This thesis focuses on searches for squarks with the ATLAS detector in "compressed" scenarios where the scalar top is very close in mass to the lightest supersymmetric particle. These models are theoretically appealing because the presence of a quasi-degenerate scalar top enhances the self-annihilation cross-section of the lightest supersymmetric particle, acting therefore as a regulator of the dark matter relic density. Two main analyses are presented: the first is a search for scalar tops decaying to charm quarks. The identification of jets originating from the charm quark is very challenging due to its short lifetime. The calibration of tools for charm-tagging has paved the way to measuring the decay of the Higgs boson to pairs of charm quarks. The second analysis presented is the development of a novel technique for reconstructing low momentum b-hadrons. This tool has enabled the ATLAS collaboration to explore topologies that were previously inaccessible.

The book covers in particular state-of-the-art scientific research about product quality control and related health and environmental safety topics, including human, animal and plant safety assurance issues. These conference proceedings provide contemporary information on the general theoretical, metrological and practical issues of the production and application of reference materials. Reference materials play an integral role in physical, chemical and related type of measurements, ensuring their uniformity, comparability and the validity of quantitative analysis as well as, as a result, the objectivity of decisions concerning the elimination of technical barriers in commercial and economic, scientific and technical and other spheres of cooperation. The book is intended for researchers and practitioners in the field of chemistry, metrologists, technical physics, as well as for specialists in analytical laboratories, or working for companies and organizations involved in the production, distribution and use of reference materials.

This book gives an overview of modern cathodes and electron emitters for vacuum tubes and vacuum electron devices in general. It covers the latest developments in field emission theory as well as new methods towards improving thermionic and cold cathodes. It addresses thermionic cathodes, such as oxide cathodes, impregnated and scandate cathodes, as well as photocathodes and field emitters - the latter comprising carbon nanotubes, graphene and Spindt-type emitter arrays. Despite the rise and fall of the once dominant types of vacuum tubes, such as radio valves and cathode ray tubes, cathodes are continually being improved upon as new applications with increased demands arise, for example in electron beam lithography, high-power and high-frequency microwave tubes, terahertz imaging and electron sources for accelerators. Written by 17 experts in the field, the book presents the latest developments in cathodes needed for these applications, discussing the state of the art and addressing future trends.

This thesis describes advances in the understanding of HgCdTe detectors. While long wave (15 m) infrared detectors HgCdTe detectors have been developed for military use under high background irradiance, these arrays had not previously been developed for astronomical use where the background irradiance is a billion times smaller. The main pitfall in developing such arrays for astronomy is the pixel dark current which plagues long wave HgCdTe. The author details work on the success of shorter wavelength development at Teledyne Imaging Sensors, carefully modeling the dark current-reverse bias voltage curves of their 10 m devices at a temperature of 30K, as well as the dark current-temperature curves at several reverse biases, including 250 mV. By projecting first to 13 and then 15 m HgCdTe growth, values of fundamental properties of the material that would minimize tunneling dark currents were determined through careful modeling of the dark current-reverse bias voltage curves, as well as the dark current-temperature curves. This analysis was borne out in the 13 m parts produced by Teledyne, and then further honed to produce the necessary parameters for the 15 m growth. The resulting 13 m arrays are being considered by a number of ground-based astronomy research groups.

This book sheds new light on the biographical approach in the history of physics by including the biographies of scientific objects, institutions, and concepts. What is a biography? Can biographies also be written for non-human subjects like scientific instruments, institutions or concepts? The respective chapters of this book discuss these controversial questions using examples from the history of physics. By approaching biography as metaphor, it transcends the boundaries between various perspectives on the history of physics, and enriches our grasp of the past.

