DUBAI // Scientists are hoping to radically alter the molecular arrangement of substances by zapping them with ultra fast laser bursts.
Dr Ali Al Naser, an associate professor of physics at the American University of Sharjah, last monthbegan a year-long research project in Germany into the possibility of transforming substances at an atomic level by using ultra high-power short-pulse lasers.
His research is based on a new area of physics which studies how lasers can disrupt the bonds between electrons, causing chemical reactions.
Hydrocarbons are carbon atoms combined with hydrogen atoms. Many of them are used as fuels - from short-chained gases like methane, to longer-chained oils and very long-chained waxes. Changing the number of carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms, and the way they are bonded, results in different hydrocarbons with different properties.
He said it might be possible to more efficiently transform certain hydrocarbons - for example, turning ethane, which consists of two atoms of carbon and six of hydrogen, into the more usable ethylene, which has just four hydrogen atoms and a double bond between the carbons.
It would, says Dr Al Naser, be the first time the conversion has been achieved with lasers.
His research proposal attracted the attentions of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, which awarded him $60,000 for living costs and expenses during a one-year sabbatical at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, in Munich.
The research is part of a field of cutting-edge physics that has reshaped theories of quantum mechanics.
Its basis is the study of how the electromagnetic field in a laser pulse can become the same order of magnitude, or greater, than that of a Coulomb field, which binds atoms in their orbits. If the magnitude is less, the laser will not be able to sufficiently excite the atom. The presence of this field can create unimaginably quick changes in the structure of the atom.
In the past decade, scientists have developed lasers that release pulses of light just one attosecond long - a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a second. (For scale, there are as many attoseconds in one second, as there are seconds in 31 billion years.)
The pulses need to be that fast to disrupt molecules - one rotation of an electron around the nucleus of an atom takes just a few hundred attoseconds. The effect is to cause super-fast disruptions in the arrangement of an atom.
Now the challenge for Dr Al Naser is to find a way to calibrate the laser pulses so the molecular changes happen in a predictable way. "If the substance can go 10 different routes, we are hoping to adjust the laser's parameters so we can create a preferred route," he said.
As well as changing the molecular structure of hydrocarbons, the technique could be used to transform harmful substances such as carbon monoxide into something less toxic.
"These molecules are toxic because the way they are bound and the number of atoms that exist in the substance," Dr Al Naser said. Since you have control with lasers, you can determine how you can remove the toxic quality of the substance by changing the way these atoms are combined, or removing a number of charged particles in the target."
One of the leading researchers in this field has been Ahmed Zewail, an Egyptian-American scientist who won the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1999. He used an ultra-fast laser to manipulate chemical reactions in the time range of femtoseconds (one femtosecond is 1,000 attoseconds). His field of research became known as femtochemistry.
The science was taken further by Dr Ferenc Krausz, of the Planck institute in Munich, whose team in 2001 developed the first attosecond pulse laser.
With it, they were able to observe a quantum-level process in which electrons "tunnel" out of an atom - first predicted in 1965 by the Russian physicist Leonid Keldysh.
In the process, negatively charged atoms absorb a high-energy photon from the ultraviolet spectrum, which excites them to the point they are able to break free of the orbit of the positively charged nucleus.
Dr Al Naser, who will be collaborating with Dr Krausz in his sabbatical year, has been working on attosecond science since 2003. In some of his earliest research, he collaborated on a project with Dr Igor Litvinyuk, who is now an associate professor of physics at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia.
"These lasers are very expensive and they are difficult to access," Dr Litvinyuk said. "That can inhibit research in many parts of the world. It would be excellent if Ali was able to facilitate the building of a laser like this in the Middle East."
Dr Litvinyuk's research has been geared towards atomic-level attosecond science, while Dr Al Naser is more interested in the behaviour of molecules. Of particular interest was fuel combustion and the associated need to improve both efficiency and reduce harmful byproducts.
It is still not clear his techniques will ever be useful on an industrial scale.
"To be honest, we don't even know if it will work on the small scale," Dr Litvinyuk said. "That's something we want to study. The science is still very new and this is something we are going to be studying for a long time."
mcroucher@thenational.ae
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Results
4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Emblem Storm, Oisin Murphy (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Wafy, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m; Winner: Wildman Jack, Fernando Jara, Doug O’Neill.
5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m; Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Matterhorn, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
7.30pm: Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Loxley, Mickael Barzalona, Charlie Appleby.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
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Places to go for free coffee
- Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day.
- La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
- Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
- Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee