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A periodic series of microwave-induced plasmoids is generated using the outgoing wave from a microwave horn and the reflected wave from a nearby on-axis concave reflector. The plasmoids are spaced at half-wavelength separations according to a standing-wave pattern. The plasmoids are enhanced by an effective focusing in the near field of the horn (Fresnel region) as a result of a diffractive narrowing. Optical imaging, electron density, and rotational temperature measurements characterize the near field plasma region. Volumetric microwave discharges may have application to combustion ignition in scramjet engines.

Planar Rayleigh scattering measurements with an argon-fluoride excimer laser are performed to investigate helium mixing into air at supersonic speeds. The capability of the Rayleigh scattering technique for flow visualization of a turbulent environment is demonstrated in a large-scale, Mach-6 facility. The detection limit obtained with the present setup indicates that planar, quantitative measurements of density can be made over a large cross-sectional area (5 cm x 10 cm) of the flow field in the absence of clusters.

This paper presents an overview of the primary nonintrusive diagnostic techniques being developed by the NASA Langley Research Center to address the validation needs of Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) codes. The techniques include absorption in the UV and IR, Laser Induced Fluorescence, electron beam fluorescence, and a number of scattering techniques including Rayleigh, spontaneous Raman, and several coherent Raman spectroscopies. Most of the techniques are highly specialized, require complex data interpretation, and can satisfy only a few of the CFD needs. For these reasons, the evolving trend in flowfield diagnostics appears to favor a mode in which the diagnostic researcher, the experimental aerodynamicist, and the CFD community jointly define experiments based on the aeronautical requirements and on available diagnostic techniques.

Using a frequency-doubled Nd-YAG pulsed laser and a single-intensified CCD camera, Rayleigh scattering measurements have been performed to study the cluster formation in a Mach 6 wind tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. These studies were conducted both in the free stream and in a model flow field for various flow conditions to gain an understanding of the dependence of the Rayleigh scattering (by clusters) on the local pressures and temperatures in the facility. Using the same laser system, simultaneous measurements of the local temperature have also been performed using the rotational Raman scattering of molecular nitrogen and determined the densities of molecular oxygen and nitrogen by using the vibrational Raman scattering from these species. Quantitative results are presented in detail with emphasis on the applicability of the Rayleigh scattering for obtaining quantitative measurements of molecular densities both in the free stream and in the model flow field.

Rayleigh and Raman scattering measurements have been performed in the 20-in., Mach 6 wind tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center. Rayleigh results show signal levels much higher than expected for molecular scattering in the tunnel, whereas densities deduced from spontaneous Raman scattering of molecular nitrogen are in good agreement with the expected nitrogen densities in the facility. The apparent discrepancy in the Rayleigh result is attributed to cluster formation as a result of expansion in the tunnel. The dependence of the Rayleigh signal on the stagnation pressure and temperature is also discussed.

Planar Rayleigh scattering measurements using an ArF-excimer laser have been performed to investigate helium mixing into air at supersonic speeds. The capability of the Rayleigh scattering technique for flow visualization of a turbulent environment is demonstrated in a large-scale, Mach 6facility. The detection limit obtained with the present setup indicates that planar, quantitative measurements of density can be made over a large cross sectional area (5 cm by 10 cm) of the flow field in the absence of clusters.

Using an ArF excimer laser, planar Rayleigh scattering measurements were performed to investigate helium mixing into air at supersonic speeds. These experiments were conducted in the Mach 6, high-Reynolds-number facility at NASA Langley Research Center. The capability of the Rayleigh scattering technique for flow visualization of a turbulent environment was demonstrated. The qualitative agreement between the averaged Rayleigh results and the reduced mean-mass-densities obtained from probe measurements substantiate that careful application of the technique, even in the presence of clusters, can give very useful results. It was also demonstrated that planar, quantitative measurements can be made in the absence of clusters.

