A condition of a flexible pipeline may be monitored by scanning a section of the flexible pipeline with an ultrasonic scanner and using the ultrasonic scanner to produce a first ultrasonic signal that penetrates the section of the flexible pipeline and is used to create a set of condition data indicative of a condition present near or within an annulus of the flexible pipeline, the condition comprising pressure on or within the flexible pipeline. The set of condition data are used to determine if a flooded section of the flexible pipeline is present within the annulus, and a level of flooding within the annulus of the flooded section, by analyzing the set of condition data to locate areas where there are responses from a first layer of wire reinforcement proximate the flooded section, creating a wet data set using the set of condition data indicative of whether or not the flexible pipeline is most likely in a wet (flooded) condition, and creating a dry data set indicative of whether or not the likelihood is greater that a dry riser condition exists as opposed to a flooded riser.

A condition of a flexible pipeline may be monitored by scanning a section of the flexible pipeline with an ultrasonic scanner and using the ultrasonic scanner to produce a first ultrasonic signal that penetrates the section of the flexible pipeline and is used to create a set of condition data indicative of a condition present near or within an annulus of the flexible pipeline, the condition comprising pressure on or within the flexible pipeline. The set of condition data are used to determine if a flooded section of the flexible pipeline is present within the annulus, and a level of flooding within the annulus of the flooded section, by analyzing the set of condition data to locate areas where there are responses from a first layer of wire reinforcement proximate the flooded section, creating a wet data set using the set of condition data indicative of whether or not the flexible pipeline is most likely in a wet (flooded) condition, and creating a dry data set indicative of whether or not the likelihood is greater that a dry riser condition exists as opposed to a flooded riser.

The present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure. The method includes forming a photo-sensitive layer on a first surface of a semiconductor substrate. The photo-sensitive layer has a top surface. The method also includes obtaining a first profile of the first surface of the semiconductor substrate, and obtaining a second profile of the top surface of the photo-sensitive layer. The method also includes calculating a vertical displacement profile of the semiconductor substrate according to the first profile and the second profile. An apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor structure is also disclosed.

Methods for calibration of non-contact velocity measurements and systems for implementing the same are described. Generally, the method comprises inducing a shock wave into a sample at a stress intensity that varies across the sample's elastic limit, which corresponds to the elastic-plastic state transition of the sample. That transition state may be at the sample's Hugoniot elastic limit. The velocity of the sample is measured using a non-contact velocity measurement instrument such as a velocimeter. The measurement may be compared to a predicted velocity or a velocity measurement made by another system to determine calibration parameters.

Provided herein are methods and devices for identifying and/or distinguishing UCA formulations and specifically activating such formulations to produce UCA suitable for in vivo use.

A system includes a first transducer configured as an actuator. The first transducer is in communication with a surface of a structure. A second transducer is configured as a sensor. The second transducer is in communication with the surface. A third transducer is configured as a sensor. The third transducer is in communication with the surface and separated from the second transduce by an area. A digitizing unit receives signals from the second transducer and the third transducer. The digitizing unit communicates a plurality of frequency signals for the first transducer. A computing unit communicates the plurality of frequency signals to the digitizing unit, receives digitized signals from the digitizing unit, and calculates a Frequency Response Function from the digitized signals. Changes to the Frequency Response Function indicate a change to physical properties of the structure.

A system includes a first transducer configured as an actuator. The first transducer is in communication with a surface of a structure. A second transducer is configured as a sensor. The second transducer is in communication with the surface. A third transducer is configured as a sensor. The third transducer is in communication with the surface and separated from the second transduce by an area. A digitizing unit receives signals from the second transducer and the third transducer. The digitizing unit communicates a plurality of frequency signals for the first transducer. A computing unit communicates the plurality of frequency signals to the digitizing unit, receives digitized signals from the digitizing unit, and calculates a Frequency Response Function from the digitized signals. Changes to the Frequency Response Function indicate a change to physical properties of the structure.

A method for high resolution photoacoustic imaging in scattering media using structured illumination may include illuminating a sample of an absorption object with structured illumination, including illuminating the sample with multiple different speckle patterns at different times. The method may also include detecting multiple photoacoustic signals generated by the absorption object in response to illumination with the different speckle patterns to generate multiple photoacoustic responses. The method may also include reconstructing an absorber distribution of the absorption object by exploiting joint sparsity of sound sources in the plurality of photoacoustic responses.

A method for high resolution photoacoustic imaging in scattering media using structured illumination may include illuminating a sample of an absorption object with structured illumination, including illuminating the sample with multiple different speckle patterns at different times. The method may also include detecting multiple photoacoustic signals generated by the absorption object in response to illumination with the different speckle patterns to generate multiple photoacoustic responses. The method may also include reconstructing an absorber distribution of the absorption object by exploiting joint sparsity of sound sources in the plurality of photoacoustic responses.

There is provided detection instrumentation for the detection of transverse rail defects in rail head hitherto considered untestable on account of acoustic signal attenuation problems of horizontal lamination defects. The detection instrumentation comprises a pulse-echo acoustic transducer having a wear face for contacting a fillet of the rail and being aimed towards a head of the rail such that the transmitter transmits acoustic signals into the head and the receiver receives acoustic signals reflected at differing depths within the head. A signal receiver operably coupled to the receiver times the acoustic signals according to a timeseries railhead depth position scale. Analysis of the depth positions of the reflected acoustic signals according to relative positioning of the instrumentation along the rail may identify the transverse rail defects