Evaluation of Microwave Methods for Thickness Measurements of Liquid Shim Material

This paper describes the use of a microwave interferometer technique which measures the thickness of liquid shim material applied to composite surfaces. Liquid shim, which is a low dielectric material, is applied to spar cap surfaces in order to maintain wing skin mold-line tolerances while reducing stresses at the location of fastener holes. For this application, the thickness of the shim material must be controlled within specified limits. Microwave reflection techniques provide an alternative nondestructive approach to liquid shim thickness measurements

Maroon Archaeology Beyond the Americas: A View From Kenya

Archaeological research on Maroons—that is, runaway slaves—has been largely confined to the Americas. This essay advocates a more global approach. It specifically uses two runaway slave communities in 19th-century coastal Kenya to rethink prominent interpretive themes in the field, including “Africanisms,” Maroons’ connections to indigenous groups, and Maroon group cohesion and identity. This article’s analysis demonstrates that the comparisons enabled by a more globalized perspective benefit the field. Instead of eliding historical and cultural context, these comparisons support the development of more localized and historically specific understandings of individual runaway slave communities both in Kenya and throughout the New World