray counting rate collected by SDD. Correction for the effect of temperature has been performed to convert the channel number for each spectrum to X-ray energy. Dead time correction is used to eliminate the systematic error in quantifying the activity of an X-ray pulse in a sample and derive the real count rate. We report APXS data and initial results during the first and second lunar days for the Yutu rover. In this study, we analyze the data from the calibration target and lunar soil on the first lunar day. Seven major elements, including Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti and Fe, have been identified. Comparing the peak areas and ratios of calibration basalt and lunar soil the landing site was found to be depleted in K, and have lower Mg and Al but higher Ca, Ti, and Fe. In the future, we will obtain the elemental concentrations of lunar soil at the Chang'e-3 landing site using APXS data.
For future solar X-ray satellite missions, we are developing a phonon-mediated macro-pixel composed of a Ge crystal absorber with four superconducting transition-edge sensors (TES) distributed on the backside. The X-rays are absorbed on the opposite side and the energy is converted into phonons, which are absorbed into the four TES sensors. By connecting together parallel elements into four channels, fractional total energy absorbed between two of the sensors provides x-position information and the other two provide y-position information. We determine the optimal distribution for the TES sub-elements to obtain linear position information while minimizing the degradation of energy resolution.
A double coaxil Ge(li) spetrometer has been flown for the first time in December, from the Southern Hemisphere and the induced background at ceiling in the diodes was studied. During the flight, different anti-coincidence modes were operated to estimate the gamma-ray lines. The results of 511 Kev line show that the fluxes detected by the upper diode are in good agreement with previous measurements, and indicate a probable contamination of the lower diode. (Author) [pt
Total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis is an excellent tool to determine major, minor and trace elements in minuscule amounts of samples, making this technique very suitable for pigment analysis. Collecting minuscule amounts of pigment material from precious works of art by means of a cotton swab is a well-accepted sampling method, but poses specific challenges when TXRF is to be used for the characterization of the unknown material. (orig.)
Simultaneous fitting of peaks and background functions from gamma-ray spectrometry using multichannel pulse height analysis is considered. The specific case of Gaussian peak and exponential background is treated in detail with respect to simultaneous estimation of both functions by using a technique which incorporates maximum likelihood method as well as a graphical method. Theoretical expressions for the standard errors of the estimates are also obtained. The technique is demonstrated for two experimental data sets. (orig.)
Spectra from the Mars rover alpha particle X-rayspectrometers contain the elastic and inelastic scatter peaks of the plutonium L X-rays emitted by the instrument’s {sup 244}Cm source. Various spectrum fitting approaches are tested using the terrestrial twin of the APXS instrument on the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover, in order to provide accurate extraction of the Lα and Lβ Compton/Rayleigh intensity ratios, which can provide information about light “invisible” constituents such as water in geological samples. A well-defined dependence of C/R ratios upon mean sample atomic number is established using a large and varied set of geochemical reference materials, and the accuracy of this calibration is examined. Detailed attention is paid to the influence of the rubidium and strontium peaks which overlap the Lα scatter peaks. Our Monte Carlo simulation code for prediction of C/R ratios from element concentrations is updated. The ratio between measured and simulated C/R ratios provides a second means of calibration.
Spectra from the laboratory and flight versions of the Curiosity rover’s alpha particle X-rayspectrometer were fitted with an in-house version of GUPIX, revealing departures from linear behavior of the energy-channel relationships in the low X-ray energy region where alpha particle PIXE is the dominant excitation mechanism. The apparent energy shifts for the lightest elements present were attributed in part to multiple ionization satellites and in part to issues within the detector and/or the pulse processing chain. No specific issue was identified, but the second of these options was considered to be the more probable. Approximate corrections were derived and then applied within the GUAPX code which is designed specifically for quantitative evaluation of APXS spectra. The quality of fit was significantly improved. The peak areas of the light elements Na, Mg, Al and Si were changed by only a few percent in most spectra. The changes for elements with higher atomic number were generally smaller, with a few exceptions. Overall, the percentage peak area changes are much smaller than the overall uncertainties in derived concentrations, which are largely attributable to the effects of rock heterogeneity. The magnitude of the satellite contributions suggests the need to incorporate these routinely in accelerator-based PIXE using helium beams.
A joint analysis is carried out of data obtained with the help of the solar X-ray SphinX spectrophotometer and the electron and proton satellite telescope STEP-F in May 2009 in the course of the scientific space experiment CORONAS-PHOTON. In order to determine the energies and particle types, in the analysis of spectrophotometer records data are used on the intensities of electrons, protons, and secondary γ-radiation, obtained by the STEP-F telescope, which was located in close proximity to the SphinX spectrophotometer. The identical reaction of both instruments is noted at the intersection of regions of the Brazilian magnetic anomaly and the Earth's radiation belts. It is shown that large area photodiodes, serving as sensors of the X-rayspectrometer, reliably record electron fluxes of low and intermediate energies, as well as fluxes of the secondary gamma radiation from construction materials of detector modules, the TESIS instrument complex, and the spacecraft itself. The dynamics of electron fluxes, recorded by the SphinX spectrophotometer in the vicinity of a weak geomagnetic storm, supplements the information about the processes of radial diffusion of electrons, which was studied using the STEP-F telescope.
The present work describes a few methodologies developed for fitting efficiency curves obtained by means of a HPGe gamma-rayspectrometer. The interpolated values were determined by simple polynomial fitting and polynomial fitting between the ratio of experimental peak efficiency and total efficiency, calculated by Monte Carlo technique, as a function of gamma-ray energy. Moreover, non-linear fitting has been performed using a segmented polynomial function and applying the Gauss-Marquardt method. For the peak area obtainment different methodologies were developed in order to estimate the background area under the peak. This information was obtained by numerical integration or by using analytical functions associated to the background. One non-calibrated radioactive source has been included in the curve efficiency in order to provide additional calibration points. As a by-product, it was possible to determine the activity of this non-calibrated source. For all fittings developed in the present work the covariance matrix methodology was used, which is an essential procedure in order to give a complete description of the partial uncertainties involved. (author)
“Mad Meg”, a figure of Flemish folklore, is the subject of a famous oil-on-panel painting by the Flemish renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, exhibited in the Museum Mayer van den Bergh (Antwerp, Belgium). This article reports on the in situ chemical characterization of this masterpiece by using currently available state-of-the-art portable analytical instruments. The applied non-destructive analytical approach involved the use of a) handheld X-ray fluorescence instrumentation for retrieving elemental information and b) portable X-ray fluorescence/X-ray diffraction instrumentation and laser-based Raman spectrometers for obtaining structural/molecular information. Next to material characterization of the used pigments and of the different preparation layers of the painting, also the verification of two important historical iconographic hypotheses is performed concerning the economic way of painting by Brueghel, and whether or not he used blue smalt pigment for painting the boat that appears towards the top of the painting. The pigments identified are smalt pigment (65% SiO{sub 2} + 15% K{sub 2}O + 10% CoO + 5% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) for the blue color present in all blue areas of the painting, probably copper resinate for the green colors, vermillion (HgS) as red pigment and lead white is used to form different colors. The comparison of blue pigments used on different areas of the painting gives no differences in the elemental fingerprint which confirms the existing hypothesis concerning the economic painting method by Bruegel. - Highlights: • In situ, non-destructive investigation of a famous painting by Pieter Bruegel. • Use of a new, commercial available, portable XRF/XRD instrumentation. • Multi-methodological approach: make also use of a mobile Raman spectrometer. • Used pigments and different preparation layers of the painting are characterized. • The verification of two important historical iconographic hypotheses are performed.
“Mad Meg”, a figure of Flemish folklore, is the subject of a famous oil-on-panel painting by the Flemish renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, exhibited in the Museum Mayer van den Bergh (Antwerp, Belgium). This article reports on the in situ chemical characterization of this masterpiece by using currently available state-of-the-art portable analytical instruments. The applied non-destructive analytical approach involved the use of a) handheld X-ray fluorescence instrumentation for retrieving elemental information and b) portable X-ray fluorescence/X-ray diffraction instrumentation and laser-based Raman spectrometers for obtaining structural/molecular information. Next to material characterization of the used pigments and of the different preparation layers of the painting, also the verification of two important historical iconographic hypotheses is performed concerning the economic way of painting by Brueghel, and whether or not he used blue smalt pigment for painting the boat that appears towards the top of the painting. The pigments identified are smalt pigment (65% SiO 2 + 15% K 2 O + 10% CoO + 5% Al 2 O 3 ) for the blue color present in all blue areas of the painting, probably copper resinate for the green colors, vermillion (HgS) as red pigment and lead white is used to form different colors. The comparison of blue pigments used on different areas of the painting gives no differences in the elemental fingerprint which confirms the existing hypothesis concerning the economic painting method by Bruegel. - Highlights: • In situ, non-destructive investigation of a famous painting by Pieter Bruegel. • Use of a new, commercial available, portable XRF/XRD instrumentation. • Multi-methodological approach: make also use of a mobile Raman spectrometer. • Used pigments and different preparation layers of the painting are characterized. • The verification of two important historical iconographic hypotheses are performed
The SAGE spectrometer combines a high-efficiency γ-ray detection system with an electron spectrometer. Some of the design features have been known to be problematic and surprises have come up during the early implementation of the spectrometer. Tests related to bismuth germanate Compton-suppression shields, electron detection efficiency and an improved cooling system are discussed in the paper. (paper)
In many cases it is far more economically viable to transport individual constituents to a blending plant and produce a series of custom made products than to manufacture at site. This situation exists in many heavy chemical industries or on large building sites. In the cement industry inter-mixed or interground blends containing slag, fly ash, or limestone are produced. These mixes are designed to enhance certain physical properties and to reduce costs. This paper summarises experience of the application of portable isotope source X-ray analysers in achieving quality control of binary mixes
Nanosatellites, including the CubeSat class of nanosatellites, are about the size of a shoe box, and the CubeSat modular form factor of a Unit (1U is 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) was originally defined in 1999 as a standardization for students developing nanosatellites. Over the past two decades, the satellite and instrument technologies for nanosatellites have progressed to the sophistication equivalent to the larger satellites, but now available in smaller packages through advanced developments by universities, government labs, and space industries. For example, the Blue Canyon Technologies (BCT) attitude determination and control system (ADCS) has demonstrated 3-axis satellite control from a 0.5-Unit system with 8 arc-second stability using reaction wheels, torque rods, and a star tracker. The first flight demonstration of the BCT ADCS was for the NASA Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat. The MinXSS CubeSat mission, which was deployed in May 2016 and had its re-entry in May 2017, provided space weather measurements of the solar soft X-rays (SXR) variability using low-power, miniaturized instruments. The MinXSS solar SXR spectra have been extremely useful for exploring flare energetics and also for validating the broadband SXR measurements from the NOAA GOES X-Ray Sensor (XRS). The technology used in the MinXSS CubeSat and summary of science results from the MinXSS-1 mission will be presented. Web site: http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/minxss/
This study shows how large volumes of airborne data can be displayed in a simple format which provides both mapping and exploration geologists with information not easily obtained from the original data. Eleven lines or part-lines from a gamma-ray survey of the Hearne Lake area were chosen as test lines, and airphotos were used to identify outcrops of each rock type and the distribution of overburden, swamp and water along each line. Geological maps were used to locate the test lines and to provide a listing of the rock types in the area. With this information, it was possible to calculate the average radioelement characteristics of each rock type and to group the rock signatures into a number of rock classes. The techniques described are most usefully applied to those areas where the outcrop is extensive, where some form of geological map already exists, where there are airphotos at scales of 1:30,000 or larger, and where the gamma-ray survey lines are less than 2.5 km apart
For the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) of the next millennium, a large general-purpose high-energy physics experiment, the ATLAS project, is being designed by a world-wide collaboration. One of its detectors, the ATLAS muon tracking detector, the MDT project, is on the scale of a very large industrial project: the design, the construction and assembly of twelve hundred large muon drift chambers are aimed at producing an exceptional quality in terms of accuracy, material reliability, assembly, and monitoring. This detector, based on the concept of very high mechanical precision required by the physics goals, will use tomography as a quality control platform. An X-ray tomograph prototype, monitored by a set of interferometers, has been developed at CERN to provide high-quality control of the MDT chambers which will be built in the collaborating institutes of the ATLAS project. First results have been obtained on MDT prototypes showing the validity of the X-ray tomograph approach for mechanical control of the detec...
Lunar breccia 67975 is a feldspathic fragmental breccia from North Ray crater, Apollo 16. It contains clasts of alkali gabbronorite and ultra-KREEPy mafic fragment-laden melt breccias, which are unique among Apollo 16 samples. Both are alkali- and iron-rich rocks with moderate to high REE concentrations. They more strongly resemble Apollo 14 gabbronorites and alkali anorthosites and KREEP-rich rocks than they do other Apollo 16 samples. The other clasts in 67975 are the ferroan anorthosites, feldspathic melt rocks, and magnesian granulites, which are typical of other feldspathic fragmental breccias. Examination of bulk and mineral compositions of other breccias and melt rocks suggests that alkali gabbronorite may be a minor component in other North Ray crater breccias and feldspathic melt rocks. This implies that alkali gabbronorite was a fairly early (4.0 b.y.) crustal component in the North Ray crater region
Detection of soft X-rays (sxr) from the Sun provide direct information on coronal plasma at temperatures in excess of ~1 MK, but there have been relatively few solar spectrally resolved measurements from 0.5 – 10. keV. The Miniature X-ray Solar Spectrometer (MinXSS) CubeSat is the first solar science oriented CubeSat mission flown for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, and has provided measurements from 0.8 -12 keV, with resolving power ~40 at 5.9 keV, at a nominal ~10 second time cadence. MinXSS design and development has involved over 40 graduate students supervised by professors and professionals at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Instrument radiometric calibration was performed at the National Institute for Standard and Technology (NIST) Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF) and spectral resolution determined from radioactive X-ray sources. The MinXSS spectra allow for determining coronal abundance variations for Fe, Mg, Ni, Ca, Si, S, and Ar in active regions and during flares. Measurements from the first of the twin CubeSats, MinXSS-1, have proven to be consistent with the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) 0.1 – 0.8 nm energy flux. Simultaneous MinXSS-1 and Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) observations have provided the most complete sxr spectral coverage of flares in recent years. These combined measurements are vital in estimating the heating flare loops by non-thermal accelerated electrons. MinXSS-1 measurements have been combined with the Hinode X-ray Telescope (XRT) and Solar Dynamics Observatory Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (SDO-AIA) to further constrain the coronal temperature distribution during quiescent times. The structure of the temperature distribution (especially for T > 5 MK) is important for deducing heating processes in the solar atmosphere. MinXSS-1 observations yield some of the tightest constraints on the high temperature component of the coronal plasma, in the
Our current paper describes the development of a low cost shielding system using liquid scintillator for the cosmic ray detector-neutron moderator which accounts for a tenfold reduction in the cosmic continuum. Our primary objective was to develop a low cost anticoincidence shield for laboratory use which would substantially reduce the background from cosmic ray interactions. The minimum thickness of scintillator which would provide the necessary moderation of neutrons as well as furnish detectable quantities of light generated from cosmic ray interactions was determined experimentally. Tanks holding the liquid scintillator were constructed from stainless steel and were partitioned in such a manner that 10, 20, 30, or 40 cm thicknesses could be selected for background measurements. Lucite was used for construction of a tank which would allow the comparison of light output relative to stainless steel for a 10 cm thickness of liquid scintillator. Plastic scintillator was used for the bottom layer in all cases, however, liquid scintillator could be used with proper internal support. A 20 cm x 20 cm x 40 cm plastic scintillator was machined to completely surround the detector and fit inside 15 cm thick walls of lead which in turn, fit inside the stainless steel scintilllator tanks. Background measurements were taken with this inner scintillator both active and inactive. Measurements were also made using copper as well as iron as replacements for the inner scintillator
This report oulines progress towards development of a high resolution, high throughput, curved crystal spectrometer suitable for line shape diagnostics of x-rays emitted from hot plasmas. The instrument is designed to interface with the MIT Tokamak (Alcator) with the initial aim of studying the prominent MoL lines which occur in the x-ray spectrum. However, it will have the versatility to function over an energy range of at least 1.5 keV to 7 keV allowing determination of temperature, charge state and density distributions for important impurity ions. The spectrometer employs a large, cylindrically bent crystal which focuses the dispersed x-rays along the cylinder axis where they are recorded by a position sensitive proportional counter. Thus, a wide energy range of the spectrum can be recorded simultaneously and sensitively from a short duration plasma. Computer control of data acquisition and analysis will allow real-time diagnostics
Results are presented for the outcome of an international intercomparison of a particular gamma-ray spectrometric procedure. Laboratories were asked to determine full energy peak efficiencies and activities by means of their own procedures, starting from supplied peak-efficiency data. Four data sets for four different conditions of germanium detectors were distributed. The sets comprised: a high accuracy- (uncertainty > 1%) data set with a relatively large number of measured data (SET 1); a low accuracy- (uncertainty 3-5%) data set with a relatively small number of measured data (SET 2); a low energy-data set (SET 3); a high accuracy-data set with a relatively small number of measured data (SET 4). The intercomparison (coded GAM83) was organized and analyzed under auspices of the International Committee for Radionuclide Metrology (ICRM). The results comprise the analysis of the contributions of 41 participants
The development, installation and evaluation of a high resolution X-ray spectroscopic diagnostics are reported. The approach has been to optimize spectrometer throughput to enable single shot plasma diagnostics with good time resolution and to ensure sufficient energy resolution to allow line profile analysis. These goals have been achieved using a new X-ray geometry combined with a new position sensitive X-ray detector. These diagnostics have been used at Alcator C to detect X-ray emission of highly ionized impurity elements as well as argon seed elements specially introduced into the plasma for this diagnostic. Temporally resolved ion temperature profiles have been obtained from the recorded X-ray spectra simultaneously with other plasma parameters such as electron temperature, ionization temperature and ionization stage distribution. Radial profiles have also been measured. The developed X-ray diagnostics thus serve as a major multiparameter probe of the central core of the plasma with complementary informtion on radial profiles
Filled with practical, step-by-step instructions and clear explanations for the most important and useful tasks. A tutorial guide that walks you through how to use the features of Spring Tool Suite using well defined sections for the different parts of Spring.Instant Spring Tool Suite is for novice to intermediate Java developers looking to get a head-start in enterprise application development using Spring Tool Suite and the Spring framework. If you are looking for a guide for effective application development using Spring Tool Suite, then this book is for you.
The need to perform γ-ray measurements with HpGe detectors is a common technique in many fields such as nuclear physics, radiochemistry, nuclear medicine and neutron activation analysis. The use of HpGe detectors is chosen in situations where isotope identification is needed because of their excellent resolution. Our challenge is to obtain the “best” spectroscopy data possible in every measurement situation. “Best” is a combination of statistical (number of counts) and spectral quality (peak, width and position) over a wide range of counting rates. In this framework, we applied Bayesian methods and the Ellipsoidal Nested Sampling (a multidimensional integration technique) to study the most likely distribution for the shape of HpGe spectra. In treating these experiments, the prior information suggests to model the likelihood function with a product of Poisson distributions. We present the efforts that have been done in order to optimize the statistical methods to HpGe detector outputs with the aim to evaluate to a better order of precision the detector efficiency, the absolute measured activity and the spectra background. Reaching a more precise knowledge of statistical and systematic uncertainties for the measured physical observables is the final goal of this research project.
The Environmental Measurement-While-Drilling-Gamma RaySpectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides real-time environmental and drill bit data during drilling operations. The EMWD-GRS technology was demonstrated at Savannah River Site (SRS) F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration consisted of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation-producing contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled waste retention basin. These boreholes passed near previously sampled locations where concentrations of contaminant levels of cesium had been measured. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRS system during drilling were compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples. The results show general agreement between the soil sampling and EMWD-GRS techniques for Cs-137. The EMWD-GRS system has been improved by the integration of an orientation sensor package for position sensing (PS) (EMWD-GRS/PS). This added feature gives the capability of calculating position, which is tied directly to EMWD-GRS sensor data obtained while drilling. The EMWD-GRS/PS system is described and the results of the field tests are presented
In the Chang'e-3 mission, the Active Particle-induced X-raySpectrometer (APXS) on the Yutu rover is used to analyze the chemical composition of lunar soil and rock samples. APXS data are only valid are only if the sensor head gets close to the target and integration time lasts long enough. Therefore, working distance and integration time are the dominant factors that affect APXS results. This study confirms the ability of APXS to detect elements and investigates the effects of distance and time on the measurements. We make use of a backup APXS instrument to determine the chemical composition of both powder and bulk samples under the conditions of different working distances and integration times. The results indicate that APXS can detect seven major elements, including Mg, Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti and Fe under the condition that the working distance is less than 30 mm and having an integration time of 30 min. The statistical deviation is smaller than 15%. This demonstrates the instrument's ability to detect major elements in the sample. Our measurements also indicate the increase of integration time could reduce the measurement error of peak area, which is useful for detecting the elements Mg, Al and Si. However, an increase in working distance can result in larger errors in measurement, which significantly affects the detection of the element Mg. (paper)
An airborne combined radiometric and magnetic survey was performed for the Department of Energy (DOE) over the area covered by the Forsyth, Hardin, and Sheridan, and Roundup, 1:250,000 National Topographic Map Series (NTMS), quadrangle maps. The survey was part of DOE's National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE) program. Data were collected by a helicopter equipped with a gamma-rayspectrometer with a large crystal volume, and with a high sensitivity proton precession magnetometer. The radiometric system was calibrated at the Walker Field Calibration Pads and the Lake Mead Dynamic Test Range. Data quality was ensured during the survey by daily test flights and equipment checks. Radiometric data were corrected for live time, aircraft and equipment background, cosmic background, atmospheric radon, Compton scatter, and altitude dependence. The corrected data were statistically evaluated, plotted, and contoured to produce anomaly maps based on the radiometric response of individual geological units. The anomalies were interpreted and an interpretation map produced. Volume I contains a description of the systems used in the survey, a discussion of the calibration of the systems, the data collection procedures, the data processing procedures, the data presentation, the interpretation rationale, and the interpretation methodology. A separate Volume II for each quadrangle contains the data displays and the interpretation results
An airborne combining radiometric and magnetic survey was performed for the Department of Energy over the area covered by the Burns, Crescent, Canyon City, Bend, and Salem, Washington 1:250,000 National Topographic Map Series, 1 0 x 2 0 quadrangle maps. The survey was a part of DOE's National Aerial Radiometric Reconnaissance program, which is in turn a part of the National Uranium Resource Evaluation program. Data were collected by a helicopter equipped with a gamma-rayspectrometer having a large crystal volume, and a high sensitivity proton precession magnetometer. The radiometric system was calibrated at the Walker Field Calibration pads and the Lake Mead Dynamic Test range. Data quality was ensured throughout the survey by daily test flights and equipment checks. Radiometric data were corrected for live time, aircraft and equipment background, cosmic background, atmospheric radon, Compton scatter, and altitude dependence. The corrected data were statistically evaluated, plotted, and contoured to produce anomaly maps based on the radiometric response of individual geological units. These maps were interpreted and an anomaly interpretation map produced. Volume I contains a description of the systems used in the survey, a discussion of the calibration of the systems, the data processing procedures, the data display format, the interpretation rationale, and the interpretation methodology. A separate Volume II for each quadrangle contains the data displays and the interpretation results
This research project aims the utilization of NaI(Tl) cylindrical detectors with different sensitive volumes in the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory (LIN) of the Department of Nuclear Engineering at UFMG (DEN-UFMG) for construction of spectrometers using the X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique. Conical coupling devices between the crystal detectors and the photomultiplier valve (VMF) were designed and constructed using easily handled material, joined by an optical fiber cable (FO) for driving the luminescence from the detector crystal to the VFM, allowing greater flexibility and accessibility to the device using the aforementioned technique. The cable connections were adapted to the cones that have a system with adjustable convergent lens to maximize level of luminescence (input and output). The photon beam is conducted by FO from the crystal detector to the VFM. This remote probe may bring new solutions for use not only in EDXRF technique but also in other future applications using the NaI(Tl) detector. The SR was designed and built based on the FO properties to conduct the light by total reflection with minimal loss; the first SR qualitative tests were performed and the results demonstrate that the system works properly. (author)
Highlights: • A high-voltage compatible spin-HAXPES detector based on SPLEED from W(001) has been developed. • Magnetic properties of a TMR device were studied by core-level photoemission on the Fe 2p{sub 3/2} states. • The developed instrument enabled probing of buried layers in the region of the valence states. - Abstract: A novel design of high-voltage compatible polarimeter for spin-resolved hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (Spin-HAXPES) went into operation at beamline BL09XU of SPring-8 in Hyogo, Japan. The detector is based on the well-established principle of electron diffraction from a W(001) single-crystal at a scattering energy of 103.5 eV. It's special feature is that it can be operated at a high negative bias potential up to 10 kV, necessary to access the HAXPES range. The polarimeter is operated behind a large hemispherical analyzer (Scienta R-4000). It was optimized for high transmission of the transfer optics. A delay-line detector (20 mm dia.) is positioned at the exit plane of the analyzer enabling conventional multichannel intensity spectroscopy simultaneously with single-channel spin analysis. The performance of the combined setup is demonstrated by the spin-resolved data for the valence-region of a FeCo functional layer of a tunneling device, buried beneath 3 nm of oxidic material. The well-structured spin polarization spectrum validates Spin-HAXPES in the valence energy range as powerful method for bulk electronic structure analysis. The spin polarization spectrum exhibits a rich structure, originating from clearly discernible transitions in the majority and minority partial spin spectra.
