PurposeIt is in the interest of any gas company to maintain the value of its pipelines and to protect them effectively against damage caused by third parties. Aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approachAs a result of global progress in high‐resolution remote sensing and image processing technology, it is now possible to design natural gas pipeline monitoring systems with remote sensors and context‐oriented image processing software.FindingsRecent developments in UAV technology show that UAVs provide the appropriate platforms for a remote sensing‐based inspection system: appropriate small and medium size UAV have been developed, their operation is technically feasible in an controlled as well as in uncontrolled airspace.Research limitations/implicationsThe data and information processing system still has to be developed to an operational standard. A total operational system consisting of UAV platform, sensors, data processing and alarm detection has to be demonstrated in a complete mission. The certification and operation standards for a safe and efficient operation of UAVs do not yet exist.Originality/valueTwo different scenarios for a UAV‐based gas pipeline monitoring system are discussed.

We develop a simple model for the calculation of the splitting between molecular states of the heteronuclear rare gas ions. Making use of available experimental data we determine the potential curves themselves. The accuracy is estimated to be sufficient to aid the interpretation of collision experiments. Further, our results suggest a new assignment of the already observed charge exchange transitions. The relative energy positions of the potentials should be reliable enough to predict the transition energies of the so far unobserved bands within a few meV.

A rigorous test of the photometric accuracy of commercial high-resolution Fourier transform spectrometers has been made by measuring line strengths in the pure rotational spectrum of carbon monoxide. Measurements have been made with a Bruker IPS 120 HR spectrometer (transitions: J″ = 7 . . . 23) and a Bomen DA3.002 spectrometer (J″ = 27 . . . 35). A least-squares fit of individual data sets and the combined data gave permanent electric dipole moments in the range 0.1091-0.1101 D and quadratic Herman-Wallis factors in the range -0.188 to -0.229 × 10(-3), in good agreement with literature values within the overall uncertainty. Sources of systematic errors in the Fourier-transform spectrometer and in the algorithms used to reduce the data are discussed in detail. The experimental results show that such errors affected the retrieved line strengths by less than 1%.

(UK; 1993-95).Republication or reproduction of this report or its storage and/or dissemination by electronic means is permitted without the need for formal IUPAC permission on condition that an acknowledgement, with full reference to the source along with use of the copyright symbol 0, the name IUPAC and the year of publication are prominently visible. Publication of a translation into another language is subject to the additional condition of prior approval from the relevant IUPAC National Adhering Organization.

Core level energies of free metal atoms have been determined experimentally by means of photo-electron and Auger electron spectroscopy and are compared with theoretical and estimated "free atom" values. Theoretical values agree with our experimental energies within 1 eV whereas the estimated "free atom" values deviate from them by as much as 8 eV. The occurrence of strong correlation effects in the Auger spectra of the alkali-earth atoms is demonstrated at the 3d-Auger spectrum of Sr and 4d-Auger spectrum of Ba. The super Coster-Kronig and Coster-Kronig transitions of free Zn atoms have been measured. From a quantitative analysis of these spectra, the level widths Γ(3p 3/2) = Γ(3p 1/2) have been determined and are compared with experimental solid state values and with theoretical ones.