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At least 163 records · Page 9

Analysis of finite-size phased arrays of circular waveguide elements

A derivation is presented for the calculation of the interelement mutual coupling in a finite-size planar array of waveguide-fed apertures covered by a multilayered dielectric and/or plasma. The general mutual admittance expression is evaluated for circular apertures and the mutual coupling calculations are verified experimentally for two transverse electric circular waveguide mode excited apertures. A parametric study of higher order mode aperture fields indicates that the only significant change in the circular aperture mutual coupling is due to the transverse magnetic mode, which introduces an additional phase shift. Qualitative agreement between calculations for a 183-element array of circular apertures and an infinite array establishes the validity of the finite-array theoretical model.

Bailey, M. C.↗

Design of an interim space rescue ferry vehicle

This paper proposes a stop-gap nonoptimum vehicle for transferring astronauts from a tumbling stranded spacecraft to a nearby rescue spacecraft. The design is limited to the use of available or 'soon-to-be' available flight-qualified hardware and consists of three major components: the manned maneuvering unit, the personnel rescue enclosure, and the apogee kick motor capture device. The apogee kick motor capture device is modified to serve as the connection between the manned maneuvering unit and the personnel rescue enclosure. The performance of this interim rescue vehicle is analyzed with NASA flight simulation software to test the feasibility of the design. Results show that the control system of the manned maneuvering unit adequately limits uncommanded rotations during all simulated maneuvers in the primary control mode but not during transverse translations in the backup control mode. Impingement of thruster plumes on the personnel rescue enclosure is shown to be of some importance in certain maneuvers. The satellite stabilization mode of the control system is found to have significant rotational-to-translational coupling that has associated adverse effects on flying qualities, making the mode undesirable for the rescue mission.

Halsell, James D., Jr.↗

Impact resistance of unidirectional fiber composites.

Composite micromechanics and macromechanics and the miniature Izod impact test are used to investigate the impact resistance of unidirectional composites. Several composite systems are examined both theoretically and experimentally. The composites are classified theoretically with respect to their impact resistance for longitudinal, transverse, and shear modes. Experimental results are reported only for Izod impact with the fibers either parallel or transverse to the cantilever longitudinal axis. Impact resistance design criteria which evolved during this investigation are used to design hybrid composites with improved impact resistance. The results show that in situ fiber and matrix elongation to fracture, matrix modulus, fabrication process, fiber and void volume ratios, and microresidual stresses are variables which affect the impact resistance.

Chamis, C. C.↗

Fatigue of notched fiber composite laminates. Part 1: Analytical model

A description is given of a semi-empirical, deterministic analysis for prediction and correlation of fatigue crack growth, residual strength, and fatigue lifetime for fiber composite laminates containing notches (holes). The failure model used for the analysis is based upon composite heterogeneous behavior and experimentally observed failure modes under both static and fatigue loading. The analysis is consistent with the wearout philosophy. Axial cracking and transverse cracking failure modes are treated together in the analysis. Cracking off-axis is handled by making a modification to the axial cracking analysis. The analysis predicts notched laminate failure from unidirectional material fatique properties using constant strain laminate analysis techniques. For multidirectional laminates, it is necessary to know lamina fatique behavior under axial normal stress, transverse normal stress and axial shear stress. Examples of the analysis method are given.