Two validation suites, one for criticality and another for radiation shielding, have been defined and tested for the MCNP Monte Carlo code. All of the cases in the validation suites are based on experiments so that calculated and measured results can be compared in a meaningful way. The cases in the validation suites are described, and results from those cases are discussed. For several years, the distribution package for the MCNP Monte Carlo code1 has included an installation test suite to verify that MCNP has been installed correctly. However, the cases in that suite have been constructed primarily to test options within the code and to execute quickly. Consequently, they do not produce well-converged answers, and many of them are physically unrealistic. To remedy these deficiencies, sets of validation suites are being defined and tested for specific types of applications. All of the cases in the validation suites are based on benchmark experiments. Consequently, the results from the measurements are reliable and quantifiable, and calculated results can be compared with them in a meaningful way. Currently, validation suites exist for criticality and radiation-shielding applications.
A suit was filed by an HIV-positive man against a pharmacy that inadvertently disclosed his HIV status to his ex-wife and children. His ex-wife tried to use the information in a custody battle for their two children. The suit against the pharmacy was settled, but the terms of the settlement remain confidential.
This talk describes the Heavy Ion Spectrometer System (HISS) facility at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's Bevalac. Three completed experiments and their results are illustrated. The second half of the talk is a detailed discussion of the response of drift chambers to heavy ions. The limitations of trajectory measurement over a large range in incident particle charge are presented
The wavelength-dispersive X-rayspectrometer (WDS) has been around for a long time and the design has not changed much since its original development. The electron microprobe operator using WDS has to be meticulous in monitoring items such as gas flow, gas purity, gas pressure, noise levels of baseline and window, gas flow proportional counter (GFPC) voltage levels, count rate suppression, anode wire contamination and other detector parameters. Recent development and improvements of silicon drift detectors (SDD’s) has allowed the incorporation of a SDD as the X-ray detector in place of the proportional counter (PC) and/or gas flow proportional counter (GFPC). This allows minimal mechanical alteration and no loss of movement range. The superiority of a WDS with a SDD, referred to as SD-WDS, is easily seen once in operation. The SD-WDS removes many artefacts including the worse of all high order diffraction, thus allowing more accurate analysis. The incorporation of the SDD has been found to improve the light and mid element range and consequently improving the detection limit for these elements. It is also possible to obtain much more reliable results at high count rates with almost no change in resolution, gain and zero-peak characteristics of the energy spectrum.
The Environmental Measurement-While-Drilling-Gamma RaySpectrometer (EMWD-GRS) system represents an innovative blend of new and existing technology that provides real-time environmental and drill bit data during drilling operations. The EMWD-GRS technology was demonstrated at Savannah River Site (SRS) F-Area Retention Basin. The EMWD-GRS technology demonstration consisted of continuously monitoring for gamma-radiation-producing contamination while drilling two horizontal boreholes below the backfilled waste retention basin. These boreholes passed near previously sampled locations where concentrations of contaminant levels of cesium had been measured. Contaminant levels continuously recorded by the EMWD-GRS system during drilling were compared to contaminant levels previously determined through quantitative laboratory analysis of soil samples. The demonstration of the EMWD-GRS was a complete success. The results show general agreement between the soil sampling and EMWD-GRS techniques for CS-137. It was recognized that the EMWD-GRS tool would better satisfy our customers' needs if the instrument location could be continuously monitored. During the demonstration at SRS, an electromagnetic beacon with a walkover monitor (Subsitereg s ign) was used to measure bit location at depth. To use a beacon locator drilling must be stopped, thus it is normally only used when a new section of pipe was added. The location of contamination could only be estimated based on the position of the EMED-GRS package and the distance between locator beacon readings. A continuous location system that would allow us to know the location of each spectrum as it is obtained is needed
Searching for biomarkers or signatures of microbial transformations of minerals is a critical aspect for determining how life evolved on Earth, and whether or not life may have existed in other planets, including Mars. In order to solve such questions, several missions to Mars have sought to determine the geochemistry and mineralogy on the Martian surface. This research includes the two miniaturized Mössbauer spectrometers (MIMOS II) on board the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which have detected a variety of iron minerals on Mars, including magnetite (Fe2+Fe3+2O4) and goethite (α-FeO(OH)). On Earth, both minerals can derive from microbiological activity (e.g. through dissimilatory iron reduction of ferrihydrite by Fe(III)-reducing bacteria). Here we used a lab based MIMOS II to characterize the mineral products of biogenic transformations of ferrihydrite to magnetite by the Fe(III)-reducing bacteria Geobacter sulfurreducens. In combination with Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD), we observed the formation of magnetite, goethite and siderite. We compared the material produced by biogenic transformations to abiotic samples in order to distinguish abiotic and biotic iron minerals by techniques that are or will be available onboard Martian based laboratories. The results showed the possibility to distinguish the abiotic and biotic origin of the minerals. Mossbauer was able to distinguish the biotic/abiotic magnetite with the interpretation of the geological context (Fe content mineral assemblages and accompanying minerals) and the estimation of the particle size in a non-destructive way. The Raman was able to confirm the biotic/abiotic principal peaks of the magnetite, as well as the organic principal vibration bands attributed to the bacteria. Finally, the XRD confirmed the particle size and mineralogy.
Airborne particulates trace metals are considered as public health concern as it can enter human lungs through respiratory system. Generally, any substance that has been introduced to the atmosphere that can cause severe effects to living things and the environment is considered air pollution. Manjung, Perak is one of the development districts that is active with industrial activities. There are many industrial activities surrounding Manjung District area such as coal fired power plant, quarries and iron smelting which may contribute to the air pollution into the environment. This study was done to measure the concentrations of Hg, U, Th, K, Cu, Fe, Cr, Zn, As, Se, Pb and Cd in the Airborne Particulate Matter (APM) collected at nine locations in Manjung District area within 15 km radius towards three directions (North, North-East and South-East) in 5 km intervals. The samples were collected using mini volume air sampler with cellulose filter through total suspended particulate (TSP). The sampler was set up for eight hours with the flow rate of 5 L/min. The filter was weighed before and after sample collection using microbalance, to get the amount of APM and kept in desiccator before analyzing. The measurement was done using calibrated Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) Spectrometer. The air particulate concentrations were found below the Malaysia Air Quality Guidelines for TSP (260 µg/m3). All of the metals concentrations were also lower than the guidelines set by World Health Organization (WHO), Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Argonne National Laboratory, USA NCRP (1975). From the concentrations, the enrichment factor were calculated.
A portable RI X-ray fluorescence spectrometer having a weight of 1800 g was constructed by using a radiation annular source ( 241 Am sealed up with ceramics, 1.85 MBq), a small Si-PIN photodiode X-ray detector mounted on a Peltier cooling device, an amplifier and a pocket-type multi-channel pulse-height analyzer. It could also be applied to a non-destructive analysis of the blue colorant in the original Japanese votive picture 'Rashoumon-zu', offered to shrine in 1682. Consequently, it was clarified that the blue colorant (X) was 'Smalt' containing Ga, Fe, Co, Ni and As as major elements. (author)
In the fall of 1999 I was shown an Ocean Optics spectrometer-in-the-computer at St. Patricks College at Maynooth, Ireland, and thought that I had seen heaven. Of course, it could not resolve the sodium D-lines (I had done that many years before with a homemade wire diffraction grating), and I began to realize that inside was some familiar old…
A dead time correction module in EUROcard format was designed and assembled. Its circuitry is a further development of the Barnhart approach. The fast discriminator signal from a spectroscopy amplifier is combined with the preamplifier inhibit signal, and with the messages from the analog-to-digital converter. The unit processes this input and produces a coincidence signal for the multichannel analyzer gate. A complete pile-up rejection system is incorporated in the module. 6 figs
The recent availability of large volume cerium bromide crystals raises the possibility of substantially improving gamma-rayspectrometer limiting flux sensitivities over current systems based on the lanthanum tri-halides, e.g., lanthanum bromide and lanthanum chloride, especially for remote sensing, low-level counting applications or any type of measurement characterized by poor signal to noise ratios. The Russian Space Research Institute has developed and manufactured a highly sensitive gamma-rayspectrometer for remote sensing observations of the planet Mercury from the Mercury Polar Orbiter (MPO), which forms part of ESA’s BepiColombo mission. The Flight Model (FM) gamma-rayspectrometer is based on a 3-in. single crystal of LaBr{sub 3}(Ce{sup 3+}) produced in a separate crystal development programme specifically for this mission. During the spectrometers development, manufacturing, and qualification phases, large crystals of CeBr{sub 3} became available in a subsequent phase of the same crystal development programme. Consequently, the Flight Spare Model (FSM) gamma-rayspectrometer was retrofitted with a 3-in. CeBr{sub 3} crystal and qualified for space. Except for the crystals, the two systems are essentially identical. In this paper, we report on a comparative assessment of the two systems, in terms of their respective spectral properties, as well as their suitability for use in planetary mission with respect to radiation tolerance and their propensity for activation. We also contrast their performance with a Ge detector representative of that flown on MESSENGER and show that: (a) both LaBr{sub 3}(Ce{sup 3+}) and CeBr{sub 3} provide superior detection systems over HPGe in the context of minimally resourced spacecraft and (b) CeBr{sub 3} is a more attractive system than LaBr{sub 3}(Ce{sup 3+}) in terms of sensitivities at lower gamma fluxes. Based on the tests, the FM has now been replaced by the FSM on the BepiColombo spacecraft. Thus, CeBr{sub 3} now forms
After installation of the new-type rotating crystal analyser spectrometer ROTAX at ISIS, we report on practical experience and describe its current status. The rotating analyser technique works feasibly and reliably and provides an ultimate scan flexibility on a pulsed time-of-flight neutron spectrometer. The spinning analyser achieves a mulitplex advantage factor of ca. 50 without compromising the resolution of the instrument. Despite these instrument merits its individual beam position at ISIS has only an unsatisfactorily weak flux, thus hindering this instrument yet to become fully competitive with other high-performance neutron spectrometers based at high-flux reactors. However, we strongly recommend a ROTAX-type instrument to be emphasized when the instrumentation suite of the future European spallation source ESS will come under scrutiny. (orig.)
This study extends the application of the portable x-ray fluorescence (PXRF) spectrometry to examination of elements in semi-arid urban landscapes of the Southern High Plains (SHP) of the United States (US), focusing on golf courses. The complex environmental challenges of this region and the unique management practices at golf course facilities could lead to differences in concentration and chemistry of elements between managed (irrigated) and non-managed (non-irrigated) portions of these facilities. Soil samples were collected at the depths of 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm from managed and non-managed areas of seven different facilities in the city of Lubbock, Texas, and analyzed for a suite of soil properties. Total elemental quantification was conducted using PXRF. Findings mostly indicated no significant differences in concentration of examined elements between the managed and non-managed areas of the facilities. However, strong positive relationships (R2 = 0.82-0.91, p < 0.001) were observed among elements (e.g. Fe and each of Cr, Mn, Ni, and As; Cu and Zn; As and Cr) and between these elements and soil constituents or properties such as clay, calcium carbonate, organic matter, and pH. The strengths of these relationships were mostly higher in the non-managed areas, suggesting possible alteration in the chemistry of these elements by anthropogenic influences. Principal component analyses (PCA) and correlation analyses within the managed areas suggested that As, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Ni could be of lithogenic origin, while Cu, Pb, and Zn were attributed to anthropogenic influences. Only one possible source of element, likely lithogenic, was identified within non-managed areas. As evidenced from the study, the PXRF can be a valuable tool for elemental quantification, and rapid investigation of elemental interaction and source apportionment in semi-arid climates.
The RAJA Performance Suite is designed to evaluate performance of the RAJA performance portability library on a wide variety of important high performance computing (HPC) algorithmic lulmels. These kernels assess compiler optimizations and various parallel programming model backends accessible through RAJA, such as OpenMP, CUDA, etc. The Initial version of the suite contains 25 computational kernels, each of which appears in 6 variants: Baseline SequcntiaJ, RAJA SequentiaJ, Baseline OpenMP, RAJA OpenMP, Baseline CUDA, RAJA CUDA. All variants of each kernel perform essentially the same mathematical operations and the loop body code for each kernel is identical across all variants. There are a few kernels, such as those that contain reduction operations, that require CUDA-specific coding for their CUDA variants. ActuaJ computer instructions executed and how they run in parallel differs depending on the parallel programming model backend used and which optimizations are perfonned by the compiler used to build the Perfonnance Suite executable. The Suite will be used primarily by RAJA developers to perform regular assessments of RAJA performance across a range of hardware platforms and compilers as RAJA features are being developed. It will also be used by LLNL hardware and software vendor panners for new defining requirements for future computing platform procurements and acceptance testing. In particular, the RAJA Performance Suite will be used for compiler acceptance testing of the upcoming CORAUSierra machine {initial LLNL delivery expected in late-2017/early 2018) and the CORAL-2 procurement. The Suite will aJso be used to generate concise source code reproducers of compiler and runtime issues we uncover so that we may provide them to relevant vendors to be fixed.
Here the deployment of the The Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsols (FIGAERO) coupled with the Aerodyne High Resolution (HR)-Time of flight (ToF)-Chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (CIMS) in Manaus is presented. This project utilised the Tofwerk X-ray ionisation source in the tropical rainforest in close proximity to Manaus, Brazil, at the ZF2 measurement site. The FIGAERO is a filter based technique that provides simultaneous molecular information of both the gas and particle phase. When analysing particles that have been collected the evolution of the MS signals from different compounds change independently as a function of temperature; creating a thermogram that is m/z specific. The temperature for which the desorbed signal shows a maximum for each compound has been used previously to extract vapour pressure information in laboratory characterisatio. Krieger et al. (2017) defined the homologous series of polyethylene glycols as a series of compounds that showed a very good agreement over a wide range of atmospherically relevant vapour pressures between different experimental setups. PEG samples therefore provide an ideal bench mark for characterising individual FIGAERO inlets to give vapour pressure information essential for partitioning characterisation. The PEG calibration curve has been used to validate vapour pressure measurements in a well-defined single component bases and in simple chamber experiments, results of which are presented. With a high reactivity and large ubiquitous global source, isoprene has a profound effect upon atmospheric chemistry and composition. Despite this there are still significant gaps in the understanding of the processes that lead to isoprene derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA). This project aims to provide insights into the role of isoprene in the mechanisms of production of SOA and its importance in the particulate mass budgets in the tropics and the fundamental chemical processes. The volatility and composition of
Highlights: → A selection of the best features for multivariate forensic glass classification using SEM-EDX was performed. → The feature selection process was carried out by means of an exhaustive search, with an Empirical Cross-Entropy objective function. → Results show remarkable accuracy of the best variables selected following the proposed procedure for the task of classifying glass fragments into windows or containers. - Abstract: In this work, a selection of the best features for multivariate forensic glass classification using Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with an Energy Dispersive X-rayspectrometer (SEM-EDX) has been performed. This has been motivated by the fact that the databases available for forensic glass classification are sparse nowadays, and the acquisition of SEM-EDX data is both costly and time-consuming for forensic laboratories. The database used for this work consists of 278 glass objects for which 7 variables, based on their elemental compositions obtained with SEM-EDX, are available. Two categories are considered for the classification task, namely containers and car/building windows, both of them typical in forensic casework. A multivariate model is proposed for the computation of the likelihood ratios. The feature selection process is carried out by means of an exhaustive search, with an Empirical Cross-Entropy (ECE) objective function. The ECE metric takes into account not only the discriminating power of the model in use, but also its calibration, which indicates whether or not the likelihood ratios are interpretable in a probabilistic way. Thus, the proposed model is applied to all the 63 possible univariate, bivariate and trivariate combinations taken from the 7 variables in the database, and its performance is ranked by its ECE. Results show remarkable accuracy of the best variables selected following the proposed procedure for the task of classifying glass fragments into windows (from cars or buildings) or containers
will be to provide high sensitivity for polarimetric measurements. In this framework, we have presented the concept of a small high-performance imaging spectrometer optimized for polarimetry between 100 and 600 keV suitable for a stratospheric balloon-borne payload and as a pathfinder for a future satellite mission....... The detector with 3D spatial resolution is based on a CZT spectrometer in a highly segmented configuration designed to operate simultaneously as a high performance scattering polarimeter. Herein, we report results of a Monte Carlo study devoted to optimize the configuration of the detector for polarimetry...
In the framework of the investigation of the shapes of the ground states of the parent nucleus, we propose to carry out measurements of the complete Gamow-Teller strength distribution for the $^{76-80}$Sr isotopes, with a new Total Absorption Gamma Spectrometer installed on a new beam line. The results will be compared with theoretical calculations based on the mean field approach. A brief report on the IS370 experiment on $^{72-75}$Kr decay, which was recently performed at ISOLDE, will be given and the performance of the sum spectrometer will be presented.
A Moessbauer effect spectrometer of Harwell type is installed and put in operation. The driving system is of a constant acceleration mode with a velocity range 40mm/sec. and associated to a 1024 multichannel analyser working in a multiscalar time mode. The gamma ray sources are 50 mCi Co 57 in Pd and 20 mCi Snsup(119m) in Ba Sn(O) 3 . Measurements are taken with the source kept at room temperature, while the absorber can be maintained at various temperatures. Gamma ray resonance spectra of different standard samples are obtained. Zero velocity and magnetic field calibration curves are deduced. Examples of some Moessbauer spectra for running investigated materials with a comprehensive general description are also given
The objective crystal spectrometer (OXS) on the forthcoming Spectrum-Roentgen-Gamma satellite is designed to carry three kinds of crystals: LiF(220), Si(111) and RAP(001), placed in front of the SODART telescope. Thirty six super polished (RMS roughness
The OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer) Mission is a planetary science mission to study, and return a sample from, the carbonaceous asteroid 1999 RQ-36. The third mission selected under NASA's New Frontiers Program, it is scheduled to be launched in 2016. It is led by PI Dante Lauretta at the University of Arizona and managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The spacecraft and the asteroid sampling mechanism, TAGSAM (Touch-And-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism) will be provided by Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Instrumentation for studying the asteroid include: OCAMS (the OSIRIS-REx Camera Suite), OLA (the OSIRIS-REx Laser Altimeter, a scanning LIDAR), OTES (The OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer, a 4-50 micron point spectrometer) and OVIRS (the OSIRIS-REx Visible and IR Spectrometer, a 0.4 to 4.3 micron point spectrometer). The payload also includes REXIS (the Regolith X-ray Imaging Spectrometer) a student provided experiment. This paper presents a description of the OVIRS instrument.
Aspects of experiments at small angles at the Superconducting Super Collider are considered. Topics summarized include a small angle spectrometer, a high contingency spectrometer, dipole and toroid spectrometers, and magnet choices
Smartphones are playing an increasing role in the sciences, owing to the ubiquitous proliferation of these devices, their relatively low cost, increasing processing power and their suitability for integrated data acquisition and processing in a ‘lab in a phone’ capacity. There is furthermore the potential to deploy these units as nodes within Internet of Things architectures, enabling massive networked data capture. Hitherto, considerable attention has been focused on imaging applications of these devices. However, within just the last few years, another possibility has emerged: to use smartphones as a means of capturing spectra, mostly by coupling various classes of fore-optics to these units with data capture achieved using the smartphone camera. These highly novel approaches have the potential to become widely adopted across a broad range of scientific e.g., biomedical, chemical and agricultural application areas. In this review, we detail the exciting recent development of smartphone spectrometer hardware, in addition to covering applications to which these units have been deployed, hitherto. The paper also points forward to the potentially highly influential impacts that such units could have on the sciences in the coming decades. PMID:29342899 |
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More people from the community are contesting than ever before, in what has proven to be a significant period for transgender rights in Pakistan. Shunned and ridiculed by Pakistan's largely conservative society, the transgender community, also known as hijra or khawaja sira, has long been the subject of widespread discrimination and struggled to access basic services such as education, employment and healthcare. Image caption Pakistan's transgender community faces discrimination and marginalisation During the Mughal empire, eunuchs served as singers, dancers and even advisers in the royal courts. However, when the British colonised India, they vigorously sought to criminalise the transgender community, whom they considered to be deviants, and denied them basic civil rights. But Pakistan is now "leading in the region" in terms of transgender rights, according to Uzma Yaqoob, founder and executive director of transgender rights group, the Forum for Dignity Initiative. Pakistan became one of the first countries to legally recognise a third sex on its national ID cards almost a decade ago and extended this to its passports last year, an option which is still not available to transgender and non-binary people in many Western nations. In May, Pakistan passed new legislation guaranteeing basic rights for its estimated 500,000 transgender citizens - including intersex people, transvestites and eunuchs - and banning discrimination against them. Image caption Marvia Malik, 21, became Pakistan's first transgender newsreader earlier this year The community is also becoming increasingly visible in public life, with a private TV station hiring its first transgender news anchor in March and a transgender actress making her cinematic debut alongside Pakistan's top film stars last month. However, violence and prejudice against transgender people in Pakistan has continued. Transgender men, on the one hand, are barely visible in the public sphere as a result of the social and cultural expectations of those who are assigned female at birth. Transgender women, meanwhile, are marginalised by society from an early age and are often forced to dance, beg or engage in prostitution to make a living, leaving them vulnerable to harassment, physical abuse and rape.
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I came into Buffy first in high school, and then after college. Currently living in NYC with two wonderful cats, and can (and will) wax philosophical on how season 6 of Buffy is one of the most elegant explorations of depression and abuse I have ever seen.
Summary: A response to a challenge by LexiAnnMalfoy:
Buffy lives in a world where almost everyone is born with a tattoo on their body, rumored to be the first words their soulmate will say to them. Buffy's is "Nice work, love," in blood red.
Spike's is "Who are you?" In black
When she meets Spike in School Hard, she realizes who her mate is - But she has no idea what to do about it.
[Note: rating has been increased to R because of some potentially overly graphic descriptions of violence + sensuality] |
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Snapdeal App Sign Up Offer : Free Rs.50 SD Cash for First Time User
After Amazon’s free Rs.100 gift card on sign up offer, Snapdeal has started an offer where they are giving free Rs.50 SD cash to anyone using the Snapdeal android app for the first time.
1 SD Cash is equal to Rs.1. You can use this SD cash for shopping on both Snapdeal app and website.If your cart value is more than Rs.50, then you would have to pay rest of the amount by other methods as shown in the image below.
4) Enter SZBC123525 in the invite code. Without entering Invite code, you will not get any SD cash.
5) Then sign up with a unused email and mobile number.
6) Verify your mobile number using standard One Time Password method.
6) To earn more Snapdeal cash, refer your Invite code to your friends using Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, SMS, Email etc and earn Rs.50 for each referral upto Rs.500. You can only refer a total of 10 people.
