Presents an entertaining and accessible approach whilst also providing a rigorous and comprehensive presentation of the subject. Describes how to unveil the ages of stellar populations in distant galaxies that we cannot resolve into individual stars. Contains historical notes about these techniques, outstanding major problems, and a discussion on future developments in the field.

Handbook of Molecular Gastronomy: Scientific Foundations and Culinary Applications presents a unique overview of molecular gastronomy, the scientific discipline dedicated to the study of phenomena that occur during the preparation and consumption of dishes. It deals with the chemistry, biology and physics of food preparation, along with the physiology of food consumption. As such, it represents the first attempt at a comprehensive reference in molecular gastronomy, along with a practical guide, through selected examples, to molecular cuisine and the more recent applications named note by note cuisine. While several books already exist for a general audience, either addressing food science in general in a "light" way and/or dealing with modern cooking techniques and recipes, no book exists so far that encompasses the whole molecular gastronomy field, providing a strong interdisciplinary background in the physics, biology and chemistry of food and food preparation, along with good discussions on creativity and the art of cooking. Features: Gives A-Z coverage to the underlying science (physics, chemistry and biology) and technology, as well as all the key cooking issues (ingredients, tools and methods). Encompasses the science and practice of molecular gastronomy in the most accessible and up-to-date reference available. Contains a final section with unique recipes by famous chefs. The book is organized in three parts. The first and main part is about the scientific discipline of molecular and physical gastronomy; it is organized as an encyclopedia, with entries in alphabetical order, gathering the contributions of more than 100 authors, all leading scientists in food sciences, providing a broad overview of the most recent research in molecular gastronomy. The second part addresses educational applications of molecular gastronomy, from primary schools to universities. The third part provides some innovative recipes by chefs from various parts of the world. The authors have made a particular pedagogical effort in proposing several educational levels, from elementary introduction to deep scientific formalism, in order to satisfy the broadest possible audience (scientists and non-scientists). This new resource should be very useful to food scientists and chefs, as well as food and culinary science students and all lay people interested in gastronomy.

This book presents an in-depth ethnographic case study carried out in the years following the 2010 Haiti earthquake to present the role of faith beliefs in disaster response. The earthquake is one of the most destructive on record, and the aftermath, including a cholera epidemic and ongoing humanitarian aid, has continued for years following the catastrophe. Based on dozens of interviews, this book gives primacy to survivors' narratives. It begins by laying out the Haitian context, before presenting an account of the earthquake from survivors' perspectives. It then explores in detail how the earthquake affected the religious, mainly Christian, faith of survivors and how religious faith influenced how they responded to, and are recovering from, the experience. The account is also informed by geoscience and the accompanying "complicating factors." Finally, the Haitian experience highlights the significant role that religious faith can play alongside other learned coping strategies in disaster response and recovery globally. This book contributes an important case study to an emerging literature in which the influence of both religion and narrative is being recognised. It will be of interest to scholars of any discipline concerned with disaster response, including practical theology, anthropology, psychology, geography, Caribbean studies and earth science. It will also provide a resource for non-governmental organisations.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This book covers a wide scope of biological approaches to such biological phenomena as cell division, motility, collective cell behavior, multicellular structures, morphogenesis, and tumor development. Over the past two decades, biologists have generated large sets of experimental data and discovered a lot of facts that need explanation. This biological boom attracts physicists who believe they can help to develop a theoretical framework in biology and explain complete biological phenomena using basic principles. This is the first book to present recent advances in biophysical studies of the different aspects of cell life. This book presents recent advances in biophysical studies of living cells and gives the impression that a combination of quantitative live cell observations, detailed biochemical and biophysical data, and mathematical modeling are capable to answer many important biological questions and to achieve a more complete understanding of such complex phenomena.

This book offers a comprehensive presentation of the concepts, properties, and applications of complex materials. Authors of each chapter use a fundamental approach to define the structure and properties of a wide range of solids on the basis of the local chemical bonding and atomic order present in the material. Emphasizing the physical and chemical origins of different material properties, this important volume focuses on the most technologically important materials being utilized and developed by scientists and engineers.

