Abstract: An application of the magnetic mirror principle to the acceleration of a plasma is described. It is shown that an axially symmetric magnetic field which increases with time but decreases with distance along the axis can impart a net translational energy to a plasma. This effect on a plasma is contrasted with that arising from an impressed electric field, which is not effective in producing acceleration.

Report presenting lift and drag data obtained during the Douglas X-3 airplane. The data covered the Mach number range from 0.82 to 1.20 with considerable variation in lift. A comparison of the flight data with data from wind-tunnel and rocket-model tests shows that the model tests adequately predict the performance of the airplane.

Report presenting a determination of the performance and flow distributions in the first, fifth, and tenth stages of a 10-stage axial-flow research compressor at design and part speed in order to study the validity of the compressor design assumptions and to show the effects of part-speed compressor operation on stage performance.

"An approximate thermal equation was derived for quenching distance based on a previously proposed diffusional treatment. The quenching distance was expressed in terms of the thermal conductivity, the fuel mole fraction, the heat capacity, the rate of the rate-controlling chemical reaction, a constant that depends on the geometry of the quenching surface, and one empirical constant. The effect of pressure on quenching distance was shown to be inversely proportional to the pressure dependence of the flame reaction, with small correction necessitated by the effect of pressure on flame temperature" (p. 1).

Memorandum presenting an investigation of the performance of inlet configurations with a forebody designed for isentropic external compression at a nominal Mach number of 5.6. At zero angle of attack, all the configurations yielded larger total-pressure recoveries than had previously been obtained with a single-conical-shock inlet. Results regarding the flow about the forebody, inlet performance, and performance comparisons are provided.

Memorandum presenting the lift, pitching-moment, and drag characteristics of a missile configuration with a body of fineness ratio 9.33 and a cruciform triangular wing and tail of aspect ratio 4 at a Mach number of 1.99 and a Reynolds number of 6.0 million. Testing was performed to investigate the effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of roll angle, wing-tail interdigitation, wing deflection, and interference among the components. Results regarding the body-wing-tail combination, body, wing and tail, body-wing and body-tail combinations, and body-wing-tail interference are provided.

Report presenting an investigation to determine the effectiveness of studying the dynamic characteristics of a low-speed slowly spinning fin-stabilized rocket with a free-oscillation technique and to study certain types of behavior that have been observed in this type of missile. Results regarding the stability of the original model, the effect of reversing direction of arming propeller, the effect of increasing the size of the reversed-rotation arming propeller, the effect of removing the arming propeller, the effect of adding a spoiler nose ring to a basic model, and the effect of changes in the spin rate are provided.

Magnesium-hydrocarbon slurries containing a moderate proportion of petrolatum have physical properties such that they offer promise as experimental aircraft fuels. The settling of the magnesium is greatly retarded by the petrolatum, and the slurries can easily be remixed to their original condition after storage. Successive batches which have closely similar properties can be prepared readily. The apparent viscosity of these slurries increased rapidly with increasing magnesium concentration, with increasing petrolatum concentration, and with decreasing temperature. As the apparent viscosity increased, the extent of settling and the ease of remixing both decreased. Although no quantitative correlation was found between the properties of the slurry and those of the petrolatum, and no one petrolatum gave slurries which were best in all respects, one of the five petrolatum used was judged to be superior to the others.

From Summary: "The performance of jet fuel with an oxidant mixture containing 70 percent liquid fluorine and 30 percent liquid oxygen by weight was investigated in a 500-pound-thrust engine operating at a chamber pressure of 300 pounds per square inch absolute. A one-oxidant-on-one-fuel skewed-hole impinging-jet injector was evaluated in a chamber of characteristic length equal to 50 inches. A maximum experimental specific impulse of 268 pound-seconds per pound was obtained at 25 percent fuel, which corresponds to 96 percent of the maximum theoretical specific impulse based on frozen composition expansion."

This report presents a review of current compressor blade-element theory with particular emphasis on application to the transonic high-performance compressor. A discussion of the significant parameters of total-pressure loss and deviation angle is presented, and an indication of the extent of available knowledge and the problems involved in the determination of blade-element characteristics is given. Some recent results and considerations in this pursuit and suggestions for further avenues of investigation are indicated.

