Abstract: A spectrometer and method of spectroscopy are provided for surface analysis. The spectrometer comprises an energy analyser for analysing the energies of charged particles liberated from a sample, a lens arranged to project a diffraction image of the analysis area at the image plane of the lens and a detector for detecting the charged particles. The analyser and lens are arranged to generate an image at the detector in which the charged particles are distributed along a first direction according to their emission angles and are distributed along another direction according to their energies. The detector is arranged to detect the distribution of charged particles in the image along the first direction to provide angle resolved energy spectra.

Abstract: An method and apparatus for testing of gas cylinders which combines a cylinder preparation station, a cylinder test station, a system controller for controlling data entry and cylinder testing, the system controller comprising a data entry device located near the cylinder preparation station, a test control device located near the cylinder station, and a memory comprising a cylinder test condition database and a cylinder test database. The apparatus is programmed to conduct a process comprising the steps of entering data from a cylinder into the data entry device, selecting test conditions for the cylinder from the cylinder test condition database, testing the cylinder using the test conditions, and adding test results for the cylinder to the cylinder test results database.

Abstract: The invention generally provides an apparatus that aerates the aquatic environment and agitates the bottom of the aquatic environment. One aspect of the invention provides a variable buoyancy aerator which cycles between an agitation mode and an aeration mode. Another aspect of the invention provides a system for maintaining an aqua-culture environment including one or more variable buoyancy aerators, a power source connected to supply power to activate the aerators and a controller connected to the power source to regulate activation of each aerator. The invention also provides a method for maintaining an aqua-culture environment including positioning one or more variable buoyancy aerators within the aqua-culture environment and regulating activation of each aerator to provide aeration, bottom agitation and controlled circulation to the aquatic environment.