#spectral fingerprint

[catilinas]

oh colleen’s spectral fingerprints are all over this

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s1 episode 6 thoughts

this was definitely my favorite episode so far! i really enjoyed it. i thought the concept was compelling and well-executed. i'm a sucker for unsolved cases involving paranormal evidence as a trope.

now within the first 5 seconds our duo walked into the screen i once again noticed that mulder is physically incapable of keeping his hands off the small of scully's back. i am simply noting this fact and certainly drawing no conclusions from it!

he put on his glasses for a split second and it was a very good look. but then of course they were spy glasses! classic trickster. also loved his insistence he's not a liar but instead "a willful participant in a campaign of misinformation" very fox coded for a guy named... fox

he also did NOT have to pull her in like that for the fingerprint reveal on the glasses but. this is becoming a recurring motif. they Will be touching.

in referring to the idea of psychokinetic powers scully compares it to the book/movie carrie. we love a well read queen! she seems like she would read the book and THEN watch the movie and talk at length about the differences.

upon reaching the door of the potentially psychic girl, mulder displayed his bountiful social skills by asking if they could come in and then not waiting for an answer at all. i love a man who is off-putting.

(for those who have been around in this fandom longer than me: was mulder initially seen as a cool guy? because to me he is deeply nerd coded)

also when scully reached back for his hand while she was looking through the records...... yeah. side note i wish those contraptions were still easily accessible! it's become a pain to access microfilm. bring it back. and let them clasp hands.

mulder casually saying that only one man has faked his death and that man is elvis is not acknowledged at all so i want to acknowledge it here. he also did an elvis impression while saying this. again. did the kids think this man was cool.

when scully came in with the emotional play, telling the girl that she has to use the spectral evidence to take down the man that killed her loved one, i was shocked! even more so when she told mulder that it was more important to bring justice to the case than find evidence of paranormal activity. i'm team scully here. i like that they stepped away from making her just the Logic and Facts queen. give her some emotions as a bonus! we CAN write complex female characters if we set our minds to it!

mulder is soooo funny wanting to see the liberty bell after all of that... truly never beating the nerd allegations (i assume that he was paranormally influenced in this decision due to the repeating ben franklin quote shown as significant to the murdered man, but still. this is very funny. his Tourist Mode Activated)

and last but not least, the girl that was the guest star for the episode looked so much like my friend i was shocked. perhaps this contributed to my high ranking. that is Literally the power of friendship!

[aerodaltonimperial]

Okay guess who slept last night THIS BITCH so here we go, my toddler and I discussed this en route to preschool this morning. More coherent thoughts: essentially, until last night, the entire Christian/Lucha vs Darby/Nick/(Fox) story was very easily rationalized as happening because Darby was going for the TNT belt and Christian was either thinking he was a credible threat or simply wanted to ensure that he was distracted and therefore started this overlap in their stories. After last night, this excuse no longer holds, and this whole thing is deliberate in some other way.

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind is how much Jack’s ghost is hovering over this entire narrative: they have been methodical with the call-backs, and there have been enough of them that we can assume we are SUPPOSED to be seeing Jack's fingerprints covering this. But that sort of leads us into a few questions here, and the first one is trying to sort out if Christian's real target is Nick or Darby.

Before last night, I would have said Nick, easy. He's young, he's fatherless (lol), and he's the clear Jack stand-in. But the thing I wonder if I have been overlooking is how he is also, perhaps most importantly, a weakness. Specifically, he is Darby’s weakness. Comms have gone hard with the idea that Darby now has to care about something other than himself, and he has already lost because of it. (You could argue that he lost of his own accord at All Out, but Nick was enough of a threat to his victory that he came into play at least twice during the match.) The angle with Fox has, additionally, brought into question whether or not Nick will stand by Darby’s side no matter what, or if there are some hard lines being drawn in the sand. So it's clear that the Nick v Darby possibility is bubbling up closer to the surface. They can thread this needle for awhile with the right build-up.

Last night marks the second time that Christian came in with the idea that Nick should be mentored by someone with a championship belt. Honestly, I would have put money on Darby getting the TNT last weekend, and I'm still not entirely convinced that we were wrong about that prediction, but an interesting option was opened up over the weekend: OC no longer has the International belt, and Darby is now free to pursue it. (I don't think he ever would have gone after it while OC had it, since they tagged together. Darby, remember, is sometimes loyal to a fault.) Darby is obviously in the tournament to go after MJF again (which I assume Roderick will get, but the point remains that it is an option), but he could also be in the running for going after Mox. I'm still mulling over what Christian's angle here means.

Before, when this was assumed to be TNT belt threat related, we could rationalize a lot, and now, we have to ask ... why? Why is Christian still dogging after Darby and Nick if the threat is gone? There isn't a solid reason anymore! So let's take a look at our little ghost, existing in spectral form above this entire thing. As far as Jack’s tag/story partners from the past year, we have this:

* Luchasaurus: betrayed by, Jack defeated in the cage match

* Christian: betrayed by, Jack defeated in the coffin match

* Hook: betrayed, Jack defeated for the FTW (and then lost to)

* Darby: not betrayed, despite MJF literally outright asking Jack to do it

It's worth noting that actually, Jack had TWO chances to betray Darby: once in the tag match after MJF asked him to, and once again in the 4-way, when all he had to do was hit him with the belt to be crowned champion. That's it. That's Jack’s last year, minus random matches. Those are the big stories he has had. And Jack, remember, posts photos when something big happens, and during this time, he has posted pictures about Christian, Hook, and .... Darby.

