The week in physics: 3-7 May

Salt on hydrophobic surfaces; Barchan dunes; Plastic waste in the ocean. Forward this email  View in your browser THE WEEK IN PHYSICS: 3–7 MAY Advertisement Secure Transfer of Costly and Dangerous Gases KNF leak-tight pumps transport and evacuate costly, high purity, and dangerous gases. Featuring ultra-low leak rates of <6×10-6 mbar L/sec and a safety back-up diaphragm, plus safeguards to prevent intrusion contamination. Flow rates from 15–290 L/min. Options include inter-diaphragm monitoring, explosion-proof motors, and material choices. Salt crystals remove themselves from hydrophobic surfaces Researchers combine the cooperative effects of heat, evaporation, crystallization, and gravity to suppress the fouling of metal pipes, tanks, and reactors. R. Mark Wilson Stratified grain flows form barchan dunes A diffusion-like model explains how the ubiquitous dunes found on Earth and Mars are made. Alex Lopatka Advertisement Innovate with NRO Research & Development Funding The National Reconnaissance Office Director's Innovation Initiative (DII) program funds cutting-edge, high-risk research to discover innovative concepts that transform overhead intelligence capabilities for future national intelligence needs. The program seeks the brightest minds and breakthrough technologies from industry, academia, national laboratories, and U.S. government agencies. FROM THE VAULT: September 1981 Computer‐based instruction in physics Students are learning physical principles from well‐programmed computers, which engage them in dialog and allow them to display and manipulate physical laws. Alfred Bork Q&A: David Kennedy is the new chair of the US Arctic Research Commission Inspired by his long Arctic experience, he hopes to propel action on mitigating climate change, sustaining the ecosystem, and protecting Indigenous people. Toni Feder Webinar Illuminating Batteries, Semiconductors and 2D Materials with Correlative Raman Microscopy The power of confocal 3D Raman microscopy and correlative Raman-AFM and Raman-SEM imaging for advanced analysis will be illustrated in the contexts of energy storage devices, semiconductors and 2D materials. Register for this webinar to learn more. It takes a global village to track plastic waste Inkjet cartridges spilled in the North Atlantic Ocean were carried by currents to various far-flung locations. Alex Lopatka New books: May 2021 A listing of newly published books spanning several genres of the physical sciences. Webinar Novel sources of tunable laser light Widely tunable continuous-wave optical parametric oscillators (CW OPOs) have matured into versatile laser light sources - how and why? We'll take a closer look at CW OPO design principles, critically examine performance highlights and limitations, and showcase some exciting real-world applications. Register now. FROM THE MAY MAGAZINE How two planets likely acquired their backward orbits It's challenging enough to figure out what exoplanetary systems look like today. Reconstructing their histories is more difficult still. Johanna L. Miller Get notified about our webinars and whitepapers Sign up Get Physics Today delivered for just $25 per year Subscribe FEATURED JOBS > OPN Associate Editor  |  The Optical Society > Postdoctoral Positions in Advanced Radiotherapy Research  |  University of Maryland, Baltimore Are you hiring? Do you want your job to appear here? Post with Physics Today and select the "Featured Job Listing: Physics Today 'The Week in Physics' e-newsletter" upgrade to easily showcase your job to 66 000 physicists and engineers. Physics Today is published by the American Institute of Physics 1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740 USA +1 301 209 3100 © 2021 American Institute of Physics. Unsubscribe  |  Email Preferences  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us