Laser excitation in the far red wing of the second principal series doublet of Cs mixed with Xe revealed a diffuse structure associated with the 2P(3/2) component. The structure is thought to originate from a reflection type of spectrum between the weakly bound E 2Sigma(1/2) excited state and the X 2Sigma(1/2) repulsive ground state of CsXe.

New method under development to measure flow velocity of molecules directly by nonintrusive laser techniques. This method, combined with vibration-free design, makes flow-velocity measurements practical in severe vibrational environments. Raman scattering and retroreflection combine to yield useful technique for wind-tunnel gas-flow mapping. Nonintrusive measurements of gas velocity, temperature, and pressure possible in highly vibrational environment.

Molecular flow velocity (one component), translational temperature, and static pressure of N2 are measured in a supersonic wind tunnel using inverse Raman spectroscopy. For velocity, the technique employs the large Doppler shift exhibited by the molecules when the pump and probe laser beams are counterpropagating (backward scattering). A retrometer system is employed to yield an optical configuration insensitive to mechanical vibration, which has the additional advantage of simultaneously obtaining both the forward and backward scattered spectra. The forward and backward line breadths and their relative Doppler shift can be used to determine the static pressure, translational temperature, and molecular flow velocity. A demonstration of the technique was performed in a continuous airflow supersonic wind tunnel in which data were obtained under the following conditions: (1) free-stream operation at five set Mach number levels over the 2.50-4.63 range; (2) free-stream operation over a range of Reynolds number (at a fixed Mach number) to vary systematically the static pressure; and (3) operation in the flow field of a simple aerodynamic model to assess beam steering effects in traversing the attached shock layer.

Molecular flow velocity of N2 was measured in a supersonic wind tunnel using inverse Raman spectroscopy. This technique employs the large Doppler shift exhibited by the molecules when the pump and probe laser beams are counter-propagating (backward scattering). A retrometer system is employed to yield a vibration-free optical configuration which has the additional advantage of obtaining both the forward and backward scattered spectra simultaneously. The linebreadths and their relative Doppler shift can be used to determine the static pressure, translational temperature, and molecular flow velocity. A demonstration of the concept was performed in a supersonic wind tunnel and included: (1) measurements over the Mach number range 2.50 to 4.63; (2) static pressure measurements (at Mach 2.50) corresponding to a Reynolds number per foot range of 1 to 5 x 10 to the 6th power; and (3) measurements behind the shock wave of a flat plate model.

A laser fluorosensor, previously studied in the laboratory, was deployed at a pier in lower Chesapeake Bay for field testing. A Q-switched Nd:YAG laser doubled to 532 nm in conjunction with a gated optical multichannel analyzer (OMA) allow spectra with high signal-to-noise ratios to be recorded in full daylight at a distance of 20 m. As a test of the system a study was conducted of the spatial and temporal variations of the phytopigments phycoerythrin and chlorophyll. The phycoerythrin feature was resolved into two components, one attributable to cyanophytes and the other to cryptophytes. A comparison was also made with spectra obtained by the NASA airborne oceanographic lidar (AOL).

The theoretical concepts underlying remote sensing of estuarine parameters using laser excitation are examined. The concepts are extended to include Mie scattering as a measure of the total suspended solids and to develop the water Raman signal as an internal standard. Experimental validation of the theory was performed using backscattered laser light from a laboratory tank to simulate a remote-sensing geometry. Artificially prepared sediments and biological cultures were employed to check specific aspects of the theory under controlled conditions. Natural samples gathered from a variety of water types were also analyzed in the tank to further enhance the simulation. The results indicate that it should be possible to remotely quantify total suspended solids, dissolved organics, attenuation coefficient, chlorophyll a, and phycoerythrin in estuarine water using laser excitation.