With no clear reason yet why Christian is going after Nick and Darby, and last night, where despite Christian approaching Nick directly backstage, he spent his entire time on comms during the match focusing on Darby, it’s possible that he is trying to figure out what it is about Darby that makes him an outlier in Jack’s recent history. It's fantasy booking for sure! Mostly, I just want it. But we also can't rule it out and our options are starting to narrow. All the obvious "reasons" for these circles to overlap are falling away.

Is this setting up Nick turning on Darby? Possible, though we discounted them turning Nick heel so early - though if they play this right, he doesn't even HAVE to be. Is this setting up Nick going with Christian? Possible, though something big would have to happen for that to happen given that Christian is being such a creep about it, lol. Is this finally going to summon Jack in as a direct participant in the narrative? Possible, and timing may need to be adjusted on this with him out. Remember, Hook being in that random 8-man tag drew Jack out into the story for the first time since he "ended" stories with all three of the others (Lucha, Christian, Darby), when he came flying out to attack Hook in the post-match brawl. (And he very deliberately did not run into any of them out there, despite how they were in the same ring.)

The Christian recruits Nick as the new Jack angle opens up the most possibilities for a full overlap (and Jack coming in), but none of them discount his involvement, since we are obviously supposed to be remembering him this whole time. I doubt his story with Hook is completely done, since that's been set up as a long-running tent pole to both their careers, but I suspect we will see him fall back into this as more unfolds. These stories are running so close to each other that they are almost side by side right now, and given what we know about Jack and Darby’s history, there's no way they have left that loop open by accident.

[the-starry-seas]

so i've made a perfectly normal little man

This is Switch! It got caught in an explosion that destroyed its left arm, its leg below the knee, part of its ribs, and its spine. The GAR wrote it off as a lost cause and sold it to a Totally Ethical Cybernetics Company, who habitually buys mangled clones on the cheap to use them for test subjects. The GAR doesn't have to pay for medical expenses and TECC gets to experiment on people without having to worry about human rights legal violations! They also recondition all clones that come to their facility, so none of them remember who or what they are.

Switch was also blinded in the explosion, but now has fancy new implants that let it see normally. And abnormally. Thermal imaging, UV spectrum, night vision, spectral imaging, and 3D reconstruction. The left side of its head is shaved down to be able to easily access the external ports for these implants. Since both its eyes now have a prosthetic layer, everything it does is recorded.

The light blue parts of their cybernetics are the hydraulic fluid that keeps them working smoothly, a patented TECC compound. It's mildly corrosive to organic materials. On the back of its hand is a pod of fluid that can be ejected as a stream, which causes temporary blindness in the target.

After it filled its use as a test subject, it was stripped of its implants and given new ones. Part of TECC's money comes from hiring out its experiments as contract killers. What better use for an impeccably trained soldier that can be enhanced however you want?

It specialises in close-range killings, because its robot arm leaves no DNA or fingerprints. Many kills are simple strangulations but there's a double-edged twelve-inch blade sticking out of its wrist for a reason. The sword is just there for funsies :) Totally not a weird experimental plasma sword that kills people in extremely inhumane ways :) Nope :)

Even apart from all the legal drama and lack of rights that come with being a clone, Switch has never attempted to escape TECC. If they remotely shut off its implants, it wouldn't be able to see. Without the support of the spinal brace being active, Its vertebrae would start moving out of alignment, causing pain, weakness, and lung issues, and dramatically reducing its ease and range of movement. TECC can also remotely trigger a drain of its hydraulic fluid, causing pain, stiffness, and locking joints. Also, it has chronic pain from its injuries and the sockets of its new limbs, and TECC gives it pain meds.

The name Switch comes from its personality. It can be polite and funny and charming, and then it gets a kill order, and suddenly it's ruthless and laser-focused and scares people. A disussion about how it could flip like a switch became its nickname among the other experiments, and eventually it started using that name for itself, too.

From the beginning of its mercenary work for TECC, it saw other clones on the streets of Coruscant. It originally assumed that they were other murderbots created by TECC, until noticing that many of them were completely organic, no scars or cybernetics in sight.

Upon realising that most clones aren't TECC property, it investigates its past. It finds out that it had a squad, who were all killed in the same explosion that crippled it. It's glad for that, because that means that none of them are alive to see what it's become. It has no problem being an experiment or a killer, as that's all it knows, but it's aware that other people - both clones and natborns - have strong opinions on that sort of thing.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

roundbreaking Achievement: NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope Produces its First Magnetic Field Maps of the Sun’s Corona

Groundbreaking Achievement: NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope Produces its First Magnetic Field Maps of the Sun’s Corona

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s most powerful solar telescope, designed, built, and operated by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO), achieved a major breakthrough in solar physics by directly mapping the strength of the magnetic field in the solar corona, the outer part of the solar atmosphere that can be seen during a total eclipse. This breakthrough promises to enhance our understanding of space weather and its impact on Earth’s technology-dependent society.

The Corona: The Launch Pad of Space Weather

The Sun’s magnetic field generates regions in the Sun’s atmosphere, often rooted by sunspots, that store vast amounts of energy that fuel explosive solar storms and drive space weather. The corona, the Sun’s outer atmosphere, is a superheated realm where these magnetic mysteries unfold. Mapping coronal magnetic fields is essential to understanding and predicting space weather – and to protect our technology in Earth and space.

