Abstract: Hydrocarbons are extracted from a target formation, such as oil shale, tar sands, heavy oil and petroleum reservoirs, by apparatus and methods which cause fracturing of the containment rock and liquification or volatization of the hydrocarbons by microwave energy directed by a radiating antenna in the target formation.

Abstract: A thermal insulating bowl or container which is for keeping the original temperature of the food or beverage contained therein. The thermal insulating container is to prevent heat transfer from occurring by radiation, convection and conduction. This is achieved by having the container with a double-wall structure. The gap between the walls is a vacuum or partial vacuum cavity which encompasses both the sidewalls and the bottom of the container. The cavity may be partially filled with gas such carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) or dry nitrogen N.sub.2. By having this vacuumed or partially gas filled, food and beverage kept in the container can remain warm or cold for an extended period of time.

Abstract: In a fiber optic rate sensor employing a Sagnac ring circuit wherein an ocal source launches an optical signal which is divided into two equals signals which are coupled in opposite directions through a multi-turn fiber optic coil to provide two counter-propagating optical signals. The two counter-propagating optical signals are coupled to a photodetector after passing through the multiturn fiber coil. The signals detected at the photodetector have traversed identical optical paths between said source and said photodetector and have undergone a Sagnac phase shift directly related to the rate of rotation of the fiber coil about its axis in inertial space. The two counterpropagating signals are phase modulated by a phase modulator at one end of the fiber optic coil and the output of the photodetector undergoes signal processing in a signal processor to produce a rate output directly related to the rate of rotation of the fiber coil.