Fabrication and physical testing of graphite composite panels utilizing woven graphite fabric with current and advanced state-of-the-art resin systems

Three weaves were evaluated; a balanced plain weave, a balanced 8-harness satin weave, and a semiunidirectional crowfoot satin weave. The current state-of-the-art resin system selected was Fiberite's 934 Epoxy; the advanced resin systems evaluated were Phenolic, Phenolic/Novolac, Benzyl and Bismaleimide. The panels were fabricated for testing on NASA/Ames Research Center's Composites Modification Program. Room temperature mechanical tests only were performed by Hitco; the results are presented

Viscous effect on airfoils for unsteady transonic flows

The viscous effect on aerodynamic performance of an arbitrary airfoil executing low frequency maneuvers during transonic flight was investigated. The small disturbance code, LTRAN2, was modified by using a conventional integral method, BLAYER, for the boundary layer and an empirical relation, viscous wedge, for simulating the suddenly thickened boundary layer behind the shock. Before the shock, only the boundary layer displacement thickness was evaluated. After the shock, the empirical wedge thickness was superimposed on the boundary layer thickness along the surface as well as in the wake region. The pressure coefficients were calculated for both steady and unsteady states. The viscous solution takes fewer iterations to obtain the converged steady state solution. Comparisons made with experimental data and the inviscid solution show that the viscous solution agrees better with the experimental data with about the same (or slightly less) amount of computational time

Normal modes in an overmoded circular waveguide coated with lossy material

The normal modes in an overmoded waveguide coated with a lossy material are analyzed, particularly for their attenuation properties as a function of coating material, layer thickness, and frequency. When the coating material is not too lossy, the low-order modes are highly attenuated even with a thin layer of coating. This coated guide serves as a mode suppressor of the low-order modes, which can be particularly useful for reducing the radar cross section (RCS) of a cavity structure such as a jet inlet. When the coating material is very lossy, low-order modes fall into two distinct groups: highly and lowly attenuated modes. However, as a/lambda (a = radius of the cylinder; lambda = the free-space wavelength) increases, the separation between these two groups becomes less distinctive. The attenuation constants of most of the low-order modes become small, and decrease as a function of lambda sup 2/a sup 3

Thermal Pollution Mathematical Model

The free-surface model presented is for tidal estuaries and coastal regions where ambient tidal forces play an important role in the dispersal of heated water. The model is time dependent, three dimensional, and can handle irregular bottom topography. The vertical stretching coordinate is adopted for better treatment of kinematic condition at the water surface. The results include surface elevation, velocity, and temperature. The model was verified at the Anclote Anchorage site of Florida Power Company. Two data bases at four tidal stages for winter and summer conditions were used to verify the model. Differences between measured and predicted temperatures are on an average of less than 1 C

Theoretical analysis of spectral gain in a THz quantum cascade laser: prospects for gain at 1 THz

In a recent Letter [Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 1015 (2003)], Williams et al. reported the development of a terahertz quantum cascade laser operating at 3.4 THz or 14.2 meV. We have calculated and analyzed the gain spectra of the quantum cascade structure described in their work, and in addition to gain at the reported lasing energy of ~= 14 meV, we have discovered substantial gain at a much lower energy of around 5 meV or just over 1 THz. This suggests an avenue for the development of a terahertz laser at this lower energy, or of a two-color terahertz laser.Comment: in press APL, tentative publication date 29 Sep 200

Gullies on Mars: Origin by snow and ice melting and potential for life based on possible analogs from Devon Island, High Arctic

Gullies on Devon Island, High Arctic, which form by melting of transient surface ice and snow covers and offer morphologic and contextual analogs for gullies reported on Mars are reported to display enhancements in biological activity in contrast to surrounding polar desert terrain

Verification and transfer of thermal pollution model. Volume 2: User's manual for 3-dimensional free-surface model

The six-volume report: describes the theory of a three-dimensional (3-D) mathematical thermal discharge model and a related one-dimensional (1-D) model, includes model verification at two sites, and provides a separate user's manual for each model. The 3-D model has two forms: free surface and rigid lid. The former, verified at Anclote Anchorage (FL), allows a free air/water interface and is suited for significant surface wave heights compared to mean water depth; e.g., estuaries and coastal regions. The latter, verified at Lake Keowee (SC), is suited for small surface wave heights compared to depth. These models allow computation of time-dependent velocity and temperature fields for given initial conditions and time-varying boundary conditions