The Advanced GAmma Tracking Array (AGATA) is a European project to develop and operate the next generation γ-ray spectrometer. AGATA is based on the technique of γ-ray energy tracking in electrically segmented high-purity germanium crystals. This technique requires the accurate determination of the energy, time and position of every interaction as a γ ray deposits its energy within the detector volume. Reconstruction of the full interaction path results in a detector with very high efficiency and excellent spectral response. The realisation of γ-ray tracking and AGATA is a result of many technical advances. These include the development of encapsulated highly segmented germanium detectors assembled in a triple cluster detector cryostat, an electronics system with fast digital sampling and a data acquisition system to process the data at a high rate. The full characterisation of the crystals was measured and compared with detector-response simulations. This enabled pulse-shape analysis algorithms, to extract energy, time and position, to be employed. In addition, tracking algorithms for event reconstruction were developed. The first phase of AGATA is now complete and operational in its first physics campaign. In the future AGATA will be moved between laboratories in Europe and operated in a series of campaigns to take advantage of the different beams and facilities available to maximise its science output. The paper reviews all the achievements made in the AGATA project including all the necessary infrastructure to operate and support the spectrometer

We report on the absolute antiproton Ñux and the antiproton to proton ratio in the energy range 0.62È3.19 GeV at the top of the atmosphere, measured by the balloon-borne experiment CAPRICE Ñown from Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada, on 1994 August 8È9. The experiment used the New Mexico State University WiZard/CAPRICE balloon-borne magnet spectrometer equipped with a solid radiator Ring Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) detector and a silicon-tungsten calorimeter for particle identiÐcation. This is the Ðrst time a RICH is used together with an imaging calorimeter in a balloon experiment, and it allows antiprotons to be clearly identiÐed over the rigidity range 1.2È4 GV. Nine antiprotons were identiÐed in the energy range 0.62È3.19 GeV at the top of the atmosphere. The data were collected over 18 hr at a mean residual atmosphere of 3.9 g cm~2. The absolute antiproton Ñux is consistent with a pure secondary production of antiprotons during the propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy.

However, the durability and cost of such systems still remain a challenge. [2,3] Using the Department of Energy (DOE) cost-breakdown for the 80-kW net stack for light-duty vehicles, the cost of precious metal electrocatalyst remains almost unchanged as production rate increases to 0.5 M PEFC stacks per year. [4] The cost of the electrocatalyst amounts to 31% of stack cost, for 0.5 M systems per year production rate. [4] Platinum (Pt) or Pt-alloys are used as electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the cathode side and the hydrogen oxidation reaction on the anode side of PEFCs. Pt or Pt-alloy electrocatalysts are dispersed as nanoparticles onto carbonblack support. DOE has set a target of reducing Pt loading to 0.125 mg cm −2 to achieve the goal of $12.6 kW net −1 for a stack with power density target of 1.8 W cm −2 . Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) with lower catalyst loading are less durable, [1] thus, the cost issue cannot be resolved without focusing on the catalyst durability issue of the PEFC stack. Moreover, heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) require stacks with 25 000-30 000 h lifetime, which to date requires ≥0.4 mg cm −2 [70] Pt catalyst loading. Significant progress in The heterogeneity of polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalyst degradation is studied under varied relative humidity and types of feed gas. Accelerated stress tests (ASTs) are performed on four membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) under wet and dry conditions in an air or nitrogen environment for 30 000 square voltage cycles. The largest electrochemically active area loss is observed for MEA under wet conditions in a nitrogen gas environment AST due to constant upper potential limit of 0.95 V and significant water content. The mean Pt particle size is larger for the ASTs under wet conditions compared to dry conditions, and the Pt particle size under land is generally larger than under the channel. Observations from ASTs in both conditions and gas environments indicate that water content promotes Pt particle size growth. ASTs under wet conditions and an air environment show the largest difference in Pt particle size growth for inlet versus outlet and channel versus land, which can be attributed to larger water content at outlet and under land compared to inlet and under channel. From X-ray fluorescence experiments Pt particle size increase is a local phenomenon as Pt loading remains relatively uniform across the MEA.

Organic thermoelectrics are emerging as strong candidates for micro energy harvesting devices to power low energy electronics and serve as sustainable distributed energy supplies. Here their actual potential is assessed with respect to different applications scenarios, such as wearables and sensors networks, providing useful guidelines for their future development.