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At least 289 records · Page 16

Reflectivity of silicon carbide in the extreme ultraviolet

Reflectivity and scattering measurements on samples of SiC manufactured by a variety of processes. Measurements were made from near-normal to grazing incidence at wavelengths in the range of 114 to 1216 A. CVD SiC displays the highest reflectivity at EUV wavelengths and normal incidence. At grazing incidence, Si-rich samples show reflectivity cutoff identical to polycrystalline Si. From the limited data available for single-crystal material, it is concluded that CVD material has comparable performance.

Mrowka, Stanley↗

Electromagnetic scattering by pyramidal and wedge absorber

Electromagnetic scattering from pyramidal and wedge absorbers used to line the walls of modern anechoic chambers is measured and compared with theoretically predicted values. The theoretical performance for various angles of incidence is studied. It is shown that a pyramidal absorber scatters electromagnetic energy more as a random rough surface does. The apparent reflection coefficient from an absorber wall illuminated by a plane wave can be much less than the normal absorber specifications quoted by the manufacturer. For angles near grazing incidence, pyramidal absorbers give a large backscattered field from the pyramid side-faces or edges. The wedge absorber was found to give small backscattered fields for near-grazing incidence. Based on this study, some new guidelines for the design of anechoic chambers are advocated because the specular scattering models used at present do not appear valid for pyramids that are large compared to the wavelength.

Dewitt, Brian T.↗

Nonprincipal-plane scattering from flat plates: Second-order and corner diffraction and pattern control of horn antennas

Several high-frequency models for nonprincipal-plane scattering from a rectangular, perfectly conducting plate are examined. Two methods, the Method of Equivalent Currents and corner diffraction coefficients, are considered. Formulations for second-order Physical Theory of Diffraction equivalent currents and for corner diffracted fields are presented. Comparisons are made among plate models. Results away from grazing are accurate using only first-order terms. Near grazing, second-order and corner diffraction terms improve the results for many cases. The pattern control of horn antennas using lossy materials to coat the inner walls of the horn is also investigated. Integral Equation and Moment Method techniques are used to formulate the problem. It is clearly demonstrated that side lobe level reduction can be achieved using impedance surfaces on the inner walls of the horn.

Balanis, Constantine A.↗

The soft x ray telescope for Solar-A

The Solar-A satellite being prepared by the Institute for Sapce and Astronautical Sciences (ISAS) in Japan is dedicated to high energy observations of solar flares. The Soft X Ray Telescope (SXT) is being prepared to provide filtered images in the 2 to 60 A interval. The flight model is now undergoing tests in the 1000 foot tunnel at MSFC. Launch will be in September 1991. Earlier resolution and efficiency tests on the grazing incidence mirror have established its performance in soft x rays. The one-piece, two mirror grazing incidence telescope is supported in a strain free mount separated from the focal plane assembly by a carbon-epoxy metering tube whose windings and filler are chosen to minimize thermal and hygroscopic effects. The CCD detector images both the x ray and the concentric visible light aspect telescope. Optical filters provide images at 4308 and 4700 A. The SXT will be capable of producing over 8000 of the smallest partial frame images per day, or fewer but larger images, up to 1024 x 1024 pixel images. Image sequence with two or more of the five x ray analysis filters, with automatic exposure compensation to optimize the charge collection by the CCD detector, will be used to provide plasma diagnostics. Calculations using a differential emission measure code were used to optimize filter selection over the range of emission measure variations and to avoid redundancy, but the filters were chosen primarily to give ratios that are monotonic in plasma temperature.

Brown, W. A.↗

An investigation of the diffraction of an acoustic plane wave by a curved surface of finite impedance

Phenomena associated with long range propagation of sound over irregular topography motivated this work, which was to analyze the diffraction effects which would occur near the tops of hills and ridges. The diffraction of a high frequency plane wave due to its grazing of a two-dimensional curved surface of finite impedance was also studied. Laboratory scale models were constructed and measurements were made of the field on, above, and behind either of two curved surfaces possessing distinctly different impedances; that is, one was soft while the other was hard. The experimental technique consisted of simultaneously measuring the pressure at a reference point and at a field point due to a transient pulse generated by an electric spark. The pressure waveforms were digitized and processed. The ratio of the discrete Fourier transforms of the two waveforms provided an estimate of the insertion loss between them. The results of the measurements were compared with the predictions of a theory which was derived by Pierce using the method of Matched Asymptotic Expansions (MAE). The predictions relied upon the experimental evaluation of the impedance of each surface at grazing angles of incidence. This evaluation was achieved by a fairly standard technique involving empirical models of various generic types of surfaces. An example was shown of the important role that the structural intricacies of a surface play in the determination of an appropriate model. The comparison between the measurements and predictions indicated that the theory gives an excellent description of the field anywhere near a curved surface. Further, with a simple modification, the theory was also shown to give nearly as good of a description of the field surrounding a curved surface even at distances far behind the surface yet near the line of sight.

