[PeakOiler]

I'm learning the new EDAX (Energy Dispersive Angle X-ray) software (and hardware) on our Scanning Electron Microscope, (SEM), and the pic below was my first attempt with the new imaging software.



The oil soot particle is about 70 microns in diameter. (Rather large, really.)

Sorry it's a little out of focus. We are having some floor and vacuum pump vibration issues at the lab.

This was from a sample that an environmental investigator submitted to the lab. Apparently some company is spewing oil soot all over a neighborhood.

Edit: The elemental composition of the oil soot particle was carbon, oxygen, and sulfur.

The environmental investigation can lead to civil lawsuits against the alleged polluter. The image and the chemical analysis can be used as evidence in a lawsuit.

[matt21811]

Haha. My first impression was that it was one of these:

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/images/abomb5.jpg

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/abombs.html

But I was wrong.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('matt21811', 'H')aha. My first impression was that it was one of these:

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/images/abomb5.jpg

http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/abombs.html

[Newsseeker]

Man, I wish I had one of those.

[TWilliam]

I started reading thru the text on the page that the second link matt posted points too, and really those are some incredible images, taken with high-speed cameras that produced 10 nanosecond exposures (that's 0.00000001 of a second) only 1 millisecond (0.001 second) after detonation. Pretty wild.

The montage I posted above actually includes a few brief clips of footage from those cameras. Can you spot them?

[TommyJefferson]

Cool link Matt. Thanks.


Cool camera P.O.

I think you should photograph one of your spermatozoa and post it on the internet.

I would so love to do that.

"Look at my boy"!

[Chuckmak]

awesome pics and links, folks!

[PeakOiler]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', 'C')ool link Matt. Thanks.


Cool camera P.O.

I think you should photograph one of your spermatozoa and post it on the internet.

I would so love to do that.

"Look at my boy"!

[Plantagenet]

There are similar looking spherules in the boundary layer produced by the meteorite impact that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/0 ... mpact.html

[mekrob]

Nice pics of nukes. Always makes you ashamed to be human.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mekrob', 'N')ice pics of nukes. Always makes you ashamed to be human.

[PeakOiler]

For readers that might be interested in microscopy, check this link or Google "SEM-EDS":
http://www.sdm.buffalo.edu/scic/sem-eds.html

[Chuckmak]

this looks like the sun...oh wait...the sun is nothing but a constant nuclear explosion

[billp]

I didn't know what a avatar was until recently.

Other ideas

BASICs

8051 FORTH

Then there may a LEGAL avatar


We're thinking about this.

[Denny]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('mekrob', 'N')ice pics of nukes. Always makes you ashamed to be human.

[TWilliam]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('billp', 'I') didn't know what a avatar was until recently.

Other ideas

BASICs

8051 FORTH

Then there may a LEGAL avatar


We're thinking about this.

[bullplug]

Great shot. You're right 70 microns is pretty big. Whoever is causing this should put in a filtration system. You usually can get filters that will filter down to 1 micron. Although this would cost the company money for crying out loud.