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At least 451 records · Page 25

Instrument Measures Airflow Friction Without Contact

Dual beam laser interferometer determines airflow friction against body by measuring time-varying thickness of wind sheared oil film. Measurements yield skin friction between film and airstream. Errors from prerun oil flow, tunnel starting transients, and initial surface waves therefore eliminated.

Monson, D. J.↗

Analysis of airborne antenna patterns

The status of various efforts in support of the development of computer codes to analyze the radiation patterns of general aviation aircraft and simulate private aircraft is reported. Because of the significant amount of energy scattered by the windshield of private aircraft, a method is being developed to treat high frequency scattering by thin dielectric layers. To treat such aircraft at lower frequencies, i.e., where the aircraft surface area is less than 10 square wavelengths, a moment method code is being modified. The problem of plane (or surface) wave diffraction by the dielectric half plane is constructed and discussed.

Rojas, R. G.↗

Input impedance and mutual coupling of rectangular microstrip antennas

A moment method solution to the problem of input impedance and mutual coupling of rectangular microstrip antenna elements is presented. The formulation uses the grounded dielectric slab Green's function to account rigorously for the presence of the substrate and surface waves. Both entire basis (EB) and piecewise sinusoidal (PWS) expansion modes are used, and their relative advantages are noted. Calculations of input impedance and mutual coupling are compared with measured data and other calculations.

Pozar, D. M.↗

Measurements of ocean surface spectrum from an aircraft using the two-frequency microwave resonance technique

The present investigation is concerned with the results of a two-frequency (Delta k) microwave radar experiment conducted from an aircraft and aimed primarily at the development of remote sensing techniques to measure ocean surface wave spectral characteristics. The experiment was conducted as part of the Maritime Remote Sensing (MARSEN) project in the North Sea during the autumn of 1979. The objective was to demonstrate the feasibility of and study the performance of the Delta k technique from a higher altitude platform, at shallower incidence angles, and at higher Doppler velocities than earlier stationary platform experiments allowed. A quantitative engineering evaluation of the results of two comprehensive flights is provided, and the qualitative significance of the results is discussed from a geophysical point of view in terms of the existing theory.

Johnson, J. W.↗

The effect of monomolecular surface films on the microwave brightness temperature of the sea surface

It is pointed out that monomolecular surface films of biological origin are often encountered on the ocean surface, especially in coastal regions. The thicknesses of the monomolecular films are of the order of 3 x 10 to the -9th m. Huehnerfuss et al. (1978, 1981) have shown that monomolecular surface films damp surface waves quite strongly in the centimeter to decimeter wavelength regime. Other effects caused by films are related to the reduction of the gas exchange at the air-sea interface and the decrease of the wind stress. The present investigation is concerned with experiments which reveal an unexpectedly large response of the microwave brightness temperature to a monomolecular oleyl alcohol slick at 1.43 GHz. Brightness temperature is a function of the complex dielectric constant of thy upper layer of the ocean. During six overflights over an ocean area covered with an artificial monomolecular alcohol film, a large decrease of the brightness temperature at the L-band was measured, while at the S-band almost no decrease was observed.

Alpers, W.↗

Potential impact of remote sensing data on sea-state analysis and prediction

The severe North Atlantic storm which damaged the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2) was studied to assess the impact of remotely sensed marine surface wind data obtained by SEASAT-A, on sea state specifications and forecasts. Alternate representations of the surface wind field in the QE2 storm were produced from the SEASAT enhanced data base, and from operational analyses based upon conventional data. The wind fields were used to drive a high resolution spectral ocean surface wave prediction model. Results show that sea state analyses would have been vastly improved during the period of storm formation and explosive development had remote sensing wind data been available in real time. A modest improvement in operational 12 to 24 hour wave forecasts would have followed automatically from the improved initial state specification made possible by the remote sensing data in both numerical and sea state prediction models. Significantly improved 24 to 48 hour wave forecasts require in addition to remote sensing data, refinement in the numerical and physical aspects of weather prediction models.

