Extreme States Research Articles

Experimental and Numerical Study of Suspended Inter-Array Cable Configurations for Floating Offshore Wind Farm

The present study evaluates the feasibility of using a fully suspended inter-array cable system for an offshore wind farm. It includes both numerical simulations and a scaled-down experiment, conducted at a 1:49 scale, to validate the numerical results. To achieve the goal, a 15 MW floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) and a floating offshore substation (FOSS) are involved to simulate the wind farm array. This study incorporates the 50-year return period conditions of the Taiwan Hsinchu offshore area, which has a water depth of about 100 m, to validate the specifications related to the platform motion and mooring line tension. Additionally, an analysis of the tension, curvature, and fatigue damage of the dynamic cable system is discussed in this research. Because a fully suspended cable is a relatively new concept and may be more frequently considered in a deeper water depth area, numerical simulation software Orcina Orcaflex 11.4 has been chosen to conduct the fully coupled simulation, determining whether the fully suspended cable system could effectively withstand the challenges posed by extreme sea conditions. This is due to the reason that a fully suspended cable would occupy a larger space in the ocean, which may pose a risk by influencing the navigation of the vessels. Therefore, the cable laying depth under normal sea states is also discussed to evaluate the influence over vessel navigation. This study also collects the long-term environmental data from the Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan, to calculate the accumulative cable fatigue damage under different sea states. To integrate the results, this research applies fitness parameters to evaluate the feasibility of each cable configuration. Covering the cable performance under extreme sea states and regular operating sea states offers valuable insights for applications in ocean engineering.

Neural network survivability approach of a wave energy converter considering uncertainties in the prediction of future knowledge

To tune the wave energy converter (WEC) controller parameters such as damping to reduce the line force during extreme wave conditions, future knowledge of the line force is required. To achieve this, the incoming wave and system state should be predicted for a few seconds in the future. It is rather an arduous task to predict the future knowledge of waves and the system’s dynamic when dealing with breaking and steep waves, and the system is subject to various nonlinear forces. The classical model-based control strategies often rely on linear assumptions to estimate the WEC dynamics for the sake of simplicity. Unlike the model-based, the data-driven approaches are free from modeling errors and the algorithms are trained over the true and noisy data to predict non-linear system behaviors. Using data-driven approaches, we are able to model nonlinear dynamics. However, new questions emerge on the accuracy of the future wave and system state predictions, and how this uncertainty propagates into the final prediction of the line force. As incorrect damping may lead to excessive line force and detrimental damage to the system, these are the knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. The main purpose of this paper is to answer these questions through a survivability strategy for wave energy converters by providing a realistic perspective on the implementation of the neural network approaches by accounting for the errors in the input data. For this purpose, a series of neural networks is designed that first predicts the surface elevation for 0.36 s ahead, i.e. corresponding to 2 s in the full-scale WEC. This future knowledge of the wave elevation is then used to predict the system state (i.e. power take-off (PTO) translator position) for the same prediction horizon based on the PTO damping. This information is then fed to a convolutional neural network (CNN) that predicts the peak line force 0.36 s ahead. This paper also evaluates the predictive capabilities of neural network (NN) models, comparing them to classical autoregressive (AR) and Kalman filter methods. While the AR model exhibits slightly higher accuracy in fixed PTO system configurations, it falters in providing real-time predictions when system parameters undergo variations. In contrast, the NN prediction model excels by establishing a robust relationship between system configuration and output signals. Especially noteworthy is its ability to outperform classical methods with minimal training on a selective set of system configurations. Then, the sensitivity of the peak line force prediction to the uncertainties in the input data from NN models and the prediction horizon is analyzed. The neural network models are trained over the experimental data subjected to extreme sea states for a point absorber wave energy converter. The results suggest that the accuracy of the surface elevation prediction has an insignificant direct effect on the peak force prediction model. However, these uncertainties are reflected in the PTO translator position prediction, and the model is considerably sensitive to the accuracy of this prediction. This sensitivity nonetheless is less notable for higher PTO damping values.

C-fos induction in the choroid plexus, tanycytes and pars tuberalis is an early indicator of spontaneous arousal from torpor in a deep hibernator.