Why It Matters

Earth’s magnetic field shields us from solar winds, protecting our atmosphere, and making life possible. However, the electromagnetic fields and energetic particles from extreme solar eruptions can disrupt satellites, power grids, and other systems we need in our increasingly technological society. Understanding these dynamic interactions, which change on timescales ranging from days to centuries, is crucial for safeguarding our infrastructure and current way of life.

Measuring the corona’s magnetic properties has long challenged astronomers and the limits of technology. Today, the Inouye Solar Telescope is the most advanced facility designed to study the corona, and has made a crucial first step in resolving these mysteries by producing its first coronal magnetic field maps – the most detailed to date.

Since the 1950s, solar physicists have mapped the magnetic fields on the Sun’s surface, providing valuable insights. However, maps of the magnetic field in the zones above the surface, like the corona, have long been sought as it is in these locations that solar storms originate. The Inouye, located near the summit of Maui’s Haleakalā in Hawai’i, now provides the capabilities to meet this critical need.

The Inouye has created its first detailed magnetic field maps of the solar corona using the Zeeman Effect, which measures magnetic properties by observing spectral line splitting. Spectral lines are distinct lines that appear at specific wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum, representing the light absorbed or emitted by atoms or molecules. These lines act like “fingerprints,” as they are unique to each atom or molecule, allowing scientists to identify the chemical composition and physical properties of celestial objects by looking at their spectra. When exposed to a magnetic field, like in the Sun, these lines split, which gives us an insight into the object’s magnetic properties. Previous attempts at detecting these signals, last reported two decades ago (Lin et al. 2004), lacked the detail and regularity needed for extensive scientific investigation. Today, the Inouye’s unmatched capabilities allow for detailed, regular studies of these crucial signals.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s most powerful solar telescope, operated by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO), achieved a major breakthrough in solar physics by successfully producing its first detailed maps of the Sun’s coronal magnetic fields. This milestone, led by NSO Associate Astronomer Dr. Tom Schad, was recently published in Science Advances, and promises to enhance our understanding of the Sun’s atmosphere and how its changing conditions lead to impacts on Earth’s technology-dependent society. The corona, or the Sun’s outer atmosphere, greatly influences solar winds and space weather events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections. However, the magnetic forces that drive these events and the corona are challenging to measure.

Technological Marvel

Typically, one can only view the Sun’s corona – a region one million times fainter than the solar disk – during a total solar eclipse, when most of the Sun’s light is blocked and Earth’s sky goes dark. The Inouye, however, uses a technique called coronagraphy to create artificial eclipses, allowing it to detect extremely faint polarized signals – a billion times fainter than the solar disk – highlighting its unparalleled sensitivity and solidifying its status as a unique window to our home star.

The Inouye accomplishes this with its Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectropolarimeter (Cryo-NIRSP), one of the telescope’s primary instruments used to study the corona and map its magnetic fields. This instrument was designed and built by the University of Hawai‘i Institute for Astronomy.

Dr. Tom Schad’s Research

“The Inouye’s achievement in mapping the Sun’s coronal magnetic fields is a testament to the innovative design and capabilities of this trailblazing unique observatory,” said Tom Schad, scientist at NSO, and first author of the study. “This breakthrough promises to significantly enhance our understanding of the solar atmosphere and its influence on our solar system.”

Future Prospects

This milestone marks the beginning of a new era in solar physics. The Inouye’s success in mapping the Sun’s coronal magnetic fields reaffirms its vision and mission, and opens new frontiers in understanding the Sun’s influence on space weather.

“Just as detailed maps of the Earth’s surface and atmosphere have enabled more accurate weather prediction, this thrillingly complete map of the magnetic fields in the sun’s corona will help us better predict solar storms and space weather,” says Dr. Carrie Black, NSF program director for the NSO. “The invisible yet phenomenally powerful forces captured in this map will propel solar physics through the next century and beyond.”

Christoph Keller, NSO Director, remarks that “Mapping the strength of the magnetic field in the corona is a fundamental scientific breakthrough, not just for solar research, but for astronomy in general.” He anticipates that “This is the beginning of a new era where we will understand how the magnetic fields of stars affect planets, here in our own solar system and in the thousands of exoplanetary systems that we now know about.”

Ongoing and future studies will refine diagnostic tools and techniques, leading to deeper insights into the Sun’s magnetic environment and its impact on Earth and our solar system.

TOP IMAGE: The NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope presents its first map of the solar coronal magnetic field signals as measured using the Zeeman Effect. The Zeeman Effect polarizes the coronal emission, which requires the advancements of the Inouye Solar Telescope to measure as its signals are only a few parts per billion of the Sun’s surface brightness. The background image identifies the region observed in detail by Inouye as imaged by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in ultraviolet light. Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA

CENTRE IMAGE: The NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope presents its first map of the solar coronal magnetic field signals as measured using the Zeeman Effect. The Zeeman Effect polarizes the coronal emission, which requires the advancements of the Inouye Solar Telescope to measure as the signals are only a few parts per billion of the Sun’s surface brightness. Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA

LOWER IMAGE: The NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope’s Cryo-NIRSP instrument charted the telescope’s first coronal magnetic field maps. Cryo-NIRSP operates in the near-infrared to reveal the faint corona. It maintains a cryogenically cooled environment to achieve the high sensitivity, precision, and stability required for advanced observations of the corona. (Designed and built by the University of Hawai‘i Institute for Astronomy). Credit: NSF/NSO/AURA

[longlistshort]

Today’s throwback is to Jenson Leonard’s solo exhibition Workflow, at Wood Street Galleries in Pittsburgh, from the beginning of February.

