Abstract: A lighter-than-air (LTA) wind energy conversion system (WECS) wherein the LTA envelope carries a main rotor and electrical generator to take advantage of high wind speeds available at high altitudes. The LTA envelope is tethered to a ground based mooring system designed to provide self-orientation for the LTA envelope. In a preferred embodiment, heavy mechanical transmissions are eliminated by providing a hollow bladed main rotor which drives an induction turbine positioned within a substantially linear duct which is, in turn, preferably located along the longitudinal axis of the LTA envelope. The output of the induction turbine is coupled to an electrical generator whose output is, in turn, transmitted to the ground via the tethering system.

Abstract: A self-pulsing microwave generator with a quarter-wave resonator separated y an electron transit space from a field emission cathode is provided. The quarter-wave resonator acts as an anode and a DC voltage is supplied by a discharge capacitor and a DC current source. The application of DC voltage to the resonator causes the resonator to resonate at a selected frequency dependent upon the size and characteristic of the resonator. The discharge capacitor is discharged by the resonator-cathode combination until the voltage drops below the field emission threshold voltage of the cathode at which time the pulse terminates. The resonator is in the shape of a cone to decrease the interelectrode capacitance.

Abstract: A mass degaussing apparatus is disclosed which comprises a movable dolly capable of holding a plurality of magnetic tapes. Automatic means are provided for moving the dolly into and out of a degaussing chamber wherein means are provided to generate an electromagnetic field. The apparatus is capable of degaussing a large plurality of magnetic tapes in a single operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for soft recovery of a projectile is disclosed. A formable element is placed in the path of the projectile, whereby the projectile becomes embedded in the element upon impact therewith. Gravitational or mechanical forces are applied to the combined projectile and deformable element to decelerate the same thereby making recovery possible.

Abstract: A timing system for providing a fuze function time for firing a fuze which s independent of power source rise time. A non-volatile counter is programmed with a count indictative of the function time, and is read out starting at missile take-off to fire the fuze upon completion of read out of the count. Inhibit circuitry is provided for automatically reducing the stored count during the setting operation and for subsequently inhibiting the reading out of the counter by a time corresponding to the reduction in the stored count. This time is selected to be greater than the largest expectable rise time of the fluidic generator power source, but no longer than is necessary.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detonating an explosive in response to the dettion of a remote explosive without damaging any components positioned intermediate the two explosives. A permanent magnet having a coil of wire positioned thereabout is positioned adjacent to one of the explosives, and the output from the coil is connected to the detonator for the second explosive. When the first explosive is detonated, the permanent magnet is destroyed to thereby collapse the magnetic field traversing the coil. The collapse of the magnetic field generates a voltage which is transmitted to the detonator for the second explosive for initiating detonation of same. The preferred embodiment positions the coil and magnet adjacent to an electronic time fuze detonator and lead charge at the forward end of a cargo-carrying projectile, whereas the second explosive is positioned at the rear of the projectile for initiating ejection of a payload.

Abstract: A crystalline bar is doped with a rare earth. The bar is transparent to ration, such as from a laser, at a light wavelength which excites the rare earth ions in the bar and the light is modulated at the frequency at which the bar mechanically resonates.The excited ion decay radiatively by light or non-radiatively by phonons. As the phonons decay, they excite the bar to resonate mechanically. The mechanical resonance may be coupled by a piezoelectric material and measured to give information respecting the phonon activity of the excited rare earth ions.

Abstract: The device of the invention comprises a body of dielectric material having a metallic surface on one portion thereof. An electron beam is passed adjacent a second portion of the dielectric body in order to generate electromagnetic radiation in the dielectric. A feedback loop is provided to improve the coherence of the radiation output.

Abstract: Density of a sample or its concentration are sensed by a fluidic device hng a nozzle with a divider for emitting the sample and a reference fluid as layers of a single laminar jet. The deflection of the jet in a fixed force field is sensed as an indicator of density or concentration. The same device can measure acceleration transverse to the nozzle axis or attitude in a fixed force field as a function of sensed jet deflection. The sensitivity of the acceleration and attitude sensor is a function of the density of the two selected fluids used in the layered laminar jet.

Abstract: A double-heterojunction diode fabricated on a single crystal fiber which is voltage and acoustically controlled so as to alternately be caused to be a laser, an optical amplifier, or a detector of optical signals. A preferred embodiment utilizes gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium aluminum arsenide (GaAlAs). The double-heterojunction diode when electronically powered with the right polarity becomes an injection amplifier, with the addition of an acousto-optic grating of suitable period for feedback becomes a laser, and with a suitably reversed potential and different acoustic period becomes a heterodyne detector. In a preferred embodiment, the device is utilized to insert frequency controlled coherent optical or infrared signals in both directions in a fiber waveguide, amplify those signals, and detect the heterodyne difference frequency.