Hibernation is an extreme state of seasonal energy conservation, reducing metabolic rate to as little as 1% of the active state. During the hibernation season, many species of hibernating mammals cycle repeatedly between the active (aroused) and hibernating (torpid) states (T-A cycling), using brown adipose tissue (BAT) to drive cyclical rewarming. The regulatory mechanisms controlling this process remain undefined but are presumed to involve thermoregulatory centres in the hypothalamus. Here, we used the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), and high-resolution monitoring of BAT, core body temperature and ventilation rate, to sample at precisely defined phases of the T-A cycle. Using c-fos as a marker of cellular activity, we show that although the dorsomedial hypothalamus is active during torpor entry, neither it nor the pre-optic area shows any significant changes during the earliest stages of spontaneous arousal. Contrastingly, in three non-neuronal sites previously linked to control of metabolic physiology over seasonal and daily time scales - the choroid plexus, pars tuberalis and third ventricle tanycytes - peak c-fos expression is seen at arousal initiation. We suggest that through their sensitivity to factors in the blood or cerebrospinal fluid, these sites may mediate metabolic feedback-based initiation of the spontaneous arousal process.

The benefits of hearing voices groups: more findings from a US national study

ABSTRACT Background Hearing voices peer-support groups (HVGs) are spreading widely as an alternative or supplement to standard psychiatric treatments for the distress that can accompany unshared perceptions or extreme states. Yet although people in dozens of countries clearly find HVGs useful, their precise mechanisms of action and distinctive benefits are not fully understood. Analyzing the effectiveness of these groups is increasingly important as mental health resources stretch to the breaking point in many parts of the world. Methods Using an inductive phenomenological method, our collaborative team of voice-hearers and researchers analyzed the experiences of 119 HVG members in the US, who provided detailed voice hearing histories and accounts of group participation. Results Results indicated that HVGs offer four distinct types of benefits, affording members an opportunity to: (1) examine the voice hearing experience in itself; (2) discern the meanings of voices and explore them within a biographical context; (3) receive validation for cultural or spiritual ways of understanding voices; and (4) develop a sense of shared experience and camaraderie with other voice-hearers. Discussion These participant-defined benefits are quite different from standard outcome measures, suggesting new avenues for research to understand the diverse appeal of HVGs

The Surviwec Project: An Open-Source Experimental Database For Extreme Loads On A Moored Cylinder Under Regular And Focused Waves

In this work, we introduce a novel open-source experimental database focused on the dynamic response of a moored floater under both regular and focused waves. The database provides detailed information about the motion (6 DOF) of a cylindrical floating body anchored using two distinct mooring configurations. The former configuration employs four tension legs evenly distributed around the perimeter of the float. The latter, utilizes catenary connections made of steel chains. This database holds significance in three key aspects. Firstly, by leveraging one of the largest wave facilities in Europe for wave generation, the wave-structure interaction is studied on a large scale (approx. 1:10 ratio). Due to this, scale effects are minimized. Secondly, the database captures critical hydrodynamic loads, including slamming and overtopping induced by extreme waves, as well as snap loads in the mooring lines. These represent unique features of the dataset. Lastly, the tests are conducted with meticulous consideration for subsequent analytical or numerical validations: preliminary tests with regular waves are followed by investigations under extreme sea states represented by focused waves.

Unveiling the Small-scale Jets in the Rapidly Growing Supermassive Black Hole IZw1

Accretion of black holes at near-Eddington or super-Eddington rates represents the most powerful episode driving black hole growth, potentially occurring across various types of objects. However, the physics governing accretion and jet–disk coupling in such states remains unclear, primarily due to the difficulty in detecting associated jets, which may emit extremely weakly or exhibit episodic behavior. Only a few near/super-Eddington systems have demonstrated radio activity, and it remains uncertain whether jets exist and what their properties are in super-Eddington active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and ultraluminous X-ray sources. This uncertainty stems mainly from the complex radio emission mix, which includes contributions from jets, star formation activity, photoionized gas, accretion disk wind, and coronal activity. In this work, we conducted high-resolution, very long baseline interferometry observations to investigate jets in the highly accreting narrow-line Seyfert I system I Zw 1. Our observations successfully revealed small-scale jets (with a linear size of ∼45 pc) at both 1.5 and 5 GHz, based on the high radio brightness temperature, radio morphology, and spectral index distribution. Additionally, the parsec-scale jet observed in I Zw 1 displays a knotted morphology reminiscent of other sources accreting at similar rates. In summary, the high accretion rates and jet properties observed in the AGN I Zw 1 may support the AGN/X-ray binary analogy in this extreme state.

