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At least 1,207 records · Page 67

Gravitational-wave astronomy.

Discussion of the nature and origin of gravitational waves in the light of current theories and data, stating the concept of gravitational waves as a field of relative gravitational forces that propagate with the speed of light. The topics include the generation of gravitational waves, their astrophysical sources, pulsars, supernovae, the birth of neutron stars, explosions in quasars and nuclei of galaxies, and atomic and molecular processes. Also considered are gravitational wave reception techniques, covering free-mass antennas, nonmechanical displacement sensors, almost free antennas, mechanical displacement sensors, acoustic systems, resonant antennas, Weber's detectors, and natural antennas. Future developments in gravitational wave astronomy are considered.

Press, W. H.↗

State-of-technology for joining TD-NiCr sheet.

At the current state-of-technology there are many joining processes that can be used to make sound welds in TD-NiCr sheet. Some of these that are described in this report are electron beam welding (EBW), gas-tungsten arc welding (GTAW), diffusion welding (DFW), resistance spot welding (RSW), resistance seam welding (RSEW), and brazing. Roll welding (RW) and explosion welding (EXW) have not been developed to the point where they can be used to make sound welds in TD-NiCr. Joining work that has previously been done on TD-NiCr by various organizations, both privately supported and under Air Force and NASA contracts, is described in this summary. Current work is also described that is being done at General Dynamics/Convair (under NASA contract) and at NASA/Lewis to develop and evaluate DFW, RSW, RSEW, and brazing. Preliminary comparisons of joining processes are made for typical applications. A brief description of the manufacture of TD-NiCr sheet by a recently standardized process (under NASA contract) also is given.

Holko, K. H.↗

Self-healing fuse development.

The self-healing fuse is a very fast acting current overload protective device which opens and recloses in a few milliseconds. The fuse confines a mercury column in an insulated channel and returns the mercury to the channel after firing. Ratings 5 to 50 A at 600 peak volts are possible with a life of hundreds of cycles. Compared to conventional fuses, much less fault current energy fires the fuse by heating the mercury to boiling temperature. Next an arc discharge develops while explosive forces expel the liquid mercury from the channel. Then the high impedance arc either extinguishes immediately, or operates for a few milliseconds, until a switch opens the circuit.

Jones, N. D.↗

Perturbation and harmonic balance methods for nonlinear panel flutter.

A systematic way of applying both perturbation methods and harmonic balance methods to nonlinear panel flutter problems is developed here. Results obtained by both these methods for two-dimensional simply supported and three-dimensional clamped-clamped plates with six modes agree well with those obtained by the straightforward direct integration method, yet require less computer time and provide better insight into the solutions. Effects of viscoelastic structural damping on the flutter stability boundary are generally found to be destabilizing and the postflutter behavior becomes more explosive. The methods developed here may be of interest in related vibration problems.

Kuo, C.-C.↗

Magnetic models of solar flares.

A solar flare is interpreted as the explosive release of magnetic energy associated with a current sheet in the solar atmosphere. The release is due to field-line reconnection caused by the tearing-mode instability. Current sheets may be classified into closed and open, depending on whether the adjacent field lines are closed (contained in the sun's atmosphere) or open, extending into interplanetary space. A high-energy event requires an open current sheet. It is shown that certain types of photospheric motion may lead to the formation of current sheets. One of these is associated with high-energy events, another with filaments, and a third with surge flares.

Sturrock, P. A.↗

Appraisal of UTIAS implosion-driven hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes.

A critical appraisal is made of the design, research, development, and operation of the novel UTIAS implosion-driven hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes. Explosively driven (PbN6-lead azide, PETN-pentaerythritetetranitrate) implosions in detonating stoichiometric hydrogen-oxygen mixtures have been successfully developed as drivers for hypervelocity launchers and shock tubes in a safe and reusable facility. Intense loadings at very high calculated pressures, densities, and temperatures, at the implosion center, cause severe problems with projectile integrity. Misalignment of the focal point can occur and add to the difficulty in using small caliber projectiles. In addition, the extreme driving conditions cause barrel expansion, erosion, and possible gas leakage from the base to the head of the projectile which cut the predicted muzzle velocities to half or a third of the lossless calculated values. However, in the case of a shock-tube operation these difficulties are minimized or eliminated and the possibilities of approaching Jovian reentry velocities are encouraging.

Glass, I. I.↗

Mode-coupling and wave-particle interactions for unstable ion-acoustic waves.

A theory for the spatial development of linearly unstable, coupled waves is presented in which both quasilinear and mode-coupling effects are treated in a self-consistent manner. Steady-state excitation of two waves is assumed at the boundary x = 0, the plasma being homogeneous in the y and z directions. Coupled equations are derived for the x dependence of the amplitudes of the primary waves and the secondary waves, correct through terms of second order in the wave amplitude, but without the usual approximation of small growth rates. This general formalism is then applied to the case of coupled ion-acoustic waves driven unstable by an ion beam streaming in the direction of the x axis. If the modifications of the ion beam by the waves (quasilinear effects) are ignored, explosive instabilities (singularities in all of the amplitudes at finite x) are found even when all of the waves have positive energy. If these wave-particle interactions are included, the solutions are no longer singular, and all of the amplitudes have finite maxima.

Martin, P.↗

Resistive diffusion of force-free magnetic fields in a passive medium.

We consider the resistive diffusion of a force-free magnetic field in a tenuous compressible medium, which is free to move to accommodate the changing magnetic-field configuration. This process is nonlinear, contrary to the usual magnetic field diffusion in a fixed medium. We show that the force-free magnetic field may evolve slowly for an extended period of time, whereupon it abruptly develops steep gradients and passes into an explosive phase. We suggest that it is this process that sets the stage for the onset of solar flares.

