Digital watermarking robust to geometric distortions.

In this paper, we present two watermarking approaches that are robust to geometric distortions. The first approach is based on image normalization, in which both watermark embedding and extraction are carried out with respect to an image normalized to meet a set of predefined moment criteria. We propose a new normalization procedure, which is invariant to affine transform attacks. The resulting watermarking scheme is suitable for public watermarking applications, where the original image is not available for watermark extraction. The second approach is based on a watermark resynchronization scheme aimed to alleviate the effects of random bending attacks. In this scheme, a deformable mesh is used to correct the distortion caused by the attack. The watermark is then extracted from the corrected image. In contrast to the first scheme, the latter is suitable for private watermarking applications, where the original image is necessary for watermark detection. In both schemes, we employ a direct-sequence code division multiple access approach to embed a multibit watermark in the discrete cosine transform domain of the image. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed watermarking schemes are robust to a wide range of geometric attacks.     

Cure kinetics of neat and graphite-fiber-reinforced epoxy formulations

An investigation was carried out into the cure kinetics of neat and graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy formulation, composed of tetraglycidyl 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM) resin and diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) curing agent. Two experimental techniques were employed: isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (IDSC) and dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DDSC). An autocatalytic mechanism with the overall reaction rate order of 2 was found to describe adequately the cure kinetics, of the neat resin and the composite. All kinetic parameters, including reaction rate constants, activation energies and preexponential factors, were calculated and reported. The presence of graphite fibers in the composite had only a very small initial effect on the kinetics of cure.     

Structural analysis of Aleksinac oil shale kerogen by high-resolution solid-state C n.m.r. spectroscopy

A sample of kerogen from Aleksinac oil shale was examined by high-resolution solid-state ¹³C n.m.r. spectroscopy. The presence and relative proportions of kerogen structural units were estimated using a combination of NQS and T_1C methods with a peak-synthesis technique applied to the ¹³C CP—MAS spectrum. Relaxation parameters from these experiments were used to estimate differences in relative ‘mobility’ of various structural units. The kerogen was found to be highly aliphatic and to contain 79% long-chain aliphatic plus alicyclic structures, as well as 9% aromatic structures. These findings are in good agreement with the characterization of the same kerogen from its oxidation products.     

Cure kinetics of epoxy formulations of the type used in advanced composites

An analysis of the cure kinetics of three different formulations composed of tetraglycidyl 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane (TGDDM) epoxy resin and diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS) was performed. A series of isothermal tests was run, and the experimentally obtained results were checked against the proposed kinetic model. An autocatalyzed mechanism with the overall reaction order of 2 was found to adequately describe the cure kinetics. An increase in reaction rate was observed at higher temperature and higher DDS concentration. For a given formulation, the extent of reaction corresponding to the maximum reaction rate was independent of temperature. A secondary exotherm was detected, particularly in formulations with low DDS concentration, at approximately 40% conversion. At that point, the rate of primary amine–epoxide reaction decreases, and other reactions dominate the curing process. Such a mechanism is likely to cause a formation of an inhomogeneous thermoset morphology.     

Correlation between nodular morphology and fracture properties of cured epoxy resins

Various bulk epoxy resin formulations, based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and cured with diethylene triamine (DETA) were studied. Methods of linear elastic fracture mechanics were employed and all systems were characterized by the corresponding values of the critical strain energy release rate for crack initiation and crack arrest. Fracture morphology was studied by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy of carbon—platinum surface replicas. An apparent correlation between morphology and ultimate mechanical properties has been found. All fracture surfaces are shown to be characterized by distinct nodular morphology. Nodules, ranging in size from 15–45 nm, represent the sites of higher crosslink density in an inhomogeneous network structure. Fracture surfaces were further characterized by three crack propagation zones. A smooth, brittle fracture zone was preceded and followed by crack initiation and crack arrest zones, respectively. An apparent plastic flow was confined to the initiation and arrest regions. No crazing phenomenon was seen in the initiation zone; instead a step-like fracture was observed, typified by the ‘flow’ of internodular matrix during step formation. Local plastic deformation in the initiation zone and the corresponding value of critical strain energy release rate, G_Ic, were correlated with the nodular morphology. The size of nodules was found to vary with the curing agent concentration, thus allowing us to establish a fundamental correlation between the nodular morphology and the ultimate mechanical properties of epoxy resins.     