This thesis focuses on a cutting-edge area of research, which is aligned with CERN's mainstream research, the "AWAKE" project, dedicated to proving the capability of accelerating particles to the energy frontier by the high energy proton beam. The author participated in this project and has advanced the plasma wakefield theory and modelling significantly, especially concerning future plasma acceleration based collider design. The thesis addresses electron beam acceleration to high energy whilst preserving its high quality driven by a single short proton bunch in hollow plasma. It also demonstrates stable deceleration of multiple proton bunches in a nonlinear regime with strong resonant wakefield excitation in hollow plasma, and generation of high energy and high quality electron or positron bunches. Further work includes the assessment of transverse instabilities induced by misaligned beams in hollow plasma and enhancement of the wakefield amplitude driven by a self-modulated long proton bunch with a tapered plasma. This work has major potential to impact the next generation of linear colliders and also in the long-term may help develop compact accelerators for use in industrial and medical facilities.

This is the first book summarizing the theoretical basics of thermal nondestructive testing (TNDT) by combining elements of heat conduction, infrared thermography, and industrial nondestructive testing. The text contains the physical models of TNDT, heat transfer in defective and sound structures, and thermal properties of materials. Also included are the optimization of TNDT procedures, defect characterization, data processing in TNDT, active and passive TNDT systems, as well as elements of statistical data treatment and decision making. This text contains in-depth descriptions of applications in infrared/thermal testing within aerospace, power production, building, as well as the conservation of artistic monuments The book is intended for the industrial specialists who are involved in technical diagnostics and nondestructive testing. It may also be useful for academic researchers, undergraduate, graduate and PhD university students.

This book describes systematically telemetry theory and methods for aircraft in flight test. Test targets of telemetry in flight test include airplanes, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, aerostatics, carrier-based aircraft, airborne equipment (systems), weapon systems, (powered) aircraft scale models, aircraft external stores (e.g., nacelle, auxiliary tanks), and ejection seats and so on. The book collects the author's telemetry research work and presents methods that have been verified in real-world tests. The book has eight chapters: the first three discuss the theoretical basis of telemetry, while the other five focus on the methods used in flight tests.Unlike other professional textbooks, this book describes the practical telemetry theory and combines theory and engineering practice to offer a comprehensive and systematic overview of telemetry in flight test for readers.

This book provides easy-to-understand explanations to systematically and comprehensively describe the X-ray CT technologies, techniques, and skills used for industrial and scientific purposes. Included are many references along with photographs, figures, and equations prepared by the author. These features all facilitate the reader's gaining a deeper understanding of the topics being discussed. The book presents expertise not only on fundamentals but also about hardware, software, and analytical methods for the benefit of technical users. The book targets engineers, researchers, and students who are involved in research, development, design, and quality assurance in industry and academia.

This book delivers a comprehensive overview of units of measurement. Beginning with a historical look at metrology in Ancient India, the book explains fundamental concepts in metrology such as basic, derived and dimensionless quantities, and introduces the concept of quantity calculus. It discusses and critically examines various three and four-dimensional systems of units used both presently and in the past, while explaining why only four base units are needed for a system of measurement. It discusses the Metre Convention as well as the creation of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures, and gives a detailed look at the evolution of the current SI base units of time, length, mass, electric current, temperature, intensity of illumination and substance. This updated second edition is extended with timely new chapters discussing past efforts to redefine the SI base units as well as the most recent 2019 redefinitions based entirely on the speed of light and other fundamental physical constants. Additionally, it provides biographical presentations of many of the historical figures behind commonly used units of measurements, such as Newton, Joule and Ohm, With its accessible and comprehensive treatment of the field, together with its unique presentation of the underlying history, this book is well suited to any student and researcher interested in the practical and historical aspects of the field of metrology.

This book comprises the proceedings of the Conference and Exhibition on Non Destructive Evaluation, (NDE 2019). The contents of the book encompass a vast spectrum from Conventional to Advanced NDE including novel methods, instrumentation, sensors, procedures and data analytics as applied to all industry segments for quality control, periodic maintenance, life estimation, structural integrity and related areas. This book will be a useful reference for students, researchers and practitioners.

This book presents the select proceedings of the International Conference on Functional Material, Manufacturing and Performances (ICFMMP) 2019. The book covers broad aspects of several topics involved in the metrology and measurement of engineering surfaces and their implementation in automotive, bio-manufacturing, chemicals, electronics, energy, construction materials, and other engineering applications. The contents focus on cutting-edge instruments, methods and standards in the field of metrology and mechanical properties of advanced materials. Given the scope of the topics, this book can be useful for students, researchers and professionals interested in the measurement of surfaces, and the applications thereof.

This book provides an overview of the application of statistical methods to problems in metrology, with emphasis on modelling measurement processes and quantifying their associated uncertainties. It covers everything from fundamentals to more advanced special topics, each illustrated with case studies from the authors' work in the Nuclear Security Enterprise (NSE). The material provides readers with a solid understanding of how to apply the techniques to metrology studies in a wide variety of contexts. The volume offers particular attention to uncertainty in decision making, design of experiments (DOEx) and curve fitting, along with special topics such as statistical process control (SPC), assessment of binary measurement systems, and new results on sample size selection in metrology studies. The methodologies presented are supported with R script when appropriate, and the code has been made available for readers to use in their own applications. Designed to promote collaboration between statistics and metrology, this book will be of use to practitioners of metrology as well as students and researchers in statistics and engineering disciplines.

Conventional ultrasonic methods based on ultrasonic characteristics in the linear elastic region are mainly sensitive to mature defects but are much less responsive to micro-damage or incipient material degradation. Recently, nonlinear ultrasonic characteristics beyond the linear ultrasonic amplitude range have been studied as a method for overcoming this limitation, and hence, many researchers are engaged in theoretical, experimental, and various application studies. However, the nonlinear ultrasonic characteristics are quite exacting compared to the linear phenomena so that they require vast experience and high proficiency in order to obtain proper experimental data. Actually, many researchers, especially beginners including graduate students, have difficulty in reliably measuring nonlinear ultrasonic characteristics. This book provides key technological know-how from experts with years of experience in this field, which will help researchers and engineers to obtain a clear understanding and high quality data in the nonlinear ultrasonic experiments and applications.

This book presents a novel methodology to study economic texts. The author investigates discrepancies in these writings by focusing on errors, mistakes, and rounding numbers. In particular, he looks at the acquisition, use, and development of practical mathematics in an ancient society: The Old Babylonian kingdom of Larsa (beginning of the second millennium BCE Southern Iraq). In so doing, coverage bridges a gap between the sciences and humanities. Through this work, the reader will gain insight into discrepancies encountered in economic texts in general and rounding numbers in particular. They will learn a new framework to explain error as a form of economic practice. Researchers and students will also become aware of the numerical and metrological basis for calculation in these writings and how the scribes themselves conceptualized value. This work fills a void in Assyriological studies. It provides a methodology to explore, understand, and exploit statistical data. The anlaysis also fills a void in the history of mathematics by presenting historians of mathematics a method to study practical texts. In addition, the author shows the importance mathematics has as a tool for ancient practitioners to cope with complex economic processes. This serves as a useful case study for modern policy makers into the importance of education in any economy.

This book provides insights into surface quality control techniques and applications based on high-definition metrology (HDM). Intended as a reference resource for engineers who routinely use a variety of quality control methods and are interested in understanding the data processing, from HDM data to final control actions, it can also be used as a textbook for advanced courses in engineering quality control applications for students who are already familiar with quality control methods and practices. It enables readers to not only assimilate the quality control methods involved, but also to quickly implement the techniques in practical engineering problems. Further, it includes numerous case studies to highlight the implementation of the methods using measured HDM data of surface features. Since MATLAB is extensively employed in these case studies, familiarity with this software is helpful, as is a general understanding of surface quality control methods.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Damage Assessment of Structures DAMAS 2019, 9-10 July 2019, Porto, Portugal. It presents the expertise of scientists and engineers in academia and industry in the field of damage assessment, structural health monitoring and non-destructive evaluation. The proceedings covers all research topics relevant to damage assessment of engineering structures and systems including numerical simulations, signal processing of sensor measurements and theoretical techniques as well as experimental case studies.