From the gallery about the work-

Workflow, the first institutional solo exhibition of artist Jenson Leonard, centers on a titular film that explores the velocity and momentum of Blackness as it relates to the philosophical concept of acceleration—the notion that the only way out of capitalism is through its intensification.

In Workflow, a spectral Michael Jackson Halloween mask recites a surrealistic quarterly earnings reports. Building on a 2017 essay by artist Aria Dean titled “Notes on Blacceleration,” the short film centers on the ways in which the Black subject grapples with its commodified status within the labor market despite—or, resultant of—its own history as a commodity, stemming back to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Completed during Leonard’s residency at Pioneer Works in 2021, the video utilizes uncanny humor as a mechanism to expose the shared grammars inherent in Afro-pessimism and speculative finance.

Within the exhibition, the film repeats simultaneously across two grids of computer monitors situated on ergonomic desks that flank the gallery, mimicking the workstations that can be found ubiquitously across stock trading floors and financial institutions. Sculptures modeled after computer keyboards and mouses are displayed on the desks, each rendered inoperable by concentric riffs that symbolize the erratic transformations caused by the flows of capital. The appearance of Jackson represents a transmogrification of its own; whereas many have aligned the controversial pop icon’s bleached skin and surgical procedures with Black self-hatred, Leonard positions his bodily modifications as a radical rupture from racial paradigms of being.

In Leonard’s own words, “Workflow is defined as the sequence of industrial, administrative, or other processes through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion. My film seeks to disabuse notions of completion, whether it be completion of the human, the nation state, or civil society. As Dean notes, Blackness is ‘always already accelerationist’ via its incongruence with Western humanism, a wrench thrown into the locomotive gears of ‘capital and subjecthood.’ Her essay prompts us to look toward the way that the Black has been historically constructed outside of the human, as coterminous with the slave. Slavery therefore represents a kind of proto-automation, a mass forced coercion of labor, and the Blacks’ transition from object to subject calls for a reappraisal of accelerationist ideas about the (non)human entity and its revolutionary potential.”

The artist continues, “There is something about going to work—the repetition of it—that gets inscribed at an epigenetic level, as an everyday, embodied violence. From there, I thought about the panoptic workplace (open air plan, transparent yet closely surveilled, management that does not have to be in the room to be monitoring you), the fetish of efficiency (ergonomic mouse and keyboards so you can work longer), biometric data of a labor force (fingerprint and facial scans to help reduce repeat processing tasks). All of these methods to maximize profits and production can be traced back to methods worked out and perfected in the cotton and sugar cane fields hundreds of years prior.”

The text from the video was included on one of the gallery walls (image above) but I’ve included it below as well as it is definitely worth reading.

“Looking out across the macro- Panoptic eyes are everywhere. Predictive models rendered bilious, You are scalable, You contain platitudes. Clean and renewable, black from the waste management down. These are micro-credentials too big to fail. Angel investors watch over you, guide you through your webinar. You are green with infrastructure. A Nick Land acknowledgment. A multiprocession of the tiniest micropixels in all of the Anglosphere. Plan your obsolescence. Chitin’ circuitry courses through you. Wayward modulation thrumming, throbbing like an old techno spiritual. A Self driving mythology Keloid optimized. Upload speeds faster than Drapetomania. A contactless, decentralized, hands free accumulation. The base salary determines the superstructure of your beast of burden of proof of concept. Perfection is the enemy of egress. Pay the heap of flesh no mind, live in the nanosecond. Fake it till you’re skeuomorphic. You’re more than the sum of your outsourced manufacturing components. Know your neural net worth. Walk with your overhead held high. There’s never been more exciting growth in the excrement sector! It is easier to imagine the end of the world than to unsubscribe from my Onlyfans. Rather, If you can’t handle me at my Linkedin you don’t deserve me at my locked in chastity. Will you risk it all to manage my assets? Are you willing to do my taxes from the back? Tax to mouth? From the overton window, to the overton wall, to the overton sweat drop down my overton balls. Going, going… Zong.”

[dzthenerd490]

File: Assassin's Creed - Hnituðr

SCP#: ABJ

Code Name: Hnituðr

Object Class: Thaumiel

Special Containment Procedures: SCP-ABJ is stored within one of the lockers at the armory of Site-AM. The locker in question is owned by Agent Iris Clef and is guarded by AFA-1 units already assigned to guard all the lockers. All AFA units in question are armed with Foundation laser rifles including the AFA-2 unit hidden within the locker to act as a final defense against intruders. Agent Iris Clef is the only one able to access it through a fingerprint scanner, retina scanner, and a passcode known only to her. Only Foundation staff of Level 5 Clearance with permission from at least one O5 Council member are allowed or even able to bypass the security measures.

Description: SCP-ABJ is a golden arm ring that is actually made of seven pieces that can be assembled and disassembled like puzzle pieces. SCP-ABJ as a whole was created by Species of Interest: the ISU, though unlike normal ISU tech, SCP-ABJ regardless of it’s current form, does not hold memories of past users. The seven pieces of SCP-ABJ don't need to be assembled to have their anomalous properties activated and can be used to individually. However, by uniting all seven pieces of SCP-ABJ and wearing the golden arm ring they become, they give their wearer ultimate immunity to all forms of damage. The pieces that make up SCP-ABJ are known as SCP-ABJ-1 through SCP-ABJ-7.