Note : Currently the offer is only available to Android and Windows Phone users and not IOS users. |
Watch Live Streaming HD Yalla Shoot Sport Ball Beind 8
Watch Live Streaming HD Yalla Shoot Sport Ball Beind 8>Watch Online Ball In Yalla Shoot TV Sport Football Live Streaming HD Quick Quality Without Buffering Suport Mobile Android, iPhone, iPad, Tablet for free which is the world's leading television service is always updated in broadcasting various sporting events, especially live football world, now present with the best quality framed in yalla shoot television station label. Various interesting shows from the world of sports, especially football
In addition to streaming the ball here we also Soccer schedule, schedule motoGP, television schedule either nationally or internasioanal can watch live tv live in Indonesia and abroad, all impressions on broadcast live good broadcast tv News, movies, sports, entertainment and others. else, here we deliberately give Tv free online so we can know. the latest information from various canel which includes info on World live broadcast.
Speaking of world or international information, we are here to provide World Cup live broadcasts that will be held in RUSSIA as well as the Russian state is now preparing for all security needs to the policy of getting to where the compositions are held in 4 years once fixed smoothly, and in accordance with the desired.
With the Yalla Shoot Live Youtube service we provide with what we publish becomes a benefit for all of us, and a place to watch that can produce good inspiration for us all. |
Christmas Memories: Snapshots of Christmas Past
With the arrival of the holiday season, it is often a time to reminisce about celebrations of Christmas past, so, in that vain, the staff of TSB, shares their memories of times gone by.
Maryland, Florida and Texas for Christmas!By Bryan Criswell
Growing up in Maryland with my parents in different households due to divorce, and splitting holidays between them, was something I was used to. As a child, I can remember what seemed like long trips between Annapolis, Western Maryland and Maryland’s Eastern Shore during Christmas. As I grew up and my family became more geographically distant, holiday time became more split. Instead of visiting both sides of the family between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I would break up the holidays and spend Thanksgiving in one place and Christmas in another. This was a great way to see everyone during the holiday season but it required travel in Maryland or to Florida.
When I met my significant other, I added another state to the line up: Texas. After getting used to splitting the holidays between three states and three families, I never imagined that I would one day be able see the entire family during Christmas.
The year was 2006 and that was the year it happened. During a fateful trip to San Francisco with my other half that year, I got engaged! Rather than make phone calls to our families, we decided to exclaim our news in person during Christmastime. The only problem was figuring out how to be in Maryland, Florida and Texas at the same time. Well, after a juggling act with the airlines we had a plan of action and ended up spending a day or two in each place during the week between Christmas and New Years. More than three thousand miles and five planes later, we were able to see the whole family in just a few days… After all was said and done, we decided on a New Years Eve wedding the next year in DC and got the see the entire family again – but this time they all came to us! |
My German Question
In this poignant book, a renowned historian tells of his youth as an assimilated, antireligious Jew in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1939 - 'the story,' says Peter Gay, 'of a poisoning and how I dealt with it.' With his customary eloquence and analytic acumen, Gay describes his family, the life they led, and the reasons they did not emigrate sooner, and he explores his own ambivalent feelings - then and now - toward Germany and the Germans. |
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Translation Apps Will Change the World! Well, almost…
News headlines claiming that Google’s new real-time translation app will “change the world” made the professional language translation community bolt upright. But then people learned how it works and realised the headlines are far from the truth.
There is a lot of media hype about Google’s new Pixel Buds; wireless and voice-activated earphones which can translate in real time and using a voice-activated assistant control your phone’s activity. You can play music, find directions, make calls and all of the other duties without retrieving your phone from your pocket. And yet, the most impressive and important feature of the device is that you can communicate with people in a foreign language, in real-time.
The language translation industry has heard this kind of sensationalism before. When Google launched Google Translate on mobile phones in 2015, there was a lot of fuss made about that too. Tech Radar claimed the tech giant had just “turned your phone into a translator.” Google Translate did turn your phone into a translator, but any conversation in a foreign language was at that point mostly gibberish.
Google Translate has since improved significantly, however we’re not quite convinced that Pixel Buds, the real-time translator, will work any better despite media claims. In one sales pitch on behalf of the Cupertino-based tech giant, online magazine Engadget had this to say about Google Pixel Buds – despite only witnessing a 5-minute display on a San Francisco stage:
“You’ll be able to walk up to nearly anybody in another country and hold a fluid, natural language conversation without the need for pantomime and large hand gestures, or worry of offending with a mispronunciation. International commerce and communication could become as mundane as making a local phone call. The frictions of international diplomacy could be smoothed as well, ensuring that not only are a diplomat’s words faithfully translated but that a copy of the conversation is recorded well.”
Nevertheless, google translate does not translate language in a “fluid” and “natural” way. It makes a sentence understandable – which is about as much as machine translations have advanced in the past two years. Granted, translation apps have come a long way since Altavista launched Babel Fish in 1997, but they also have a long way to go before they are fluid and natural.
How does Google Translate work?
Like most technology Google produces these days, their new translations device principally works on foundations built by artificial intelligence. Google bots have a vast network of data they can tap into where their machines match words which appear to be parallel between two different languages.
The artificial intelligence then crunches this data to determine the most probable word in which language A corresponds to language B. Google Translate therefore is statistical guesswork based on conversations between foreign counterparts.
Although Google has ambitions to “pursue human quality translation and develop machine translation systems” statistical machine translation will never be 100% accurate. However, it is estimated that the accuracy of translations is set between 80-90%.
As a result, we cannot argue that Google Translate is a useful holiday companion. But if you need accurate translations for professional or business purposes such as legal, medical or marketing, the only solution is to work with an expert translation agency specialising in providing business translation services. Such companies will guarantee accuracy and reliability and ensure that your content is precisely localised for the target market or customer.
Translation companies such as TS24 will be able to not only carefully and accurately translate your content, but will also be able to advise you directly in regard to your chosen market and let you know whether your content will be socially and culturally appropriate for the audience. This is due to the fact that majority of human translators working for such agencies are native speakers of the target language and consequently are also aware of any socio-cultural differences between your home and target markets.
Microsoft real-time “translations”?
Companies which are producing online translation apps also claim that translations are given in real-time. We have to say they are pretty quick if you’re on a good wi-fi connection. But if you’re on a slow broadband, expect some lag time.
Early adopters of Skype Translator experienced problems with the speed and accuracy of language translations. Although Microsoft’s database of languages has improved significantly, the US firm is not bridging global communication quickly enough for international firms to justify the subscription fee for Skype Business.
However, even Microsoft will assist a little. They have ten languages; English, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, Chinese (Mandarin), Portuguese, Arabic, Russian, French and German, but for business presentations we would advise to include engaging images and keep talking to a minimum. Skype doesn’t make the list of the six best online translator tools.
Indiegogo translation failure
There have been other translations machines that have come and gone. The much publicised tech start-up, Waverley Labs, didn’t get very far with their attempt at developing a translation tool. The Indiegogo project was dubbed to leverage speech recognition and machine translation for wearables, but had worn out within 18 months.
Over the other side of the globe, Japanese tech firms are leading the way with real-time translation apps. The government-funded National Institute of Information and Communications Technology are due to launch the VoiceTra app ahead of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. This is in contrast to Russia who plan to use some 10,000 professional human translators in next year’s World Cup finals.
Tourists also have an easier time ordering food using translation apps. Way Go App is geared towards food and signage and NTT Docomo Inc. is helping shop assistants and restaurant staff in Japan communicate with foreign customers with their Hanashite Honyaku translation app.
Real-time translation apps do help lift communication barriers. But they still present hurdles in business settings. Until international companies have built a rapport and an understanding of working practices, there is no substitute for professional interpreters and comprehensive language translation services.
Whilst translation technology can fundamentally change how the global community interacts in different languages, don’t be swayed by the corporate paid media that help to sell fledgling technology to unsuspecting businesses. Your money will be better spent on tried and trusted models: qualified and professional human linguists. |
BofA joins Aegon in CMBS venture as market rebounds
From Bloomberg: Bank of America Corp., the largest U.S. bank, agreed to bundle property loans from Aegon NV into bonds, as the market rebounds for securities backed by commercial real estate.
Bank of America’s Merrill Lynch business may make securities from loans to owners of industrial, office, retail and multifamily residential buildings through Aegon USA Realty Advisors LLC, a unit of the Dutch insurer, according to a statement today from the Charlotte, North Carolina-based firm……………………………………….Full Article: Source |
The Official unveiling of Dudley the Donkey statue took place at Pier Gardens Cleethorpes
12.30 Friday 17th Aug. read moreSince then people from Manchester, York, Wales and
all over the place have visited to pose with him. Even Buster tells me he had to
queue! |
June 30th, 2012
Ugh! As i move things around to pack them or get rid of them, i am finding dustbunnies o'plenty. tons of them. Now i feel like i can't get anything clean enough. I have been scrubbing all day. And i still feel like it is horrible.
I think my obsessive compulsive tendencies are rearing their ugly heads again:( It hasn't happened in a long while, but as things get more unorganised and chaotic it is difficult to completely suppress them. |
Indications of breast preserving surgery without radiation.
Breast preserving surgery has become a standard therapy for early breast cancer. Breast conserving therapy with radiation has been recognized as a standard strategy, because of the low incidence of local failure and minimal postoperative deformity compared with that of quadrantectomy without radiation. Among cases treated with breast preserving surgery, surgical resection alone may be sufficient for local control. We have experienced 11 cases of local failure from 108 cases who were treated with quadrantectomy. The ability of local control with quadrantectomy was analized. Among 11 cases with local failure, 3 cases had an apparently small resection area, and 3 cases had multiple tumors. In the other five cases, intraductal component was observed in primary tumor, 2 out of the five cases had EIC, and 3 of the five cases relapsed around the areola. After close analysis and modification of indication criteria, we could reduce the recurrence rate of late 66 cases to less than 2%. For local failure cases, seven cases were treated with total mastectomy, 4 with partial mastectomy, and no further relapse resulted. Our data indicated that quadrantectomy is effective and safe for local control if its indication is carefully determined. |
Career Tests for Kindergarteners: Smart or Silly?
ACT, the organization behind the college entrance exam of the same name, has developed career tests for kindergarteners that will be available in schools as early as 2014. Will this multimillion-dollar project help usher kids toward the careers of their dreams, or is it pure folly?
The career tests will measure and track kids’ professional interests from kindergarten through high school graduation. It’ll also track their progress toward predetermined goals and their academic performance. These assessments hope to uncover students’ skill gaps so that educators can address them as they progress through the school system.
CBS News reports that the career tests for kindergarteners will pair “traditional testing with teacher-led projects to generate an instant, digital score.” Do you think kids display clear career preferences as early as 4 or 5, or should teachers wait a few years before fostering students’ potential professional interests? |
Praise: His Dark Materials
[ENG] I remember claiming I would do critical review of books but this was the best thing ever! It took me so long to read this but I believe this is a must read of middle grade fiction, I wish I had the chance to read it when I was younger. There is so much to talk about, so I decided to pic three important topics that excelled in the novel.
Lyra: Oh Silvertong, you were a pretty good one… Lyra has to be one of the best protagonists I read in a while. Fearless and irreverent, she takes on adventures without looking back. This trilogy is the story of Lyra becoming a teenager and all the turbulence that comes with that period. It’s also her realization that the world has no easy answers to give, but if you strive to be a decent person you can make it a better place. And in the end that is a beautiful message.
Fanaticism: This is a big aspect of the book. You really can’t miss this one, the horrible actions that are justified from the authorities of the church to “save” the Dust. I liked the use of Catholicism imagery, because it made it easier for me to connect the dots. Growing up surrounded by these stories and symbols, I was able to pick the message a lot faster.
The prophecy is also a big criticism to what I mentioned before. While handled with a lot of mysticism from a lot of characters, as a reader you noticed it’s just the normal process of growing up. It was going to happen in the end, Lyra was approaching the age of 13 as the final events take place. This comes to show even more brilliantly that the things that make us human can be distorted for any purpose, as long as it fits an agenda.
That is the sucker punch right there, if you let yourself get taken by the narratives of delusions and extrapolations it will never live up to reality. It takes you further away from the truth.
Imagination: One of the best aspects of the novel. The ability of creating amazing worlds and creatures are amazing. I don’t have much to add other than it left me in awe. I was extremely happy with being taken in an amazing journey.
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2 thoughts on “Praise: His Dark Materials”
I absolutely adored this trilogy and cannot recommend it enough. It is a great “coming of age” work, even though I was also a full grown adult when I read it. I loved Lyra and the whole idea of having a daemon attached to you. The last book was really powerful and the depiction of death stuck to me. On the whole, I agree with you, these are cracking books. 🙂 |
All jerseys display within the NBA Game Worn jersey museum "Layupshot" are available for purchase. (Some jerseys on display are already sold)
We will get back to you with the availability and price information if you contact us through the "Price Negotiation" button.
Jerseys displayed in this museum have been worn, or issued to be worn by actual NBA players.
Jersey Description
This jersey was prepared for use by Amar'e Stoudemire during the Knicks' 100-94 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on December 25, 2012 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.BIG Color uniforms feature a monochromatic color scheme with solid color team logos, names and numbers framed with minimal accent color. "ONCE A KNICK, ALWAYS A KNICK" is screened on the inside back collar. "LA at Lakers 12/25/12" is handwritten on the jock tag. |
Travel tips
Transportation
The transportion and access in Indonesia is not really developed yet, especially inter-islands/inter-city tranportation. The central and local governments are still struggling to build advance transportation system in the country. The best way for you to travel to another cities are by airplane. However, travel by train inside Java is possible. There is no bullet train, but if you travel for the first time, especially long disstance, it is adviceable to take first / executive class with reasonable price.
Long distance trip
By Air
From Jakarta to Bali would take 1 hour snd 15 minutes instead of 16 hours by train. Garuda Indonesia is Indonesian flag carrier which in 2 consecutive years get most precise time awards in the world. If you are luck you can get 40 USD from Jakarta to Bali.
Inter-city KRL Jabodetabek (Jabodetabek Electrified Rail) could be your alternative to travel around Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi city. Take this, you will not have any traffic jam problem. However, be prepare for delays and overcrowded coaches.
In the cities
There are unique transportation which probably do not exist in your country. You should try for new advantures. Most of them are fun. Every places has they are own style. Most of it does not really have fix tarif. Mostly it depends on the distance. You can try to bargain, if you are lucky, you could get much cheaper price than what he offers you. This could be the cheapest transportation you can use. Try to ask people where you can get these transportation. I tell you how you pronounce it.
Becak
Read: be- like bay, -cak like chuck.It is a three-wheels bicycle. Two in the front side, which is your seat, and the drivel cycles on the back seat. It is fun since you will see everything in front of you. Becak will cost you around $ 5 USD. You will find this vehicle in Java, and some other islands, but not (or hardly to find) in Jakarta.
Bajaj
Read: ba like bar, -j like jack, and –aj sounds like eye.A very noisy three-wheels vehicle with high vibration. You will still experience the vibration after step out of the vehicle. However, this vehicle could take you faster in a bad traffic jam with their small body, meanwhile you will be stucked in a cab. Originaly from India. You will find this a lot in Jakarta.
Delman/Dokar/Andong
Read: Del- read like Dell, -man sounds like month. Dokar was taken from word dog-car.A cart run by a horse with the driver sit behind the horse. Passenger sit on the back and next to the driver. It is just like a ride for royal family from the past. You will find this in most of cities in Java.
Ojek
Read: O and jek sounds like jack.A simple motorcycle with a driver. It will only fit for one person. If you think it’s too far away to walk to your place from a market, you can take ojek to your front door. You will find this everywhere in Indonesia. Just look at
Angkot
Read: Ang like Unc in uncle, kot sounds like court.A minibus with passenger seats facing each other. A cheap transportation with a lot of routes. You will find this in some major cities of Indonesia.
Citybus
Like some other countries bus is the most common transportation in Indonesia. It will take you inside the city or out (tran-province). In jakarta, there are too many busses, however, take the one called Busway or transjakarta. Find here the route of Transjakarta.
Taxi
Do you want a comfortable and (sometimes) fast transportation inside the city? Like in other cities in other countries, taxi is your choice. It is an expensive transportation, but it would not be more expensive than in your country. There are some choices, depend on the rates. More expensive you will get more comfort. However, it is not the fastest option in the rush hours. Blue bird is one of the most trusted taxi company in whole Indonesia. You can see more information on their website.
Rent a car
One way is to rent a car, especially when you travel with a group. It could be cheapest option. However, be prepare for traffic jam.
Rent a car could be very cheap if you know someone you can trust. It could cost you 40 USD per 10 hours with the driver from a small car rental. However, there are well-known rental such as AVIS or Blue Bird Group which offer you various cars and could be more trusted with higher tarifs.
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Indonesia Accommodation and Hotels
This website provides you information about tourism in Indonesia. From Indonesia Accommodation and Hotels site you will find places to visit and accommodation/hotels to stay in Indonesia.
Find accommodation/hotels |
Editions
Ten cool podcasts you need to listen to
Interesting, fun and creative shows in Podcast world
When I first heard about Podcasts I was intrigued, back in 2004 I read about how Adam Curry, an ex MTV DJ, had reviewed a way of broadcasting talk, radio style, on the Internet.
The first podcast I listened to was by Mark Hoppus [Blink 182], Hi My Name Is Mark, I was not impressed, the sound quality was bad and the content, boring.
Safe to say I did not listen to any Podcasts for some duration, until 2010 I stumbled upon the TWiT show [This Week in Tech], I was impressed with how things had improved: sound quality and content.
It was just a matter of time until I found out about other podcasts and realized that we were in the middle of a new media revolution that was empowering individuals with the ability to globally distribute their ideas and create a following of like minded fans.
Podcasts have been impacting traditional industries such as journalism, education and entertainment allowing anyone to freely create and distribute news and media, socially. Lately Podcasts have experienced a massive wave of interest thanks to the success of the Serial Podcast. But there are much more interesting, fun and creative shows in Podcast world, and that is why I decided to put together a list of my favorite Podcasts.
10. TWiT - This Week In Tech
This Week in Tech is a roundtable of tech talk that will keep enthusiasts up-to-date on the latest technology news hosted by the charismatic Leo Laporte. As I said, TWiT was the gateway to the podcast world for me and it is pretty interesting to listen when they have guests like Nick Bilton, Baratunde Thurston and John C. Dvorak because they not only know what they are talking about but they can also bring an entertainment factor. The problem with the show is when they cannot employ interesting guests speakers, they rely on tech bloggers that have not much to add to conversation but to make crazy speculations about tech companies and industries.
9. The Andy Greenwald Podcast
The Andy Greenwald Podcast is part of Grantland which is a sports and culture blog that was created by the sports journalist Bill Simmons and has a wide coverage of culture and pop-culture. On the podcast Andy Greenwald interviews TV personalities, movie-stars and musicians, they discuss shows, projects, and genres the individuals are involved with. The interviews are very casual in style and make you feel like you are just listening to two friends talking about what they are up to.
8. You Made It Weird
You Made it Weird is a weekly podcast by comedian Pete Holmes on the Nerdist Industries which is a powerhouse for great podcasts. Holmes interviews other comedians, musicians, writers and actors and, as the name implies, he makes it weird. Holmes is known for avoiding the usual interview questions, the show can often get spiritual and deep which makes it interesting and introspective. There are always open, honest and funny answers from the guests and you can expect some amazing jokes from both parties.
7. Get up on this
On this podcast Jensen Karp, Matthew Robinson and a guest [a different one every week] discuss things they think will soon become popular. The guests are often interesting and charming and the content is very spot on, these guys talk about upcoming somethings for example: music, TV shows, apps, movies etc]. You might been thinking, who are these guys and why should I trust them. Well, they have been integrated within the entertainment industry since they were kids, and are up to date with entertainment, right now.
6. The Nerdist Writers Panel
The format of this podcast is pretty straightforward. The host Ben Blacker, a writer with credits on various TV shows and with lots of charisma have informal chats among professional writers about the process and business of writing. How they broke, developed and succeeded in the business, their experiences working on various shows, writers rooms, and how networks operate.
It features some of the best writers and showrunners working in television and film. The show is also on the Nerdist Industries and is great way to know about behind the scene stuff that has happened on your favorite TV shows and Movies.
5. The Bret Easton Ellis Podcast
From all the Podcasts I listen regularly the Bret Easton Ellis is the only one that makes me cringe and get mad at the host sometimes. This is because his attitude towards millenniums and young people in general. He always sounds very bitter and insecure when he goes on these rants, like a typical Xgener [a generation X person] that could not keep up with the changes in the Entreatment and Media Industries brought by the younger generation. But besides that the Podcast is great. Bret, a best-selling author of books like: Less Than Zero and American Psycho, always have an intelligent and fascinating conversation with his guests. The show always kicks off with a long monologue from the host and is followed by conversations topics like: political correctness, porn, gay identity and TV vs movies [sorry, Bret but TV is much better than movies these days] the dude can be a jerk sometimes but he does host a very entertaining Podcast.
4. Hollywood Babble-on
When not working in movies, Smith can be found podcasting every waking moment of his life over at his Podcast empire, SModcast.com, meanwhile Garman can be heard every weekday morning on Los Angeles' a.m radio program, The Kevin And Bean Show, as celebrity impersonator and character voice actor.
This show takes a look at the news of the week in Hollywood, and generally mocks the business that has made them both so successful. What makes this duo special is the harmony between Smith and Garman. Kevin is the lovable mischievous kid-bear, Ralph is more of a puppet master, and they know how to play off one-another.
3. NoAgenda
NoAgenda is a show that preaches about not having an agenda. The whole Idea of the show according to both hosts John C. Dvorak [A columnist in the areas of technology and computing] and the “Podfather” himself Adam Curry is to make a deconstruction of the mainstream news cycle which they call disguised propaganda. I find it highly entertaining, as long as I don't get too ramped up with all of the conspiracy theories that Curry ejects. The show has no advertisers and instead relies on its listeners [known as “Producers”] to voluntarily donate, the jingles that they play on the show are hilarious and are all made by the listeners also. I enjoy the NoAgenda because they seem to strike a good chord between "crackpot ideas" and realistic potential whist being at times, hilarious.
2. The Nerdist
The comedian and professional host Chris Hardwick founded the Nerdist Industries in 2012, The Nerdist is the flagship podcast of the company and started in 2010. The idea behind the Podcast is very simple; like many other shows they focus on pop-culture but with a twist, It is made by geeks, and for geeks, making the interviews very interesting almost as if, it was made by a fan. Even though their celebrity interviews great and fun to listen to. The show gets even more personal during the episodes when Chris and co-hosts Jonah and Matt go guest-less and just chat about what’s going on in their lives. Since a hostful episodes doesn't have a guest to focus on, their topics and rapport are rapid and relentless.
1. WTF with Marc Maron
Comedian Marc Maron fell into podcasting as a last resort attempt to save his career and here fpund his true genre. WTF is one of the Internet's most popular podcasts. Twice a week, Marc interviews comedians, comedy writers, musicians and other folks from the entertainment industry—all from the comfy of his garage, yeah you read it right, he does the podcast from his garage which in my humble opinion is awesome.
Maron is neurotic, vulnerable and fractious, but he is also curious and deeply empathetic. Maron often makes his lack of preparation clear during interviews, he even has a bit about his stand up routine on how he never prepares for anything. Most of his interviews start with him asking about the guest’s parents, childhood, and early career, which he skillfully returns to late in the interview when guests are more comfortable. Maron is without a doubt is one of the best interviewers around and that was probably why president Obama decided to come to the garage last June for an interview. Kudos, to him and his genre when the most powerful leader of the free world shows up on your garage for an interview.
Well, I hope you liked my little list. if you have never listened to a podcast before these may be a good starting point. You don’t necessarily need an iPod or any special device to listen to any of these, as they are all available on the their websites, Soundcloud or YouTube. But if you prefer to listen to the while commuting, or taking a road trip you will definitely need a mobile device, both iOS or Android offer many apps where you can download, manage and listen to Podcasts. |
About EFT
EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom techniques – also referred to simply as Tapping, is a modern complementary therapy, and a very powerful healing modality, with its origins in ancient Chinese Medicine. It was developed by an American Stanford Engineer, Gary Craig.
The basic theory behind EFT is “the cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system”, Gary Craig.
The energy system refers to the meridians, which are used in Chinese Acupuncture. However unlike acupuncture, in EFT your fingers are used to adjust the energy by tapping on certain energy points. This technique is safe, easy to use and portable. In experienced hands EFT can bring amazing results to whatever issues you are working on; it’s painless and often works when nothing else has. EFT is one of the best Energy Healing Therapies that I have ever come across and has a universal success rate of over 80%.
