National counter-terrorism (C-T) policies and challenges to human rights and civil liberties: Case study of United Kingdom

In the UK the rise post-2005 in “home-grown” terrorism, relying to a significant extent on strikes on soft targets by “self-starters,” means that the search for effective preventive measures remains a continuing concern. Below a number of the preventive counter-terror measures adopted post-9/11, and incrementally strengthened in response to the current threat, are found to fall into three categories and represent interventions at the stages in the path toward attacks. This chapter focuses on selected examples of these preventive measures. In terms of three key stages, firstly, there is the attempt to prevent radicalization, under the “Prevent” strategy. A second strategy relies on taking certain measures to control the activities of those considered likely – on the balance of probabilities – to engage in terrorist-related activity. A third preventive strategy relies on the special terrorism offences under the Terrorism Acts 2000 and 2006, as amended, intended to allow for intervention at a very early stage in terrorist plots and in preparing or instigating terrorist acts (“precursor” offences)

Molecular hydrogen in the young starburst in NGC 253

Shocked molecular hydrogen has been observed around the nucleus of the nearby galaxy, NGC 253. This galaxy has a relatively modest luminosity (approx. 3 x 10 to the 10th power solar luminosities) and appears to have no distortions or companions that would indicate a possible interaction. The energy of the galaxy appears to be derived primarily from a starburst. Thus, our observations have caused us to examine the starburst process in some detail to identify how the molecular hydrogen is excited. It is proposed that the molecular hydrogen emission is produced by collisions of dense molecular clouds accelerated by supernovae explosions. Within the nucleus, this process occurs early in the life of the starbust. This suggest a sequence of nuclear starburst development; examples along this sequence from young to old would include NGC 253, M82, NGC 1097, and M31

Effects of Quasi-Static Aberrations in Faint Companion Searches

We present the first results obtained at CFHT with the TRIDENT infrared camera, dedicated to the detection of faint companions close to bright nearby stars. The camera's main feature is the acquisition of three simultaneous images in three wavelengths (simultaneous differential imaging) across the methane absorption bandhead at 1.6 micron, that enables a precise subtraction of the primary star PSF while keeping the companion signal. The main limitation is non-common path aberrations between the three optical paths that slightly decorrelate the PSFs. Two types of PSF calibrations are combined with the differential simultaneous imaging technique to further attenuate the PSF: reference star subtraction and instrument rotation to smooth aberrations. It is shown that a faint companion with a DeltaH of 10 magnitudes would be detected at 0.5 arcsec from the primary.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, to appear in Astronomy with High Contrast Imaging, EAS Publications Serie

Study of process technology for GaAlAs/GaAs heteroface solar cells

Two processes were considered: the infinite melt process and the finite melt process. The only technique that is developed to the point that 10,000 cells could be produced in one year is the infinite melt liquid phase epitaxy process. The lowest cost per cell was achieved with the advanced metal organic chemical vapor deposition process. Molecular beam epitaxy was limited by the slow growth rate. The lowest cost, an 18 percent efficient cell at air mass zero, was approximately $70 per watt

Preliminary submillimeter spectroscopic measurements using a submillimeter heterodyne radiometer

A submillimeter heterodyne radiometer uses a submillimeter laser, pumped by a CO2 laser, as a local oscillator and a room temperature Schottky barrier diode as the first IF mixer. The radiometer can resolve spectral lines in the submillimeter region of the spectrum (arising from pure rotational molecular transitions) to within 0.3 MHz, using acousto-optic spectrum analyzer which measures the power spectrum by simultaneously sampling 0.3 MHz wide channels over a 100 MHz bandwidth spanning the line. Preliminary observations of eight spectral lines of H2O2, CO, NH3 and H2O, all lying in the 434-524 micrometer wavelength range are described. All eight lines were observed using two local oscillator frequencies obtained by operating the submillimeter laser with either methyl fluoride (CH3F) or formic acid (HCOOH) as the lasing gas. Sample calculations of line parameters from the observed data show good agreement with established values. One development goal is the size and weight reduction of the package to make it suitable for balloon or shuttle experiments to detect trace gases in the upper atmosphere

Effects of high order deformation on superheavy high-KK isomers

Using, for the first time, configuration-constrained potential-energy-surface calculations with the inclusion of $\beta_6$ deformation, we find remarkable effects of the high order deformation on the high-$K$ isomers in $^{254}$No, the focus of recent spectroscopy experiments on superheavy nuclei. For shapes with multipolarity six, the isomers are more tightly bound and, microscopically, have enhanced deformed shell gaps at $N=152$ and $Z=100$. The inclusion of $\beta_6$ deformation significantly improves the description of the very heavy high-$K$ isomers.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, the version to appear in Phys. Rev.

Isotropy, shear, symmetry and exact solutions for relativistic fluid spheres

The symmetry method is used to derive solutions of Einstein's equations for fluid spheres using an isotropic metric and a velocity four vector that is non-comoving. Initially the Lie, classical approach is used to review and provide a connecting framework for many comoving and so shear free solutions. This provides the basis for the derivation of the classical point symmetries for the more general and mathematicaly less tractable description of Einstein's equations in the non-comoving frame. Although the range of symmetries is restrictive, existing and new symmetry solutions with non-zero shear are derived. The range is then extended using the non-classical direct symmetry approach of Clarkson and Kruskal and so additional new solutions with non-zero shear are also presented. The kinematics and pressure, energy density, mass function of these solutions are determined.Comment: To appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit