Temperature perturbation model of the opto-galvanic effect in CO2-laser discharges

A detailed discharge model of the opto-galvanic effect in molecular laser gas mixtures is developed based on the temperature perturbation or discharge cooling mechanism of Smith and Brooks (1979). Excellent agreement between the model and experimental results in CO2 laser gas mixtures is obtained. The model should be applicable to other molecular systems where the OGE is being used for laser stabilisation and as a spectroscopic tool

A Neural-Symbolic Cognitive Agent for Online Learning and Reasoning

In real-world applications, the effective integration of learning and reasoning in a cognitive agent model is a difficult task. However, such integration may lead to a better understanding, use and construction of more realistic models. Unfortunately, existing models are either oversimplified or require much processing time, which is unsuitable for online learning and reasoning. Currently, controlled environments like training simulators do not effectively integrate learning and reasoning. In particular, higher-order concepts and cognitive abilities have many unknown temporal relations with the data, making it impossible to represent such relationships by hand. We introduce a novel cognitive agent model and architecture for online learning and reasoning that seeks to effectively represent, learn and reason in complex training environments. The agent architecture of the model combines neural learning with symbolic knowledge representation. It is capable of learning new hypotheses from observed data, and infer new beliefs based on these hypotheses. Furthermore, it deals with uncertainty and errors in the data using a Bayesian inference model. The validation of the model on real-time simulations and the results presented here indicate the promise of the approach when performing online learning and reasoning in real-world scenarios, with possible applications in a range of areas

Equipment and procedure for determining the elastic modulus of carbon-epoxy composites

Method includes test device design and fabrication and standard Naval Ordnance Laboratory /NOL/ test ring as the test specimen. Technique provides accurate measurement of NOL ring elastic modulus, and adapts for use with fiber glass epoxy/rings

Academic publishing in disaster risk reduction: past, present, and future

Nowadays there are approximately 80 Anglophone journals that deal primarily with disaster risk reduction (DRR) and allied fields. This large array signals a sustained, if uneven, growth in DRR scholarship but also competition between the offerings of different publishers and institutions. The purpose of this article is first to summarise the development of academic publishing on DRR from its early beginnings to the present day. The paper then evaluates the current state of publishing in this field and discusses possible future trends. Next, it identifies some possible opportunities, challenges, expectations, and commitments for journal editors both within DRR and academia more broadly, including those that refer to changes in the use of terminology, the relentless increase in the number of papers submitted, the expansion and dangers of predatory journals, different peer review models, open access versus paywalls, citations and bibliography metrics, academic social networks, and copyright and distribution issues

High-throughput and high-precision laser micromachining with ps-pulses in synchronized mode with a fast polygon line scanner

To be competitive in laser micro machining, high throughput is an important aspect. One possibility to increase productivity is scaling up the ablation process i.e. linearly increasing the laser repetition rate together with the average power and the scan speed. In the MHz-regime high scan speeds are required which cannot be provided by commercially available galvo scanners. In this work we will report on the results by using a polygon line scanner having a maximum scan speed of 100 m/s and a 50 W ps-laser system, synchronized via the SuperSync™ technology. We will show the results concerning the removal rate and the surface quality for working at the optimum point i.e. most efficient point at repetition rates up to 8.2 MHz