The main points we use in EFT are below:
EFT is a therapy that can stand alone or as a tool that can be used with Hypnotherapy, Life Coaching and Counselling, helping you to move forward by addressing and clearing what keeps you stuck. EFT works by neutralising or releasing the negative energy blocks. It is pain free and usually very gentle on your emotions, if you choose to work with a qualified practitioner. You can use EFT to combat stress with immediate effects OR you can dig deeper and use it to get to the core issues of the stress (or any other symptoms or negative issues that you have).
EFT helps you stay calm and feel more at peace with yourself, so that you are able to look at your life in a different way and have greater choice.
Phobias: EFT is safe easy way to reduce the intensity of these feelings, so that you can gain back self control, greater self confidence, cope better with challenging situations, have relief from fear and greater freedom. |
AIR News
In Jammu and Kashmir, a gunfight is underway between militants and security forces in central Kashmirs Budgam district.Deputy Inspector General Police, Central Kashmir Range, Ghulam Hassan Bhat told AIR that the exchange of fire is going on in Pakherpora area of Budgam district.He said so far there was no report of any fatal or non-fatal casualties on either side.
In Rajasthan, a study on the open prison system and parole practices have found that most of the crime happens due to transient impulse and without any planning. The research carried out by criminologist Smita Chakraburtty of the Rajasthan State Legal Services Authority recommends that open Jail is the best substitute to take these people back into the mainstream.
Peace talks have begun in Geneva to end the civil war in Syria, but there has been no breakthrough in the standoff between government and rebel forces.UN Special Envoy, Staffan de Mistura met on Tuesday with delegates from the Syrian opposition.
Dutch prosecutors are investigating how a Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak managed to take his own life, apperently after drinking poison he had smuggled into a UN court yesterday.Prosecutors said their investigation would focus on what killed Praljak and whether he had received any outside help in obtaining the suspected poison.
Pope Francis who leads the 1.28 billion Catholics around the world is arriving in Dhaka this afternoon on a 3-day visit on the second leg of his Myanmar-Bangladesh tour which began on November 28th. This is the second visit of a Pope, the head of the Vatican State, to Bangladesh, the earlier Pope John Paul VI having visited the country in 1986.
CEO Prasad Bharti, Shashi Shekhar Vempati today said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat is the best example of using a combination of traditional and social media to reach masses. Taking part in a panel discussion held on the usage of traditional and social media held as part of Global Entrepreneurship Summit this morning, he said social media has a tremendous impact on the audience.
The Indian Coast Guard conducted the Regional Level Marine Oil Pollution Response Exercise 'Clean Sea' at sea off Port Blair yesterday. The highlight of the exercise was participation of one ICG Pollution Control Vessel and integration of the Indian Coast Guard Dornier/Chetak aircraft into the Oil Spill Disaster Management System for aerial assessment/ delivery of Oil Spill Dispersant for mitigation of the spilled oil.
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has banned sand mining in Tamil Nadu.Justice R Mahadevan has directed the state government to close down all sand quarries within the next six months and asked to take measures for the import of sand to meet the requirements.
The depression lying over the South West Bay has intensified into Deep Depression and has moved to the Comorin area and its neighbourhood early this morning.The Meteorology Department has said, the weather system lies some 210 kilometres South and South East of Kanyakumari at present.
Odisha government has released about 365 crore rupees for the rain-hit farmers in 19 districts of the State.The fund was released from the State Disaster Relief Fund to be distributed as agriculture input subsidy among farmers who sustained crop loss due to unseasonal rain during the third week of this month.
The special CBI court in Mumbai, which is conducting the trial in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh and Tulsiram Prajapati alleged fake encounter cases, has barred the media from reporting the court proceedings until further order. The court took the decision yesterday following a plea from the defence counsel.
In Odisha, a vigilance court in Baripada has awarded 14 months' rigorous imprisonment to Bimal Lochan Das, a former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA and ex-president of the Urban Cooperative Bank Ltd, in a corruption case.Vigilance court special judge also slapped a penalty of one lakh rupees Bimal Lochan Das.
Ecuador's President today called a nationwide referendum that will include a question asking voters whether they want to revoke a law pushed forward by his predecessor allowing Presidents to be indefinitely re-elected. President Lenin Moreno presented two decrees to the National Electoral Council calling for a popular vote that he said is needed to restore the country's constitution, whose values he said have been compromised by "Vices" within the nation's political process.
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) was today recognised as a national body by the Indian Olympic Association, which removed the terminated Indian Amateur Boxing Federation (IABF) as its affiliate after months of indecision. The BFI, already recognised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the Sports Ministry, finally got the IOA's nod, which had IABF registered as the official body till now.
Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology has asked the Chairman of Central Board of Film Certification Prasoon Joshi and Director of Padmavati movie Sanjay Leela Bhansali to appear before it today and present their views on the controversy surrounding the movie. The 30-member committee which has actors and Parliamentarians Paresh Rawal, Hema Malini and Raj Babbar as members will examine the issues relating to the movie.
Libya agreed today with EU and African leaders to allow migrants facing abuse in detention camps to be evacuated within days or weeks.French President Emmanuel Macron said the decision was taken after Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara called for all urgent measures to end slave trading and other migrant abuses in Libya at an EU-Africa summit in Abidjan. |
THEY'RE more expensive than prostitutes, their bodies aren't what they used to be and their children walk in during sex.
These are just some of the brutally offensive reasons that a growing group of men have given for not wanting to date single mums.
6 Jonathan Cass says that dating a single mum will make you feel second best Credit: Supplied
On a recent thread on the secret sharing app, Whisper, tried to explain the warped reasons they ruled out dating single mothers.
Here, Sun Online, meets the men who are breaking a taboo by refusing to date single mums.
Jonathan Cass, 52, has joined their ranks, having been single for three years, and now makes a point of swiping left on dating apps and rejecting women if there’s any mention of a little one at home.
"I don’t want to be second best," he says.
“There’s a real trend in current parenting that the children always have to come first and women now seem to live for their kids” says Jonathan, who works in film and television and lives in Dunmow, Essex.
And he's by no means alone in this.
6 A YouTube clip by Richard Cooper on the pitfalls of dating single mums has nearly 600,000 views Credit: YouTube
King Richez posted a video on not dating single mothers which amongst other things says: “She should be focused on her kids – not on penis” - and Richard Cooper's YouTube talk on the Dangers of Dating Single Mothers has been viewed 583, 297 times.
This clip opens with a slide showing a woman holding a baby with the meme: “Single mother here: please take care of some other man’s ball of flesh that eats money destroys dreams and s***s stress. I offer you my ruined floppy pu**y and mental issues!”
On another a shocking blog called Everything Must Go, one of the posts is titled: “Don’t date single mothers – here is why.”Reason number five is, “A woman who has given birth can’t ever have a body close to what she had before carrying a child. This is not saying that having a child isn’t worth it, but this is not about YOU having a child. That child is hers, not yours. Her body was changed by something that is of no benefit to you.”
'I don’t want to be second best'
6 Jonathan has nothing against parents of older children... but mothers of young kids are definitely ruled out Credit: Supplied
Jonathan explains: “I’m a really spontaneous person and love the idea of saying to my partner, ‘come on, pack your bags, let’s go away for a couple of days’ but you can’t do that with kids. Everything has to be planned and organised beforehand.”
He also struggles with the emotional burden of having to be a father figure to someone else’s child.
“I’ve been married twice and had a son in my first marriage – who is now 27 – and in between the two marriages I did date a woman with a son but I felt like she wanted me to become a father-figure to this child,” he says.
“It raised lots of complex feelings: I felt guilty to be spending more time with her and her son than my own and I didn’t like the idea of stepping on someone else’s toes as his biological father was still very much around.”
While Jonathan wouldn’t mind if a potential partner had grown-up children, provided they were no longer at home and doing their own thing, “young ones are definitely out.”
6 The expense of being with a single mum also puts Jonathan off Credit: Supplied
'I'm feeling selfish'
“I don’t want to be part of a family unit and splashing out on days out together. Single mums are too expensive. I’m feeling selfish and not dating women with children is part of that.”
There are two million single parents in the UK and 91 per cent of them women.
The list of celebrity single mums is endless and many, including Britney Spears, Kate Hudson, Louise Redknapp, Kate Hudson and Sun columnist Stacey Solomon, have spoken out about their experiences.
dating coach Richard La Ruina, author of The Natural: How to Effortlessly Attract the Women You Want warns that dismissing single mothers as potential partners is a risky decision.
“Finding love is hard enough as it so to narrow the pool even further is a mistake,” he says.
“Yes, dating a single mother adds an extra potential complication but it’s not a total deal breaker.”
'I won't spend my hard earned money on them'
Paul Dakers feels very differently.
The 45 year-old logistics specialist from St Ives in Cambridgeshire has never been married and has been single for over a year.
“I would very much like to meet someone and have a family of my own but I really don’t want to date anyone with their own children,” he says.
“I dated a girl for a year and she had three children and she lived a couple of hours away. She would come and see me every two or three weeks and I kept saying, ‘I’ll come and see you, I promise’ but I never did. I never met her children and didn’t want to.
6 Paul is concerned that it would be awkward to be around someone else's kids Credit: Supplied
“She’d talk about them constantly and I’d nod and shake my head in the right places but I wasn’t really paying attention. It puts me off that they wouldn’t be mine.
"What would they call me? Paul? Dad? Oh no. It’s weird. If they’re not mine, I haven’t brought them up and I’m not mentally prepared to cope with that kind of responsibility.”
“I might also feel reluctant to spend my hard-earned money on them.
"It is getting harder at my age now to meet women without kids and I know it narrows down the numbers but I’m trying to stay hopeful.”
6 Paul, centre, says it's hard to find love... but he's staying hopeful Credit: Supplied
'Her son walked in on us in the bedroom'
Dan Mower is another good example.
He is 46 but still wants to settle down and have at least two children, which can be an issue for some single mothers who are wary of entering new relationships and having more children.
“They’ve been there, done that and don’t necessarily want more,” says Dan, a self-employed businessman from North London.
“After all, it hasn’t worked out once before so why should they risk having more children?”
The need to breed The desire to procreate and carry on your ancestral line is something evolutionary psychologist Carole Jahme believes is inbuilt in men. “We are driven to reproduce and continue our lineage ,” says Carole. “When men are looking for a mate they look for someone physically and mentally healthy to breed with so that their child can be born strong. “It’s very possible that single mothers – especially those in their late 30s and 40s – may send out signals, even subconsciously, that they may not want to have more children. “Men are aware that an investment of time is needed to put into a child and, on the whole, it makes sense for them to invest that time in seeking a woman who is prepared to have their own biological child.”
Dan has dated a number of single mothers in the past but is now avoiding them altogether.
“I’ve not had great experiences dating single mums and don’t want go there again,” says Dan.
“One of my exes had a 12-year-old son and we’d been on-and-off for a few years. The last time we went out in February, we were trying to catch up in her bedroom – talking, being intimate – and her son just walked in on us.
“She seemed fine with it, saying he knew about us and he has the right to see her when she wants, but that totally put me off. I’m not the biological father though so it means I can’t set any of the standards or rules.
“The kids of another woman I dated didn’t really accept me and there was a feeling of ‘Who are you? You’re not my dad’ and it just added complications.”
Dan also dislikes coming second in a relationship. “A single mother will always prioritise her children over me,” he says. “I’ve been stood up a few times because the children are sick or the childcare has fallen through and I want someone who wants to put our relationship first.”
Yet relationship psychotherapist Caron Barruw says the problem isn't single mums, but the immature commitment-phobic men who won't date them.
"This is an immature and selfish way of looking at relationships", she says.
Most read in Fabulous HAIR RAISING Stacey Solomon embraces her 'hairy bush' & arms after trolls shamed her BAG A BARGAIN B&M's best-kept secrets & how to bag top bargains from Mrs Hinch's fave store DREAM DEN Mum makes ‘dinky’ cupboard bedroom so her daughter can finally have her own room 50 SHADES OF GREY I did up my whole house for £120, my sofa cost £50 new & hot tub was FREE GOING DUCH The subtle tweaks Kate's made to her style that hint she’s preparing to be Queen MYSTIC MEG September 17: You radiate sexy mystery and partners can’t wait to get closer
“A woman would have to be very, very attractive for me to be able to look past the fact they have children and make me want to go out with them,” says Paul.
“I know it’s getting harder to find single women without children at my age but I’m going to keep looking. There has to be someone out there.”
Lucky her. |
SET ALARMS
Smart Mirror acts as your personal alarm. Now just ask your mirror to set an alarm for you and your mirror will do it for you.
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CREATE TO-DO LIST
Stay organized with your Smart Mirror by creating your to-do list so that you don’t miss out anything!
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Remembering things get hard at times? No worries! Ask your SM to remind you of certain things later.
SET EVENTS
Set events on the calendar and your Smart Mirror’s assistant will remind you
CHECK TRAFFIC
Now get your traffic update on your mirror. With Smart Mirror check your nearby traffic and go for the least busy route.
GOOGLE ASSISTANT
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CALL UBER
Call Uber and with your Smart Mirror have a check on how far your Uber driver is while you get ready.
WATCH YOUTUBE VIDEOS
Want to see a hairstyle tutorial? No worries, simply watch any YouTube video on mirror just by saying Smart Mirror’s Assistant to play it for you.
See more than your reflection!
Smart Mirror is here with reflections of the future. It doesn’t just show your reflection, it reflects your daily life as well! Smart Mirror is intelligent, user-friendly and enriches you and your lifestyle.
Take a look into the future!
Smart Mirror is not your ordinary mirror, it’s your personalized dashboard which will revolutionize the way you live. It’s a “Reflections of the future” with almost every cool feature you can think of.
Have your own personalized dashboard!
Smart Mirror is your own personalized dashboard. You can get every information you want on the surface of your Smart Mirror so that It becomes your personalized dashboard to keep you stay organized.
See more than your reflection!
Smart Mirror is here with reflections of the future. It doesn’t just show your reflection, it reflects your daily life as well! Smart Mirror is intelligent, user-friendly and enriches you and your lifestyle.
Take a look into the future!
Smart Mirror is not your ordinary mirror, it’s your personalized dashboard which will revolutionize the way you live. It’s a “Reflections of the future” with almost every cool feature you can think of.
Have your own personalized dashboard!
Smart Mirror is your own personalized dashboard. You can get every information you want on the surface of your Smart Mirror so that It becomes your personalized dashboard to keep you stay organized. |
THE BLOG
If you’re like me, and you’re sick of getting looked at funny by all the young Dad’s at the park with a full head of hair, there are solutions. There are a number of ways to fight thinning hair and hair loss, some of which require little effort and money and that can be integrated into your life... |
Meet the Yeast Priests
While you’re at the Art of Beer, say hey to Beaumont’s first craft beer advocacy group the Yeast Preasts. Local beer-lover Jeffrey Wheeler — one of the event’s organizers — is one of the group’s founders, and he’s planning to bring more craft beer to Beaumont than you can shake a drunk stick at.
What started as a beer and wine pairing at Wheeler’s house has grown into a powerful local advocacy group that is bringing more selection to local bars and events.
Wheeler said the group has a number of big events coming up, including the tapping of a cask of Saint Arnold Brewing Company’s Elissa IPA at the Oct. 13 Merchant Soiree at
Art of Beer co-organizer and Yeast Priests co-founder Jeffrey Wheeler enjoys a sampling of a fall craft beer during a tasting at Del Papa. Valentino Mauricio/cat5
Goodfella’s. The group is also working with Miller Liquor to create a “Yeast Priests-approved” tag to tip shoppers off to great new craft beer.
And better yet, the Yeast Priests are planning a craft beer pub crawl downtown in November. Trust us, we’ll have more information about that when it’s time. Because that is awesome. |
On the goodness of Beeminder
Beeminder.com improves my life a lot. This is surprising: few things improve my life much, and when they do it’s usually because I’m imagining it. Or because they are things that everyone has known about for ages and I am slow on the uptake (e.g. not moving house three times a year, making a habit of eating breakfast, making habits at all). But Beeminder is new, and it definitely helps.
One measurable instrumental benefit of Beeminder is that I have exercised for half an hour or an hour per day on average since last October. Previously I exercised if I needed to get somewhere or if the fact that exercise is good for people crossed my mind particularly forcibly, or if some even less common events occurred. So this is big. It seems to help a lot for other things too, such as working, but the evidence there is weaker since I used to work pretty often anyway. I’m sorry that I didn’t keep better track.
Unlike many other improvements to my life, I have some guesses about why this is so useful. But first let me tell you the basic concept of Beeminder.
Take a thing you can measure, such as how many pages you have written. Suppose you measure this every day, and enter the data as points in a graph. Suppose also that the graph contains a ‘road’ stretching up ahead of your data, to days that have not yet happened. Then you could play a game of keeping your new data points above the road. A single day below the road and you lose. It turns out this can be a pretty compelling game. This is basically Beeminder.
There are more details. You can change the steepness of the road, but only for a week in the future. So you can fine-tune the challengingness of a goal, but can’t change it out of laziness unless you are particularly forward thinking about your laziness (in which case you probably won’t sign up for this).
There is a lot of leeway in what indicators you measure, and some I tried didn’t help much. The main things I measure lately are:
number of 20 minute blocks of time spent working. They have to be continuous, though a tiny bit of interruption is allowed if someone else causes it
points accrued for doing tasks on my to-do list. When I think of anything I want to do I put it on the list, whether it’s watching a certain movie or figuring out how to make the to do list system better. Some things stay there permanently, e.g. laundry. I assign each task a number of points, which goes up every Sunday if it’s still on the list. I have to get 15 points per day or I lose.
At first glance, it looks like Beeminder is basically a commitment contract: that it gets its force from promising to take your money if you lose. In my experience this seems very minor. I often forget how much money is riding on goals, and seem to keep the ones with no money on about as well as the others. So at least for me the threat of losing money isn’t what’s going on.
What is going on? I think Beeminder – especially the way I use it – actually does a nice job of combining a bunch of good principles of motivation. Here are some I hypothesize:
Concrete steps
In order to use Beeminder for a goal, you need to be clear on how you will quantify progress toward it. This means being explicit about the parts it is made of. You can’t just intend to read more, you have to intend to read one philosophy paper every day. You can’t just intend to do your taxes, you have to intend to finish one of five forms every week. You can’t just intend to ponder whether you’re doing the right thing with your life, you have to intend to spend twenty minutes per week thinking up alternatives. Making a goal concrete enough to quantify it destroys ugh fields and makes it easier to start. ‘What get’s measured gets done’ – just making a concrete metric salient makes it easier to work toward than a similar vague goal.
Small steps
To Beemind a goal, you need to divide it into many small parts, so you can track progress. ‘Finish making my presentation’ might be explicit enough to measure, but the measure will be zero for a long time, then one. Breaking goals up into small steps has nice side effects. It removes ugh fields, induces near mode, makes success likely at any particular step. In Luke Muehlhauser’s terminology, it increases ‘expectancy’ and allows ‘success spirals’*. Trading long term goals for short term ones also avoids the kind of delay that might make it easy to succumb to procrastination.
Don’t break the chain
Otherwise known as the Seinfeld hack. This might be the main thing that motivates me to keep my Beeminder goals, in the place of the money. Imagine you are skipping rope. You have made it to 70 skips. It was kind of hard, but you’re not so exhausted that you have to stop. You probably feel more compelled to keep going and make it to 80 than you did when you started. In general, once you have successfully done something a string of times, doing it again seems more desirable. Perhaps this is particular to OCD kinds of people, but a Google search suggests many find it useful.
Beeminder is a nicely flexible implementation of this, because the chain is a bit removed from what you are doing. You only have to maintain an average, so you can work extra one day to slack off the next. This doesn’t seem to undermine the motivational effect.
Hard lines in middle grounds
Firm commitments are naturally made to extremes. This is partly due to principled moral stances, which tend to be both extreme and firm. But that’s not all that’s going on. It’s hard to manage a principle of eating 40% less meat. If people want to eat less meat, they either eat none at all, or however much they feel like pushed down in a vague fashion with some bad feelings. The middle of the meat eating spectrum is too slippery for a hard line – it’s hard to tell how much you eat and annoying to track it. ‘None’ is salient and verifiable. In other realms intermediate lines are required: your diet can’t cut eating to zero. So often diets are more vague; which makes them harder to keep.
Similarly, it’s easy to commit to doing something every day, or every Sunday, or every month. It’s harder to commit to do a thing 2.7 times per week on average, because it’s awkward to track or remember this ‘habit’.
Compromised positions are often more desirable than extremes, and desired frequencies are unlikely to match memorable periods. So it’s a pity that vague commitments are harder to keep than firm ones. Often people don’t make commitments at all, because the readily available firm ones are too extreme. This is a big loss.
Beeminder helps with making firm commitments to intermediate positions. Since you only ever need to notice if the slope of your data isn’t steep enough, any rate is as easy to use as a goal. You can commit to eating 40% less meat, you just have to estimate once what 40% is, then record any meat you eat. I’ve used Beeminder to journal on average five nights per week. This is better than every night or no night, but would otherwise be annoying to track.
A small threat to overcome tiny temptations
While working, there are various moments when it would be easier to stop than to continue, particularly if you mostly feel the costs and benefits available in the next second or so, and if you assume that you could start again shortly (related). It is in these moments that I tend to stop and get a drink, or look out of the window, or open my browser or whatnot.
Counting short blocks of continuous time working pretty much solves this problem for me. The rule is that if you stop at all the whole block doesn’t count. So at any given moment there might be a tiny short term benefit to stopping for a second, but there is a huge cost to it. In my case this seems to remove stopping as an option, in the same way that a hundred dollar price on a menu item removes it as an option without apparent expense of willpower.
I originally thought it would be good to measure the amount of work I got done, rather than time spent doing it. This is because I want to get work done, not waste time on it. But given that I am working, I strongly prefer to do good work, fast. So there’s not much need for an added incentive there. I just need an incentive to begin, and one to not stop when a particular moment makes stopping look tasty. In Luke’s terminology, this kills impulsiveness.
Less stress
The long term threat of failing to write an essay is converted into a short term pleasure of winning each night at Beeminder. I’m not sure why this seems like a pleasure, rather than a threat of losing, but it does to me. Probably because losing at Beeminder isn’t that unpleasant or shameful. And how could getting points or climbing a scale not seem like winning? (This is about value in Luke’s terms).
More accuracy
It’s harder to maintain planning fallacy, overconfidence, or expectation of perfection in the future, in light of detailed quantitative data, and a definite trend line.
Just the difference between ‘I should do that’, and ‘I should do that, so how much time will it take?… About two hours, so I guess it should get 20 points.. that probably won’t be enough to compel me to do it soon, but that’s ok, it’s not urgent’ seems to change the mindset to one more sensitive to reality.
***
In sum, I think Beeminder partly works well because it causes you to think of your goals in small, concrete parts which can easily be achieved. It also makes achieving the parts more satisfying, and strings them into an addictive chain of just the right challengingness. Finally it lends itself to experimentation with a wide range of measures of success, such as measuring time blocks or ‘points’, at arbitrary rates. The value from innovations there is probably substantial. So, averse as I am to giving lifestyle advice, if you’re curious about the psychology of motivation in humans, or if you want to improve your life a lot, you should probably take a look at Beeminder.
*you can also increase expectancy by measuring something like time rather than progress.
LOL about “slow on the uptake … making habits at all”. For some people, forming habits is the hardest thing of all. I was 25 before I had any consistency about which way the toilet paper roll was installed, whether I slept at the head or foot of the bed (or on the bed at all), and so on.
Personally, I think it’s better for people to understand, apply, and experiment with the motivations behind a generic framework like Beeminder than to adopt a framework. Implementing these processes yourself is not so difficult, and has its rewards.
http://beeminder.com Daniel Reeves
Personally, I (along with Bethany Soule) agree with this so hard that we literally created Beeminder.
Also, holy cow are we in love with Katja Grace right now!
