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The past decade has witnessed major advances in our understanding of the chemical composition, structure, and reactivity of the complex organic-rich fossil matter known as "coal. " Nevertheless, important scientific questions concerning molecular weight distributions, degree of crosslinking, typical duster sizes, type of interconnecting bridges, the possible role of a "mobile phase," and the nature of organic sulfur forms remain topics of heated debate. Moreover, there appears to be a notable lack of consensus regarding the overall direction and goals of structural elucidation work. Is it worthwhile to study whole coal samples, or should we separate out the various, more or less well-defined...
June 1986 brought together some of the world's leaders in computer enhanced analytical spectroscopy at Snowbird, Utah, for what the attendees decided to call "The First Hidden Peak Symposium." With the remarkable advances in both computer hardware and software, it is interesting to observe that, while many computational aspects of spectroscopic analysis have become routine, some of the more fundamental problems remain unsolved. The group that assembled included many of those who started trying to interpret chemical spectroscopy when computers were ponderous, slow, and not very accessible, as well as newcomers who never knew the day that spectrometers were delivered without attached computers. The synergism was excellent. Many new ideas, as well as this volume, resulted from interactions among the participants. The conclusion was that progress would be made on more fundamen tal problems now that hardware, software, and mathematics were coming together on a more sophisticated level. The feeling was that the level of sophistication is now adequate and that it is only a matter of time before automated spectral interpretation surpasses all but the most advanced human experts.
Founded on the work of the renowned Advanced Combustion Engineering Research Center, the authors document and integrate current knowledge of the organic and inorganic structure of coal and its reaction processes. With the urgent need for cleaner, more efficient use of this worldwide fuel, their work will set a clear course for future research.
This publication tells the story of the Gordon Research Conferences (GRC), a series of scientific meetings that play a major role in advancing new theories and developing applications. Firsthand accounts from 80 of the world's leading scientists offer a unique lens through which to view and understand the wide range of disciplines and fields that make up today's scientific endeavor. Also included in the book is a time line, as well as essays that provide historical perspective on the development of the GRC organization.