Electron and ion stagnation at the collision front between two laser produced plasmas

We report results from a combined optical interferometric and spectrally resolved imaging study on colliding laser produced aluminium plasmas. A Nomarski interferometer was used to probe the spatio-temporal distribution of electron densities at the collision front. Analysis of the resulting interferograms reveals the formation and evolution of a localized electron density feature with a well-defined profile reminiscent of a stagnation layer. Electron stagnation begins at a time delay of 10 ns after the peak of the plasma generating laser pulse. The peak electron density was found to exceed 10^19 cm^−3 and the layer remained well defined up to a time delay of ca 100 ns. Temporally and spectrally resolved optical imaging was also undertaken, to compare the Al^+ ion distribution with that of the 2D electron density profile. This revealed nascent stagnation of singly charged ions at a delay time of 20 ns. We attribute these results to the effects of space charge separation in the seed plasma plumes

Shifting markers of identity in East London's diasporic religious spaces

This article discusses the historical and geographical contexts of diasporic religious buildings in East London, revealing – contrary both to conventional narratives of immigrant integration, mobility, and succession and to identitarian understandings of belonging – that in such spaces and in the concrete devotional practices enacted in them, markers and boundaries of identity (ritual, spatial, and political) are contested, renegotiated, erased, and rewritten. It draws on a series of case-studies: Fieldgate Street Synagogue in its interrelationship with the East London Mosque; St Antony's Catholic Church in Forest Gate where Hindus and Christians worship together; and the intertwined histories of Methodism and Anglicanism in Bow Road. Exploration of the intersections between ethnicity, religiosity, and class illuminates the ambiguity and instability of identity-formation and expression within East London's diasporic faith spaces

Women in physics in Ireland—Making the invisible visible

We present data on gender and physics in Ireland at school, at the university level, and in academic career progression. Women in physics in Ireland remain low, and the numbers women who complete all levels of the academic track in physics show a downward trend. National efforts may improve these trends in the future.</p

IoT/Sensor-Based Infrastructures Promoting a Sense of Home, Independent Living, Comfort and Wellness

This paper presents the results of three interrelated studies concerning the specification and implementation of ambient assisted living (AAL)/Internet of Things (IoT)/sensor-based infrastructures, to support resident wellness and person-centered care delivery, in a residential care context. Overall, the paper reports on the emerging wellness management concept and IoT solution. The three studies adopt a stakeholder evaluation approach to requirements elicitation and solution design. Human factors research combines several qualitative human&#8315;machine interaction (HMI) design frameworks/methods, including realist ethnography, process mapping, persona-based design, and participatory design. Software development activities are underpinned by SCRUM/AGILE frameworks. Three structuring principles underpin the resident&#8217;s lived experience and the proposed &#8216;sensing&#8217; framework. This includes (1) resident wellness, (2) the resident&#8217;s environment (i.e., room and broader social spaces which constitute &#8216;home&#8217; for the resident), and (3) care delivery. The promotion of resident wellness, autonomy, quality of life and social participation depends on adequate monitoring and evaluation of information pertaining to (1), (2) and (3). Furthermore, the application of ambient assisted living technology in a residential setting depends on a clear definition of related care delivery processes and allied social and interpersonal communications. It is argued that independence (and quality of life for older adults) is linked to technology that enables interdependence, and specifically technology that supports social communication between key roles including residents, caregivers, and family members

Hands off, Minds on? – The Pros and Cons of Practical Experimentation?

Stiller C, Stockey A, Wilde M. Hands off, Minds on? – The Pros and Cons of Practical Experimentation? In: Finlayson O, McLoughin E, Erduran S, Childs P, eds. Electronic Proceedings of the ESERA 2017 Conference. Research, Practice and Collaboration in Science Education. Part 2. Dublin, Ireland: Dublin City University; 2018: 332-342

The benefits of structuring teacher behavior in biology lessons with experiments

Eckes A, Wilde M. The benefits of structuring teacher behavior in biology lessons with experiments. In: Finlayson O, McLoughin E, Erduran S, Childs P, Dublin City University, eds. Electronic Proceedings of the ESERA 2017 Conference. Research, Practice and Collaboration in Science Education. Part 3. Dublin: Dublin City University; 2018: 456-464

Ion emission in collisions between two laser-produced plasmas

Measurements of the total ion emission from a pair of colliding laser-produced aluminium plasmas were obtained with the aid of a Faraday cup detector. The energy profile width at half height of the kinetic energy distribution for ions emitted normal to the target was found to be 30% narrower for colliding plasmas compared to a single plasma. Similar to ion emission from single plumes, the mean ion kinetic energy is observed to increase with the energy of the incident laser pulse. However, the width of the ion energy distribution increases at a significantly slower rate than in the single plume case.Science Foundation IrelandHigher Education AuthorityIrish Research Council for Science, Engineering and TechnologyOther funderDCU International Visiting Fellows Programau, ti, ab, st, en, li - TS 27.03.1