Danny of Beeminder
Paul Crowley
I don’t think I’m Beeminder’s target market; because my money is also Jess’s, I can’t punish myself by spending it without punishing her and I don’t feel able to do that. That said, I have fallen off all three of my Beeminder roads. One was a genuine failure of will; one because I set too ambitious a target; and the last because there was no way for me to deal with disruptions like being ill, being away etc. I would like a tool that allowed me to simply track my progress against a target, with none of the extra anti-akrasia features that Beeminder provides, but Beeminder has a revenue model and such a tool wouldn’t have that…
http://beeminder.com Daniel Reeves
Ooh, allow me to argue, self-interestedly, that this is the wrong way to think of it! You can spend money on, say, a gym membership even though that’s half Jess’s money, right? If Beeminder makes you awesomer then it’s probably Jess-approved.
I think the key (grains of salt ready?) is to think of the money you pay for the occasional derailment as just part of the process of working your way towards god-like awesomeness.
V V
Nice. Thanks for sharing Katja!
Stephen Diamond
You probably feel more compelled to keep going and make it to 80 than you did when you started. In general, once you have successfully done something a string of times, doing it again seems more desirable.
How is this different from the sunk-cost fallacy?
Like the whole behavior- modification/cognitive-behavioral school of psychological thinking, these excessively “near-mode” (http://tinyurl.com/6pt9eq5) approaches ignore the “meta-lessons” their practice instills.
Prediction Your dwelling place will become more cluttered as sunk-cost thinking further infects your being (cf your earlier essay on disorganized collections).
Luke Muehlhauser’s summary, by the way, is woefully obsolete; Luke omitted the two recent gigantic developments relevant to the field: construal-level theory and ego-depletion theory. (http://tinyurl.com/7d2yh6x)
AmagicalFishy
I think sunk-cost thinking would be something along these lines:
– Neglecting information telling you that your current goal is no good because you’ve already invested into it (and don’t want to feel like you’ve wasted resources). In other words, if you continue to invest in a goal solely because you’ve already invested in it—despite information telling you it’s a bad investment—you’re commiting the sunk-cost fallacy.
– Assuming your goal’s probability of success, benefits, etc. are better than they actually are because you’ve already invested in it. In other words, it’s your prior investment that determines your view of your goal’s success—not the information known regardless of your investment.
That is, I believe sunk-cost refers to motivation for investment in a bad goal because of past investment, regardless of information telling you that continued investment is not worth it. It is not dependent on you simply being motivated by some factor. It is dependent on the extent to which your most prominent motivation is based on whether or not the goal is worth reaching (decided by information independent of your investment).
If your goal is to jump rope 80 times, being more motivated to get to 80 when you’re at 70 jumps isn’t sunk-cost. If your goal is to follow the Atkins diet for 30 days and you find out that the Atkins diet is a hoax 25 days in, but continue to follow it because you’re already 25 days in, it *is* sunk-cost.
Beeminder motivates you towards completing your goals, and the closer you get to a goal, the more motivated you are. If you’ve chosen detrimental goals, and are continuing to follow them because of Beeminder—then you’re committing the sunk-cost fallacy. What should ultimately determine your want to complete a goal is whether or not the goal is worth completing. Let’s hope that people using Beeminder are using it to motivate themselves in reaching beneficial goals, where prior information has already told them their investment will be good.
Also, disclaimer: I’m a long time lurker and have little educational background in anything that’d give me insight into various fallacies—my understanding of the sunk-cost fallacy might be… well… fallacious.
Stephen Diamond
It is dependent on the extent to which your most prominent motivation is based on whether or not the goal is worth reaching (decided by information independent of your investment).
The reasoning’s unsoundness doesn’t depend on whether the conclusion is warranted or whether the fallacy is the decisive point in your deliberations. BeeMinder encourages you to leverage sunk-cost thinking for instrumentally rational purposes: treating “sunk costs” as a useful fiction. Since System 1 doesn’t distinguish between useful fictions and truth, this practice is likely to encourage sunk-cost thinking in general, including the many instances where its harmful, except when System 2 intervenes.
What I get from what you’re saying is that, one isn’t necessarily always *commiting* the sunk-cost fallacy by using BeeMinder, but in doing so, one exercises (and thus strengthens) the method of thought that causes the sunk-cost fallacy.
If my interpretation is correct, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to claim that BeeMinder is ultimately detrimental or that it will cause sunk-cost thinking to infect a person’s being. To me, it seems like a legitimate use of System 1’s mechanics. Being motivated by incrimental steps, and more motivated the closer you get to your goal seems no more a promotion of sunk-cost thinking than any method of thought that makes use of System 1 via conscious approval of System 2. (i.e. – When a one immediately assumes people at a NASCAR race enjoy racing, that generalization doesn’t necessarily promote racism. Though both might rely on the “group generalization” method of thought, one is surely more reasonable than the other.)
suzanne
you, katja, are a wonderful addition to overcoming bias. i always look forward to reading your stuff–(and certainly appreciate the warning ahead of time when something is going to get “technical”)–because your thoughts are interesting at intellectual AND practical levels, seem well grounded in theory, and are fabulously amusing to read. your style! i really dig your style. thanks for making me smile. with your style. (now i’m betting i’m scaring you.)
I’m growing a beard. There are days when it looks bad (or when I’m inclined to think that it does), there are days when it itches, there are infinite chances to “break the chain,” which in this case is a literal, physical thing that grows with time and that starts from zero when you “fail”
You would think the idea of NOT shaving each day would be an easier habit than actively doing a thing each day, but in terms of being the opppsite of “impulsiveness,” it’s not really different. |
The Wi-Fi monitors all have lower EMF readings than the dedicated options with the lowest average EMF readings being 0.87 for the LeFun C2 720P Wi-Fi and 0.92 for the Nest Cam Indoor Wi-Fi with the reader 6 ft from the camera. The lowest average value for the dedicated monitors at 6 ft is 1.89 for the Infant Optics DXR-8 and 1.91 for the Philips Avent SCD630.
The Nest Cam Indoor Wi-Fi camera is a cool Wi-Fi camera that pairs with your personal device like a smartphone or tablet. This easy to use camera has amazing video, can be viewed anywhere you have a connection and has several useful features. The Nest Cam is good for baby watching, but it can also be used as a nanny cam or for security after your little one is older. We love that the Nest Cam has a reasonable price and can be used for many years to come retaining its value long after the standard monitoring device is no longer useful.
Baby's exposure could potentially be even lower if parents place the camera on a wall at least 15 feet from baby (a distance still good for night vision to work properly with most monitors). Given the sensitivity of baby's developing systems we recommend placing the monitor as far away from the baby as possible while still being able to utilize the night vision as intended and see baby's face to determine if they are awake or sleeping at a glance. For most of the products, this distance is between 10-15 feet from the baby.
Ease of setup and installation factored heavily into our ratings, including whether an account needed to be created and if there were any extra subscription fees necessary. Each unit had cords protruding out of its back, so design wasn't much of a factor in my choice, though parents should take care to keep dangling cords and wires away from their children's reach when setting up a monitor.
Video, Audio, or Both: First-time parents are suckers for high-definition, night-vision baby monitors where they can pick up on exactly how their child’s chest is rising and falling. You will do this dozens of times a night. Past the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome-scare age, you may just want an audio baby monitor (which a lot of video ones double as), because you’ll know an “I’m hungry” cry from an “I lost my sock” whine.
The iBaby M6 Wi-Fi is a Wi-Fi camera designed with nurseries in mind, something not true of the Nest Cam. This camera is easy to use, works with your internet for connectivity anywhere and has features that are baby-centric. The iBaby tied with the Nest Cam Indoor Wi-Fi in our review, but the iBaby is a better option for parents who want a camera designed for watching a baby. The iBaby includes sensors for temperature, humidity, and air-quality (things to watch when setting up best sleep practices). It has different lullabies included, and you can add your own songs, voice, or stories with minimal effort. This option has an intuitive interface and works well on your personal device with continual use even while running other apps. You can even take pictures or video of your little one in action or peacefully dreaming. You get all of this with a list price below the Nest Cam making it a good choice for parents who want a Wi-Fi option but are less concerned with longevity.
The LeFun camera connects to your WiFi, and you use the associated app to watch real-time footage in 750-pixel high definition. Because the product uses WiFi to transmit video, you don’t need to worry about walls obstructing the signal. The camera can pan an impressive 350 degrees and tilt 100 degrees, and it also has night vision that many reviewers say works well.
Video products for monitoring baby is a growing industry, and it feels like every company is jumping on the bandwagon and throwing something into the already overflowing market of monitors. This plethora of products can make sorting through products difficult and attempts to narrow the field daunting. Luckily, we have already done the legwork by doing an initial review of the top products and choosing 9 of the most popular and well-rated options to test and compare. After months of hands-on testing, we feel confident that no matter what you might be looking for in a video product for monitoring baby, that you can find it in one of our award winners or the top-ranked products in this review.
The longest battery life for the dedicated products in our review is the Levana Lila, which ran for 12.75 hours in full use mode. The manufacturer claims this unit will work up to 72 hours in power saving mode, but we only tested the monitors in full use. The Infant Optics DXR-8 came in second place with a shorter run time of closer to 11.5 hours. The Motorola MBP36S earned the lowest score for battery life with a runtime just under 7 hours. While not necessarily a deal breaker, there are plenty of other reasons to dislike the Motorola MBP36S, and the battery life is just a small part of a disappointing overall picture (no pun intended).
Still need help? We understand! There’s a lot to choose from, and given that the baby monitor performs a super important job, we want to help you select the one that provides the ultimate peace of mind when it comes to baby’s safety and security. We’ve rounded up 10 of the best baby monitors on the market, from high-end, do-it-all monitors to affordable but effective audio monitors and everything in between. You’re sure to find your digital nap companion on our list!
If you sleep in the same room as your baby or live in a small enough space that you can always hear or see what your baby is up to, you probably don’t need a monitor. Otherwise, most parents enjoy the convenience a baby monitor provides—instead of needing to stay close to the nursery or constantly checking on your child, you’re free to rest, catch up on Netflix or get things done around the house during naptime. Monitors can also double as a nanny cam to keep an eye on your child and their caretaker. |
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The Population Growth Rate In India Essay
, Research Paper The Population Growth Rate in India For many years concern has been voiced over the seemingly unchecked rate of population growth in India, but the most recent indications are that some
, Research Paper
The Population Growth Rate in India
For many years concern has been voiced over the seemingly unchecked rate
of population growth in India, but the most recent indications are that some
success is being achieved in slowing the rate of population growth. The
progress which has been achieved to date is still only of a modest nature and
should not serve as premature cause for complacency. Moreover, a slowing of the
rate of population growth is not incompatible with a dangerous population
increase in a country like India which has so huge a population base to begin
with. Nevertheless, the most recent signs do offer some occasion for adopting a
certain degree of cautious optimism in regard to the problem.
One important factor which is responsible for viewing the future with
more optimism than may previously have been the case has been the increase in
the size of the middle class, a tendency which has been promoted by the current
tendency to ease restrictions on entrepreneurship and private investment. It is
a well-known fact that as persons become more prosperous and better educated
they begin to undertake measures designed to eliminate the size of their
families. (The obvious exception would be families like the Kennedys who
adhere to religious strictures against artificial birth control, but the major
Indian religions have traditionally lacked such strictures.) Ironically, the
state of Kerala which had long had a Communist-led government had for many years
represented a population planning model because of its implementation of
programs fostering education and the emancipation of women. The success of such
programs has indicated that even the poorer classes can be induced to think in
terms of population control and family planning through education, but increased
affluence correspondingly increases the pressure for the limitation of family
size, for parents who enjoy good life want to pass it on to their children under
circumstances where there will be enough to go around. In contrast, under
conditions of severe impoverishment there is not only likely to be lack of
knowledge of family planning or access to modes of birth control, but children
themselves are likely to be viewed as an asset. Or, perhaps one might more
accurately say with regard to India, sons are viewed as an asset. We will have
more to say later about the relationship between gender and population growth,
but here we may make the obvious point that if a family seeks sons it may also
have to bring into the world some “unwanted” daughters, thereby furthering the
trend towards large families. Under conditions of severe impoverishment,
attended as it has traditionally been by high childhood mortality rates, “it has
estimated for India that in order to have a 95 per cent probability of raising a
son to adulthood, the couple had to have at least six children.”
In general, direct efforts on the part of government to promote family
planning have had only limited success in India. In large part this has been
due to the factors which have traditionally operated in Indian culture and
society to promote large families, of which more will be said later. Here,
however, it might be noted that the most common family planning modes have
proven difficult to implement under Indian conditions. Where government efforts
are concerned, “for mass consumption only three methods are…advocated:
sterilization (vasectomy for fathers and tubectomy for mothers), IUDs and
condoms.” Sterilization has traditionally met with strong resistance among
uneducated sectors of the population who associate it with loss of virility or
feminimity, and, often being irrevocable, it has been a source of understandable
concern in a society where couples who may already have several children risk
losing some or all of them as a result of such factors as epidemics earthquakes
or floods. Resistance to sterilization has traditionally been strongest among
men, Chandrasekhar suggesting that the prevalence of tubectomies as opposed to |
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Home »Vendors that grant vendor credit and report to the business credit bureaus
Vendors that grant vendor credit and report to the business credit bureaus
You will have the following information on each vendor: the services they provide, who they report to, the terms, the application form and contact information.
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You will know which “starter vendors” are recommended for a new business and which vendors your business will need to approach later, after a business credit profile has been developed.
Below is a summary of the reporting vendors you have selected to apply with.
This summary also appears on your Dashboard. Remember, the goal here is to obtain at least 5 vendor credit lines that will report your Net payment history to the business credit agencies. Now it’s time to simply open accounts to place your first “orders” and then make your first payments at least 5 – 10 days early.
Begin With The Starter Vendors!
The vendor process needs to go in stages and the first stage should definitely be with the Starter Vendors. This includes any vendors you may have opened accounts with throughout Steps 1 and 2 as well. Just make sure you begin with at least three (3) Starter Vendors.
You’ll need to verify that your first payments for products or services with the Starter Vendors show up on your business credit reports before applying with any other vendors in Step 4.
This credit usage will eventually lead to strong business credit scores which, in turn, will allow you to open credit lines with almost any vendor who extends credit terms.
So with at least five (5) Net-Terms accounts as our goal, you may have to apply with seven (7) or eight (8) vendors to get the 5 to 6 reporting vendor tradelines you need.
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7 Steps to Our Ultimate Business Credit Building System:
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What type of business credit funding will I receive for my business? Cash or vendor lines?
Service Description: Reliable Office Supplies, the small business division of Office Max, has over 30,000 items available, and offers exclusive discounts and Five Star Guaranteed service. Premier program members will enjoy and column pricing on all order and access to a full line of office products, technology, furniture, paper, janitorial and break-room supplies and much more.
Reports to: D&B, Experian, Equifax (Reports after 30days)
Getting Approved: 1) Go to https://www.reliable.com/profile/loginOrRegistration.jsp?clickLink=myAccount and create an online account. 2) Purchase your item(s). 3) Once the item(s) has been purchased you will fill a credit application and a credit review will be performed. 4) Depending on what comes back from the credit review, you will be contacted and given options on what you are qualified for.
Payment Terms: Net 30
Application: Once you place your order you will receive a credit application.
Other Information: The approval process takes between 1-5 minutes. In some cases the application may need further review. If your application is approved you will receive your credit card in the mail between 7-10 business days (2 weeks). If you are not approved you will receive a letter in the mail informing you on the reasons. |
If you haven't been paying attention to what Phillies left fielder Domonic Brown has been doing this season, now is the time to start. In the first inning of yesterday's game against the Brewers, Brown hit the absolute bejesus out of a Mike Fiers pitch, depositing the ball into the second deck in right field. That was Brown's 16th homer of the season—good for the National League lead—and his eighth in the last nine games. But what's even more impressive than the sheer number of homers that Brown has been hitting lately is the way in which he's been hitting them.
First, there's that gorgeous swing of his, a classic left-handed pull-hitter's swing that is equally graceful and violent. It's the kind of swing that's designed to wrap moonshots around the right-field foul pole. It's the kind of swing that makes people wonder at how hitting a home run can possibly look so easy and effortless.
And then there's Brown's approach at the plate, which includes a whole lot of swinging for the fences and not much else. Brown has drawn only 11 walks on the season, and he finished the month of May with 12 home runs and zero walks. According to Baseball Reference, he is the first player in history to hit more than eight home runs while drawing zero walks in a single month.
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That low walk rate may prove problematic for Brown's chances at maintaining this high level of play throughout the season, but it's also part of what has made his recent hot streak so much fun to watch. There will always be something alluring about a player who refuses to be bashful about his desire to put every pitch he sees into the seats. Smart baseball fans understand the importance of working pitch counts and a high on-base percentage, but deep down we all just want to see someone hit the shit out of a baseball, and Brown has more than sated that desire.
Brown's power surge is a surprising one as well, as he never showed any hint that he could hit for this kind of power in his minor league career or during his brief stints in the majors. But Brown and his teammates point to a classic mechanical tweak as the impetus behind his newfound power stroke: a shortened swing. From Philly.com:
A former high school wide receiver offered a scholarship to play at the University of Miami, Brown arrived in the big leagues with long arms, and with it, a long swing. It worked for him in the minor leagues.
"I would get away with it," Brown said, "because pitchers don't have that much movement. Up here, you have to shorten your swing up."
Utley, who lockers a few stalls away from Brown and studies film regularly, has seen the difference in his fellow lefthander's stroke.
"It's noticeable," Utley said. "I think he's in more control than he has been in the past. He's made some adjustments in his stance, where his hands are, and that's probably allowed him to be a little quicker to the baseball, shorter to the baseball. You guys are seeing the results."
Or maybe Brown is hitting simply because he's finally been given some consistent playing time. For years, Brown was regarded as one of the top prospects in baseball, but his hype was at an all-time low coming into this season thanks to the Phillies' willingness to yo-yo him between the big leagues and Triple A for three seasons, never giving him a real shot to prove himself. But now, at long last, Domonic Brown has arrived. And thank god for that, because now we get to watch him do stuff like this: |
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Sep 13, 2018
Serena Williams may have succeeded in spinning the tantrum she displayed in US Open final into a Woman's Rights Issue. But despite her fans and supporters clamoring, one cannot deny the fact that her conduct in this incident both on the field and off the field has been a disgrace to the 'Great Champion' she actually is!
Usually I don't write about anything other than Football in this Blog. Most of the articles will be related to FC Barcelona or at the least related to Football. But I felt a deep urge to write about the recent controversy surrounding Serena Williams about her actions in this year's US Open Final. Many of her fans and supporters have felt that the referee, Carlos Ramos have wronged Serena Williams and took from her the chance to script another memorable come-back triumph.
Serena Williams smartly played the 'Gender' and the 'Mother' card around the issue, and that too immediately. Such a characterization of the issue meant that, those who wanted to speak against her were literally are afraid of being termed a 'Racist'. Which means a host of Greats and Big names in sports have already backed Serena Williams in the entire episode. The Women's Tennis Association and the US Tennis Association both have backed Serena without looking at the merit of the case; one has to wonder what did the referee did wrong in their eyes?
Serena Williams Played the 'Gender' card immediately; and that was a Serious Low
When something is pitched as a gender bias issue, it is very difficult to challenge the same. Anyone who questions those arguments immediately will be named and shamed as 'Anti-Feminist'. Only a Woman can question this, but not a single female player or female commentator came forward to question Serena's actions.
And to make matters worse, she is an African-American Woman. If you muster the courage to question her, that card will be played immediately and many already have felt the impact of the same. So it was encouraging to see African-American commentator Stephen A Smith calling 'A Spade a Spade'. He described Serena's behaviour as totally wrong and how she lost the argument the moment she played the 'Gender' card. Everyone should watch him.
Like Stephen said it was Cheap for her to play the 'Gender' card and also she didn't stop at it also; she immediately brought the 'Mother' card. I still is trying to understand why she did that. What will her months old child understand about any of these. If she is worried like later when her kids see this, her stature will be lowered in front of her own kids; then she should be more worried about what she did before she entered motherhood. She was not a saint in terms of on-field behaviour earlier in her career.
Let's be clear, Serena played the 'Mother' card as a calculated offense against Ramos. A normal individual would have immediately caught off-guard and would have walked back. But then Ramos being Ramos, stuck it back. Many Women players have completely bowled over by the 'Women' card she played. It was pathetic to see a legend like Billie Jean King getting hysterical about it.
Serena Was Completely Wrong and Carlos Ramos was absolutely Correct
What Serena did was totally wrong and Ramos actions were simply justified. The way she played the 'Gender' card saw people like King side with her without any justification. Let's analyse what happened - first she was given a Warning for Coaching. She immediately, started the verbal volley. She immediately sets off at the referee saying "I have never cheated in my life, I’d rather lose than cheat.You owe me an apology". Her own coach have confirmed later that he was Coaching but added a caviar that she may not have seen it. Obviously when you are caught on Camera, you need to come up with a smart alibi.
Then she played a poor game and allowed her opponent to comeback. Such was the frustration that she threw her racket on the ground and received a point violation. Totally justified. Instead of accepting the same and continuing she suffered an epic meltdown. She simply went after the referee calling him a thief and liar. So when it continued he gave her teh third penalty, which was as per the rule and game penalty.
Carlos Ramos played his part as per the book, he gave her the warning which was justified; she simply went nuts after that. It looks like the 'Greatest of All Time' debate have gone to her head and she simply behaved as if she owns the court. It is comical to read what she said to Ramos - "You are a liar. You will never be on a court of mine as long as you live. When are you going to give me my apology? Say you are sorry". She had the audacity to rule that he will never judge a single match of hers. Unbelievable!
Legends like King, instead of seeing the entire episode through an unbiased lens, immediately spun it into a Women Rights issue. But like Stephen points out in the video above, Ramos have been clearly this harsh with Men also. He pointed out how Nadal and Djokovic both were at receiving end of similar events. But they were smart enough not to let it affect their game. Something Serena couldn't do through the entire episode.
Men are allowed to Cheat, so Should We also argument is so Cheap!
The Women players and legends who jumped in to Serena's defense all took the familar defense - 'men are allowed, so should we'. That argument in itself is pretty poor. That's not how you fight a Rights issue. They should have simply asked that all the referees follow the same standard. Instead the moment they played 'Men Cheat' argument, the entire crux of their argument fell down. Then when people like Stephen clearly demonstrates how Ramos have ruled similarly in Mens game also, that too against big Champions; their entire argument simply meltdown like Serena's composure in the game.
Amidst of all the fury the best tweet came from Stuart Fraser, the Tennis Correspondent.
Carlos Ramos one of the few umpires not afraid to call a rules violation against the top players when it is due. It is his colleagues who are letting him down with their inaction, which then leads to situations like this in which players feel they are receiving unfair treatment. https://t.co/SuoNAnXoVG
That should the action plan for Tennis association to take forward. If someone show the courage to make a call which is as per the book, you should encourage others also to do the same. But instead the WTA and USTA both set up the wrong example. By backing Serena Willams in her unfair actions, they simply put rubber stamp to tens and hundreds of similar event that's going to happen later. Now everyone knows how to get back at the referee, play the appropriate cards - sometimes it would be Gender, then we have , Race, Caste, Color, nationality. Just wait for it all to unfurl.
The biggest repercussion at least for now would be coming from the referees. The latest news is suggesting that they will be forming a Union because of the treatment melted out by Associations against Ramos. And there are reports of them considering not officiating Serena's matches in future. Now WTA will have another head-ache in their hand to deal with.
In the end when the dust settles, Serena Williams will definitely regret her actions and how that lowered her own reputation. And if a confrontation occurs between the referees and WTA, she will be remembered solely for that. By bringing cheap arguments, she downgraded those huge rights issue fight people are waging across the globe. Her fight has nothing to do with 'Being a Women' or 'Being a Mother'; it was more to do with her own sense of 'Being Privileged'.
Obviously we should encourage referees in being as tough as Ramos is. Especially in Men's game. There are too many characters who simply take things to the limit. If Ramos like characters officiates every match, we will have better control in Men's game. That will at least clear the perceived unfairness. In Men's tour currently there are characters who could get at least 3-4 game violation per match and there are those who could get that in every game!