Uncertainty relation and the constrained quadratic programming

The uncertainty relation is a fundamental concept in quantum theory, plays a pivotal role in various quantum information processing tasks. In this study, we explore the additive uncertainty relation pertaining to two or more observables, in terms of their variance, by utilizing the generalized Gell-Mann representation in qudit systems. We find that the tight state-independent lower bound of the variance sum can be characterized as a quadratic programming problem with nonlinear constraints in optimization theory. As illustrative examples, we derive analytical solutions for these quadratic programming problems in lower-dimensional systems, which align with the state-independent lower bounds. Additionally, we introduce a numerical algorithm tailored for solving these quadratic programming instances, highlighting its efficiency and accuracy. The advantage of our approach lies in its potential ability to simultaneously achieve the optimal value of the quadratic programming problem with nonlinear constraints but also precisely identify the extremal state where this optimal value is attained. This enables us to establish a tight state-independent lower bound for the sum of variances, and further identify the extremal state at which this lower bound is realized.

Characteristic Curves of Polar Fluids: (II) The Two-Center Lennard–Jones Plus Quadrupole Fluid

A systematic study of Brown’s characteristic curves of the two center Lennard–Jones plus point quadrupole (2CLJQ) fluid was carried out using molecular simulation and molecular-based equation of state (EOS) modeling. The model parameters (elongation and quadrupole moment) were varied systematically covering the range relevant for real fluid models. In total, 36 model fluids were studied. The independent predictions from the EOS and the computer experiments are found to be in very good agreement. Based on these results, the influence of the quadrupole moment on the fluid behavior at extreme conditions is elucidated. The quadrupole interactions are found to have a surprisingly minor influence on the extreme state fluid behavior. In particular, for the Amagat curve, the quadrupole moment is found to have an almost negligible influence in a wide temperature range. The results also provide new insights into the applicability of the corresponding states principle, which is compared to other molecular property features. Interestingly, for a wide range of quadrupole moments, the fluid behavior at extreme conditions is conform with the corresponding states principle—opposite to the influence of other molecular features. This is attributed to the symmetry of the quadrupole interactions. Moreover, an empirical correlation for the characteristic curves was developed as a global function of the model parameters and tested on real substance models. Additionally, the applicability of Batschinski’s linearity law for the Zeno curve was assessed using the results for the 2CLJQ fluid.

Strategic resilience in human performance in the context of science and education - perspective.

Special situations that jeopardize the internal and external security for communities are increasing in their frequency and complexity. This creates complicated challenges for individuals, governments and humanity. National and international strategies are being developed that focus on the resilience and coping of all first responders during these extreme stress states. The aim of the article is to present the framework of strategic resilience, its multidimensional measurement and the possibilities for training robust resilience to increase operational effectiveness in special operational situations. Research in the area of special operation situations often focuses on the human performance cluster. The Unit of Applied Research 18_RECESS (18_ Research and Education Center for Extraordinary Tactical Situations and Strategically Resilience) at the Department of Disaster Prevention and Crisis Management at Fresenius University of Applied Sciences in Idstein fits into this field. It pursues the adaptation of existing resilience models to special operation situations in line with the definition of strategic resilience. In addition, the focus is on the possibility of training strategic resilience to increase operational effectiveness. There are currently several research projects being conducted in the civilian and civilian-military sectors, as well as with ground and special operations forces. Strategic Resilience with its 3 axes Psychological, Physiological and Cognitive Resilience covers the core domains of various existing models of resilience. This provides an adequate concept to describe different factors leading to personnel perseverance in special operation situations. There exists the possibility to train several domains of strategic resilience via problem-oriented intervention (POH).

High-Field Optical Cesium Magnetometer for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

We present a novel high-field optical quantum magnetometer based on saturated absorption spectroscopy on the extreme angular-momentum states of the cesium D2 line. With key features including continuous readout, high sampling rate, and sensitivity and accuracy in the ppm range, it represents a competitive alternative to conventional techniques for measuring magnetic fields of several teslas. The prototype has four small separate field probes, and all support electronics and optics are fitted into a single 19-inch rack to make it compact, mobile, and robust. The field probes are fiber coupled and made from nonmetallic components, allowing them to be easily and safely positioned inside a 7 T MRI scanner. We demonstrate the capabilities of this magnetometer by measuring two different MRI sequences, and we show how it can be used to reveal imperfections in the gradient coil system, to highlight the potential applications in medical MRI. We propose the term EXAAQ (EXtreme Angular-momentum Absorption-spectroscopy Quantum) magnetometry, for this novel method. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