Using fractal analysis, irreversible aggregation models, synergetics, and percolation theory, this book describes the main reactions of high-molecular substances. It is the first to give the structural and physical grounds of polymers synthesis and curing based on fractal analysis. It provides a single equation for describing the relationship between the reaction rate constants and the equilibrium constants with the nature of the medium.

This book covers a selection of recent research studies and new developments in physics and chemistry in micro and nanoscale materials. It brings together research contributions from eminent experts in the field from both academic and industry, providing the latest developments in advanced materials chemical domains.

In this book, new developments based on conceptual density functional theory (CDFT) and its applications in chemistry are discussed. It also includes discussion of some applications in corrosion and conductivity and synthesis studies based on CDFT. The electronic structure principles-such as the electronegativity equalization principle, the hardness equalization principle, the electrophilicity equalization principle, and the nucleophilicity equalization principle, along studies based on these electronic structure principles-are broadly explained. In recent years some novel methodologies have been developed in the field of CDFT. These methodologies have been used to explore mutual relationships between the descriptors of CDFT, namely electronegativity, hardness, etc. The mutual relationship between the electronegativity and the hardness depend on the electronic configuration of the neutral atomic species. The volume attempts to cover almost all such methodology. Conceptual Density Function Theory and Its Application in the Chemical Domain will be an appropriate guide for research students as well as the supervisors in PhD programs. It will also be valuable resource for inorganic chemists, physical chemists, and quantum chemists. The reviews, research articles, short communications, etc., covered by this book will be appreciated by theoreticians as well as experimentalists.

The use of mathematical modeling in engineering allows for a significant reduction of material costs associated with design, production, and operation of technical objects, but it is important for an engineer to use the available computational approaches in modeling correctly. Taking into account the level of modern computer technology, this new volume explains how an engineer should properly define the physical and mathematical problem statement, choose the computational approach, and solve the problem by proven reliable computational approach using computer and software applications during the solution of a particular problem. This work is the result of years of the authors' research and experience in the fields of power and rocket engineering where they put into practice the methods of mathematical modeling shown in this valuable volume. The examples in the book are based on two approaches. The first approach involves the use of the relatively simple mathematical system MathCad. The second one involves the solving of problems using Intel Visual Fortran compiler with IMSL Libraries. The use of other software packages (Maple, MathLab, Mathematica) or compilers ( , ++, Visual Basic) for code is equally acceptable in the solution of the problems given in the book. Intended for professors and instructors, scientific researchers, students, and industry professionals, the book will help readers to choose the most appropriate mathematical modeling method to solve engineering problems, and the authors also include methods that allow for the solving of nonmathematical problems as mathematical problems.

This new volume presents leading-edge research in the rapidly changing and evolving field of chemical materials characterization and modification. The topics in the book reflect the diversity of research advances in physical chemistry and electrochemistry, focusing on the preparation, characterization, and applications of polymers and high-density materials. Also covered are various manufacturing techniques. Focusing on the most technologically important materials being utilized and developed by scientists and engineers, the book will help to fill the gap between theory and practice in industry. This comprehensive anthology covers many of the major themes of physical chemistry and electrochemistry, addressing many of the major issues, from concept to technology to implementation. It is an important reference publication that provides new research and updates on a variety of physical chemistry and electrochemistry uses through case studies and supporting technologies, and it also explains the conceptual thinking behind current uses and potential uses not yet implemented. International experts with countless years of experience lend this volume credibility.

Written by highly regarded experts in the field, this book covers many of the major themes of chemical and biochemical physics, addressing important issues, from concept to technology to implementation. It provides new research and updates on a variety of issues in physical chemistry and biochemical physics. Many chapters include case studies and supporting technologies and explain the conceptual thinking behind current uses and potential uses not yet implemented. By providing an applied and modern approach, this volume presents a wide-ranging view of current developments in applied methodologies in chemical and biochemical physics research.

This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. This book presents the latest research on resilience strategies around the world. Research such as this is necessary to create new ideas and to evaluate established ones in an effort to make communities more adaptable and to increase people's survival and quality of life while living with the reality of climate change. The book offers definitions of resilience and various ways of measuring it, since resilience is still a concept in transition. It also describes general strategies for increasing communities' resilience at multiple levels, then dives into specific dimensions of resilience, tying it to energy infrastructure and systems and public health.