Cardone, V. J.↗

Hybrid integrated optic modules for real-time signal processing

The most recent progress on four relatively new hybrid integrated optic device modules in LiNbO3 waveguides and one in YIG/GGG waveguide that are currently being studied are discussed. The five hybrid modules include a time-integrating acoustooptic correlator, a channel waveguide acoustooptic frequency shifter/modulator, an electrooptic channel waveguide total internal reflection moculator/switch, an electrooptic analog-to-digital converter using a Fabry-Perot modulator array, and a noncollinear magnetooptic modulator using magnetostatic surface waves. All of these devices possess the desirable characteristics of very large bandwidth (GHz or higher), very small substrate size along the optical path (typically 1.5 cm or less), single-mode optical propagation, and low drive power requirement. The devices utilize either acoustooptic, electrooptic or magnetooptic effects in planar or channel waveguides and, therefore, act as efficient interface devices between a light wave and temporal signals. Major areas of application lie in wideband multichannel optical real-time signal processing and communications. Some of the specific applications include spectral analysis and correlation of radio frequency (RF) signals, fiber-optic sensing, optical computing and multiport switching/routing, and analog-to-digital conversion of wide RF signals.

Tsai, C. S.↗

The importance of altimeter and scatterometer data for ocean prediction

The prediction of ocean circulation using satellite altimeter data is discussed. Three classes of oceanic response to atmospheric forcing are outlined and examined. Storms, surface waves, eddies, and ocean currents were evaluated in terms of forecasting time requirements. Scatterometer and radiometer applications to ocean prediction are briefly reviewed.

Hurlburt, H. E.↗

A unified theory of electrodynamic coupling in coronal magnetic loops - The coronal heating problem

The coronal heating problem is studied, and it is demonstrated that Ionson's (1982) LRC approach results in a unified theory of coronal heating which unveils a variety of new heating mechanisms and which links together previously proposed mechanisms. Ionson's LRC equation is rederived, focusing on various aspects that were not clarified in the original article and incorporating new processes that were neglected. A parameterized heating rate is obtained. It is shown that Alfvenic surface wave heating, stochastic magnetic pumping, resonant electrodynamic heating, and dynamical dissipation emerge as special cases of a much more general formalism. This generalized theory is applied to solar coronal loops and it is found that active region and large scale loops are underdamped systems. Young active region loops and (possibly) bright points are found to be overdamped systems.

Ionson, J. A.↗

Scan blindness in infinite phased arrays of printed dipoles

A comprehensive study of infinite phased arrays of printed dipole antennas is presented, with emphasis on the scan blindness phenomenon. A rigorous and efficient moment method procedure is used to calculate the array impedance versus scan angle. Data are presented for the input reflection coefficient for various element spacings and substrate parameters. A simple theory, based on coupling from Floquet modes to surface wave modes on the substrate, is shown to predict the occurrence of scan blindness. Measurements from a waveguide simulator of a blindness condition confirm the theory.

Pozar, D. M.↗

Analysis of an infinite array of rectangular microstrip patches with idealized probe feeds

A solution is presented to the problem of an infinite array of microstrip patches fed by idealized current probes. The input reflection coefficient is calculated versus scan angle in an arbitrary scan plane, and the effects of substrate parameters and grid spacing are considered. It is pointed out that even when a Galerkin method is used the impedance matrix is not symmetric due to phasing through a unit cell, as required for scanning. The mechanism by which scan blindness can occur is discussed. Measurement results are presented for the reflection coefficient magnitude variation with angle for E-plane, H-plane, and D-plane scans, for various substrate parameters. Measured results from waveguide simulators are also presented, and the scan blindness phenomenon is observed and discussed in terms of forced surface waves and a modified grating lobe diagram.