And for those who bemoans that Ramos stole from them a great spectacle; it's a nonsensical argument. To produce a great match is the responsibility of the Players not the referees. His job is to ensure that there is a level playing field as defined by the books. We have heard this argument before also. In Arsenal vs Barca Champions League football final, we heard many complaining how Lehman's departure destroyed the final. But then Lehman should have know about the repercussions of his actions that day. It's not the referees job to cover your stupid mistakes! |
The unequal familiarity of fandom
The unequal familiarity of fandom
Because I’m writing three (THREE) books right now, I literally don’t have time to read. Since I don’t know that I can live without mainlining words to my brain, I’ve been listening to audiobooks and just recently, podcasts. SF Squeecast, in particular. The content is great and it’s tons of fun to listen to SFF professionals talking about things they love and how those things are created.
It struck me, though, how entirely unequal the experience is. After listening to several episodes, I could tell you about Elizabeth Bear’s dog and how Seanan McGuire insists that Thomas, her enormous Maine Coon cat, will someday ride the giant ridiculous dog to world domination. I can tell you that Catherynne Valente has been dealing with miserable carpal tunnel. Paul Cornell has an infant son. Lynne Thomas has an unshakeable love for Doctor Who, which she calls a lifestyle.
Listening in to friends talk like this means that I know a lot more about them than they could possibly know about me. It starts to feel like I know them, the actual human beings, not just the public personae. It’s almost like they’re my friends – or more appropriately, that I’m their friend and they just don’t know it yet.
I bet this sort of blurred line leads to some bizarre and awkward conversations at conventions.
Anyway, away from my musing and on to my reporting!
Currently on submission:
“The Smell of Fall”, a gaslamp zombie story. If this doesn’t sell, I’ll likely sell it via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) within the next couple of months. (FINISHED)
Expected to release this year:
Untitled collection of short stories in the world of Eye of the Storm, via KDP (some hard copies for Kickstarter backers) (50% done) |
Teaching German
Africa
Algeria's fear of its southern neighbors
Islamists in Algeria took foreign hostages and demanded an end to French intervention in Mali - and the whole world stopped to watch. DW looks at how the recent hostage taking is connected to the conflict in Mali.
In recent years, Algeria has been ignored by the media, forgotten by tourists and neglected by Western leaders. A former French colony that is one of Africa's largest countries by area, Algeria has been a political dwarf on the international stage - until now. A group of radical Islamists last week attacked a gas field in eastern Algeria, taking foreign workers as hostages. Suddenly, Algeria was in the media, and the whole world was watching - surprised, shocked and confused - as the hostage crisis unfolded. At least 37 foreigners died after authorities carried out what has now become a controversial raid.
Algeria's civil war and its consequences
The links between the hostage crisis in Algeria and the conflict in neighboring Mali run deep, in part due to the former's history. In 1988, young Algerians blocked streets in the whole country to demand democratic reforms and an opening of their restrictive society.
"The Arab Spring essentially began in Algeria more than 20 years ago. They were the first to incite a massive uprising," says Asiem El-Difrauoui, Middle East expert and author of the book,"The Jihad of Images." This led to a process of cautious opening.
An armored vehicle in front of government buildings during the civil war in 1992
But when the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS), swept local elections in the early 1990s, the government moved to curtail its takeover. This led to a decade-long civil war between the armed FIS and the country's military.
The role of the military
The military was able to consolidate its dominant position and the Islamists were pushed to the periphery.
"The violent and armed jihadi groups regrouped several times. Some moved toward the Sahara, where they formed alliances with terrorist movements from Mauretania, Mali and the Sahel region," says Rachin Ouaissa from the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies (CNMS) at the University of Marburg in Germany.
Rachin Ouaissa from the Center for Near and Middle Eastern Studies
"The problem that we have with the terrorists today goes back to the Algerian civil war [of the 1990s]," says Werner Ruf, another Africa expert and professor at the University of Kassel.
"At the time, the military helped support and build other Islamist armed groups, in part, in its fight against the FIS," Ruf said.
The goal of the army was to spread the terror of these groups to make all Islamists unpopular in the country. The terrorist acts of these Islamist networks were supposed to cover the atrocities, torture and mass murder of the Algerian army on the people, Ruf explains. Up to 200,000 people were killed in the country's brutal civil war.
Algeria's Jihadists in Mali
In the end, the army managed to defeat the Islamists and push them from the major cities, but it did not destroy them, says Algerian expert Rachin Ouaissa. Several groups that were ready to be violent sprung up, taking advantage of the weak structures and massive uninhabited areas in the Sahel, on the border with Mali. That's where they hid themselves and built networks with similar groups around the world. Their countries of origin played a secondary role. What matters for Jihadists is their ideology.
"[In the hostage taking], you had attackers of 8 nationalities; one was Tunisian, others were from Niger, Egypt; apparently there was one from Canada," Williams Lawrence, a North Africa expert at the International Crisis Group (ICG), told DW.
William Lawrence, International Crisis Group (ICG) Africa expert
The demands of the kidnappers were clearly linked to the conflict in Mali. When the attackers said that the reason for their attack was the situation in Mali, they managed to grab the attention of the public, Lawrence said.
Fear of Jihad
Lawrence is skeptical of the intervention in Mali and asks where the Jihadists are likely to go if pushed out of the northern part of the country. Back to Algeria where most of them come from, when it had managed to push them to the south? What is really needed is a more profound strategy to fight radical Islam on the continent.
Lawrence doesn't believe that the Islamists present a threat to Algeria's political stability. The Islamist parties didn't do well in the country's last elections. The military is still very present in the country, as the bloody end of the recent hostage taking at the gas field showed. |
CD Reviews
Pretentious but interesting
Stephen F Mulcahy | United States | 10/29/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"in my opinion the best of the bosstown sound albums was earth opera's debut which for some reason elektra refuses to put out on cd it seems. the 1st beacon street union album and the first 2 ultimate spinach records are not far behind. its pretentious but intriguing. john lincoln wright is still active in the boston area fronting country bands. the 1st album is as an earlier reviewer said pretty straight ahead rock with touches of blues and r &b here and there. there are some psychedelic flashes and tones however. those expecting some kind of major musical freakout will probably be disappointed, but paul tartachny was a quite talented guitarist, and you'll find some impressive runs on the 1st album. just about every track on the eyes of the beacon street union is solid. the 2nd album is more hit or miss, but the title track and angus of aberdeen are first rate. the former is a somewhat jazzy piece with oblique dylanesque lyrics and the latter features some of tartachny's best guitar work. another excellent song is now i taste the tears which is kind of reminiscent of the rolling stones to some degree, its an r &b type of tune with some fine vocalizing by wright. this is worth picking up if you are a fan of the era or interested in the bosstown sound."
GREAT PSYCHEDELIA
Stephen F Mulcahy | 08/09/1999
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Unfortunately I couldn't give any review of "Clown Died..." as I only have heard "The Eyes Of...", which I have in my own vinyl-collection. So I stick to "The Eyes Of The Beacon Street Union" and this is an effort of several fine psychedelic rock numbers ("My Love Is", Blue Avenue" and "Green Destroys The Gold"), great eastern-tinged psychedelia in the "raga- rock" mould ("Mystic Mourning") and nice heavy psych ""Sadie Sad No"). Also of note is "Speed Kills" which is sort of imaginative "pop- sike". You'll also find a bluesnumber, one weird instrumental, a bit humoresque rock`n`roll ("Beautiful Delilah", pass this one!) and two more songs in the psych-vein. Fine psychedelic guitarwork throughout. Recommended !!" |
Professor Gregory S. McNeal, JD/PhD, is an Associate Professor of Law and Public Policy at Pepperdine University. He is an expert on drones and topics related to security, technology and crime. He is a nationally recognized commentator and a frequent keynote speaker about technology, law and policy.
Is Affluenza Real? Ask Senator Elizabeth Warren And Other Experts
A 16 year old who killed four people while driving drunk after stealing alcohol from WalMart was sentenced to probation after his defense team argued he suffered from “affluenza” a malady that affects people who come from affluent families.
Is affluenza real? To answer that question I decided to research the term, and I found quite a few references to it in legal literature. The consistent theme in the literature is that affluenza is not a disorder per se, but rather a term used to describe rampant consumerism or materialism (although some authors referred to it as a “disease” or “malady” with quotes to indicate skepticism about the technical nature of the term). It’s also fascinating to note that most references to the term come from tax lawyers and estate planners.
The most prominent author citing the concept of “affluenza” was none other than U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren. In a 2004 article in the Washington University Law Review, then Professor Warren noted (internal citations omitted):
Economist Robert Frank claims that America’s newfound “luxury fever” forces middle-class families “to finance their consumption increases largely by reduced savings and increased debt.” Documentary filmmaker John de Graaf and Duke Economics Professor Thomas Naylor explain in Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic, “It’s as if we Americans, despite our intentions, suffer from some kind of Willpower Deficiency Syndrome, a breakdown in affluenza immunity.” They assert that Americans have a new character flaw–“the urge to splurge.” Economist Juliet Schor echoes the theme, explaining that American families are buying “designer clothes, a microwave, restaurant meals, home and automobile air conditioning, and, of course, Michael Jordan’s ubiquitous athletic shoes, about which children and adults both display near-obsession.”
Warren seems skeptical about the concept of affluenza, and consistent with her other writings believes that “affluenza” and rampant spending myths are barriers to regulation of the financial industry. She concludes, “So long as Americans can be persuaded that families in financial trouble have only themselves to blame, there will be no demand to change anything. In order to get on with the difficult business of making America once again safe for middle class families, the Over-Consumption Myth must be laid to rest for good.”
Paul Comstock, a noted author in the field of private foundations, coined the phrase: “Affluenza” for a malady common to children of affluent families. This Affluenza is characterized by one or more of the following symptoms: distorted view of money; lack of connection between work and reward; lack of self-discipline; lack of motivation; guilt; low self esteem; and feelings of incompetence.
Merrill Lynch, in particular, would have its customers believe that trusts, with their perceived magic powers, are capable of curing “affluenza.” Affluenza is a “disease” that strikes when the earned millions of middle-class parents turn good bourgeois children into wastrels.
A PBS special that aired in 1997, entitled “Escape from Affluenza” described the phenomenon as a “consumer chase” and “an epidemic of stress, waste, overconsumption and environmental decay.”
Daniel Farber, a law professor at Berkeley wrote in a Vanderbilt Law Review article
Jessie H. O’Neill, a psychotherapist, defines affluenza as: The collective addictions, character flaws, psychological wounds, neuroses, and behavioral disorders caused or exacerbated by the presence of, or desire for money/wealth . . . . In individuals, it takes the form of a dysfunctional or unhealthy relationship with money, regardless of one’s socio-economic level. It manifests as behaviors resulting from a preoccupation with–or imbalance around–the money in our lives.
Children of affluent families are prone to a malady that some have referred to as “affluenza.” [citing Paul Comstock] It has been noted that this condition is characterized by one or more of the following symptoms:
Too much unearned income can have a negative impact on productivity. Some studies suggest that individuals who inherit large sums of money are more likely to leave the labor force. Psychological costs, such as substance abuse, anxiety, and depression, also are associated with being a child of wealthy parents. Receiving large unconditional bequests could compound these psychological costs. “Affluenza,” a term “coined to describe an epidemic of over-consumption and its often negative effects on children-alienation, laziness, arrogance and low self esteem,” is not merely a hypothetical problem.
All told, the bulk of the legal literature referencing affluenza does so as a means to provide guidance to financial planners and others when dealing with trusts, inheritance and other transfers of wealth.
Gregory S. McNeal is a professor specializing in law and public policy. You can follow him on Twitter @GregoryMcNeal.
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Q:
how to group dictionaries using itemgetter
I have a list of dictionaries like this:
students = [
{'name': 'alex','class': 'A'},
{'name': 'richard','class': 'A'},
{'name': 'john','class': 'C'},
{'name': 'harry','class': 'B'},
{'name': 'rudolf','class': 'B'},
{'name': 'charlie','class': 'E'},
{'name': 'budi','class': 'C'},
{'name': 'gabriel','class': 'B'},
{'name': 'dessy', 'class': 'B'}
]
I would like to group these dictionaries by class, append them to a list and append each list to a list:
[[{'name': 'alex', 'class': 'A'},
{'name': 'richard', 'class': 'A'}],
[{'name': 'harry', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'rudolf', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'gabriel', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'dessy', 'class': 'B'}],
[{'name': 'john', 'class': 'C'},
{'name': 'budi', 'class': 'C'}],
[{'name': 'charlie', 'class': 'E'}]]
I know how to sort the previous list, using itemgetter:
import itertools
from operator import itemgetter
students = sorted(students, key=itemgetter('class'))
How can I group-append them in a list and create a list of lists? Also, would using sets be better in this case (order would not matter, as long as the dictionaries are grouped by class).
A:
You can do it with defaultdict
from collections import defaultdict
res = defaultdict(list)
for i in students:
res[i['class']].append(i)
print(list(res.values()))
Output
[[{'name': 'alex', 'class': 'A'}, {'name': 'richard', 'class': 'A'}],
[{'name': 'john', 'class': 'C'}, {'name': 'budi', 'class': 'C'}],
[{'name': 'harry', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'rudolf', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'gabriel', 'class': 'B'},
{'name': 'dessy', 'class': 'B'}],
[{'name': 'charlie', 'class': 'E'}]]
|
Long story I used to have one of the original Subdecay Echoboxes, actually before that I had an EHX Memory Man. When the pedal (and all of its neighbors) were stolen out of my car, I replaced it with the newer version. What they had done was class up the box, make it more subtle, less pushy, more like the MXR Carbon Copy. It creates echos that tend to want to space themselves behind your clean signal, the gain structure is pretty polite, kind of an extended echo working like a reverb pedal (to my shoegazey ears) in that it adds dimension without taking over. You have to really jack the dials to get it to oscillate, or make any kind of mess. It's a handy pedal, but I sometimes need broader, more psychedelic strokes.
Short story who knows of a delay pedal that tends to make big clouds of echo, and can slip into analogy (don't really care if it's actual or digital) smear, oscillation, and semi-controllable noise when coaxed. I need a dangerous delay.
dod fx 96. my favorite analog delay ever. they stretched one BBD chip to unheard of lengths, when you max out the delay (and pot inside for more time) it gets wacky and wierd. also has a "tape effect" which is just a LPF which is cool cause it kinda modulates and gives funky tones to the repeats. cheap as hell, super underrated, i probably just ruined them by mentioning them here, now radiohead or some bullshit will be using them and they'll be at klon centaur prices. damnit.
I used to have that Boss/Roland Space Echo pedal, the RE-20 I believe. Lots o' fun. Read up on the "twist" function.
Sold that years ago though; now I very much enjoy the Minifooger delay. Expression pedal input and a dip switch inside to make it control either rate or feedback. Plus they threw in a distortion circuit just for kicks!
I recently picked up the Deluxe Memory Boy. It has expression, tap tempo, a pretty strong delay mix (blend), and the ability to choose dotted 8th notes, etc. ("tap divide"). It can oscillate like Superballs inna blender.
Point of fact, I bought the regular Memory Boy because my need was for something simpler, and the MB does chorus and vibrato.
Delay Llama Plus. I somehow got an early prototype on ebay for very cheap - I wouldn't have spent anywhere near the going rate on it at the time, but now if my pedalboard was stolen it'd be the very first thing I'd replace. Sound-wise it's a perfect mix of the old DM2/obscure Japanese smear-y, blurry analog delay and the kind of dirtier, starker original DMM. And personally, unless I'm doing something that stacks delays on top of reverbs on top of delays, I only use analog delays - I find they don't clutter the signal in the same way that digital delays do. It's the only thing I've ever been an analog purist about. I've played plenty of digital delays that are great analog sims tonally, but they always feel clutter-y when I play them. Because of its lack of clutter (to me), the hold button on the Delay Llama+ doesn't behave the way a hold on a digital delay ever could - you can get a swirling crazy mess going and still play *with* it and not *against* it if you want to. If that makes sense.
"I don't need time, I need a deadline." -Duke Ellington
"I liked the holes in it as much as I liked what was in them." -Tom Waits
Try the Danelectro Wasabi Forward-Reverse delay if you can. I haven't pushed it into oscillation, so I don't know about that side of it, but the tone is fantastic. I used to have a Boss DM2 and that was great, but the Wasabi actually improves the tone of the guitar. It's also the best reverse delay out there, and allows you to have the mix 100% wet, which is kind of the whole point of reverse delay, IMO. The cheap Dano delays, like FAB echo, can be modded to do all kinds of crazy self-oscillation. I think essentially the same mods can be applied to just about any delay. I think most of them use the same main chip (PTsomethingorother) anyway.
The Behringer Vintage Delay is a DM2 clone; it's cheap and sounds a lot like the original. A change of a pot value or two could get you what you're after, possibly.
get a hammered sound from guitar or bass! http://www.stringhammer.com
hand-made version to raise money for manufacturing... kind of like kickstarter, but you get a fully functional item now
Whoa, that box is crazy, and that commercial is hilarious. I don't know that I'd ever use anything that complicated, but it's cool to see. Just when I think we've reached peak stompbox market I find more, and more unique boxes.
Been through the gamut of delays, too many to mention. Still own a lot of them, but mostly I get bored and move on. (I keep a SD Vapor Trail for analog cuz I haven't found better.) Just (finally) got a Boss RE-20 and it is the most fun I've had with a delay in decades - it seems to be the one that is most like playing an instrument. Just the right amount of controls plus a certain amount of pixie dust. |
Denver Hotels
The Four Seasons' central location, attentive staff, and ultra-luxurious rooms make it one of Denver's top hotels. It offers all the features you'd expect from a property of this caliber: a year-round, heated outdoor pool, large fitness center, and upscale spa. The decor blends the sleek sophistication…
This 110-room luxury boutique, located in a historic building across the street from the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, has sophisticated (if smallish) rooms, a locally-inspired restaurant, a grand marble lobby, and theatrical costumes displayed on the walls. But it lacks some amenities you'll…
The Oxford is one of Denver's most notable historic hotels, ideally located in the lively LoDo neighborhood and in close proximity to area hot spots. Many of the 80 individually decorated rooms include luxe touches like claw-foot bathtubs, pillow-top mattresses, or bath butler service. Modern updates…
The Warwick Denver’s 219 rooms are large and bright, with flat-screen TVs and balconies. The hotel is located on the southwestern outskirts of downtown, on a grassy, tree-lined street that's still just within walking distance of major attractions. It offers a rooftop pool (a Denver rarity), but unlike…
This upscale boutique delivers all the fundamentals of the Kimpton chain: bright, quirky decor, a free nightly wine hour, and an open-arms pet policy. The day spa is recognized as one of the best in Denver, and rooms are stylish, with 37-inch flat-screen TVs. But bathrooms are a bit run-of-the-mill by…
The 202-room, sophisticated luxury property has a prime downtown location, upscale rooms that are the largest in Denver, and a popular steakhouse. The large spa is first-rate, as is the privately-owned fitness club, which guests can access for free. Only the Four Seasons and Brown Palace Hotel can compare.
At a staggering 38 stories, the business-oriented Hyatt Regency is almost a city unto itself, with over 1,100 rooms, a large fitness center, a lap pool, and three dining venues. Rooms are upscale, if chain-like, and some offer stunning views of the Rocky Mountains.
This upper-middle-range boutique hotel in downtown Denver is housed in a historic building, but inside, it's stylish and contemporary. The rooms are on the small side, but come with up-to-date technology, and high ceilings and large windows make them seem bigger than they are. The hotel offers some great…
This four-pearl business chain in Denver's Central Business District is perfectly pleasant, but lacks wow factor. The decor in the 516 rooms is mostly generic, with a few subtle Colorado influences (such as muted checkered pillow covers and Colorado themed pictures), and views are of the city or the…
One of the best-known and best-located hotels in Denver, the 364-room Crowne Plaza is an ideal upscale chain hotel for business travelers, families, and tourists who want to be within walking distance of the Convention Center, 16th Street Mall, and the Denver Art Museum. Although bathrooms are on the…
The 336-room Curtis DoubleTree by Hilton may be a mid-range hotel, but it's fun and kid-friendly, with themed floors -- including the TV Mania floor and the Floor of Champions -- and a great downtown location. Rooms are modern but a bit bland, and walls are thin.
The Westin Denver Downtown, conveniently located next to the 16th Street Pedestrian Mall, is quite like a Westin anywhere, with contemporary but generic rooms and a bevy of solid amenities. Chief among those is a heated indoor/outdoor pool with sundeck that offers lovely views of Downtown Denver and…
Cozy, historic, and romantic, the mid-range, nine-room Castle Marne Bed & Breakfast is perfect for couples who prefer a more intimate and personalized experience, loaded with character, over a more bigger, more commercialized hotel experience. Set in Denver’s leafy and residential downtown Capitol Hill…
Situated right off of Interstate 25 in an industrial, non-scenic area of Denver, the La Quinta Denver Central is a clean and partially renovated two-and-a-half pearl motel a 15-minute walk from Coors Field and within easy driving distance of most attractions, thanks to the proximity of the highway. Although…
The 213-room Quality Inn Central Denver is a budget hotel close to downtown. Guest rooms are generic but modern, with flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Some have kitchenettes. Conveniently, the hotel's free shuttlecan take guests anywhere within a five-mile radius. Breakfast is free, and… |
This month’s “Agent Spotlight” features Andy Dressler of The Firm of Louisiana in Lake Charles. Dressler sat down with Louisiana Comp Blog to share his life-long love of Louisiana, the insurance business, and his grateful mentality. Read on to find out why Dressler will never be a “yes man” for his clients, even if it means a longer explanation.
Comp Blog: What is your family background (where you were born/grew up; spouse; children; any interesting details)?
Dressler: I was born and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I have three boys: Jordan is 19, Noah is 10 and Dillon is 8. They are the joys of my life and constantly keep me on my toes with their words and antics!
My mother and father, Francis and Jan Dressler, have been together since they were fifteen years old and are still going strong and happy as ever, despite the many illnesses they have conquered. My two best friends in the world are my two brothers, Billy and Joey. I have the pleasure of seeing Billy every day as he is one of my partners at The Firm. Joey lives with his wife in Shreveport and my two beautiful and talented nieces. He also recently received his white coat at LSU medical school. I feel like I am the wealthiest man in the world when it comes to family.
Comp Blog: What is your agency or firm and your role within it?
Dressler: I am the owner of The Firm of Louisiana Property and Casualty, LLC and The Firm of Louisiana, LLC. I have two partners and we recently added a fourth. I am very active in The Firm of Louisiana Property and Casualty as an agent in Lake Charles. We have five agents, eight customer service reps, bookkeeper and a receptionist with our agency. We opened in September of 2008 and have been blessed and very fortunate with the growth and success of our business. We work on a referral basis and word of mouth.
Comp Blog: What are your areas of expertise in the insurance industry here in Louisiana?
Dressler: My area of expertise with our firm is getting to know the customers and finding a common ground with them. I feel like I know enough about the insurance products and coverage to help people and guide them in the right direction. I feel comfortable and enjoy talking to people. I love doing commercial insurance, but I also enjoy the personal lines side.
Comp Blog: How did you get into the insurance industry and why did you choose it?
Dressler: I graduated from college and immediately went into outside sales in the oil and gas industry. I enjoyed the people but the products weren’t very exciting. I stayed in that sector for five years and then decided to make a change and entered the life insurance business. I did well and eventually became a manager with my own team, but it became more of a daycare situation than a sales job.
In 2005, I went to work for an agency in which I could sell life and health insurance, as well as property and casualty. Armed with that knowledge, I opened my own agency from scratch in 2008 with the support of my partner, Barry Terrell. I thoroughly enjoy this industry and working closely with my clients. There is really no other occupation I would have chosen. I work with people that have to have the products I offer, making me an important part of their everyday business. There is a great satisfaction in knowing that you helped someone.
Comp Blog: What are your main recommendations/key considerations for clients as they shop for their coverage?
Dressler: When you are shopping for insurance coverage, don’t just be concerned with “price.” Many people who have incurred claims would have gladly paid more in premium to have some additional coverage. Have your agent go over each coverage with you and explain what it means, that is service that should be expected. Make sure you don’t have a wind and hail exclusion in the policy if you have property coverage. Get copies of all your paperwork. Always check your exclusions and endorsements. Don’t ever assume anything. Always check out the credibility of the company with which you’re being placed. Know what your deductibles are and how they function. Always ask questions if you’re uncomfortable in any way.
Comp Blog: What should a client look for in their agent?