Sensors and Instrumentation, Aircraft/Aerospace and Energy Harvesting, Volume 7: Proceedings of the 37th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2019, the seventh volume of eight from the Conference brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on fundamental and applied aspects of Shock & Vibration, Aircraft/Aerospace, Energy Harvesting & Dynamic Environments Testing including papers on: Alternative Sensing & Acquisition Active Controls Instrumentation Aircraft/Aerospace & Aerospace Testing Techniques Energy Harvesting

Topics in Modal Analysis & Testing, Volume 8: Proceedings of the 37th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2019, the eighth volume of eight from the Conference brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on fundamental and applied aspects of Modal Analysis, including papers on: Analytical Methods Modal Applications Basics of Modal Analysis Experimental Techniques Multi Degree of Freedom Testing Boundary Conditions in Environmental Testing Operational Modal Analysis Modal Parameter Identification Novel Techniques

This thesis represents one of the most comprehensive and in-depth studies of the use of Lorentz-boosted hadronic final state systems in the search for signals of Supersymmetry conducted to date at the Large Hadron Collider. A thorough assessment is performed of the observables that provide enhanced sensitivity to new physics signals otherwise hidden under an enormous background of top quark pairs produced by Standard Model processes. This is complemented by an ingenious analysis optimization procedure that allowed for extending the reach of this analysis by hundreds of GeV in mass of these hypothetical new particles. Lastly, the combination of both deep, thoughtful physics analysis with the development of high-speed electronics for identifying and selecting these same objects is not only unique, but also revolutionary. The Global Feature Extraction system that the author played a critical role in bringing to fruition represents the first dedicated hardware device for selecting these Lorentz-boosted hadronic systems in real-time using state-of-the-art processing chips and embedded systems.

This book includes the best papers from two conferences on machining and abrasive machining, organized in Poland on September 11-12, 2019. The chapters discuss classical topics and emerging methods and models in machining, measurement, and quality control. They cover new technologies, such as water jet machining, discuss important topics such as energy efficiency in machining, and analyze different cutting methods, materials and mechanisms.

Written by respected experts, this book highlights the latest findings on the electromagnetic ultrasonic guided wave (UGW) imaging method. It introduces main topics as the Time of Flight (TOF) extraction method for the guided wave signal, tomography and scattering imaging methods which can be used to improve the imaging accuracy of defects. Further, it offers essential insights into how electromagnetic UGW can be used in nondestructive testing (NDT) and defect imaging. As such, the book provides valuable information, useful methods and practical experiments that will benefit researchers, scientists and engineers in the field of NDT.

This book presents a compilation of selected papers from the Fourth International Symposium on Software Reliability, Industrial Safety, Cyber Security and Physical Protection of Nuclear Power Plant, held in August 2019 in Guiyang, China. The purpose of the symposium was to discuss inspection, testing, certification and research concerning the software and hardware of instrument and control (I&C) systems used at nuclear power plants (NPP), such as sensors, actuators and control systems. The event provides a venue for exchange among experts, scholars and nuclear power practitioners, as well as a platform for the combination of teaching and research at universities and enterprises to promote the safe development of nuclear power plants. Readers will find a wealth of valuable insights into achieving safer and more efficient instrumentation and control systems.

This book presents lecture materials from the Third LOFAR Data School, transformed into a coherent and complete reference book describing the LOFAR design, along with descriptions of primary science cases, data processing techniques, and recipes for data handling. Together with hands-on exercises the chapters, based on the lecture notes, teach fundamentals and practical knowledge. LOFAR is a new and innovative radio telescope operating at low radio frequencies (10-250 MHz) and is the first of a new generation of radio interferometers that are leading the way to the ambitious Square Kilometre Array (SKA) to be built in the next decade. This unique reference guide serves as a primary information source for research groups around the world that seek to make the most of LOFAR data, as well as those who will push these topics forward to the next level with the design, construction, and realization of the SKA. This book will also be useful as supplementary reading material for any astrophysics overview or astrophysical techniques course, particularly those geared towards radio astronomy (and radio astronomy techniques).

This book provides the basic concepts and fundamental principles of dynamic systems including experimental methods, calibration, signal conditioning, data acquisition and processing as well as the results presentation. How to select suitable sensors to measure is also introduced. It is an essential reference to students, lecturers, professionals and any interested lay readers in measurement technology.