WHO and COVID-19: stress testing the boundary of science and politics

Specialized agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize the importance of impartiality and independence to ensure state compliance and buy-in to their institutional mandate. For functionalists, the boundary distinction between scientific expertise and politics is useful for interest-minded states and institutions that want to promote knowledge over politics. In extreme crisis states revert to national interests. The question for specialized agencies is whether to double-down on the boundary between science and politics during a crisis in an attempt to maintain authority. The COVID-19 pandemic tested this functional arrangement in international relations where scientific validity can facilitate the pursuit of global governance. This article explores why, in a time of crisis, WHO leadership maintained that the boundary between science and politics could be upheld, even when others identified politics as affecting impartiality and independence. It does so by exploring the role of governance processes and technical expertise led by the WHO in investigating the origins of COVID-19 pandemic. Doubling down on science as a solution ignored the politics that permeated, especially, the origins investigation in China. We argue that while the temptation to enforce boundary work may be more acute in periods of crisis, attempts to maintain boundaries between politics and science during a crisis undermines the function and reputation of specialized technical agencies. It is more functional to expose the political conditions as compromising scientific independence and impartiality.

Probing extreme states of liquid matter

The new High Energy Density instrument (HEDi) at the European XFEL (EuXFEL) allows for extreme states of liquid matter to be probed in unprecedented detail.

Multi-physical analysis of saturation-dependent creep behavior for RC beam under sustained load and wet-dry cycles

A multi-physical and multi-scale analytical method based on thermo-hydro-mechanical models is adopted to evaluate the long-term deflection of RC beams with cracking under sustained loads and cyclic wet-dry conditions. The major physical-mechanical coupling mechanisms considered in this study includes: 1) water transport and phase equilibrium in the microstructure of gel and capillary pores; 2) accelerated moisture transport affected by cracking in concrete; 3) saturation-dependent creep coefficient considering gel and capillary pores; 4) combination of creep deformation and non-uniform shrinkage. The numerical approach is firstly verified by experiments where the thermo-hydro-mechanical interactions are found to be well analyzed. Then, parametric cases of cyclic wet-dry conditions are investigated to achieve deeper and wider conclusions. It has been found that under the cyclic wet-dry ambient conditions, there is an extreme drying state for concrete members depending on the drying humidity and its period. For the long-term mid-span deflection of beams, generally it will grow faster if the drying humidity is lower, which owes to the saturation-dependent creep coefficient, which has been called as Pickett effect. Meanwhile, beam's bottom-side cracking caused by sustained loads may also accelerate the moisture transport, which leads to an uneven drying state between upper and lower part of beams and viaducts, and eventually causes up-warping of them. For some cases, this up-warping can be significant enough to alter the macroscale structural creep deformation. At last, the difference between wet-dry cycle and dry-wet one has also been discussed. It can be proved that for the long-term deformation under wet-dry cycles, the moisture state will greatly affect the time-dependency from many aspects, for which the thermo-hydro-mechanical numerical approach is beneficial and needed in practice.

High-tolerance reconfigurable MZI racetrack resonator on a 3-µm-thick SOI photonics platform

Integration of resonators impacts the utilization of the 3-µm-thick silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform in photonics integrated circuits (PICs). We propose an integrated resonator leveraging a deep-etch silicon waveguide. Through the utilization of a tunable coupler based on multimode interferometers (MMIs), the resonator achieves high fabrication tolerance and reconfigurability. In a critical-coupling state, it serves as a filter with an extinction ratio (ER) of 23.5 dB and quality (Q) factor of 3.1×105, operating within the range of 1530–1570 nm. In an extreme over-coupling state, it functions as a large-bandwidth delay line, offering continuous change in delay time of 22 ps, nearly wavelength-independent. This work provides devices to the 3-µm-thick silicon photonics device library, enriching the potential applications of this technology platform.