The fluorescence emission spectra for estuarine water samples excited by an argon laser at 514.5 nm were analyzed. The features of interest were: (1) scattering at the laser wavelength by particulates (Mie); (2) fluorescence from the pigments chlorophyl a and phycoerythrin; (3) Raman scattering by water; and (4) fluorescence by dissolved organic matter. It is shown that these intensities increase with the concentration of the corresponding material and decrease with attenuation. Since the concentration of water is constant the Raman intensity provides a direct measure of attenuation.

It is proposed to use high-resolution stimulated Raman spectroscopy to directly measure high-speed molecular flow velocities in wind tunnels and in combustive chambers. A feasibility study indicates that flow speeds from Mach 0.04 up may be measured with the proposed method using available laser systems. It is pointed out that the success of the proposed technique will make it possible to measure all interesting flow parameters, i.e., species concentration, temperature, and velocity, in a time of less than 1 microsecond at a repetition rate of 10,000/s using a single experimental arrangement.

Quantum spectral simulations of the yellow excimer emission band of CsXe are presented. Synthetic spectra as a function of wave number are calculated for the 2 Sigma 1/2 + (7s) - 2 Sigma 1/2 + (6s) transition by the use of the equation of Tellinghuisen et al. (1976) with a theoretical potential for the ground state and a Morse potential curve with an electron frequency of 32/cm for the excited state. Results based on emission studies at 450 K and 200 and 800 torr, are found to be consistent with absorption studies. The undulatory structure observed in the spectrum is attributed not to the vibrational spacing in the excited state, but rather to a characteristic reflection structure associated with nearly parallel upper and lower potential curves.

The conflicting results describing the relationship between line width and absorber density in resonance broadening are considered. A reexamination of some of these experiments points to a common difficulty - large optical depth. Formulas are given which approximate the widths and dependencies observed under optically thick conditions. It is concluded that a resonance breadth which is linear with density is consistent with all of the observations and that there is no solid basis for a square root dependence at low density.

Experimentally determined sodium line widths for pyrotechnic flares are compared with simple analytical, optically-thick-line-shape calculations. Three ambient pressure levels are considered (760, 150 and 30 torr) for three different flare compositions. The measured line widths range from 1.3 to 481 A. The analytic procedure emphasizes the Lorentz line shape as observed under optically-thick conditions. Calculated widths are in good agreement with the measured values over the entire range.

System consists of ultraviolet vidicon tube, interference and color filters, ultraviolet telephoto lens, monitor, and waveform analyzer to extract information from video scene, stack plume viewed against sky. System will view SO2 and any other element which absorbs light at wavelength used.

Argon ion laser lines are used to excite fluorescence in a mixture of cesium and xenon. Excimer band fluorescence is observed at higher pressures (about 1 atm) while at lower pressures (several torr) a diffuse fluorescence due to the cesium dimer is observed whose character changes with exciting wavelength. The excimer fluorescence is shown to be directly related to the location of the exciting wavelength within previously measured Cs/Xe line shapes. This fact suggests that the excimer systems may be efficiently pumped through these line shapes. Qualitative energy-level schemes are proposed to explain the observations in both the excimer and dimer systems.

Line shapes for cesium broadened by xenon and neopentane have been measured in an absorption cell. The growth of the red satellites, both primary and secondary, were studied on the first five principal series doublets and on the first S-D forbidden doublet. An inversion scheme based on a nearest-neighbor density was employed to invert the measured line shapes and obtain difference potential estimates. It is apparent from the inversion scheme that minor inflections in the difference potential map into strong features in the frequency plane and that contrary to popular assumption, absolute extrema may not be necessary for satellite interpretation. Strength effects observed on the forbidden satellites also demonstrate that the radial dependence of the dipole moment must be accounted for in certain cases.

An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring the development and growth of fatigue cracks in a test specimen subjected to a pulsating tensile load. A plurality of television cameras photograph a test specimen which is illuminated at the point of maximum tensile stress. The television cameras have a modified vidicon tube which has an increased persistence time thereby eliminating flicker in the displayed images.