SCP-ABJ-1 allows whoever holds this piece to heal from any wounds or physical disability. This includes cuts, bruises, scars, broken bones, necrosis and lost limbs. It’s even possible to reverses birth defects such as skin conditions, nutrient deficiencies, and even malformed body parts. SCP-ABJ-1 can give anyone perfect physical health and invulnerability to physical harm.

SCP-ABJ-2 cures any disease the holder may have, this includes bacteria, viruses, fungus, prions, parasites, and even advanced diseases or sickness like Alzheimer's, HIV, or cancer.

SCP-ABJ-3 Deflects all types of incoming damage such as melee weapons and even projectiles. So long as it's a physical attack, SCP-ABJ-3 can force it to bounce away from the holder and feel not even the force form the attack. Even accelerated physical attacks like a railgun round shot at Mach 7 will be deflected.

SCP-ABJ-4 Deflects all types of energy damage directed at the holder. Fire, electricity, magnetism, intense heat, radiation, plasma, and hard light construct weapons cannot harm the user.

SCP-ABJ-5 Protects the user form metaphysical and even magical threats such as thaumaturgic rituals, curses, enhanced poisons, enchanted weapons, anomalous humans, intense gravity, time manipulation, and even reality manipulation.

SCP-ABJ-6 Protects the user form subconscious threats or entities that exist on different plains of existence like spectral anomalies. SCP-ABJ-6 protection is even higher against mental alterations and threats such as memetics, amnestics and even anti-memetic anomalies.

SCP-ABJ-7 is actually useless on its own, it is instead the conduit and power source for all the other SCP-ABJ pieces when they combine into the golden bracelet. Through SCP-ABJ-7, the golden arm bracelet is able to create a perfect field that has the collected properties of all the other pieces so that one does not cancel out the other and they all equally protect the user. When worn, the user is invincible on all aspects, with no exploitable weaknesses to date.

SCP-ABJ was discovered in 2020, found in one of the transportation trucks owned by Group of Interest: Abstergo Industries. The raid leading to SCP-ABJ’s discover was conducted by Mobile Task Force Athena-1 "Assassin's Creed". The mission was originally declared a failure as seemingly noting of value was recovered. It was only by pure luck that SCP-ABJ’s anomalous properties were discovered. After only a month of testing it was concluded that SCP-ABJ possessed the ultimate capabilities of protecting its user. 

SCP-ABJ was originally deemed too dangerous to use as a single misplace can allow it to fall into the wrong hands. It is for this reason none of the Captains or the Commander of Mobile Task Force Omega-45 “Street Samurai” received it. Instead, after her success against the [data expunged] The Foundation deemed it necessary to give SCP-ABJ to SCP-105 now known as Agent Iris Clef. Now thanks to SCP-ABJ Agent Clef ins considered indestructible and is now a spearhead of Mobile Task Force Alpha-9 "Last Hope".

.

SCP: Horror Movie Files Hub

[auraguardians]

Examine! + A Liepard mask

Send “Examine!” and an item or person and I’ll write an RPG description of it/them.

✧ It creeps up on you, the feeling that you're being watched. There's no one in the room with you, but you look around anyway --- check behind the curtains, below the little desk in one corner of the room, in the little dip between the two tall bookshelves on one wall.

When you step away from those, you lock eyes with it: a cat-like mask, propped up on one of the shelves. It escapes notice, hiding in plain sight: blending in with the colors of the books behind it, nearly vanishing among the shadows on the shelf.

You pluck it up to look at it, and shiver when you realize something. This mask bears no trace of the one that owns it, that spectral fingerprint only someone with abilities like yours can spot.

It feels like a dark void, flickering whenever outside light creeps in.

Carefully, you put it back where you found it. Whoever it belongs to will probably come back for it soon.

Discovered an unusual Liepard Mask!

You left it behind on the bookshelf. It had a strange aura. Probably cursed; definitely too dangerous to take with you. Wiser to leave things like that alone.

[giacoloredstones]

How to Check the Purity of Yellow Sapphire?

Gemstones have fascinated humans for millennia, with their beauty, rarity, and mystical properties capturing the imagination. Among the diverse array of gemstones, yellow sapphires stand out due to their warm, inviting hues and the rich history associated with them. However, ensuring the purity of yellow sapphires is crucial for both buyers and sellers, as impurities can significantly affect the gemstone’s value, durability, and overall appearance. This guide aims to provide a detailed introduction to checking the purity of yellow sapphires from a professional perspective, explaining the various methods and considerations involved.

Understanding Yellow Sapphires

1. What are Yellow Sapphires?

Yellow sapphires belong to the corundum mineral family, which also includes rubies. Corundum is characterized by its hardness, ranking 9 on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest natural substances known to man. Yellow sapphires derive their color from trace elements present within the mineral structure, primarily iron and titanium. These elements interact with the crystal lattice of corundum to produce the warm, golden hues that are distinctive of yellow sapphires.

2. Importance of Purity

The purity of a yellow sapphire refers to the absence of impurities and inclusions within the gemstone. Impurities can significantly affect the gemstone’s appearance, durability, and value. For example, dark inclusions or fractures can detract from the gemstone’s clarity and brilliance, while certain impurities can alter the color or cause discoloration over time. Therefore, checking the purity of a yellow sapphire is essential to ensure that it meets the desired standards for beauty, durability, and value.