Kearns, James A.↗

Small blaze angle gratings with various surface treatments for use in the extreme ultraviolet

Three replica gratings made from a single master, including two epoxy-overcoated gratings with different thicknesses of gold and one grating replicated directly in gold, were studied by measuring and comparing the performances of the gratings in EUV light at grazing incidence angles. The results show that, in situations which require a very low grazing angle, high-quality, mechanically ruled straight groove gratings provide good efficiency and uniform blaze independent of coating thickness up to 1000 A. However, the technique of direct replication in the surface material seems to result in substantially more light scattering and does not seem to have other obvious advantages.

Miller, Anne↗

Measurement of the effects of particulate contamination on X-ray reflectivity

Because particles of sizes larger than a few tenths microns adversely affect high resolution X-ray telescopes by scattering and absorbing X-rays, the cleanliness required to maintain the about 1 percent overall calibration precision desired for the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) is being investigated. At the grazing angles used for the AXAF mirrors, each particle shadows a surface area about 100 times its geometric area, necessitating glass occlusion specifications much more stringent than typically stipulated for visible-light particulate contamination. On test flats coated with gold, controlled levels of contamination have been deposited spanning the range from 5 x 10 to the -5th to 0.005 fractional area covered, and the absorption component of extinction has been measured over a range of grazing angles and X-ray energies to verify the predicted effects of particulate contamination.

Slane, P.↗

Sungrazing comets observed by the Solar Maximum Mission coronagraph

The 10 sun-grazing comets (all members of the Kreutz group) detected by the white-light coronagraph of the SMM satellite during its 6-year operational lifetime are described. Numerical data are summarized in tables, and images are provided. Consideration is given to the question of detectability, apparent motions and orbits, coma brightness variations, tail behavior, and occurrence rates. The data are shown to confirm the episodic nature of sun-grazing events, as suggested by Marsden (1967).

Macqueen, R. M.↗

Three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations of colliding stars . III - Collisions and tidal captures of unequal-mass main-sequence stars

A 3D smooth-particle hydrodynamic code with 7000 particles is used to simulate collisions between lower main sequence (MS) stars whose masses differ by a factor of five. Collisions between point-mass intruders and MS stars are simulated to study how the physics of the encounters depends on the finite radius of the smaller MS stars. It is found that the two MS stars become gravitationally bound in a physical collision if their relative velocity at infinity is less than a critical velocity Vd. Vd decreases from 1000 km/s in a head-on collision to 150 km/s in a grazing one. If the less massive star is replaced by a point mass, Vd remains the same for grazing collision and tidal encounters but drops to about 600 km/s in head-on collisions. The collision and coalescence of two MS stars resets the nuclear clock of the coalesced star, so it contracts to the MS. Tidal capture of binary stars in globular clusters can only occur in encounters in which the closest approach of the two stars to their center of mass is less than 2.0 times the sum of their radii.

Benz, W.↗

Tests Of Shear-Flow Model For Acoustic Impedance

Tests described in report conducted to validate two-dimensional shear-flow analytical model for determination of acoustic impedance of acoustic liner in grazing-incidence, grazing-flow environment by use of infinite-waveguide method. Tests successful for both upstream and downstream propagations. Work has potential for utility in testing of engine ducts in commercial aircraft.

Parrot, Tony L.↗

Effects of management and topography on the radiometric response of a tallgrass prairie

Bidirectional reflectance measurements are obtained for grazed, burned ungrazed, and unburned ungrazed tallgrass prairie in eastern Kansas. Observations are also made on experimental plots where vegetation height and biomass were manipulated by mowing. While productivity of grazed or mowed sites was either equal to or greater than that on ungrazed or unmowed sites, individual or cumulative normalized difference vegetation index values tended to be positively correlated with biomass, not productivity.

Turner, C. L.↗

Partial Spreading of a Laser Beam into a Light Sheet by Shock Waves and Its Use as a Shock Detection Technique

It is observed that when a laser beam is allowed to fall on a shock surface at a grazing incidence, a small part of the beam spreads out in a thin, diverging sheet of light normal to the surface, and both upstream and downstream of the shock. The phenomenon is visualized by observing a cross section of the light sheet on a screen placed normal to the laser path after it touches a shock. The light sheet disappears when the beam is moved to any other locations where there is no shock or the beam pierces the shock surface, i.e., at a non-grazing incidence. The spread angle of the light sheet is considerably higher than the angle by which the beam may bend as it passes through the shock, which produces a small difference of refractive index. Various details indicate that the spread light is a result of diffraction of a small part of the laser beam by the shock whose thickness is nearly the same as that of the laser wavelength. Shocks formed in underexpanded free jets of fully expanded Mach numbers 1.4 to 1.8 are used for this experiment. The above optical phenomenon is used as the basis of a novel shock detection technique which depends on sensing the spread light using a photomultiplier tube (PMT). The locations of the shock surfaces in the underexpanded supersonic jet, obtained using this technique, match with those inferred from the Schlieren photographs and velocity measurements. Moreover, if the shock oscillates, a periodic PMT signal is obtained which provides information about the frequency and amplitude of shock motion.