Mclaughlin, P. V., Jr.↗

Compression failure of angle-ply laminates

The present work deals with modes and mechanisms of failure in compression of angle-ply laminates. Experimental results were obtained from 42 angle-ply IM7/8551-7a specimens with a lay-up of ((plus or minus theta)/(plus or minus theta)) sub 6s where theta, the off-axis angle, ranged from 0 degrees to 90 degrees. The results showed four failure modes, these modes being a function of off-axis angle. Failure modes include fiber compression, inplane transverse tension, inplane shear, and inplane transverse compression. Excessive interlaminar shear strain was also considered as an important mode of failure. At low off-axis angles, experimentally observed values were considerably lower than published strengths. It was determined that laminate imperfections in the form of layer waviness could be a major factor in reducing compression strength. Previously developed linear buckling and geometrically nonlinear theories were used, with modifications and enhancements, to examine the influence of layer waviness on compression response. The wavy layer is described by a wave amplitude and a wave length. Linear elastic stress-strain response is assumed. The geometrically nonlinear theory, in conjunction with the maximum stress failure criterion, was used to predict compression failure and failure modes for the angle-ply laminates. A range of wave length and amplitudes were used. It was found that for 0 less than or equal to theta less than or equal to 15 degrees failure was most likely due to fiber compression. For 15 degrees less than theta less than or equal to 35 degrees, failure was most likely due to inplane transverse tension. For 35 degrees less than theta less than or equal to 70 degrees, failure was most likely due to inplane shear. For theta less than 70 degrees, failure was most likely due to inplane transverse compression. The fiber compression and transverse tension failure modes depended more heavily on wave length than on wave amplitude. Thus using a single parameter, such as a ratio of wave amplitude to wave length, to describe waviness in a laminate would be inaccurate. Throughout, results for AS4/3502, studied previously, are included for comparison. At low off-axis angles, the AS4/3502 material system was found to be less sensitive to layer waviness than IM7/8551-7a. Analytical predictions were also obtained for laminates with waviness in only some of the layers. For this type of waviness, laminate compression strength could also be considered a function of which layers in the laminate were wavy, and where those wavy layers were. Overall, the geometrically nonlinear model correlates well with experimental results.

Peel, Larry D.↗

Input impedance of a probe-fed circular microstrip antenna with thick substrate

A method of computing the input impedance for the probe fed circular microstrip antenna with thick dielectric substrate is presented. Utilizing the framework of the cavity model, the fields under the microstrip patch are expanded in a set of modes satisfying the boundary conditions on the eccentrically located probe, as well as on the cavity magnetic wall. A mode-matching technique is used to solve for the electric field at the junction between the cavity and the coaxial feed cable. The reflection coefficient of the transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode incident in the coaxial cable is determined, from which the input impedance of the antenna is computed. Measured data are presented to verify the theoretical calculations. Results of the computation of various losses for the circular printed antenna as a function of substrate thickness are also included.

Davidovitz, M.↗

Frequency stabilization in injection controlled pulsed CO2 lasers

Longitudinal mode selection by injection has been demonstrated as a viable technique for tailoring a TEA-CO2 laser with pulse energies of a Joule or greater to fit the requirements of a coherent lidar transmitter. Once reliable generation of single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) pulses is obtained, one can study the intrapulse frequency variation and attempt to determine the sources of frequency sweeping, or chirp. These sources include the effect of the decaying plasma, the thermal gradient due to the energy dissipation associated with the laser mechanism itself, and the pressure shift of the center frequency of the laser transition. The use of the positive-branch unstable resonator as an efficient means of coupling a discharge with transverse spatial dimensions of the order of centimeters to an optical cavity mode introduces another concern: namely, what can be done to emphasize transverse mode discrimination in an unstable resonator cavity while maintaining high coupling efficiency. These issues are briefly discussed in the paper, and representative experimental examples are included.

Menzies, Robert T.↗

Automatic Rejection Of Multimode Laser Pulses

Characteristic modulation detected, enabling rejection of multimode signals. Monitoring circuit senses multiple longitudinal mode oscillation of transversely excited, atmospheric-pressure (TEA) CO2 laser. Facility developed for inclusion into coherent detection laser radar (LIDAR) system. However, circuit described of use in any experiment where desireable to record data only when laser operates in single longitudinal mode.

Tratt, David M.↗

Concepts for improving the damage tolerance of composite compression panels

The results of an experimental evaluation of graphite-epoxy composite compression panel impact damage tolerance and damage propagation arrest concepts are reported. The tests were conducted on flat plate specimens and blade-stiffened structural panels such as those used in commercial aircraft wings, and the residual strength of damaged specimens and their sensitivity to damage while subjected to in-plane compression loading were determined. Results suggest that matrix materials that fail by delamination have the lowest damage tolerance, and it is concluded that alternative matrix materials with transverse reinforcement to suppress the delamination failure mode and yield the higher-strain value transverse shear crippling mode should be developed.