Methods of Checking Purity

1. Visual Inspection

The first step in checking the purity of a yellow sapphire is visual inspection. This involves examining the gemstone under various lighting conditions to identify any visible imperfections or inclusions. A professional jeweler or gemologist will use specialized equipment, such as a loupe or microscope, to scrutinize the gemstone’s surface and internal structure. They will look for signs of inclusions, fractures, or other imperfections that could indicate a lower purity level.

During visual inspection, it is also important to consider the gemstone’s cut and clarity. A well-cut yellow sapphire will exhibit excellent brilliance and clarity, with minimal light leakage and internal reflections. Conversely, a poorly cut gemstone may appear dull or lackluster, with visible flaws or imperfections.

2. Spectral Analysis

Spectral analysis is a more advanced method of checking the purity of a yellow sapphire. This technique involves using a spectroscope to analyze the gemstone’s absorption spectrum, which is a unique fingerprint that reveals the presence of specific elements within the mineral structure. By comparing the absorption spectrum of the yellow sapphire to known standards, gemologists can determine the presence of impurities and their concentration.

Spectral analysis is particularly useful for identifying treatments or enhancements that have been applied to the gemstone. For example, some yellow sapphires may have undergone heat treatment to improve their color or clarity. Spectral analysis can detect traces of heating and other treatments, providing valuable information about the gemstone’s purity and authenticity.

3. X-Ray Diffraction

X-ray diffraction is another advanced method of checking the purity of a yellow sapphire. This technique involves exposing the gemstone to X-rays and measuring the pattern of diffraction produced by the interaction of the X-rays with the mineral structure. By analyzing the diffraction pattern, gemologists can determine the composition and crystal structure of the gemstone, including the presence of impurities and defects.

X-ray diffraction is a non-destructive method, meaning that it does not alter the gemstone’s structure or appearance. However, it requires specialized equipment and expertise to perform accurately. Therefore, it is typically used in gemological laboratories or by experienced gemologists who have access to the necessary equipment and training.

4. Chemical Analysis

Chemical analysis is another method of checking the purity of a yellow sapphire. This involves extracting a small sample of the gemstone and analyzing its composition using chemical techniques such as mass spectrometry or electron microprobe analysis. By measuring the concentration of specific elements within the sample, gemologists can determine the purity of the gemstone and identify any impurities present.

While chemical analysis can provide valuable information about the gemstone’s composition, it is a destructive method that alters the gemstone’s structure and appearance. Therefore, it is typically used only in cases where non-destructive methods are insufficient or impractical.

Considerations for Buyers and Sellers

When checking the purity of a yellow sapphire, buyers and sellers should consider several factors to ensure accurate and reliable results. These include:

Experience and Expertise: Choose a professional jeweler or gemologist with extensive experience and expertise in gemstone identification and purity testing. They should have access to specialized equipment and training to perform accurate and reliable tests.

Certification: Look for gemstones that have been certified by a reputable gemological laboratory. Certification provides an independent, third-party assessment of the gemstone’s purity and quality, giving buyers and sellers confidence in the results.

Transparency: Ensure that the gemstone’s purity testing results are transparent and easy to understand. Avoid sellers who are vague or unwilling to provide detailed information about the gemstone’s purity and testing methods.

Price and Value: Consider the gemstone’s price and value relative to its purity level. Higher purity levels generally command higher prices, but buyers should be cautious of overpriced gemstones that may have been treated or enhanced to improve their appearance.

Conclusion

Checking the purity of a yellow sapphire is an essential step in ensuring its beauty, durability, and value. By using a combination of visual inspection, spectral analysis, X-ray diffraction, and chemical analysis, gemologists can accurately assess the gemstone’s composition and identify any impurities present. Buyers and sellers should choose a professional jeweler or gemologist with extensive experience and expertise, look for gemstones that have been certified by a reputable gemological laboratory, and consider the gemstone’s price and value relative to its purity level. By taking these steps, they can ensure that their yellow sapphire investment is both beautiful and valuable.

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Sandalwood Oil Testing Labs

Testing essential oils is crucial to ensure their purity, quality, and therapeutic effectiveness. Here are some standard methods used in essential oil testing:

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS): This is the most common method. It helps identify the individual components of the oil by vaporizing it and analyzing the components based on their mass and charge.

Organoleptic Testing: This involves using human senses (smell, taste, sight) to evaluate the oil’s quality. Experienced testers can often detect impurities or adulterations.

Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR): This technique measures how the oil absorbs infrared light, providing a unique spectral fingerprint that can be used to identify and verify the oil’s composition.

Chirality Testing: This checks the molecular structure of the oil to ensure it matches the natural form, as synthetic versions often have different structures.

Isotopic Analysis: This method examines the isotopic ratios in the oil, which can help determine its geographical origin and detect synthetic additives.

Tamilnadu Test House provides the above testing and for more information, Please call us at +91 7550053005 or email us at info@tn-th.com

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Fingerprints of Light Have you ever looked up at the night sky and wondered what those twinkling stars are really made of? Well, that’s where stellar spectra come into play, they provide us with a cosmic fingerprint for each star or other celestial body, Using a Spectrum to Determine Stellar Rotation. A rotating star will show broader spectral lines than a nonrotating star. So, why are stellar…

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How does spectroscopy work?