Effect of steel fiber orientation on punching shear resistance of steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites round slabs

The slab-column structure is commonly used in civil engineering. At the slab-column joints, the load from the slab is transmitted to the column. In the extreme state, punching shear failure may occur at the joints, and the failure is brittle without warning. When the punching shear failure occurs at the joint of round slab and column, usually the cracking is a conical shape because the direction of tensile stress caused by punching shear is generally radial. By incorporating steel fibers into cementitious composites round slabs, the steel fibers can bridge the conical surface, and therefore enhance the punching shear resistance of round slabs. If the steel fibers in the round slab are dispersed in the direction conducive to the punching shear resistance, the steel fibers can take full effect of strengthening and toughening, thus improving the punching shear resistance of the slab. So, the purpose of this investigation is to improve the punching shear resistance of steel fiber reinforced cementitious composite slabs by maximizing the reinforcement of steel fibers on the composites. Firstly, a model of punching shear resistance of steel fiber reinforced cementitious composite round slabs was derived based on the Modified Compression Field Theory with consideration of the orientation of steel fibers. According to the model, the slab with radial distribution of steel fibers around the punching shear area shows the highest punching shear resistance. Secondly, the approach of radially aligning steel fibers in the slab around the punching area by magnetic driving is proposed using a self-developed magnetic device. And, radially dispersed steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites (JD-SFRC) round slabs were prepared. Thirdly, the punching shear resistance of JD-SFRC round slabs, as well as unidirectionally aligned (1D), two-dimensionally aligned (2D), and randomly distributed (RD) steel fiber reinforced cementitious composites round slabs were tested. At last, the effect of the orientation of steel fibers on the punching shear resistance and failure characteristics of the round slabs were analyzed by comparing the results from tests and the model. Meanwhile, the effect of the volume fraction of steel fibers on the punching shear resistance of the slab was examined. The results show that, When the volume fraction of steel fiber is 1.0 %, compared with RD-SFRC round slabs, the ultimate shear resistance of 1D-SFRC, 2D-SFRC and JD-SFRC round slabs is increased by 14 %, 15 %, and 24 %, respectively.

Introducing the Azimuth Cutoff as an Independent Measure for Characterizing Sea-State Dynamics in SAR Altimetry

This study presents the first azimuth cutoff analysis in Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) altimetry, aiming to assess its applicability in characterizing sea-state dynamics. In SAR imaging, the azimuth cutoff serves as a proxy for the shortest waves, in terms of wavelength, that can be detected by the satellite under certain wind and wave conditions. The magnitude of this parameter is closely related to the wave orbital velocity variance, a key parameter for characterizing wind-wave systems. We exploit wave modulations exhibited in the tail of fully-focused SAR waveforms and extract the azimuth cutoff from the radar signal through the analysis of its along-track autocorrelation function. We showcase the capability of Sentinel-6A in deriving these two parameters based on analyses in the spatial and wavenumber domains, accompanied by a discussion of the limitations. We use Level-1A high-resolution Sentinel-6A data from one repeat cycle (10 days) globally to verify our findings against wave modeled data. In the spatial domain analysis, the estimation of azimuth cutoff involves fitting a Gaussian function to the along-track autocorrelation function. Results reveal pronounced dependencies on wind speed and significant wave height, factors primarily determining the magnitude of the velocity variance. In extreme sea states, the parameters are underestimated by the altimeter, while in relatively calm sea states and in the presence of swells, a substantial overestimation trend is observed. We introduce an alternative approach to extract the azimuth cutoff by identifying the fall-off wavenumber in the wavenumber domain. Results indicate effective mitigation of swell-induced errors, with some additional sensitivity to extreme sea states compared to the spatial domain approach.

Research on the Evolution Trend of Group Psychological Security Risks Under Public Health Emergencies: Mining and Analysis Based on Social Media Data.

In the digital age, people's attitudes and psychological security towards public health emergencies will be shared. Similar or identical psychological security states are prone to clustering and differentiation, while differentiated group psychological security is more prone to polarization, leading to group psychological security risks and then posing a threat to social stability and national security. However, existing studies mostly use qualitative analysis methods to study group emotional risks. There are still limitations in the study of dynamics of group psychological security risks through mining real data of social media. The study aims to use intelligent analysis methods to understand how group psychological security risks dynamically change. The study draws on text sentiment analysis, Markov chains and time series analysis to construct a framework for the evolution of group psychological security risks. Based on this framework, text data was crawled on Sina Weibo platform, mainly consisting of posts during public health emergencies (March 1st to June 30th, 2022) in Shanghai, and a psychological security lexicon in the field of public health emergencies was constructed. This laid the foundation for identifying the tendencies, intensity, and transitions of individual text psychological security, and then exploring the evolution trend of group psychological security risks. Compared with the generation and reduction periods, group psychological security risks are more likely to occur during the outbreak and recovery periods, and the intensity level is also higher. The overall intensity of group psychological security risks shows an evolution trend of first increasing, then decreasing, and then increasing again. The paper provides an opportunity to explore the dynamics of psychological security in the digital space. Meanwhile, we call on the government and relevant management departments to pay more attention to the group psychological security risks formed during the outbreak and recovery periods of public health emergencies, and take corresponding measures in a timely manner to guide the public to transform the extreme psychological security state into the normal psychological security state, in order to prevent and resolve group psychological security risks, promote social stability and national security.