Rhodes, M. D.↗

Low-Frequency Oscillations and Transport Processes Induced by Multiscale Transverse Structures in the Polar Wind Outflow: A Three-Dimensional Simulation

Multiscale transverse structures in the magnetic-field-aligned flows have been frequently observed in the auroral region by FAST and Freja satellites. A number of multiscale processes, such as broadband low-frequency oscillations and various cross-field transport effects are well correlated with these structures. To study these effects, we have used our three-dimensional multifluid model with multiscale transverse inhomogeneities in the initial velocity profile. Self-consistent-frequency mode driven by local transverse gradients in the generation of the low field-aligned ion flow and associated transport processes were simulated. Effects of particle interaction with the self-consistent time-dependent three-dimensional wave potential have been modeled using a distribution of test particles. For typical polar wind conditions it has been found that even large-scale (approximately 50 - 100 km) transverse inhomogeneities in the flow can generate low-frequency oscillations that lead to significant flow modifications, cross-field particle diffusion, and other transport effects. It has also been shown that even small-amplitude (approximately 10 - 20%) short-scale (approximately 10 km) modulations of the original large-scale flow profile significantly increases low-frequency mode generation and associated cross-field transport, not only at the local spatial scales imposed by the modulations but also on global scales. Note that this wave-induced cross-field transport is not included in any of the global numerical models of the ionosphere, ionosphere-thermosphere, or ionosphere-polar wind. The simulation results indicate that the wave-induced cross-field transport not only affects the ion outflow rates but also leads to a significant broadening of particle phase-space distribution and transverse particle diffusion.

Ganguli, Supriya B.↗

Effects of Aging-Time Reference on the Long Term Behavior of the IM7/K3B Composite

An analytical study was undertaken to investigate the effects of the time-based shift reference on the long term behavior of the graphite reinforced thermoplastic polyimide composite IM7/K3B at elevated temperature. Creep compliance and the effects of physical aging on the time dependent response was measured for uniaxial loading at several isothermal conditions below the glass transition temperature (T(sub g). Two matrix dominated loading modes, shear and transverse, were investigated in tension and compression. The momentary sequenced creep/aging curves were collapsed through a horizontal (time) shift using the shortest, middle and longest aging time curve as the reference curve. Linear viscoelasticity was used to characterize the creep/recovery behavior and superposition techniques were used to establish the physical aging related material constants. The use of effective time expressions in a laminated plate model allowed for the prediction of long term creep compliance. The effect of using different reference curves with time/aging-time superposition was most sensitive to the physical aging shift rate at lower test temperatures. Depending on the loading mode, the reference curve used can result in a more accurate long term prediction, especially at lower test temperatures.

Veazie, David R.↗

Post-impact fatigue of cross-plied, through-the-thickness reinforced carbon/epoxy composites

An experimental investigation of the post-impact fatigue response of integrally woven carbon/epoxy composites was conducted. Five different through-the-thickness (TTT) reinforcing fibers were used in an experimental textile process that produced an integrally woven (0/90/0/90/0/90/0/90/0)(sub T) ply layup with 21K AS4 carbon tow fiber. The resin was Hercules 3501-6, and the five TTT reinforcing fibers were Kevlar, Toray carbon, AS4 carbon, glass, and IM6 carbon. The purpose of this investigation was to study the post-impact fatigue response of these material systems and to identify the optimum TTT fiber. Samples were impacted with one half inch diameter aluminum balls with an average velocity of 543 ft/sec. Post-impact static compression and constant amplitude tension-compression fatigue tests were conducted. Fatigue tests were conducted with a loading ratio of R=-5, and frequency of 4 Hz. Damage growth was monitored using x-radiographic and sectioning techniques and by examining the stress-strain response (across the impact site) throughout the fatigue tests. The static compressive stress versus far-field strain response was nearly linear for all material groups. All the samples had a transverse shear failure mode. The average compressive modulus (from far-field strain) was about 10 Msi. The average post-impact static compressive strength was about 35.5 Ksi. The IM6 carbon sample had a strength of over 40 Ksi, more than 16 percent stronger than average. There was considerable scatter in the S-N data. However, the IM6 carbon samples clearly had the best fatigue response. The response of the other materials, while worse than IM6 carbon, could not be ranked definitively. The initial damage zones caused by the impact loading and damage growth from fatigue loading were similar for all five TTT reinforcing materials. The initial damage zones were circular and consisted of delaminations, matrix cracks and ply cracks. Post-impact fatigue loading caused delamination growth, ply cracking and fiber bundle failures, typically 45 deg from impact load direction. During the initial 97 percent of fatigue life, delaminations, ply cracks and fiber bundle failures primarily grew at and near the impact site. During the final 3 percent of life, damage grew rapidly transverse to the loading direction as a through-the-thickness transverse shear failure. The stress-strain response was typically linear during the initial 50 percent of life, and stiffness dropped about 20 percent during this period. During the next 47 percent of life, stiffness dropped about 34 percent, and the stress-strain response was no longer linear. The stiffness decreased about 23 percent during the final 3 percent of life. These trends were typical of all the materials tested. Therefore, by monitoring stiffness loss, fatigue failure could be accurately anticipated.