Dressler: The best advice I can give to someone looking for an agent is to find a person who will listen and return your calls. You don’t want a “yes man,” you want someone to listen to your concerns and address them with actual solutions. Find someone that will go over your coverage with you and explain what you actually have. Also, always ask: “what am I losing if I move from one carrier to another?” As a client, you need to be comfortable with and trust your agent one hundred percent.
Comp Blog: How do you differentiate yourself in service to your clients? What makes you unique?
Dressler: As I mentioned, I work on a referral basis. I feel like I am always looking out for the client and my carriers before myself, which is how it should be. I go over coverage with my clients as well as my prospective clients. I am very good at getting back with my clients. I have a well-trained staff that try to treat customers the same as if I were working with them myself on whatever the situation is at that time. We have a very personable staff that are easy to work with and like their work environment. If we look high on a premium or we can’t get adequate coverage for the same premium, I have no problem telling someone to do what is best for them: whether it is to stay put or to look elsewhere.
Comp Blog: Could you comment on the local workers’ comp market: is it competitive right now? If so, how does this benefit your clients?
Dressler: The local workers’ comp market is very competitive right now. Many companies have taken price decreases in certain class codes, others have had increases. This is a benefit for the client and the agent because of the variety of options. Many companies now offer safety meetings for specific types of risks and loss control. One of the largest advantages for the client is that, because of all of the competition, the rates have remained consistently competitive and affordable.
Comp Blog: Louisiana has several local workers’ comp companies that together have the majority of the market. How important is it to you to have a strong local presence for workers’ comp markets and why?
Dressler: We, in Louisiana, have a great number of work comp carriers. Some carriers specialize in certain class codes. Other carriers may specialize in high risk classes only. Being diversified and having many local markets is great for both agents and their clients. Having experience with local carriers, and knowing where to market for a certain type of risk, can save the agency and the work comp underwriters a great deal of time and money.
Comp Blog: Finally, what is your favorite thing about Louisiana?
Dressler: I don’t know where to start! I love to hunt, fish, play golf, and watch my kids in their many sporting activities. I also love to eat and there is no finer cuisine than that of Louisiana.
I think the greatest thing about Louisiana is that people still say “thank you” when you help them – and they sincerely mean it. Our culture is wonderful and I am proud to be a part of it.
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Louisiana Comp Blog’s fresh and original content ranges from features and profiles of industry leaders to commentary/opinion articles and event coverage. We also publish a daily Comp News Bulletin every morning, which allows our readers to get a head start on their day with the top three to five stories affecting Louisiana’s workers’ comp industry on both the local and national scale. All of this makes us your one-stop source for the best workers’ comp reporting from across Louisiana. |
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## API documentation
See our [API documentation](https://moov-io.github.io/ach/api/) for Moov ACH endpoints.
## Setup our ACH file
Creating an Automated Clearing House (ACH) file can be done several ways:
- [using Go and our generated client](#go-client)
- [uploading a JSON representation](#upload-a-json-representation)
- [uploading a raw ACH file](#upload-a-json-representation)
### Go Client
We have an example of [using our Go client and uploading the JSON representation](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/http/main.go). The basic idea follows this structure:
1. Create a [BatchHeader](https://godoc.org/github.com/moov-io/ach#BatchHeader) record with `ach.NewBatchHeader()`.
1. Create an [EntryDetail](https://godoc.org/github.com/moov-io/ach#EntryDetail) record with `ach.NewEntryDetail()`.
1. Create a [Batch](https://godoc.org/github.com/moov-io/ach#Batch) from our `BatchHeader` and `EntryDetail`.
1. Using a constructor like `batch := ach.NewBatchPPD(batchHeader)` and adding the batch with `batch.AddEntry(entry)`.
1. Call and verify `batch.Create()` returns no error.
1. Create our ACH File record `file := ach.NewFile()` and [FileHeader](https://godoc.org/github.com/moov-io/ach#FileHeader) with `ach.NewFileHeader()`
1. Add the `FileHeader` (via `file.SetHeader(fileHeader)`) and `Batch` records to the file (via `file.AddBatch(batch)`).
1. Call and verify `file.Create()` returns no error.
1. Encode the `File` to JSON (via `json.NewEncoder(&buf).Encode(&file)`) for a `net/http` request.
### Upload a JSON representation
In Ruby we have an example of [creating an ACH file from JSON](https://github.com/moov-io/ruby-ach-demo/blob/master/main.rb). The JSON structure corresponds to our [api endpoint for creating files](https://api.moov.io/#operation/createFile) that the ACH HTTP server expects.
We have [example ACH files](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/testdata/ppd-valid.json) in JSON.
Note: The header `Content-Type: application/json` must be set.
### Upload a raw ACH file
Our ACH HTTP server also handles [uploading raw ACH files](https://api.moov.io/#operation/createFile) which is the NACHA text format. We have example files in their NACHA format and example code for creating the files and reading the files
| SEC Code | Description | Example ACH File | Read | Create
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :--- | :--- |
| ACK | Acknowledgment Entry for CCD | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-ack-read/ack-read.ach) | [ACK Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ack-read/main.go) | [ACK Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ack-write/main.go) |
| ADV | Automated Accounting Advice | [Prenote Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-adv-read/adv-read.ach) | [ADV Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-adv-read/main.go) | [ADV Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-adv-write/main.go) |
| ARC | Accounts Receivable Entry | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-arc-read/arc-debit.ach) | [ARC Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-arc-read/main.go) | [ARC Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-arc-write/main.go) |
| ATX | Acknowledgment Entry for CTX | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-atx-read/atx-read.ach) | [ATX Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-atx-read/main.go) | [ATX Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-atx-write/main.go) |
| BOC | Back Office Conversion | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-boc-read/boc-debit.ach) | [BOC Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-boc-read/main.go) | [BOC Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-boc-write/main.go) |
| CCD | Corporate credit or debit | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-ccd-read/ccd-debit.ach) | [CCD Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ccd-read/main.go) | [CCD Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ccd-write/main.go) |
| CIE | Customer-Initiated Entry | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-cie-read/cie-credit.ach) | [CIE Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-cie-read/main.go) | [CIE Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-cie-write/main.go) |
| COR | Automated Notification of Change(NOC) | [NOC](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-cor-read/cor-read.ach) | [COR Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-cor-read/main.go) | [COR Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-cor-write/main.go) |
| CTX | Corporate Trade Exchange | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-ctx-read/ctx-debit.ach) | [CTX Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ctx-read/main.go) | [CTX Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ctx-write/main.go) |
| DNE | Death Notification Entry | [DNE](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-dne-read/dne-read.ach) | [DNE Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-dne-read/main.go) | [DNE Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-dne-write/main.go) |
| ENR | Automatic Enrollment Entry | [ENR](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-enr-read/enr-read.ach) | [ENR Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-enr-read/main.go) | [ENR Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-enr-write/main.go) |
| IAT | International ACH Transactions | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-iat-read/iat-credit.ach) | [IAT Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-iat-read/main.go) | [IAT Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-iat-write/main.go) |
| MTE | Machine Transfer Entry | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-mte-read/mte-read.ach) | [MTE Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-mte-read/main.go) | [MTE Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-mte-write/main.go) |
| POP | Point of Purchase | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-pop-read/pop-debit.ach) | [POP Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-pop-read/main.go) | [POP Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-pop-write/main.go) |
| POS | Point of Sale | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-pos-read/pos-debit.ach) | [POS Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-pos-read/main.go) | [POS Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-pos-write/main.go) |
| PPD | Prearranged payment and deposits | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-ppd-read/ppd-debit.ach) and [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-ppd-read/ppd-credit.ach) | [PPD Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ppd-read/main.go) | [PPD Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-ppd-write/main.go) |
| RCK | Represented Check Entries | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-rck-read/rck-debit.ach) | [RCK Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-rck-read/main.go) | [RCK Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-rck-write/main.go) |
| SHR | Shared Network Entry | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-shr-read/shr-debit.ach) | [SHR Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-shr-read/main.go) | [SHR Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-shr-write/main.go) |
| TEL | Telephone-Initiated Entry | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-tel-read/tel-debit.ach) | [TEL Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-tel-read/main.go) | [TEL Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-tel-write/main.go) |
| TRC | Truncated Check Entry | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-trc-read/trc-debit.ach) | [TRC Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-trc-read/main.go) | [TRC Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-trc-write/main.go) |
| TRX | Check Truncation Entries Exchange | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-trx-read/trx-debit.ach) | [TRX Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-trx-read/main.go) | [TRX Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-trx-write/main.go) |
| WEB | Internet-initiated Entries | [Credit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-web-read/web-credit.ach) | [WEB Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-web-read/main.go) | [WEB Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-web-write/main.go) |
| XCK | Destroyed Check Entry | [Debit](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/test/ach-xck-read/xck-debit.ach) | [XCK Read](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-xck-read/main.go) | [XCK Create](https://github.com/moov-io/ach/blob/master/examples/ach-xck-write/main.go) |
Note: The header `Content-Type: text/plain` should be set.
|
Billygan's Roadhouse
Billygan's Roadhouse restaurant is the best steakhouse north of the Columbia river. Located in Vancouver, WA and just minutes from downtown Portland, OR; Billygan's serves the best burgers, chicken, ribs and seafood. Come try us today and see why we are the best burger place in Clark County and Portland Metro combined!
Jollie's Restaurant & Lounge
Quiznos
Yo 2 Go
Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world.
Muchas Gracias Mexican Food
Don & Jo's Drive-In
Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting the highest quality arabica coffee in the world. Today, with stores around the globe, the company is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. |
Xbox One November 2015 update for Backwards compatibility
We have some fantastic news to confirm now, the news which you have all been waiting weeks to hear from Microsoft. We now know the official Xbox One backwards compatibility release date combined with when the new Xbox One Experience dashboard update in November 2015 is out.
Without further ado, we can confirm that the big date is November 12 which falls on a Thursday. This is going to be the day in which the new Xbox One November 2015 update is also live with a new dashboard on top of the backwards compatibility goodness – free for all Xbox One owners remember.
That makes it a massive month for Xbox gamers adding the Games with Gold titles into the mix and now you can count down the days after finally knowing when it will be available.
For those that need a recap on what the new Xbox One dashboard will look like in the update, we’ve added the video from E3 2015 to refresh your memory.
Simply put, if you love the look of Windows 10 then you are going to also love how the new Xbox One update in November will look as it’s styled off the Windows 10 interface.
Give us your reaction to the news below and what you are most looking forward to within the update next month. Is free backwards compatibility one reason why you prefer Xbox One over PS4? |
The Forsyth Central Girls tennis team had a hard fought 3-2 win over Sequoyah on Monday, February 26th. In singles play, line #1 freshmen Grace Wilson fought hard to secure a win in 3 sets, winning the first 6-3, falling in the second 4-6, but coming back strong in the third set winning 6-1. At
Girls Varsity and JV Tennis beat Chestatee High school yesterday 4-1 and 3-0. Grace Wilson and Emma Stevenson led the team at line 1 and line 2 singles defeating their opponents in 2 sets. Skyler McPherson and Ashely Sciandra at Line 1 and Laney Benson and Bailey McCatchren at line 2 doubles both defeated their
The Forsyth Central Girls tennis team had a hard fought 3-2 over North Forsyth on Monday, March 20th. In singles play, line #1 junior Chloe Muklevicz continued her strong singles play this year, picking up her team leading 5th singles win 6-2, 6-0. At Line #2, junior Ashley Sciandra lost a close singles match 4-6,
The Varsity Girls tennis team defeated Apalachee 4-1 at Victor Lord Park in Winder on Monday, March 6th for the team’s second win of the season. Singles winners included Line #1 Junior Ashley Sciandra 8-2 in dominant fashion and Line #2 Sophomore Lydia Robbins in a match much closer than the score would indicate .
Girls Tennis earned their first victory of the season with a 4-1 win over Apalachee. Chloe Muklevicz won her singles’ match and both doubles teams of Caroline Perry & Ashley Sciandra and Heidi Fell & Ruolan Greenlee were victorious.
The Lady Dawgs won 4/5 of their last tennis games. As they continue their season at the region tournament on Tuesday, April 14th momentum appears to be in their favor! Ladies, way to represent C-House!
The girls tennis team team defeated North Forsyth. Catie Moye, Nellie Harrison, Peyton Ledford and Chloe Muklevicz all dominated their North Forsyth opponents. The girls take on North Atlanta on Monday |
At Mom’s suggestion, I’m going to try putting together a post or two on some of the more obvious “what…” and “why…” questions about IceCube. I say “try” because I’m no expert on the physics involved. There’s lots of hand waving going on here…
What is a neutrino?
There’s plenty more information on wikipedia, but the short version is that a neutrino is another sub-atomic particle. There are gobs of neutrinos all through the universe, but we don’t notice them normally, since they don’t usually interact with normal matter.
To explain that in a bit more detail:
The sub-atomic world is a bit more complicated than the protons, neutrons, electrons, and photons that we learn about in grade school. Protons and neutrons, for instance, are made up of three quarks each, but electrons and photons are not.
Quarks, electrons, photons, and several other things are fundamental particles – meaning that, as far as we know, they aren’t made of smaller parts. Neutrinos are fundamental particles, and there are three kinds of them.
One way that the fundamental particles differ from each other is in the degrees in which they interact with the four fundamental forces: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. Everything we experience day-to-day comes from the gravitational and electromagnetic forces.
Although gravity is a fundamental force, and very important – it keeps our ice cream from floating away – we don’t worry about it too much here since it doesn’t have much effect at the small scales we’re talking about. To think about this, consider that things are pulled down by gravity, but normal size things don’t get pulled towards each other. This is because you need a very large scale mass (say, Earth) to produce much gravitational force.
Our senses like touch, sound, and sight are results of electrons pushing and pulling electrically charged particles through the electromagnetic force. Chemistry is all about electrons moving around, being attracted and repelled – another example of the electromagnetic force. Compared to gravity, the electromagnetic force is quite strong at smaller scales. Think of how strongly a pair of magnets are pulled together, compared to their weight, when they are close together.
The strong and weak nuclear forces are a bit harder to think about, since they are mainly important at much smaller scales than we normally deal with. The strong nuclear force is what holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of an atom. It’s also the strong nuclear force that holds the quarks together to make up individual protons and neutrons. Strong nuclear force doesn’t affect electrons or neutrinos. If the word “atomic” makes you think of something powerful, that power comes from the strong force.
The weak nuclear force acts on even smaller scales than the strong force – one thousandth the diameter of a neutron, as compared to the strong force interacting over the diameter of a medium size nucleus, which would contain some neutrons. The weak nuclear force is interesting to us mainly because it does act on electrons and neutrinos.
Neutrinos have a very low mass, so they are affected by gravity. They don’t have an electrical charge though, which means they don’t interact through the electromagnetic force. We just learned that neutrinos don’t interact through the strong nuclear force, but do interact through the incredibly short-range weak nuclear force.
So, what all this means is that neutrinos basically don’t interact with normal matter. But, when they do interact with normal matter, they do it through the weak nuclear force. |
Social media giants accused of abusing market power
by Don Groves
Here is a summary of some of the submissions to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) digital platforms inquiry.
Facebook and Google are abusing their monopoly powers, which negatively impacts traditional media and harms consumers, are spreading misinformation and are not preventing the misuse or theft of users' data, according to some submissions to the ACCC.
News Corp Australia told the inquiry the digital platforms are subverting access to online subscription and advertising revenues, which is "undermining the sustainability of news and journalism as a private enterprise, leading to widespread cost-cutting in newsrooms and reduced incentives to invest in quality journalism."
News also noted the growth in the "rapid spread of misinformation, as there is less oversight and fact-checking of information published and disseminated on digital platforms."
Seven West Media (SWM) urged regulators to investigate and shine a light on the behaviour of the social media giants in data collection following the Cambridge Analytica scandal which embroiled Facebook.
Unconstrained by competitors; countervailing customer/buyer power; and regulation, Google and Facebook use their market power in their respective markets to engage in conduct which negatively impacts traditional media, and which harm consumers," SWM said.
SWM said the ACCC should consider whether the existing regulatory regime is "sufficient to protect the interests of users, to maintain competition in associated markets and to constrain undue influence and power being exerted over businesses and government."
The Australian Communications and Media Authority said the potential for platforms to harvest data about non-users requires further examination, as does the question of whether depersonalisation of data - so that the individual is no longer identifiable - is adequately addressed by existing privacy laws.
In its submission Foxtel said the free but unauthorised availability of Foxtel and Fox Sports' content on digital platforms is undermining subscription revenue, contributing to churn and threatening the economics of content production.
Whole series of programs created by Foxtel and Fox Sports at considerable cost as well as content such as NFL matches and V8 Supercars are freely available on YouTube and/or Facebook, which monetise this content through the insertion or display of pre-roll advertising.
However appeals by Foxtel to YouTube to take down infringing videos have had no effect as YouTube has failed to terminate the infringing user's account.
"If media companies are unable to monetise the content they create or licence, whether through subscription or advertising revenue, it is inevitable that decisions will be made to no longer commission or acquire that content."
In an Op-Ed piece for the company's newspapers, News Corp executive chairman Michael Miller said the business model for the news industry is now in a fragile state, with the digital platforms preventing publishers from best positioning their operations for the future.
News Corp's submission details how the platforms' market power has made them "unavoidable trading partners" for publishers which are, in effect, trapped and hurt by their anti-competitive practices.
In Australia, Google has 95% of the search engine market and 50 % of the mobile device operating system market while Facebook has 80% of the social media market and Apple around 40% of the mobile device market.
"As publishers transition to digital, platforms are increasingly using this dominance to stop publishers competing on their merits," Miller wrote.
"They can decide what you see, when you see it, what you don't see, what they know about you, the prices advertisers pay, where ads appear, and make or break businesses - with too little recourse for those affected."
"The potential to damage creation, distribution and consumption of news and cause widespread consumer harm is profound."
On behalf of Australia's screen production businesses Screen Producers Australia (SPA) asserted that Google and Facebook's influence in the advertising market has affected the market for content.
SPA referred to a market failure where buyers seeking are 'more for less' from producers, combined with the increasing trend to in-house production at the free-to-air broadcasters.
SPA called on the federal government to intervene in the market to address competition issues through a UK-style legislated terms of trade and to extend local content obligations to new market entrants.
The ACCC will provide a preliminary report to the Treasurer by December 3 2018 and a final report by June 3 2019. |
African rainforests need our attention more than ever
Around 2 million km² of Africa is covered by tropical rainforests. They are second only in extent to those in Amazonia, which cover around 6 million km². Rainforests are home to vast numbers of species. For example, the world’s tropical rainforests are estimated to be home to at least 40,000 tree species, with up to 6,000 in African forests.
Yet African rainforests are poorly studied compared to those in Amazonia and South East Asia. And the continent’s rainforests are being lost to deforestation at a rate of 0.3% every year. This is slower than in Amazonia (estimated to be 0.5% per year in Brazil) and South East Asia (1% in Indonesia).
Help for African rainforests may come from an unexpected source: international policies to tackle climate change.
The world’s tropical forests store 250 billion tonnes of carbon. If global temperature increases are to be kept well below 2°C this carbon needs to be kept locked away in trees rather than released into the atmosphere. Because of this, incentives to conserve forests for their carbon were officially recognised at the Paris climate summit in 2015. Examples include the United Nations REDD+ policy framework.
But our research into the relationship between the amount of carbon forests store and their biodiversity produced two interesting findings. The first suggests that carbon focused approaches like REDD+ will miss many forests with high biodiversity. This is because the forests that store the most carbon are not necessarily home to the most species.
The second is that Africa’s rainforests have unique characteristics. In particular, we found that they store more carbon than those in the Amazon. This makes designing policies that protect them all the more important, and more complex.
Tree diversity and carbon storage
At first glance, incentives to protect forests for their carbon should also benefit biodiversity. This is because they encourage more forests to be protected. But protecting one area often diverts threats to other areas. So, protecting some forests for their carbon could increase human pressure on others. It’s therefore crucial to know the relationship between biodiversity and carbon storage to assess whether carbon-focused conservation will also protect the most biodiverse forests. That’s what we set out to research.
Previous studies have found that ecosystem functions like carbon storage increase with biodiversity. So, it may be expected that the forests with the most tree species also have the most carbon. But it’s unknown whether this positive effect of biodiversity would be evident in high-diversity tropical forests.
To see how carbon and biodiversity were related in mature tropical forests we – a team of 115 scientists from 22 countries – surveyed 360 plots situated across the lowland rainforests of South America, Africa and Asia. In each 1 hectare (100 by 100 m) plot we identified and measured the diameter of every tree. From here, we could estimate the amount of carbon the forest stored.
Surprisingly, we found that tree diversity and carbon storage were completely unrelated, even after we accounted for the effect of climate and soil.
The absence of a relationship between tree diversity and carbon storage means that strategies like REDD+ – that only promote the conservation of forests with the most carbon – will miss some high diversity forests.
That’s not to say that carbon-focused conservation isn’t still important. Conserving forests for their carbon will be vital to reducing the amount the planet warms, and programmes like REDD+ are needed if this is to happen.
But our results indicate that biodiversity has to be explicitly considered when planning protected areas, and not just assumed to automatically benefit from carbon-focused conservation.
African rainforests store more carbon than those in the Amazon. Image: Shutterstock
Unique characteristics
Ourresults also contribute to the growing understanding that African rainforests are unique. For example, they store more carbon than those in the Amazon. On average, a hectare of African rainforest stores 183 tonnes of carbon compared to 140 tonnes in the same area of Amazonian rainforest – but do so with 170 fewer trees per hectare.
The extra carbon in African forests comes from trees being larger; the average diameter of a tree in an African rainforest is 1.5 times larger than that of a tree in the Amazon. Trees in African rainforests are also taller than their Amazonian counterparts.
African forests also have fewer tree species than tropical forests in other continents. If you were to identify 300 trees in an African forest you would find, on average, 65 species, compared to 109 species in the Amazon and 120 species in South East Asia. This low diversity may partly be a legacy of past climate, with dry periods in the past wiping out species that require wet conditions all year round.
African rainforests are still important centres of biodiversity despite having fewer tree species than other rainforests. Forests need to be protected to safeguard both the huge number of species that live in them and the vast amounts of carbon they store.
Our results show that it’s not safe to assume that protecting one of these will automatically protect the other. Instead, both biodiversity and carbon need to be considered when planning how to protect Africa’s rainforests. |
"playmemories studio" Posts
Back in January we announced that PlayMemories Studio was headed to the PS3 this spring and today it becomes available to all of you through the PlayStation Store. The new service is part of Sony’s PlayMemories suite, which helps you edit and share your high quality videos and photos on a variety of devices. You can also use PlayMemories Studio with your PlayStation Vita or PSP via Remote Play.
This new download allows you to fully manage your photos and videos straight from your PS3:
Organizing and Viewing: In addition to the videos and photos you store on your PS3, the content you store on cameras, external hard drives and USB storage devices can be viewed without transferring all of it to your PS3. PlayMemories Studio also allows you to easily search and sort the content by date or location.
Editing: You can use action tags to add visual and sound effects, such as slow motion or frame-by-frame playback, to images. |
CASC , Cascade Corp.
This company does a lot with forklifts and other such equipment. In a sense it provides a fairly decent barometer of what is happening in the world, the stuff must be moved to be sold! Recently it reported a 186% increase in net income. It hardly registered and the stock is still down;
This stock retraced about 62% in a nice B-wave and is now on its way down. Excellent earnings could not change that. What is interesting from this chart is that the stock had been rising gradually for much of the last 20 years and probable beyond. As with so many other stocks, the tangent of the slope changes dramatically exactly at the time of Greenspan’s first liquidity flooding exercise to avoid the catastrophes that were awaiting us in the new century. This stock goes up 8-fold in less years. The stock is now down 33% from its B-wave high of $55 and if it were to “regress to the mean” it should get to about $18, that is if the pendulum does not swing to the other side, which ,of course, it nearly always does. So again the Fed. promises to hold rates at zero for two more years. Do not expect the stock to be propelled upwards this time, the difference is what is called the “liquidity trap” or, in the vernacular of the lay, “pushing on a string”. |
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
shoes
It was cool this morning so I put Bryce in this cute little Winnie the Pooh outfit. I just love the little hoodie and I wish I could remember who gave it to us. Jason was helping Bryce stand this morning and he was trying to walk when I realized this outfit had shoes that matched. I know shoes are kind of pointless at this age, but it completed the outfit and made for a good picture. I swear we looked at the shoes and decided which was right and left, but it still looks like the shoes are on the wrong feet, ha!