Memorandum presenting an investigation of the performance of inlet configurations with a forebody designed for isentropic external compression at a nominal Mach number of 5.6. At zero angle of attack, all of the configurations yielded larger total-pressure recoveries than had previously been obtianed with a single-conical-shock inlet. Results regarding the flow about the forebody and performance comparisons are provided.

Report presenting the effect of channel geometry on flame quenching, as calculated on the basis of average active particle chain lengths, is related among six different geometries: plane parallel plates of infinite extent, cylindrical tubes, rectangular slots, cylindrical annuli, and tubes of elliptical and equilaterally triangular shape. The results indicated that the observed variation of flame quenching as a function of quenching geometry may be successfully predicted for a range of pressures and for rich as well as lean propane-air flames.

Report describing a supersonic-compressor rotor designed as an impulse-type with some deceleration along the tip and with turning to the axial direction. Results regarding the overall performance, inlet flow distribution, results of rotor-outlet surveys, blade element performance at 90 percent design speed, and blade element performance at open throttle are provided.

Report presenting an investigation of two types of jet controls in the 8- by 6-foot supersonic wind tunnel. One used a converging swiveled nozzle and the other was a biconvex circular-arc vane mounted in a shroud and placed downstream of a convergent nozzle. Results regarding the jet vane, swiveled nozzle, and a preliminary evaluation are provided.

Pressure distributions for a series of four boattailed bodies of revolution were obtained and compared with theory for a Mach number of 3.12, a Reynolds number range of 2 x 10 to 6th power to 14 x 10 to the 6th power, and angles of attack from zero to 9 degrees. Second-order theory adequately predicted the pressure distribution for regions free of the effects of cross-flow separation.

Memorandum presenting four wings of different plan forms equipped with plain spoiler ailerons tested at low speeds. Three of the models had wings of aspect ratio 3 and different taper ratios and sweep of the quarter-chord lines, while the fourth had an aspect ratio of 4.8, a taper ratio of 0.51, and sweep of 35 degrees.

Report presenting four wings of different plan form equipped with plain spoiler ailerons tested at low speeds. Three of the models had wings of aspect ratio 3 and a range of taper ratios and sweep. The fourth model had aspect ratio 4.8 with taper ratio 0.51 and 35 degrees of sweep.

Report presenting the lift, pitching-moment, and drag characteristics of a missile configuration with a body of fineness ratio 9.33 and a cruciform triangular wing and tail of aspect ratio 4 at Mach number 1.99 and Reynolds number 6.0 million. Testing occurred over a range of angles of attack and to investigate the effects on the aerodynamic characteristics of roll angle, wing-tail interdigitation, wing deflection, and interference among the components.

Report presenting an investigation made in the stability tunnel to determine the effectiveness with which the dynamic characteristics of a low-speed slowly spinning fin-stabilized rocket could be studied by a free-oscillation technique and to study certain peculiarities of behavior. Results regarding the stability of the original model, effect of reversing direction of the arming propeller, effect of increasing size of reversed-rotation of the arming propeller, effect of removing the arming propeller, effect of adding a spoiler nose ring to the basic model, and the effect of changes in spin rate are provided.

Report presenting the results of an experimental investigation of the effect of leading-edge chord extensions on the aerodynamic characteristics of a wing-body-tail combination employing a 3-percent-thick triangular wing of aspect ratio 3 in conjunction with an unswept, all-movable, horizontal tail located below the wing-chord plane. Lift, drag, pitching moment, and hinge moment were measured a range of Mach numbers and a constant Reynolds number.

The following report is a general monthly progress report for the University of California's radiation laboratory in Berkeley, covering the period of February 15 to March 15 of 1954.

This report deals with the formation of oriented layers of an oxide which form during oxidation without any evident relationship to the parent and underlying metal. It is offered without explanation or proposed mechanism.

A report about anomalous low temperature thermal conductivity of grapnite samples.

A small source model for neutron flux distribution in heterogeneous reactors is proposed. Such a model takes more explicit account of fuel lumping than has been customary in most pile calculations. The small source is applied to the cases of plate and rod fuel elements. The chief results are equations which give the pile buckling in terms of the distance between fuel elements and in terms of fuel element constants. (W.D.M.)