Panda, J.↗

Sub-arcsec X-Ray Telescope for Imaging The Solar Corona In the 0.25 - 1.2 keV Band

We have developed an X-ray telescope that uses a new technique for focusing X-rays with grazing incidence optics. The telescope was built with spherical optics for all of its components, utilizing the high quality surfaces obtainable when polishing spherical (as opposed to aspherical) optics. We tested the prototype X-ray telescope in the 300 meter vacuum pipe at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The telescope features 2 degee graze angles with tungsten coatings, yielding a bandpass of 0.25-1.5 keV with a peak effective area of 0.8 sq cm at 0.83 keV. Results from X-ray testing at energies of 0.25 keV and 0.93 keV (C-K and Cu-L) verify 0.5 arcsecond performance at 0.93 keV. Results from modeling the X-ray telescope's response to the Sun show that the current design would be capable of recording 10 half arcsecond images of a solar active region during a 300 second NASA sounding rocket flight.

Gallagher, Dennis↗

Advanced Lightweight Optics Development for Space Applications

A considerable amount of effort over the past year has been devoted to exploring ultra-lightweight optics for two specific NASA programs, the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), and the High Throughput X-ray Spectrometer (HTXS). Experimental investigations have been undertaken in a variety of materials including glass, composites, nickel, beryllium, Carbon Silicon Carbide, Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide, Chemical Vapor Deposited Silicon Carbide, and silicon. Overall results of these investigations will be summarized, and specific details will be provided concerning the in-house development of ultra-lightweight nickel replication for both grazing incidence and normal incidence optics. This will include x-ray test results of the grazing incidence optic and cryogenic test results of the normal incidence optic. The status of two 1.5 meter diameter demonstration mirrors for NGST will also be presented. These two demonstrations are aimed at establishing the capability to manufacture and test mirrors that have an areal density of 15 kilograms per square meter.

Bilbro, James W.↗

Astronomical X-Ray Optics

Over the past two decades, grazing incidence optics have transformed observational x-ray astronomy into a major scientific discipline at the cutting edge of research in astrophysics and cosmology. This review summarizes the fundamental design principles of grazing incidence optics for astronomical applications, describes the capabilities of the current generation of x-ray telescopes, and explores several avenues of future development.

Joy, M. K.↗

Advanced Technology Development for Active Acoustic Liners

Objectives include: (1) Develop electro-mechanical/acoustic models of a Helmholtz resonator possessing a compliant diaphragm coupled to a piezoelectric device; (2) Design and fabricate the energy reclamation module and active Helmholtz resonator; (3) Develop and build appropriate energy reclamation/storage circuit; (4) Develop and fabricate appropriate piezoelectric shunt circuit to tune the compliance of the active Helmholtz resonator via a variable capacitor; (5) Quantify energy reclamation module efficiency in a grazing-flow plane wave tube possessing known acoustic energy input; and (6) Quantify actively tuned Helmholtz resonator performance in grazing-flow plane wave tube for a white-noise input

Sheplak, Mark↗

Instrument Development for X-Ray Astronomy

Current x-ray observatories such as Chandra and XMM-Newton have delivered spectacular results at soft-x-ray energies thanks to their grazing incidence mirrors. To continue these advances necessitates the development of mirrors with even larger collecting areas, yet within manageable weights and budgets, and focal detectors with improved energy resolution. At higher energies where x-ray critical-grazing angles become very small, x-ray optics have typically not been employed and thus this region remains relatively unexplored at high sensitivity levels and fine angular resolutions. This situation is changing with the development of hard-x-ray optics carried aloft by high-altitude balloons, which promise to bring about dramatic advances. This presentation will review developments in all these areas.

Ramsey, Brian↗

Advanced Nacelle Acoustic Lining Concepts Development

The work reported in this document consisted of six distinct liner technology development subtasks: 1) Analysis of Model Scale ADP Fan Duct Lining Data (Boeing): An evaluation of an AST Milestone experiment to demonstrate 1995 liner technology superiority relative to that of 1992 was performed on 1:5.9 scale model fan rig (Advanced Ducted Propeller) test data acquired in the NASA Glenn 9 x 15 foot wind tunnel. The goal of 50% improvement was deemed satisfied. 2) Bias Flow Liner Investigation (Boeing, VCES): The ability to control liner impedance by low velocity bias flow through liner was demonstrated. An impedance prediction model to include bias flow was developed. 3) Grazing Flow Impedance Testing (Boeing): Grazing flow impedance tests were conducted for comparison with results achieved at four different laboratories. 4) Micro-Perforate Acoustic Liner Technology (BFG, HAE, NG): Proof of concept testing of a "linear liner." 5) Extended Reaction Liners (Boeing, NG): Bandwidth improvements for non-locally reacting liner were investigated with porous honeycomb core test liners. 6) Development of a Hybrid Active/Passive Lining Concept (HAE): Synergism between active and passive attenuation of noise radiated by a model inlet was demonstrated.

Bielak, G.↗