Abstract: A fluidic accelerometer and electromagnetic transducer formed from a plurty of vertical laminations having a nozzle, a pair of outlets for receiving nozzle fluid and a flexible member as an extension of one of the laminations which forms a vertical wall of said nozzle extending into a chamber between the nozzle and the outlets. The flexible member is responsive to acceleration or electromagnetic forces transverse the nozzle centerline to vary the proportion of nozzle fluid received by each outlet. The flexible member is separated from the horizontal walls of the chamber by a selected small distance to create sufficient viscous shear force to effectuate damping.

Abstract: A highly efficient time integrating acousto-optic correlator which determs the time difference of arrival of the signals being correlated as well as the center frequency and bandwidth of the signals. A surface acoustic wave delay line is provided with two counter-propagating surface acoustic waves with wavefronts tilted with respect to each other. Two laser beams are directed across the propagating waves with an angle of 4.theta..sub..beta. between them where .theta..sub..beta. is the Bragg angle, so that one beam interacts primarily with one propagating wave while the other beam interacts primarily with the other wave. The modulated optical beams are directed to a time-integrating photodetector means which provides a signal output corresponding to the correlation function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simply and accurately determining the index of refraction of semiconductor materials, etalon bars and materials transparent to infrared radiation. The channel spectra of the material is obtained by passing through it a portion of radiation from a continuously tuned diode laser. Another portion of the diode laser radiation is heterodyned with radiation from a CO.sub.2 laser to obtain heterodyne marker beats. The channel spectra and marker beats are displayed in conjunction whereby the frequency difference between the marker beats can be related to the number of fringes in the channel spectra between the marker beats.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing susceptibility of a gate insulator in MOS and MIS devices to irradiation without use of ionizing radiation. The method consists of simulating the effects of radiation by applying a high magnitude, pulsed electric field to the device under test. An apparatus capable of determining the relationship between voltage applied to the device under test and the device capacitance is used to provide the desired susceptibility information.

Abstract: A liquid telemetry system is disclosed useful for transmitting data through a fluid body by means of pulses in the fluid. To generate the pulses in the fluid the system utilizes a bi-stable fluid amplifier in conjunction with a vortex valve. Control input signals direct the flow of fluid from the bi-stable amplifier into the vortex valve in such manner as to selectively impede the flow of fluid through the vortex valve. The resulting changes in fluid flow rates generate pulses within the fluid body.

Abstract: In a microstrip circuit having dual diode driven, independently oscillati half-wave open ring resonating sections, partially coupled quarter-wave ring sections are provided to permit matching and tuning of diodes having dissimilar negative impedances. The quarter wave ring sections are combined with appropriate line sections to accommodate the negative impedance devices. The diode circuits are connected to the low impedance points of the oscillating ring sections by the quarter-wave ring sections. Appropriate terminations to ground are provided to suppress possible oscillations in a bias circuit. Second and third harmonic traps are provided for use with TRAPATT diodes. Ground lines are provided to reduce circuit unbalance in the event of drastic power changes occuring on either side of the circuit which may other wise result in odd mode operation. Slots are provided to suppress an undesired transverse resonance mode in the line sections accommodating the negative impedance devices.

Abstract: A calculational aid is provided, in the form of a slide rule, to facilitate alculation of probable damage inflicted by a nuclear detonation. The particular apparatus permits calculation of any one or more of several damage-causing environments induced by nuclear detonations, and the consequential probability of damage resulting from such a detonation caused by the particularly calculated environment. Appropriate scales, properly spaced in particular relationships, are provided on a slide rule, thus providing a means for performing the calculational functions described above. Each of the possible environment-related damage calculations utilizes five parameters, and the present invention provides an apparatus for determining any one of the five parameters once the other four are known.

Abstract: An optical proximity fuze is disclosed which has an improved response at se range with respect to a target. The fuze comprises a source of infrared radiation or visible light which is projected toward the target, and a receiver or detector which responds to radiation reflected from the target. An opaque field stop in front of the detector comprises multiple apertures for permitting only selected portions of the reflected radiation to reach the detector. The use of multiple apertures, rather than a singular large aperture, improves short range response of the fuze without increasing sensitivity of the fuze to aerosols.

Abstract: A calculational aid is provided, in the form of a slide rule, to facilitate calculation of damages inflicted by a nuclear detonation. The particular apparatus permits calculation of the effects of an air blast, due to static overpressure, resulting from such a detonation. Appropriate scales, properly spaced in particular relationships, are provided on a slide rule, thus providing a means for performing the calculational functions described above. The calculations utilize five parameters, and the present invention provides an apparatus for determining any one of the five parameters once the other four are known.

Abstract: A digital circuit for sensing peaks exceeding a predetermined threshold in nalog signals employs clock and control oscillators arranged such that their frequencies vary in opposite senses in response to changes in the sensed signal. The clock oscillator frequency is counted during sample intervals of durations which vary inversely with the control oscillator frequency. A count increase (or decrease) of predetermined amount from one sample interval to the next, followed by a count decrease (or increase) from another sample interval to the next, results in an output signal. In a preferred embodiment, the clock frequency is counted in an up/down counter which, for each sample interval, is counted up and down for equal numbers of control oscillator cycles. The net count at the end of a sample interval is therefore an indication of the magnitude and polarity of changes in the sensed signal.