This book explores the potential of nanosystems as a multidisciplinary science with the aim of the design and development of smart sensing technologies using micro/nano electrodes and novel nanosensing material. It discusses their integration with MEMS, miniaturized transduction systems, novel sensing strategies, and wearable sensors performing at POC for diagnostics and personalized health care monitoring. It presents basic concepts pertaining to nanobiosensor fabrication, developments in the field of smart nanomaterials, nano-enabling technologies, micro-nano hybrind platforms, and their applications in healthcare.

Praise for the first edition: "A terrific blend of the science and the history." Martha Haynes, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, New York, USA "The book is a treat... Highly recommended for public and academic libraries." Peter Hepburn, now Head Librarian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California, USA Today, we recognize that we live on a planet circling the sun, that our sun is just one of billions of stars in the galaxy we call the Milky Way, and that our galaxy is but one of billions born out of the Big Bang. Yet, as recently as the early twentieth century, the general public and even astronomers had vague and confused notions about what lay beyond the visible stars. Can we see to the edge of the universe? Do we live in a system that would look, from a distance, like a spiral nebula? This fully updated second edition of Minding the Heavens: The Story of Our Discovery of the Milky Way explores how we learned that we live in a galaxy, in a universe composed of galaxies and unseen, mysterious dark matter. The story unfolds through short biographies of seven astronomers: Thomas Wright, William Herschel, and Wilhelm Struve of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; the transitional figure of William Huggins; and Jacobus Kapteyn, Harlow Shapley, and Edwin Hubble of the modern, big-telescope era. Each contributed key insights to our present understanding of where we live in the cosmos, and each was directly inspired by the work of his predecessors to decipher "the construction of the heavens." Along the way, the narrative weaves in the contributions of those in supportive roles, including Caroline Herschel-William's sister, and the first woman paid to do astronomy-and Martha Shapley, a mathematician in her own right who carried out calculations for her spouse. Through this historical perspective, readers will gain a new appreciation of our magnificent Milky Way galaxy and of the beauties of the night sky, from ghostly nebulae to sparkling star clusters. Features: Fully updated throughout to reflect the latest in our understanding of the Milky Way, from our central supermassive black hole to the prospect of future mergers with other galaxies in our Local Group. Explains the significance of current research, including from the Gaia mission mapping our galaxy in unprecedented detail. Unique and broadly appealing approach. A biographical framework and ample illustrations lead the reader by easy, enjoyable steps to a well-rounded understanding of the history of astronomy. Leila Belkora (Ph.D., Astrophysics) is a science writer. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado-Boulder, specializing in solar radio astronomy. She has previously taught university physics, astronomy, and communication for engineers. She lives in Southern California and enjoys local astronomy outreach activities.

Understanding the Universe: The Physics of the Cosmos from Quasars to Quarks explores how all areas of physics, from the very smallest scales to the very largest, come together to form our current understanding of the Universe. It takes readers on a fascinating journey, from the Big Bang and how the Universe has evolved, to how it appears now, and the possibilities for how it will continue to evolve in the future. It also explores the latest exciting developments in the area and how they impact our understanding of the Universe, such as quantum chromodynamics, black holes, dark energy, and gravitational waves. Equally importantly, it explains how we have come to know all of this about the Universe and details the limitations of our current understanding. This book is accessible to all introductory undergraduate students interested in the physical sciences. It prioritises a non-mathematical approach so it can be understood by all students, with only two algebraic equations in the book and any numerical calculations shown are limited to simple arithmetic. Key Features: Combines current understanding of quantum physics and cosmology, and includes the latest exciting developments from the field. Provides an accessible introduction to the topic, focusing on a non-mathematical presentation. Presents a comprehensive narrative on the subject and a coherent story.