Low, B. C.↗

Are there two types of quasars.

Two types of quasars are postulated: type I, the vast majority of quasars, which are highly luminous and cosmologically distant, as shown by their redshifts; type II, a dwarf branch, that are products of a few remarkable explosions in nearby galaxies. It is shown that this hypothesis is consistent with redshift statistics and suggests a possible interpretation of such objects as BL Lac and OJ 287.

Chiu, B. C.↗

On the generation of high-energy particles in solar flares.

This paper discusses the relationship between some characteristics of microwave type IV radio bursts and solar cosmic ray protons of MeV energy. It is shown that the peak flux intensity of those bursts is almost linearly correlated with the MeV proton peak flux observed by satellites near the earth and that protons and electrons would be accelerated simultaneously by a similar mechanism during the explosive phase of solar flares. Brief discussion is given on the propagation of solar cosmic rays in the solar envelope after ejection from the flare regions.

Sakurai, K.↗

Spallation and fracture resulting from reflected and intersecting stress waves.

Discussion of the effects of stress waves produced in solid by explosions or high-velocity impacts. These waves rebound from free surfaces in the form of tensile waves that are capable of causing internal fractures or spallation of the material. The high-speed framing camera is shown to be an important tool for observing the stress waves and fracture in transparent targets, and its photographs provide valuable information on the mechanics of fracture.

Kinslow, R.↗

Positronium origin of 476 keV galactic feature.

Leventhal noticed that the gamma-ray spectrum due to the annihilation of positronium, which consists of two 511 keV photons from the singlet state and three photons from the triplet state, produces a spectral feature with an apparent peak at an energy less than 511 keV when viewed with a gamma-ray telescope having a Gaussian energy resolution. He calculated that the observed peak will lie at 490 keV. The author calculates that if the positronium spectrum sits atop a steeply falling continuum due to other sources, then the apparent peak can easily fall near 476 keV where it was observed. It is shown that explosive nucleosynthesis is a plausible source of the positrons.

Clayton, D. D.↗

Geometric interpretation of the ratio of overall diameter to rim crest diameter for lunar and terrestrial craters.

An empirical linear relationship has been established by Pike (1967) between the overall diameter and the rim crest diameter for rimmed, flat-floored as well as bowl-shaped, lunar and terrestrial craters formed by impact and explosion. A similar relationship for experimentally formed fluidization craters has been established by Siegal (1971). This relationship is examined in terms of the geometry of the crater and the slope angles of loose materials. The parameter varies from 1.40 to 1.65 and is found to be dependent on mean interior flat floor radius, exterior and interior rim slope angles, angle of aperture of the crater cone, and the volume fraction of crater void accounted for in the rim. The range of the observed parameter can be understood in terms of simple crater geometry by realistic values of the five parameters.

Siegal, B. S.↗

Pressure waves generated by steady flames.

Analysis of pressure waves that can be generated by clouds of explosive gas mixtures in a free atmosphere which is initially at a uniform state. The treatment is restricted only to the final stage of constant flame velocity when the flowfield is self-similar. By the introduction of reduced blast-wave parameters as phase-plane coordinates, the problem is resolved into the determination of the appropriate integral curves on this plane. Results, including space profiles of gasdynamic parameters, have been computed for a specific case of a hydrocarbon-air mixture characterized by a specific heat ratio of 1.3, sound speed at NTP of 345 m/sec, and volumetric expansion ratio corresponding to constant pressure deflagration of 7. Maximum overpressure ratios that can be generated by such flames in point-and line-symmetrical waves range from .00053, for the lower bound in the burning speed, up to 6 for the deflagration, while, for the average speeds of 5 to 10 m/sec, they are at a level of 0.05 to 0.10.

Kuhl, A. L.↗

Time variation in the reaction-zone structure of two-phase spray detonations.

A detailed theoretical analysis of the time-varying detonation structure in a monodisperse spray is presented. The theory identifies experimentally observed reaction-zone overpressures as deriving from blast waves formed therein by the explosive ignition of the spray droplets, and follows in time the motion, change in strength, and interactions of these blast waves with one another, and with the leading shock. The results are compared with experimental data by modeling the motion of a finite-size circular pressure transducer through the theoretical data field in an x-t space.

Pierce, T. H.↗

Dust cooling of hot gas.

The cooling rates of a hot gas by ion-grain collisions are shown to be significant at temperatures above 1 million K. The importance of this cooling mechanism in certain phases of supernova explosions is noted. High-temperature modifications of this cooling mechanism in astronomical sources are discussed. A cooling curve is plotted for collisionally ionized gas containing cosmic abundances of heavy elements and graphite grains.

Ostriker, J. P.↗

Thermokinetics and combustion phenomena in nonflowing gaseous systems - An invited review.

The current status of our understanding of combustion phenomena observed in nonflowing premixed gaseous systems is reviewed. The phenomena include slow oxidation, explosion, multiple ignition, oscillatory oxidation, as well as photolytic phenomena. Detailed experimental data on each of these phenomena are given, and analytical methods of analyzing them are outlined. The correlation between theory and experiment is studied for several special cases.

Berlad, A. L.↗

Compilation, design tests: Energetic particles Satellite S-3 including design tests for S-3A, S-3B and S-3C

A compilation of engineering design tests which were conducted in support of the Energetic Particle Satellite S-3, S-3A, and S-3b programs. The purpose for conducting the tests was to determine the adequacy and reliability of the Energetic Particles Series of satellites designs. The various tests consisted of: (1) moments of inertia, (2) functional reliability, (3) component and structural integrity, (4) initiators and explosives tests, and (5) acceptance tests.

Ledoux, F. N.↗