Effects of the second-order hydrodynamics on the dynamic behavior of the platform among the wind-wave hybrid systems

This paper presents three different wind-wave hybrid systems (HSs) with multiple point-absorption wave energy converters (WECs) integrated onto a floating semi-submersible wind turbine (WT). The focus of the present study is to explore the effects of the second-order wave forces on the dynamic behavior of the platform in the HS, including the platform motion and the mooring line tension, under both operational and extreme sea states. ANSYS/AQWA based on 3D diffraction/radiation potential theory is used to conduct numerical investigation on the second-order hydrodynamics of the HS. To ensure the reliability of the investigation, the validations of the semi-submersible platform and point-absorption WEC are done based on the available experimental data. Additionally, two models, "1st-order" and "1st&2nd-order", are set up for comparative analysis, to highlight the significance of the second-order forces. The simulation results show that the second-order hydrodynamics have a significant influence on the surge and pitch responses of the platform, but almost no effects on the heave response. In addition to this, ignoring the second-order hydrodynamics will significantly underestimate the mooring line tension response. Overall, this study suggests that the second-order hydrodynamics should be considered in the design of wind-wave HSs, in order to ensure their performance and safety, especially under the severe sea states.

An evolutionary approach to extreme individual impact opinions based on time sunk costs

Large-scale studies indicate that the distinct approach to opinion fusion employed by extreme agents exerts a more potent influence on overall opinion evolution when compared to regular agents. The presence of extreme agents within the network tends to undermine the development of opinion neutrality, which is harmful to the guidance of online public opinion. Notably, prior research often overlooks the existence of opinion extreme agents in social networks. However, existing researches seldom consider the time sunk cost in the evolution of opinions. Building upon this foundation, we introduce a temporal dimension to the opinion evolution, integrating the time sunk cost with the opinion evolution process. Furthermore, we devise an agent partitioning method that categorizes agents into four states based on their opinion values: watch state, subjective state, firm state, and extreme state, with extreme state agents generally expressing radical opinions. We constructed an agent network based on the phenomenon of time sunk costs and proposed a model for the evolution of extreme opinions in this network. Our study found that the information sharing among extreme agents significantly influences the extremization of opinions in various networks. After restricting the exchange of opinions on extreme agents, the number of extreme agents in the network decreased by 40% to 50% compared to the initial situation. Additionally, we also discovered that imposing restrictions on extreme agents in the early stages can help increase the possibility of network opinions moving towards neutral positions. When restriction of extreme agents(REA) was performed at the beginning of the experiment compared to REA in the midway of the experiment, the final number of extreme state agents decreased by 15.57%. The results show that extreme agents have a great influence on the spread and evolution of extreme opinions on platforms.

Физика залечивания нанопор в конденсированном веществе в условиях воздействия лазерного излучения и высокотемпературной плазмы

The paper theoretically and experimentally investigates the influence of laser radiation and high-temperature plasma on changes in the physical properties of amorphous-nanocrystalline materials with nanopores in a thin surface layer. At present, the possibility of simultaneous increase of hardness and resistance to cracking of the material surface because of selective laser action has been experimentally established. Experimental results can be explained based on the model of selective impact of laser radiation on individual nanopores. The physics of laser selective initiation of healing processes of inhomogeneous/defective areas at the nanoscale has been investigated. Using the proposed physical model, the specificity of selective heating of areas near nanopores, as well as the influence of nanoscale defects in the structure on the specificity of isotherm propagation has also been revealed. The process of healing of nanopores located in the inhomogeneously heated surface layer of the material under the action of shock loading is considered. Theoretical results are compared with experimental data. It is shown that as a result of selective laser treatment it is possible to increase microhardness by three-four times, with simultaneous growth of resistance to cracking under conditions of local loading by the Vickers pyramid. The results obtained can be explained within the framework of ideas about selective laser healing of nano- and micro-sized defects located in the surface layer of the material. Thus, the physical and mechanical properties of the surface of condensed materials in an extreme state caused by strong compression under conditions of simultaneous short-term heating to high temperatures have been studied theoretically and experimentally.