Thermal and statistical physics has established the principles and procedures needed to understand and explain the properties of systems consisting of macroscopically large numbers of particles. By developing microscopic statistical physics and macroscopic classical thermodynamic descriptions in tandem, Statistical and Thermal Physics: An Introduction provides insight into basic concepts and relationships at an advanced undergraduate level. This second edition is updated throughout, providing a highly detailed, profoundly thorough, and comprehensive introduction to the subject and features exercises within the text as well as end-of-chapter problems. Part I of this book consists of nine chapters, the first three of which deal with the basics of equilibrium thermodynamics, including the fundamental relation. The following three chapters introduce microstates and lead to the Boltzmann definition of the entropy using the microcanonical ensemble approach. In developing the subject, the ideal gas and the ideal spin system are introduced as models for discussion. The laws of thermodynamics are compactly stated. The final three chapters in Part I introduce the thermodynamic potentials and the Maxwell relations. Applications of thermodynamics to gases, condensed matter, and phase transitions and critical phenomena are dealt with in detail. Initial chapters in Part II present the elements of probability theory and establish the thermodynamic equivalence of the three statistical ensembles that are used in determining probabilities. The canonical and the grand canonical distributions are obtained and discussed. Chapters 12-15 are concerned with quantum distributions. By making use of the grand canonical distribution, the Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein quantum distribution functions are derived and then used to explain the properties of ideal Fermi and Bose gases. The Planck distribution is introduced and applied to photons in radiation and to phonons on solids. The last five chapters cover a variety of topics: the ideal gas revisited, nonideal systems, the density matrix, reactions, and irreversible thermodynamics. A flowchart is provided to assist instructors on planning a course. Key Features: Fully updated throughout, with new content on exciting topics, including black hole thermodynamics, Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chains, entropy and information theory, renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, and the mean field theory of antiferromagnetic systems Additional problem exercises with solutions provide further learning opportunities Suitable for advanced undergraduate students in physics or applied physics. Michael J.R. Hoch spent many years as a visiting scientist at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University, USA. Prior to this, he was a professor of physics and the director of the Condensed Matter Physics Research Unit at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where he is currently professor emeritus in the School of Physics.

Spreading to every corner of the Earth, the COVID-19 virus has had an unparalleled impact on all aspects of our lives. This book explores in detail how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected clinical practice, education, and research in medical physics, and how colleagues on the frontline dealt with this unpredictable and unprecedented pandemic. It tackles key questions such as: How did medical physicists first respond to the situation? What innovative strategies were taken and how effective were they? How are medical physicists preparing for the future? There will be a focus on the different experiences of regional medical physicists and the responses and outlooks in clinical practice, education, and research in the affected continents, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, Africa and North and Latin America. With over 91 contributors from 39 countries, this unique resource contains key perspectives from teams from each territory to ensure a global range of accounts. The collective opinion and wisdom from the major medical physics journal editors-in-chief are also explored, alongside how the pandemic has affected the quantity and quality of publications. Voices of early-career researchers and students of medical physics will be included, with narratives of their experiences coping with life during the pandemic. Lastly, communicating leadership in times of adversity is highlighted. This book will be a historic account of the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the field of medical physics. It will be an ideal reference for medical physicists, medical physics trainees and students, hospital administrators, regulators, and healthcare professionals allied with medical physics. Key features: The first book to cover the impact of COVID-19 on the field of medical physics Edited by two experts in the field, with chapter contributions from subject area specialists around the world Broad, global coverage, ranging from the impact on teaching, research, and publishing, with unique perspectives from journal editors and students and trainees