Correlations between dynamic mechanical properties and nodular morphology of cured epoxy resins

Various epoxy resin formulations, based on the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) and cured with diethylene triamine (DETA) were studied. Dynamic mechanical measurements were used to characterize changes in mechanical properties as a function of temperature. The morphology of the cured resins was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Correlations between dynamic mechanical properties and morphology were described and discussed by applying the concept of inhomogeneous (nodular) thermoset morphology. The elastic storage modulus in the glassy state was determined primarily by the internodular matrix, whereas the glass transition of cured resins depended upon the intranodular crosslink density.     

The holy grail of microfluidics: sub-laminar drag by layout of periodically embedded microgrooves

The sub-laminar drag effect of microgroove surfaces was studied numerically in a steady two-dimensional channel flow at subcritical Reynolds numbers. Considerations are restricted to grooves of a few viscous length scales in depth, which are assumed not to promote the laminar to turbulent transition process. It was found that the drag reduction effect is due to the layout of grooves with respect to the flow direction and contour geometry. Results of computations show that for grooves of curved contour placed normal to the flow direction, drag arising from viscous and pressure forces is modulated due to the functional dependence of forces on the surface area projected in the flow direction. Such a groove layout leads to a large skin-friction reduction, but a comparable increase in pressure drag results in sub-laminar drag if drag over flat surface is considered as a reference. For a curved groove contour, the drag reduction increases with increasing Reynolds number and reaches about 5 % at Reynolds numbers approaching critical.     

Adsorption–desorption noise in plasmonic chemical/biological sensors for multiple analyte environment

We investigated intrinsic noise in plasmonic sensors caused by adsorption and desorption of gaseous analytes on the sensor surface. We analyzed a general situation when there is a larger number of different analyte species. We applied our model to calculate various analyte mixtures, including some environmental pollutants, toxic and dangerous substances. The spectral density of mean square refractive index fluctuations follows a dependence similar to that of generation-recombination noise in photodetectors, flat at lower frequencies and sharply decreasing at higher. Some of the calculated noise levels are well within the detection range of conventional surface plasmon resonance sensors. An AD noise peak is observed in temperature dependence of mean square refractive index fluctuations, thus sensor operating temperature may be optimized to obtain larger signal to noise ratio. A significant property of AD noise is its rise with the decreasing plasmon sensor area, which means that it will be even more pronounced in modern nanoplasmonic devices. Our consideration is valid both for conventional surface plasmon resonance devices and for general nanoplasmonic devices.     

Optimal correlation attack on the multiplexer generator

The security of the well-known multiplexer generator with respect to correlation attacks on the data shift register is investigated. Apart from the basic correlation attack exploiting the bitwise correlation between the output sequence and any data input sequence, two new correlation attacks are introduced. One is based on computing the a posteriori probabilities and is statistically optimal, whereas the other makes use of the accumulated bitwise correlation to all data input sequences. It is theoretically argued and experimentally confirmed that the optimal attack requires a significantly shorter output sequence to be successful than the basic attack. The experiments also show that the less complex accumulated correlation attack requires a somewhat longer output sequence than the optimal attack.     

Investigation of the Equivalence of National Dew-Point Temperature Realizations in the ?50?°C to +?20?°C Range

In the field of humidity quantities, the first CIPM key comparison, CCT-K6 is at its end. The corresponding European regional key comparison, EUROMET.T-K6, was completed in early 2008, about 4?years after the starting initial measurements in the project. In total, 24 NMIs from different countries took part in the comparison. This number includes 22 EURAMET countries, and Russia and South Africa. The comparison covered the dew-point temperature range from ?50?°C to +20?°C. It was carried out in three parallel loops, each with two chilled mirror hygrometers as transfer standards in each loop. The comparison scheme was designed to ensure high quality results with evenly spread workload for the participants. It is shown that the standard uncertainty due to the long-term instability was smaller than 0.008?°C in all loops. The standard uncertainties due to links between the loops were found to be smaller than 0.025?°C at ?50?°C and 0.010?°C elsewhere. Conclusions on the equivalence of the dew-point temperature standards are drawn on the basis of calculated bilateral degrees of equivalence and deviations from the EURAMET comparison reference values (ERV). Taking into account 16 different primary dew-point realizations and 8 secondary realizations, the results demonstrate the equivalence of a large number of laboratories at an uncertainty level that is better than achieved in other multilateral comparisons so far in the humidity field.