Absorption spectroscopy utilizing a video sensing technique was investigated as a means of visualizing SO2 in power plant stack plumes and for measuring SO2 concentration and effluent velocity in these plumes. The absorption of SO2 is measured in the ultraviolet region by using the sky as a background source. An additional spectral channel is used to correct for particulate scattering encountered in coal fired power plant plumes. The video system also tracks fluctuations in the SO2 concentration which leads to the determination of an eddy convection velocity. Field measurements were performed to show that the eddy convection velocity is proportional to the average in-stack velocity and to empirically determine their relationship. It was concluded that the video absorption technique is an attractive method for remotely determining both SO2 concentration and plume velocity with the same instrument.

Radiometer features two optical arrangements: easy-to-aline pointing optical system that is boresighted to second radiometric optical system which utilizes four filters to select wavelengths. Four channel device uses Sun as background source and measures attenuation of solar radiation through plume.

Fatigue-crack initiation and early stages of growth in notched 2024-T3 aluminum alloy sheet specimens were monitored during constant-amplitude fatigue tests conducted for a range of stress ratios. A video tape system was developed to detect fatigue cracks 0.1 mm in length on the sheet surface and to monitor their growth. Fatigue cracks initiated either at the notch corner or on the notch surface. Most of the first fatigue cracks started as notch-corner cracks, and the crack-initiation period was defined as the number of cycles for which the crack was 0.1 mm in length on the sheet surface. For each of the stress ratios used, the results showed that at the low stress levels, the crack-initiation period constituted at least 90 percent of the fatigue lives. However, for the negative stress ratios at the high stress levels, cracks started as early as at about 40 percent of the fatigue lives.

Solar absorption radiometry has been investigated as a method of measuring stackplume effluents. A simple and inexpensive instrument was constructed for observing the sun at four wavelengths: 800, 600, 400, and 310 nm. Higher wavelength channels measured the effect of the particulates and NO2, and an ultraviolet channel measured the contribution of SO2 to the attenuation. Stack-plume measurements of opacity and concentration of NO2 and SO2 were in basic agreement with in-stack measurements. The major limitation on the use of the radiometer is the requirement for an accessible viewing position which allows the sun-plume-observer relationship to be attained. It was concluded that the solar radiometer offers an inexpensive method for monitoring plume effluents when the viewing position is not restricted.

Absorption-oscillator-strength measurements for the principal series in cesium were measured using a multiple-path-length cell. The optical arrangement included a movable transverse path for checking the uniformity of the alkali density along the length of the cell and which also allowed strength measurements to be made simultaneously on both strong and weak lines. The strengths measured on the first 10 doublets indicate an increasing trend in the doublet ratio. The individual line strengths are in close agreement with the high resolution measurements of Pichler (1974) and with the calculations of Norcross (1973).

Resonance broadening measurements of alkali metals, giving relation between optically thick and thin full widths for Lorentzian and Gaussian line shapes

Photographic pyrometry for surface temperature measurements on ablation models, discussing technique accuracy and limitations

Doublet structure suppression in mixtures of cesium and foreign gases, discussing absorption observations

Photographic pyrometer using variable-density filter noting temperature master curve, attenuation, calibration and error sources

Gear-driven dual filter disks of graduated density vary linearly with respect to rotation, allowing a wide range of photographic pyrometry. this technique is applicable in metallurgy, glass, plastics and refractory research, and crystallography.

Optically fast, portable spectrograph incorporates auxiliary optics in a boresight technique to use the zero order of the grating for visual alignment. This device obtains moderately resolved spectra of a multitude of light sources.

Thin glass beam splitter, densitometer head, and densitometer electronics are incorporated in a standard contour projector. The density contour of small areas of photographic film can be read. This instrument can be used as a research tool in process engineering.

Variable exposure photographic pyrometer - theory and operation

Photographic pyrometer using variable density filter for light attenuation