Praise for the first edition: "A terrific blend of the science and the history." Martha Haynes, Goldwin Smith Professor of Astronomy, Cornell University, New York, USA "The book is a treat... Highly recommended for public and academic libraries." Peter Hepburn, now Head Librarian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, California, USA Today, we recognize that we live on a planet circling the sun, that our sun is just one of billions of stars in the galaxy we call the Milky Way, and that our galaxy is but one of billions born out of the Big Bang. Yet, as recently as the early twentieth century, the general public and even astronomers had vague and confused notions about what lay beyond the visible stars. Can we see to the edge of the universe? Do we live in a system that would look, from a distance, like a spiral nebula? This fully updated second edition of Minding the Heavens: The Story of Our Discovery of the Milky Way explores how we learned that we live in a galaxy, in a universe composed of galaxies and unseen, mysterious dark matter. The story unfolds through short biographies of seven astronomers: Thomas Wright, William Herschel, and Wilhelm Struve of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; the transitional figure of William Huggins; and Jacobus Kapteyn, Harlow Shapley, and Edwin Hubble of the modern, big-telescope era. Each contributed key insights to our present understanding of where we live in the cosmos, and each was directly inspired by the work of his predecessors to decipher "the construction of the heavens." Along the way, the narrative weaves in the contributions of those in supportive roles, including Caroline Herschel-William's sister, and the first woman paid to do astronomy-and Martha Shapley, a mathematician in her own right who carried out calculations for her spouse. Through this historical perspective, readers will gain a new appreciation of our magnificent Milky Way galaxy and of the beauties of the night sky, from ghostly nebulae to sparkling star clusters. Features: Fully updated throughout to reflect the latest in our understanding of the Milky Way, from our central supermassive black hole to the prospect of future mergers with other galaxies in our Local Group. Explains the significance of current research, including from the Gaia mission mapping our galaxy in unprecedented detail. Unique and broadly appealing approach. A biographical framework and ample illustrations lead the reader by easy, enjoyable steps to a well-rounded understanding of the history of astronomy. Leila Belkora (Ph.D., Astrophysics) is a science writer. She earned her doctorate from the University of Colorado-Boulder, specializing in solar radio astronomy. She has previously taught university physics, astronomy, and communication for engineers. She lives in Southern California and enjoys local astronomy outreach activities.

Multi-Component Force Sensing Systems focuses on the design, development, decoupling, and applications of multi-component force sensing systems. Force and moment information can be used as feedback to form an automatic control system to accomplish efficient manipulation. The origins of force measurement and control can be traced back to the late 1970s. Since then, multi-component F/M (force/moment) sensing systems have been widely known and intensively studied. In the past few years, force measurement practices have been significantly affected by new tools (such as digital force gauges, virtual instrumentation, high speed data acquisition systems, etc.) as well as sophisticated measurement methods such as mechano-magnetic, mechano-optical, etc. However, this is the first book to provide an overview of the topic. It will be a useful reference for students in physics and engineering working with robotic sensing systems and robotic systems, in addition to researchers and those working within industry. This work was supported in part by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC 62073129 and 61673163). Features: * Explores the development of force/torque sensing systems * Provides real applications of the multi-component force/torque sensing systems * Contains executable code for decoupling algorithms About the Author: Qiaokang Liang is an Associate Professor with the College of Electrical and Information Engineering, Hunan University. He is currently the vice director of the Hunan Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robot Technology in Electronic Manufacturing and serving as the assistant director of the National Engineering Laboratory for Robot Vision Perception and Control. He received his Ph.D. degree in control science and engineering from the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China, in 2011. His research interests include robotics and mechatronics, biomimetic sensing, advanced robot technology, and human-computer interaction.

In Situ Testing Methods in Geotechnical Engineering covers the field of applied geotechnical engineering related to the use of in situ testing of soils to determine soil properties and parameters for geotechnical design. It provides an overview of the practical aspects of the most routine and common test methods, as well as test methods that engineers may wish to include on specific projects. It is suited for a graduate-level course on field testing of soils and will also aid practicing engineers. Test procedures for determining in situ lateral stress, strength, and stiffness properties of soils are examined, as is the determination of stress history and rate of consolidation. Readers will be introduced to various approaches to geotechnical design of shallow and deep foundations using in situ tests. Importantly, the text discusses the potential advantages and disadvantages of using in situ tests.