How do scientists know what spectral lines belong to which compound? Zbigniew KomalaChrzanow, Poland Each atom and molecule has its own fingerprint that, like yours, is unique. But unlike yours, this fingerprint is made of light. Elements and compounds emit identifying sets of “colors,” or wavelengths, of light. (“Colors” is in quotes here because theContinue reading “How does spectroscopy…

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Physics Lab Equipment

The Powerful Measurers:

Physics Lab Equipment can measure length with extreme precision, down to the tenth of a millimetre, thanks to the Vernier Caliper and Micrometer Screw Gauge. For experiments requiring dimensions and tolerances, they are essential.

Measuring Tape: Although not as accurate as the previous two, a measuring tape is a useful instrument for quickly and broadly measuring length.

Bringing the Invisible to Light:

Balance: This apparatus provides highly accurate item mass determination. They are essential for studies involving mass, weight, and density, whether they be basic spring balances or complex electronic ones.

Stopwatch: In many Physics Lab Equipment investigations, time is a critical component. Stopwatches are crucial tools for documenting and examining time-dependent events because of their accuracy in measuring elapsed time.

The Thrilling Group:

Multimeter: This multipurpose instrument combines the functions of an ohmmeter, ammeter, and voltmeter to measure resistance, voltage, and current in circuits. It is essential for any electrical and electronic  Physics Lab Equipment experiment.

Battery: Batteries, as its name implies, supply the electrical energy required to run different electrical parts of circuits. They are available in a range of shapes and sizes to meet the different requirements of research.

Exposing the Light:

  Physics Lab Equipment Lenses and prisms are amazing instruments that bend and control light, enabling us to investigate subjects such as dispersion, reflection, and refraction. They open up a universe of optical phenomena, from straightforward convex lenses to complex prisms.

The Necessary Extras:

The Lab Stand and Clamp are a useful pair that offer a stable surface and assistance for positioning a range of additional equipment, guaranteeing stability and precise measurements.

Springs: The force-displacement connection in springs is distinct. They are employed in Hooke's Law, elasticity, and basic harmonic motion studies

Spectrometer: Nestled atop sturdy platforms, spectrometers stand as sentinels of light, ready to dissect and analyze the spectral fingerprints of matter. With prisms and diffraction gratings at their core, these instruments unravel the intricate dance of photons, revealing the elemental composition and   Physics Lab Equipment properties of substances with unparalleled precision.

 

Oscilloscope: Like silent watchers of the electromagnetic symphony, oscilloscopes stand vigilant, capturing the transient signals that permeate the world of electronics and wave mechanics. Their luminous screens flicker with the dance of voltage and time, offering insights into the frequency, amplitude, and phase of oscillatory phenomena with breathtaking clarity.

 

Particle Accelerator: Amidst cavernous halls and humming with energy, particle accelerators reign as behemoths of scientific exploration. With magnetic fields and radiofrequency cavities as their tools, these colossal machines propel charged particles to relativistic speeds, unlocking the secrets of the subatomic realm and recreating conditions unseen since the dawn of the cosmos.

 

Laser System: Within darkened chambers bathed in the glow of coherent light, laser systems stand as beacons of precision and control. Emitting photons with razor-sharp focus and near-monochromatic purity, these instruments manipulate matter on the atomic scale, from trapping atoms in optical lattices to probing the quantum states of individual particles with unparalleled finesse.

 

Cryogenic Equipment: Amidst clouds of vapor and the chill of liquid nitrogen, cryogenic equipment ushers physicists into the frigid realms where quantum mechanics reigns supreme. With temperatures nearing absolute zero, these devices transform ordinary materials into exotic states of matter, from superfluids to superconductors, unlocking phenomena inaccessible at higher temperatures.

[jcmarchi]

Water Vapour Discovered in a Small Exoplanet’s Atmosphere - Technology Org

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Water Vapour Discovered in a Small Exoplanet’s Atmosphere - Technology Org

A Canadian-led team of astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope reports observing the smallest exoplanet to have water vapour detected in its atmosphere. At only approximately twice Earth’s diameter, the planet GJ 9827d could be an example of potential planets with water-rich atmospheres elsewhere in our galaxy.

Artist’s concept of GJ 9827d. With only about twice Earth’s diameter, the planet orbits the red dwarf star GJ 9827; two inner planets in the system are on the left. Image credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STSCI), Ralf Crawford (STSCI)

Headed by scientists at Université de Montréal, the study was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

“This would be the first time that we can directly show through an atmospheric detection that these planets with water-rich atmospheres can actually exist around other stars,” said co-author Björn Benneke of UdeM’s Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (iREx). “This is an important step toward determining the prevalence and diversity of atmospheres on rocky planets.”

Two plausible scenarios

It remains too early to tell whether Hubble spectroscopically measured a small amount of water vapour in a puffy hydrogen-rich atmosphere, or whether the planet’s atmosphere is mostly made of water, left behind after a primeval hydrogen/helium atmosphere evaporated under stellar radiation.

“Our observing program was designed specifically to not only detect molecules in the planet’s atmosphere, but to actually look specifically for water vapour,” said the study’s lead author, Pierre-Alexis Roy, a doctoral student at iREx. “Either result would be exciting, whether water vapour is dominant or just a tiny species in a hydrogen-dominant atmosphere.”

In the first scenario, the planet would still be clinging to a hydrogen-rich atmosphere laced with water, making it a mini-Neptune.