Serdinak, Thomas E.↗

Microwave Driven Magnetic Plasma Accelerator Studies (CYCLOPS)

A microwave-driven cyclotron resonance plasma acceleration device was investigated using argon, krypton, xenon, and mercury as propellants. Limited ranges of propellant flow rate, input power, and magnetic field strength were used. Over-all efficiencies (including the 65% efficiency of the input polarizer) less than 10% were obtained for specific impulse values between 500 and 1500 sec. Power transfer efficiencies, however, approached 100% of the input power available in the right-hand component of the incident circularly polarized radiation. Beam diagnostics using Langmuir probes, cold gas mapping, r-f mapping and ion energy analyses were performed in conjunction with an engine operating in a pulsed mode. Measurements of transverse electron energies at the position of cyclotron resonant absorption yielded energy values more than an order of magnitude lower than anticipated. The measured electron energies were, however, consistent with the low values of average ion energy measured by retarding potential techniques. The low values of average ion energy were also consistent with the measured thrust values. It is hypothesized that ionization and radiation limit the electron kinetic energy to low-values thus limiting the energy which is finally transferred to the ion. Thermalization by electron-electron collision was also identified as an additional loss mechanism. The use of light alkali metals, which have relatively few low lying energy levels to excite, with the input power to mass ratio selected so as to limit the electron energies to less than the second ionization potential, is suggested. It is concluded, however, that the over-all efficiency for such propellants would be less than 40 per cent.

CYCLOPS PLASMA ACCELERATOR↗

Unipolar interaction of Mercury with the solar wind - The steady state bow shock problem.

The steady state electromagnetic interaction of the solar wind with the planet Mercury is computed for a spectrum of electrical conductivity functions using the assumption that no atmosphere or planetary magnetic field prohibits the direct interaction. The form of the induction is described by the unipolar effect and corresponds to the zero frequency limit of a transverse magnetic (TM) mode. Calculations are included to determine the effective surface temperature of the planet. These calculations include the apparent motion of the sun in the Hermean sky. It is shown that a significant interaction, detectable by a space probe, is plausible for reasonable conductivity functions. The strength of the interaction is considered in terms of the subsurface thermal gradient, and computations are given relating the strength of the solar wind interaction with the conductivity parameters.

Colburn, D. S.↗

Electromagnetic fields due to dipole antennas over stratified anisotropic media.

Solutions to the problem of radiation of dipole antennas in the presence of a stratified anisotropic media are facilitated by decomposing a general wave field into transverse magnetic (TM) and transverse electric (TE) modes. Employing the propagation matrices, wave amplitudes in any region are related to those in any other regions. The reflection coefficients, which embed all the information about the geometrical configuration and the physical constituents of the medium, are obtained in closed form. In view of the general formulation, various special cases are discussed.

Kong, J. A.↗

A multi-satellite study of the nature of wavelike structures in the magnetospheric plasma

An intercomparison is made of the wavelike structures in the data from the light ion mass spectrometer and the fluxgate magnetometer on OGO 5. The wavelike structures appear simultaneously in the data from both experiments. The waves contain both transverse and compressional modes and exhibit periods of 100 to 200 seconds. The waves are usually observed outside the plasmapause and are located primarily on the dayside of the magnetosphere. One possible cause of the apparent density fluctuation is a velocity modulation of the thermal plasma which causes the particles to drift into and out of the ion spectrometer.

Shelley, E. G.↗

Nonlocal stability analysis of the MHD Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a compressible plasma

A general stability analysis is given of the Kevin-Helmholtz instability, for the case of sheared MHD flow of finite thickness in a compressible plasma which allows for the arbitrary orientation of the magnetic field, velocity flow, and wave vector in the plane perpendicular to the velocity gradient. The stability problem is reduced to the solution of a single second-order differential equation including a gravitational term to represent the coupling between the Kelvin-Helmholtz mode and the interchange mode. Compressibility and a magnetic field component parallel to the flow are found to be stabilizing effects, with destabilization of only the fast magnetosonic mode in the transverse case, and the presence of both Alfven and slow magnetosonic components in the parallel case. Analysis results are used in a discussion of the stability of sheared plasma flow at the magnetopause boundary and in the solar wind.

Miura, A.↗