No comments:
I married my high school sweetheart, Jason, in August 2003. We welcomed our son, Bryce, in February 2009 and our daughter, Emmy, in February 2012. We also have a dog, Macy, who is spoiled rotten and loved more than an animal should be. I'm a teacher, turned stay at home mom and I'm enjoying getting used to our new normal and loving every minute with my sweet babies! |
Binghamton scores 4 power play goals in win
B-Sens win third straight, thrash Rochester 7-3
By
wbng sports
November 10, 2013Updated Nov 10, 2013 at 12:45 AM EST
BINGHAMTON (WBNG BINGHAMTON) -- The Binghamton Senators returned to home ice tonight for the back end of their home-and-home series versus the Rochester Americans, burying the visitors by a score of 7-3. Offensively Binghamton was led by Stephane Da Costa who had himself a five point evening (2 goals, 3 assists) while the Sens power-play unit managed four goals on six tries. Nathan Lawson returned to his net-minding responsibilities after his brief stint in Ottawa, stopping 31 of 34 shots to earn his sixth win of the year.
Mike Sdao opened the scoring for the home team with a power-play tally at the 12:13 mark of the first period, Sdao’s first goal of the season. Da Costa and Hoffman were credited with the helpers. Rochester goaltender Nathan Lieuwen stopped nine of 10 B-Sens shots faced in the first 20 mins, heading to the locker room down 1-0.
Da Costa notched his first goal of the contest just over three minutes into the middle period, burying the puck past Lieuwen off a great look from Chris Wideman. Just over six minutes later the Sens power-play would strike again, this time Wideman took a rip from inside the blue line putting the hosts up 3-0. Rochester would score two unanswered goals, one at the 12:01 mark of the 2nd and another 1:30 into the 3rd, but from there it turned ugly for the Americans.
Less than one minute after Luke Adam drew the Americans to within one, Darren Kramer scored his second goal of the season starting a flurry of four consecutive B-Sens goals. Da Costa added his second of the night followed by Hoffman and Matt Puempel to push the Sens lead to 7-2 and put the game out of reach for Rochester. Matt Ellis added a power-play goal for Rochester with under a minute to play making the final score 7-3 in favor of Binghamton.
Cody Ceci, Cole Schneider and Mark Stone all finished with two assists apiece. Hoffman turned in a three point performance with a goal and two assists, while Wideman finished off with two points (one goal, one assist). Lawson improved to 6-1-0 on the year with the victory while Lieuwen made 37 saves in the loss dropping his record to 2-2-0.
Binghamton hits the road tomorrow afternoon to finish up their three games in consecutive nights against their East Division rival the Hershey Bears in a 5:00 p.m. matchup. This will be the first of ten meetings this season between the teams. |
/*
* Matrix test.
*/
#include "io/streams/cout.hh"
#include "lang/array.hh"
#include "math/matrices/matrix.hh"
#include "lang/exceptions/ex_index_out_of_bounds.hh"
using io::streams::cout;
using lang::array;
using math::matrices::matrix;
int main() {
try {
matrix<> m(3,2);
m(0,0) = 0.1;
m(0,1) = 0.02;
m(1,0) = 1.0;
m(1,1) = 2.0;
m(2,0) = 10;
m(2,1) = 30;
matrix<> m_ramp = matrix<>::ramp(-0.5, 0.25, 0.5);
array<unsigned long> dims1(1);
dims1[0] = m_ramp.size();
matrix<> m_ramp1 = reshape(m_ramp,dims1);
cout << m << "\n";
cout << m_ramp << "\n";
cout << m_ramp1 << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 1D (full) ---\n";
cout << conv(m_ramp1,m_ramp1) << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 1D (cropped) ---\n";
cout << conv_crop(m_ramp1,m_ramp1) << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 1D (cropped strict) ---\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m_ramp1,m_ramp1) << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 2D (full) ---\n";
cout << conv(m,m) << "\n";
cout << conv(m,transpose(m)) << "\n";
cout << conv(m,m_ramp) << "\n";
cout << conv(m_ramp,m) << "\n";
cout << conv(m_ramp,transpose(m_ramp)) << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 2D (cropped) ---\n";
cout << conv_crop(m,m) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop(m,transpose(m)) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop(m,m_ramp) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop(m_ramp,m) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop(m_ramp,transpose(m_ramp)) << "\n";
cout << "--- convolution 2D (cropped strict) ---\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m,m) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m,transpose(m)) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m,m_ramp) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m_ramp,m) << "\n";
cout << conv_crop_strict(m_ramp,transpose(m_ramp)) << "\n";
cout << "--- min, max, sum, prod ---\n";
cout << min(m,0) << "\n";
cout << min(m,1) << "\n";
cout << max(m,0) << "\n";
cout << max(m,1) << "\n";
cout << sum(m,0) << "\n";
cout << sum(m,1) << "\n";
cout << prod(m,0) << "\n";
cout << prod(m,1) << "\n";
cout << "--- cumsum, cumprod ---\n";
cout << cumsum(m,0) << "\n";
cout << cumsum(m,1) << "\n";
cout << cumprod(m,0) << "\n";
cout << cumprod(m,1) << "\n";
cout << "--- mean, var ---\n";
cout << mean(m) << "\n";
cout << var(m) << "\n";
cout << mean(m,0) << "\n";
cout << mean(m,1) << "\n";
cout << var(m,0) << "\n";
cout << var(m,1) << "\n";
cout << "--- gradient ---\n";
cout << gradient(m,0) << "\n";
cout << gradient(m,1) << "\n";
cout << "--- reverse ---\n";
cout << m.reverse(0) << "\n";
cout << m.reverse(1) << "\n";
cout << "--- vertcat, horzcat, concat ---\n";
cout << vertcat(m,m) << "\n";
cout << horzcat(m,m) << "\n";
cout << concat(m,m,4) << "\n";
cout << "--- resize, transpose ---\n";
cout << resize(m,2,2) << "\n";
cout << resize(m,4,4) << "\n";
cout << transpose(resize(m,4,4)) << "\n";
array<unsigned long> order(3);
order[0] = 2;
order[1] = 1;
order[2] = 0;
cout << permute_dimensions(resize(m,4,4),order) << "\n";
order[1] = 3;
order.resize(2);
cout << "--- repmat ---\n";
cout << repmat(m,order) << "\n";
cout << "--- sort ---\n";
cout << m << "\n";
cout << m.sort_idx(0) << "\n";
cout << m << "\n";
cout << m.sort_idx(1) << "\n";
cout << m << "\n";
} catch (lang::exceptions::ex_index_out_of_bounds& e) {
cout << e << "\n";
cout << e.index() << "\n";
}
return 0;
}
|
The Untold Story of the Greatest Crypto Project Ever with Paul Rosenberg
Topics include: 1990's free nation project, the early days of the internet, early multi-million dollar cryptography project, a whole cryptographic financial system completed by 2002, bulletin boards and irc chat, early solution to the double spend problem, pgp was a big deal, encryption considered to be a weapon, the cypherpunk list, the perpetual travelers, Extropians, spies, things that led to Bitcoin, origins of proof of work, EGold was a very big deal, Satoshi mentions EGold, Bitcoin rolls all this history into one elegant package, Satoshi was a cypherpunk, the real purpose of Wikileaks, Assange, building a better future, Anarchapulco 2020!
Anarchapulco 2020:
Paul's Books:
The Untold Story of the Greatest Crypto Project Ever Kindle Edition:
A Lodging of Wayfaring Men Kindle Edition:
The Breaking Dawn Kindle Edition:
The New Age of Intelligence Kindle Edition:
The Freemans Perspective website:
CryptoHippie VPN:
Anarchast on Bit.Tube:
Anarchast:
Enjoy our content and would like to see us get more amazing guests and spread the word of freedom? A donation to this BTC address will give us more resources to do so: 16AJs5DFEcfCuXkwmx1o54Ld4yXzPP1gVR
I think that money itself was invented with the purpose of enslaving and distracting people from the facts that the earth is flat and enclosed with a dome and that we are being farmed like cattle in this terrarium by our own creators. The world elite is aware of the fact that the souls (spirits) of all living creatures, including ours, are being harvested after death and consumed by our own creator-entities. I think that the bioengineering of life itself was done with the purpose of farming the various species and harvesting their souls. Be well. Bye.
I bought some bitcoin back in 2010/2011 for an auction site that only used it–just like $15 or $20–but I have no idea where it is, how i stored it–the auctions were impossible to win so I just left it. I’d love to find where I had them.
…Assange is controlled opposition.
…have u seen this ‘series’ of vids on Assange?
…personally still on the fence when it comes to Assange, but here is some food for thought? …doubted his authenticity ever since he yrs ago stated that there was no conspiracy behind 9/11, people have selective hearinghttps://youtu.be/sndPG6Hw01U?t=914
+Nomad Wizard Thanks for the link. I’ve just seen the 4 part series. Unfortunately, comments are disabled. I find the idea that WikiLeaks is an establishment creation to be interesting and relevant, but I sense that the two guys in the videos have confirmation bias.
JEFF – a bit off topic, but, have u looked into this guys stuff.
…if he can start his own country then for sure u and Ed Bugos could do the same ?
…u as primurderer and he as finance minister and have a no-government government ?
…LOL, appoint ur dogs to different government posts.
36:33 – The Golden Rule isn’t as good as people think, as it actually allows people to pester each other (eg. religious missionaries who themselves would WANT people to continuously try to “save” them). Therefore the Inverse Golden Rule is better: “Do NOT do to others what you DON’T want them to do to you.” |
India
The most famous icons of India, the Taj Mahal needs no introduction. A UNESCO world heritage structure, it is an architectural marvel. Intricate carvings, studded with gems are exquisitely coupled with symmetry in design. |
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Sunday, October 24, 2010
Melvin Goes to Waldorf
Melvin and Heather went to the Kindergarten class at the South Shore Waldorf school. It was a great experience.
Melvin really liked the colors that are everywhere in the school. We talked a lot about colors and favorite ones. There were some pretty special blankets there in wonderful colors! Seems like a lot of people have favorite blankets that are white or have white in them- maybe because white can be so peaceful. We talked about pink too- a nice combination of security and peace. The favorite picture was the purple one again! Melvin liked the sense of calm and peace he felt at Waldorf as well as the connection to nature.
We also talked about Halloween! Melvin heard about some very interesting costumes- he can't wait to see them! He is looking forward to the mouse, the zombie and the witches as well as the ones that will be a surprise! The kids asked Heather to read their Halloween poem with them too and that made Heather feel very special!
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Order a Copy of Melvin's Balloons
Read Melvin Moon's heartfelt letter to everyone who has ever lost a balloon. This imaginative and beautifully illustrated story comforts children and explains that even though they may have been sad as they watched their balloon slip from their hand and float into the sky, each colorful balloon is very special to Melvin. Melvin's Balloons teaches children about the meaning of colors, explaining how each color relates to a feeling or emotion.
This colourful book provides children with a basic understanding of the chakra system. |
7.14.2010
Controversy Time!
Welcome folks, to the first episode of Controversy Time! Your host today is the beautiful Miss Mara! Today's topic: Anti-Twihards.
Eh, yeah, that's right. We're going to be discussing (and by "we" and "discussing," I mean "I" and "writing a monologue about") the most popular, mainstream form of Twihard.
The anti-Twihard.
Buckle your seatbelts, kiddies, 'cause you're about to be faced with a whole lot of rant, philosophy, hypocrisy, and possibly some digressions that have nothing at all to do with Twilight.
So, to start: a brief timeline of the Twihard.
1. Twilight is published. Barnes & Noble rejoices because of the gigantic sales. So do nine-year-old girls-- finally, a romance book that doesn't have any S-E-X in it! This is the first form of Twihard.2. The 9-yr-olds' sisters and mothers read the book, and are convinced by the 9-yr-old that Twilight is the best book in the history of books. These sisters and mothers are the second wave of Twihards. Somewhere in here, the movies come out.3. Boys become aware of the series. Some are forced to read it themselves, and it instantly becomes an internet meme that boys and sane girls hate the series with all their hearts. Much to their dismay, I'm sure, the boys and girls who hate Twilight with a passion, and read it every day just so that their arguments can be absolutely sound, are the most recent form of Twihard.
Whaaaaaaat, you say? How on Earth can someone who hates Twilight with all their heart possibly be a Twihard? Psshhhht. You have much to learn, young grasshopper.
As far as I can tell, Twihards love Twilight because they genuinely like the series (usually). The same is true with the original anti-Twihards: they hate it because they genuinely hate the characters, or the writing, or the plotline, or whatever. But the ensuing waves of anti-Twihards, who now have a 10:1 ratio over the Twihards, dislike Twilight for a different reason.
Disliking Twilight is mainstream.
It's what the cool kids do. The cool kids hate Twilight. They go against the flow. They look down upon those who still like the series. So in that sense, Twihards are actually morally superior to most anti-Twihards.
It's fine not to like the series. But it takes effort to actually hate something.
So the next time you go trolling, think a little. Are you disagreeing with the Twihards because you honestly think Twilight is the bane of your existence? Or is it just because you want to feel cool and socially superior? |
Garcia vs. Lopez: Prediction, Analysis and Preview
Originally posted on THESCUFFLE.COMUndefeated WBO featherweight champion Mikey Garcia will face former two-division champion Juan Manuel Lopez at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas, USA on Saturday, June 15.
Mikey Garcia was coming from a technical decision victory over Mexican banger Orlando Salido in January wresting the title once held by Juan Manuel Lopez that he will defend on HBO’s “Boxing After Dark”
Garcia, 31-0 (KO 26), is a young and fast rising star that graduated from being simply called prospect, now making way to become member of the sports elite. He is a kind of fighter despite being young; He thinks like a veteran in the ring.
He is very patient and picks his punches very well with total precision. He tends to be very cautious in the ring. And has the tendency to be boring against fellow counter puncher. But against puncher/brawler, it will be very interesting to watch and that should be the case against Lopez.
A win against Lopez would help solidify his claim in the featherweight division and would get his self ready for another potential bigger name in the division, perhaps against brawler, fellow undefeated Abner Mares—WBC champion.
Lopez, 33-2 (KO 30) is coming from two consecutive victories against, Aldimar Santos and Eugene Lopez. He is trying to get back into the winning column after he suffered TKO losses against Orlando Salido.
Lopez is a two fisted fighter who wanted to slug it off punch by punch. He is a fighter that one’s get himself into a brawl stops thinking about defense and just throwing bombs after bombs, not caring if he gets hit as long as he hits. If you are in the opposite corner against Lopez be sure you can absorb wicked punches to your body, or you will drop to your knee.
Lopez cannot afford to lose this fight, if he wants to go back to the status he left before losing from Salido. A win against Garcia would make him beat the man, who beat the man that beat him. It’s a redemption against those TKO loses in his career.
Against common opponent—Orlando Salido
Garcia vs. Salido – Garcia scored a total of four knockdowns against Salido, twice in the very first round and once in rounds three and four. In round eight Garcia suffered a broken nose from an accidental head butt. The fight was stop and Garcia was awarded the title.
Mikey Garcia was a bit criticized for not continuing the fight. He was accused of quitting from the fight after the head butt. Robert Garcia, Mikey’s trainer, being aware that his fighter was way ahead in the judges’ scorecards, insisted that his fighter cannot continue. He knows that it is very dangerous for his fighter to continue fighting, having a broken nose, against a guy who is noted to be very strong in the closing rounds.
However, the blame cannot erase the fact that the 25 years old, fast rising prospect was schooling the veteran Orlando Salido. Salido was out boxed and was beaten by the punch all night long. He was always a recipient of well timed counters from a technically savvy Garcia.
Salido vs. Lopez (twice) – Lopez was defeated by Salido twice via technical knockout. It is a fight that Lopez believed he can defeat Salido into a slugfest. In the first bout, although up on his feet but unable to answer several punishing shots from Salido, the fight was stop by the referee. Lopez pointed out that the fight was stop prematurely.
In the rematch, Lopez didn’t learn the lesson in his first defeat. He met Salido head-on again. And even if he was wobbled several times, he chose to trade bombs after bombs. But Salido’s more powerful and devastating punches prevailed.
Prediction
Looking into each gentleman’s performance against a common opponent, it is easy to say that Garcia has the edge, which I believe is the case for this fight.
However, I also believe that Lopez learned from the mistakes he made from the two defeats in his record. I think he will not rush to engage Garcia in a slugfest because he knows he will be walking ahead to Garcia’s precise counters. I think he will fight intelligently this time around. If Lopez considers plan B, I like to see him slug it out in the latter rounds and to find out how much Garcia can absorb from his power.
Nevertheless, I still think that the skills and slickness of Mikey Garcia will prevail and he will cruise into a unanimous decision. |
Covalent protein adduct formation and protein cross-linking resulting from the maillard reaction between cyclotene and a model food protein.
Covalent Maillard products of the reactions of carbonyl compounds with proteins are often described in the literature, but, until recently, evidence for their existence has been indirect. Cyclotene (2-hydroxy-3-methylcyclopent-2-enone), a common flavor compound, was incubated with a model food protein, ribonuclease, and found to cross-link the protein. Size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatrography and electrospray mass spectrometry of the early stages of the reaction provide strong evidence for covalent adducts that we believe to be intermediates in the cross-linking reaction. |
(*
* OWL - OCaml Scientific and Engineering Computing
* Copyright (c) 2016-2020 Liang Wang <liang.wang@cl.cam.ac.uk>
*)
open Owl_types
(* Functor of making a Lazy engine, just an alias of CPU engine. *)
module Make (A : Ndarray_Mutable) = struct
include Owl_computation_cpu_engine.Make (A)
end
(* Make functor ends *)
|
Destination information:
Here’s a movie about Boston. This movie will give you a quick impression of the destination. The movie is not made by our own IFLY crew members. A special IFLYtheworld movie is in production and will be online soon.
IFLY tips
Cheers (2 hrs)
A place definitely not to miss is the famous Cheers bar of course. Don’t expect Sam Malone behind the bar, Carla as a waitress or Norm and Cliff drinking their beer, as the comedy series Cheers only used the exterior of this bar. Though this bar is definitely worth a visit.
They serve delicious hamburgers for a reasonable price. ‘The Original’ Cheers Bar is located at 84 Beacon Street and there’s another location at Faneuil Marketplace. More information about the menu and the locations can be found at their website.
Beacon Hill (1-2 hrs)Beacon Hill is a historic neighbourhood, is known for its federal-style rowhouses and narrow streets and brick sidewalks. Today, Beacon Hill is regarded as one of the most desirable and expensive neighborhoods in Boston.
It is wonderful to walk around in this neighbourhood and watch the great architecture. Walk into Charles Street and rummage around through many antique shops. Beacon Hill is located just north of Boston Common Park.
Back Bay and Newbury Street (1 hr – ½ day)
Back Bay is another nice and old neighbourhood, known for its Victorian brownstone homes, which are considered one of the best-preserved examples of 19th-century urban design in the United States.
There are many architecturally significant individual buildings and important cultural institutions such as the Boston Public Library. It is also a fashionable shopping destination, and home to some of Boston's tallest office buildings and numerous major hotels.
Marlborough Street is a great place to see the old houses. And Newbury Street is a nice high-end shopping street with wonderful boutiques, restaurants, bars and terraces.
Boston Public Library (1 hr)
Even if you don’t want to read a book, a visit to the Public Library is worth a visit. It is an absolute beautiful building.
The entrance is free. You can see the building inside and the library also has a beautiful courtyard where you can enjoy a coffee with a great view on the fountain.
The Public Library is located at 700 Boylston Street, Copley Square in the Back Bay area. The opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 9 pm. At Friday and Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm in winter.
Cape Cod (1-3 days)
If you have more time in Boston you should visit Cape Cod. Best way to there is by car. A rental car is not expensive so take a luxurious SUV, as it is quite a long drive to Cape Cod, approximately 200km all the way from Boston tot the end of Cape Cod in Provincetown.
When driving to Provincetown you should take highway 6A as much as possible instead of highway 6, as 6A is the more scenic route. During the ride, visit the small villages. A very nice one is Chatham. At the end of the ride you will find Provincetown, shortly known as P-town.
Provincetown is a very touristic place and has long been known as an art colony, attracting writers and artists. Many hotels and resorts are friendly to or cater to gay and lesbian tourists and it is known as a gay Mecca in summer.
Cape Cod is a popular destination for beachgoers from all over. With 559.6 miles (900.6 km) of coastline, beaches are easily accessible. The Cape is also popular for its outdoor activities like beach walking, biking, boating, fishing, go-karts, golfing, kayaking, miniature golf, and unique shopping. So there’s enough to do for everyone.
It is also possible to go by boat from Boston to P-town. The boats of Boston Harbour Cruises depart from Long Wharf, just a block away from Faneuil Hall and bring you to the heart of Provincetown.
With a fast Catamaran ferry you can sail to Cape Cod in only 90 minutes. At their website you can find all information about the schedule, rates and you can buy tickets online. It is a great thing to do in summer, but you will miss all wonderful sites along the road to P-town.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace (2 hrs)
Faneuil Hall Marketplace is a wonderful indoor market. It is located in the heart of Boston and is bordered by the financial district, the waterfront, the North End, Government Center and Haymarket.
It has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. It is now part of a larger festival marketplace, which includes three long granite buildings called North Market, Quincy Market and South Market. Nowadays it operates as an indoor/outdoor mall and food eatery.
Boston Common Park (1-3 hrs)This park is the heart of downtown Boston. It is the oldest park in the country. The ‘Common’ has been used for many different purposes throughout its long history.
Until 1830, cattle grazed the Common, and until 1817, public hangings took place here. British troops camped on Boston Common prior to the Revolution and left from here to face colonial resistance at Lexington and Concord in 1775. Celebrities, including Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II have given speeches at the Common.
It is a great place at every season to walk around and spend some time and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the other side of the park you will find the original Cheers bar at Beacon Street
Hop-on-hop-off (1-2 days)
A great way to see the city is a hop-on-hop-off bus. Old town Trolley Tours brings you to most of the highlights in Boston. Most of the sights mentioned on this IFLYtheworld Boston page can be visited with this bus.
There are 18 stops and if you buy a ticket for one day, you get another day for free. There’s even a free 45-minute harbour cruise included. At their website you can view a map with the highlights, see where you can board and buy your tickets online.
Duck tours (55-80 minutes)
If you like to see all highlights of Boston in 55 or 80 minutes by road and boat and don’t want to walk at all you should do a tour with an amphibious vehicle.
Boston Duck Tours operates a fleet of restored World War II era DUKWs. These amphibious vehicles played an important role in both the European and Pacific theaters of the war. Nowadays these vehicles are used to give you a great overview of the city, show you many unique neighborhoods and splash you into the Charles River for a breathtaking view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.
Information about departure points and operating hours can be found here. Duck Tours offers great tours, but only during summer, so check their site first. Tickets cost about $32.
Cambridge & the MIT Museum (½ day)
If you like to taste the university culture, you should visit Cambridge, just north of Boston. It’s named after the famous British university, but it’s home to a famous American University: Harvard.
Harvard Square is the most important shopping area. But there’s much more in Cambridge: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology shortly the MIT Museum. The Museum invites you to explore invention, ideas, and innovation. Through interactive exhibitions, public programs, experimental projects and its renown collections, the MIT Museum showcases the fascinating world of MIT, and inspires people of all ages about the possibilities and opportunities offered by science and technology.
The museum is located at 265 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. It is open daily from 10am to 5 pm. The admission fee is $7,50 for an adult.
IFLYtheworld.com tries to be up-to-date with all travel information. If you despite our effort experience some things we need to know to update our tips, send us a message.
IFLYexchange
Prices of tips and articles are shown in local currency. To see it in another currency convert it here.
Prices are of course subject to changes. If you experience another amount as shown in this tip, let us know.
Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Boston. |
Thank you everyone for a great show! Thank you to all our amazing sponsors, instructors, vendors and attendees!
Save the dates for next year: Sept. 10, 11, 12 - 2019 - Nashville TN - 9th Annual International K-9 Cop Conference and Vendor Show for Police and Military Working Dog Handlers!
#k9cop2018 |