In the second, it would resemble a larger and hotter version of Europa, Jupiter’s moon, which has twice as much water under its crust as is found on Earth. In this case, said Benneke, “GJ 9827d could be half-water, half-rock: there would be a lot of water vapour on top of some smaller rocky body.”

Smaller and smaller planets

“Until now, we had not been able to directly detect the atmosphere of such a small planet – and we’re slowly getting in this regime now,” added Benneke. “At some point, as we study smaller planets, there must be a transition where there’s no more hydrogen on these small worlds, and they have atmospheres more like Venus, which is dominated by carbon dioxide.”

Because GJ 9827d  is as hot as Venus – around 430 degrees Celsius – it definitely would be an inhospitable, steamy world if its atmosphere were predominantly water vapour, the scientists say.

If the planet has a residual water-rich atmosphere, then it must have formed farther away from its host star, where the temperature is cold and water is available in the form of ice. In this scenario, the planet would have then migrated closer to its star and received more radiation; its hydrogen was heated and escaped or is still in the process of escaping the planet’s weak gravity.

In the other case, the planet would have formed close to the hot star and would have only a trace of water in its atmosphere.

Space telescopes on the case

The Hubble program observed the exoplanet during 11 transits – events in which the planet crossed in front of its star – spaced out over three years. During transits, starlight is filtered through the planet’s atmosphere and has the spectral fingerprint of water molecules. If there are clouds on the planet, they are low enough in the atmosphere not completely to hide Hubble’s view of the atmosphere, and so it can probe water vapour above the clouds.

This discovery opens the door to future study of these types of planets by the James Webb Space Telescope, which can see much more via infrared observation, including carbon-bearing molecules like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane. Once a total inventory of a planet’s elements is taken, comparisons can be made to its star.

Source: University of Montreal

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NASA-Designed Greenhouse Gas-Detection Instrument Launches

Developed by the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the imaging spectrometer will provide actionable data to help reduce emissions that contribute to global warming.

Tanager-1, the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s first satellite, which carries a state-of-the-art, NASA-designed greenhouse-gas-tracking instrument, is in Earth orbit after lifting off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 11:56 a.m. PDT Friday, Aug. 16. Ground controllers successfully established communications with Tanager-1 at 2:45 p.m. PDT the same day.

The satellite will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California to measure methane and carbon dioxide point-source emissions, down to the level of individual facilities and equipment, on a global scale. Tanager-1 was developed as part of a philanthropically funded public-private coalition led by the nonprofit Carbon Mapper. Planet Labs PBC, which built Tanager-1, and JPL are both members of the Carbon Mapper Coalition and plan to launch a second Tanager satellite equipped with a JPL-built imaging spectrometer at a later date.

“The imaging spectrometer technology aboard Tanager-1 is the product of four decades of development at NASA JPL and truly in a class of its own,” said JPL Director Laurie Leshin. “The data that this public-private partnership provides on sources of greenhouse gas emissions will be precise and global, making it beneficial to everyone.”

Once in operation, the spacecraft will scan about 50,000 square miles (130,000 square kilometers) of Earth’s surface per day. Carbon Mapper scientists will analyze data from Tanager-1 to identify gas plumes with the unique spectral signatures of methane and carbon dioxide — and pinpoint their sources.

Methane and carbon dioxide are the greenhouse gases that contribute most to climate change. About half of methane emissions worldwide result from human activities — primarily from the fossil fuel, agriculture, and waste management industries. Meanwhile, there is now 50% more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than there was in 1750, an increase largely due to the extraction and burning of coal, oil, and gas.

“The Carbon Mapper Coalition is a prime example of how organizations from different sectors are uniting around a common goal of addressing climate change,” said Riley Duren, Carbon Mapper CEO. “By detecting, pinpointing, and quantifying super-emitters and making this data accessible to decision-makers, we can drive significant action around the world to cut emissions now.”

The imaging spectrometer aboard the satellite measures hundreds of wavelengths of light that are reflected by Earth’s surface. Different compounds in the planet’s atmosphere — including methane and carbon dioxide — absorb different wavelengths of light, leaving spectral “fingerprints” that the imaging spectrometer can identify. These infrared fingerprints can enable researchers to pinpoint and quantify strong greenhouse gas emissions, potentially accelerating mitigation efforts.

Tanager-1 is part of a broader effort to make methane and carbon dioxide data accessible and actionable. That effort includes using measurements provided by NASA’s EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation), an imaging spectrometer developed by JPL and installed on the International Space Station.

More About Carbon Mapper

Carbon Mapper is a nonprofit organization focused on facilitating timely action to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. Its mission is to fill gaps in the emerging global ecosystem of methane and carbon dioxide monitoring systems by delivering data at facility scale that is precise, timely, and accessible to empower science-based decision making and action. The organization is leading the development of the Carbon Mapper constellation of satellites supported by a public-private partnership composed of Planet Labs PBC, JPL, the California Air Resources Board, the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, and RMI, with funding from High Tide Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment, and other philanthropic donors.

IMAGE: This artist’s concept depicts one of the Carbon Mapper Coalition’s Tanager satellites, the first of which launched on Aug. 16. Tanager-1 will use imaging spectrometer technology developed at JPL to measure greenhouse gas point-source emissions. Credit: Planet Labs PBC

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Nanoscale visualization and spectral fingerprints of the charge order in ScV6Sn6 distinct from other kagome metals

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