The two volumes of this new edition of the Handbook cover the basic biological, medical, physical, and electrical engineering principles. They also include experimental results concerning how electric and magnetic fields affect biological systems-both as potential hazards to health and potential tools for medical treatment and scientific research. They also include material on the relationship between the science and the regulatory processes concerning human exposure to the fields. Like its predecessors, this edition is intended to be useful as a reference book but also for introducing the reader to bioelectromagnetics or some of its aspects. FEATURES * New topics include coverage of electromagnetic effects in the terahertz region, effects on plants, and explicitly applying feedback concepts to the analysis of biological electromagnetic effects * Expanded coverage of electromagnetic brain stimulation, characterization and modeling of epithelial wounds, and recent lab experiments on at all frequencies * Section on background for setting standards and precautionary principle * Discussion of recent epidemiological, laboratory, and theoretical results; including: WHO IARC syntheses of epidemiological results on both high and low frequency fields, IITRI lab study of cancer in mice exposed to cell phone-like radiation, and other RF studies * All chapters updated by internationally acknowledged experts in the field

Now fully updated, the second edition of Modern Diagnostic X-Ray Sources: Technology, Manufacturing, Reliability gives an up-to-date summary of X-ray source technology and design for applications in modern diagnostic medical imaging. It lays a sound groundwork for education and advanced training in the physics of X-ray production, X-ray interactions with matter, and imaging modalities and assesses their prospects. The book begins with a comprehensive and easy-to-read historical overview of X-ray tube and generator development, including key achievements leading up to the current technological and economic state of the field. The book covers the physics of X-ray generation, including the process of constructing X-ray source devices. The stand-alone chapters can be read in order or in selections. They take you inside diagnostic X-ray tubes, illustrating their design, functions, metrics for validation, and interfaces. The detailed descriptions enable objective comparison and benchmarking. This detailed presentation of X-ray tube creation and functions enables you to understand how to optimize tube efficiency, particularly with consideration for economics and environmental care. It also simplifies faultfinding. Along with covering the past and current state of the field, the book assesses the future regarding developing new X-ray sources that can enhance performance and yield greater benefits to the scientific community and to the public. After heading international R&D, marketing and advanced development for X-ray sources with Philips, and working in the X-ray industry for more than four decades, Rolf Behling retired in 2020 and is now the owner of the consulting firm XtraininX, Germany. He holds numerous patents and is continuously publishing, consulting and training.

Sensors and measurement systems is an introduction to microsensors for engineering students in the final undergraduate or early graduate level, technicians who wants to know more about the systems they are using, and anybody curious enough to know what microsystems and microsensors can do. The book discusses five families of sensors: - Thermal sensors - Force and pressure sensors - Inertial sensors - Magnetic field sensors - Flow sensors For each sensor, theoretical, technology and application aspects are examined. The sensor function is modelled to understand sensitivity, resolution and noise. We ask ourselves: What do we want to measure? What are possible applications? How are the sensor chips made in the cleanroom? How are they mounted and integrated in a system? After reading this book, you should be able to: - Understand important thermal, mechanical, inertial and magnetic sensors - Work with characterization parameters for sensors - Choose sensors for a given application and apply them - Understand micromachining technologies for sensors

This enduringly popular undergraduate textbook has been thoroughly reworked and updated, and now comprises twelve chapters covering the same breadth of topics as earlier editions, but in a substantially modernized fashion to facilitate classroom teaching. Covering both theoretical and applied aspects of geophysics, clear explanations of the physical principles are blended with step-by-step derivations of the key equations and over 400 explanatory figures to explain the internal structure and properties of the planet, including its petroleum and mineral resources. New topics include the latest data acquisition technologies, such as satellite geophysics, planetary landers, ocean bottom seismometers, and fibre optic methods, as well as recent research developments in ambient noise interferometry, seismic hazard analysis, rheology, and numerical modelling - all illustrated with examples from the scientific literature. Student-friendly features include separate text boxes with auxiliary explanations and advanced topics of interest; reading lists of foundational, alternative, or more detailed resources; end-of-chapter review questions and an increased number of quantitative exercises. Completely new to this edition is the addition of computational exercises in Python, designed to help students acquire important programming skills and develop a more profound understanding of geophysics.

This is introductory book for researchers, scientists and students in the area of organic and inorganic composite materials. This book has addressed timely the innovative topic "chalcogenide-multiwalled carbon nanotubes and chalcogenide-bilayer graphene" composite materials under a glassy regime. This book will give a clear idea on the concepts of the newly established composite materials area, by providing interpretations of inside physio-chemical mechanism. The remarkable landmark innovations related to this newly introduced research field are included in this book. Additionally, the possible futuristic applications in the area of nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, biomedical etc are also addressed.