Pozar, D. M.↗

The Influence of Low Frequency Mechanical Vibrations on the Growth of Single Crystals

The optimum conditions for crystal growth are usually achieved either by suppressing convective fluid flows (e.g., by the use of a low-gravity environment) or by over-riding thermal and solutal convection by the use of a strong stirring action. A novel stirring technique has been developed which involves subjecting a vertical crucible to a circle in a horizontal plane (without rotation). Use of an amplitude of 3 mm at a frequency of approx 6 Hz produced complete mixing of a non-uniform aqueous liquid in a few seconds. The mixing action involved the downward flow of liquid in the outer annulus of the liquid, driven by surface waves. When the downward flowing liquid reaches the bottom of the crucible, it is reflected in a central, upward flowing spiral. This flow pattern should be beneficial for crystal growth by the Bridgman method since it will sweep impurities away from the walls and produce a more convex solid-liquid interface. Initial attempts to apply the new stirring technique to CdTe crystal growth did not show significant improvement in the number of crystals nucleated, but the interface shape appeared to be close to that predicted.

Feigelson, R. S.↗

Residual stress measurements in carbon steel

External dc magnetic field-induced changes in natural velocity of Rayleigh surface waves were measured in steel specimens under various stress conditions. The low field slopes of curves representing the fractional changes of natural velocity were proved to provide correct stress information in steels with different metallurgical properties. The slopes of curves under uniaxial compression, exceeding about one third of the yield stress, fell below zero in all the specimens when magnetized along the stress axis. The slopes under tension varied among different steels but remained positive in any circumstances. The stress effect was observed for both applied and residual stress. A physical interpretation of these results is given based on the stress-induced domain structure changes and the delta epsilon effect. Most importantly, it is found that the influence of detailed metallurgical properties cause only secondary effects on the obtained stress information.

Heyman, J. S.↗

Stress waves in transversely isotropic media: The homogeneous problem

The homogeneous problem of stress wave propagation in unbounded transversely isotropic media is analyzed. By adopting plane wave solutions, the conditions for the existence of the solution are established in terms of phase velocities and directions of particle displacements. Dispersion relations and group velocities are derived from the phase velocity expressions. The deviation angles (e.g., angles between the normals to the adopted plane waves and the actual directions of their propagation) are numerically determined for a specific fiber-glass epoxy composite. A graphical method is introduced for the construction of the wave surfaces using magnitudes of phase velocities and deviation angles. The results for the case of isotropic media are shown to be contained in the solutions for the transversely isotropic media.

Marques, E. R. C.↗

Instability of capillary jets with thermocapillarity

Long axisymmetric liquid zones are subject to axial temperature gradients which induce steady viscous flows driven by thermocapillarity. The approximately parallel flow in a cylindrical zone is examined for linearized instabilities. Capillary, surface-wave and thermal modes are found. Capillary breakup can be retarded or even suppressed for small Prandtl number and large Biot number B, which measures heat transfer from the liquid to the surrounding atmosphere. In the limiting case B approaches infinity the zone becomes an isothermal jet subject to axial 'wind stress' on its interface. It is then possible to suppress capillary breakup entirely so that one can maintain long coherent jets.

Xu, J.-J.↗

Transition region of the earth's upper mantle

The chemistry of the earth's mantle is discussed using data from cosmochemistry, geochemistry, petrology, seismology, and mineral physics. The chondritic earth, the upper mantle and the 400-km discontinuity, the transition region, lower mantle mineralogy, and surface wave tomography are examined. Three main issues are addressed: (1) whether the mantle is homogeneous in composition or chemically stratified, (2) whether the major element chemistry of the mantle is more similar to upper mantle peridotites or to chondrites, and (3) the nature of the composition of the source region of basalts erupted at midocean ridges.

Anderson, D. L.↗

Viscous normal modes on coronal inhomogeneities and their role as a heating mechanism

Viscous damping of Alfven surface waves is examined both analytically and numerically using incompressible MHD. Normal modes are shown to exist on discontinuous as well as continuously varying interfaces in Alfven speed. The waves experience negligible decay below the transition zone. High-frequency waves damp just above the transition region, while those of lower frequency lose energy further out. A comparison of dissipative decay rates shows that wave damping by viscosity proceeds approximately two orders of magnitude faster than by resistivity.

Steinolfson, R. S.↗