A report which describes a number of experiments conducted to compare the effects of different methods of surface preparation on x-ray diffraction patterns of uranium obtained by the spectrometer technique.

A process for hot-press canning of unplated thorium cores in aluminum jackets was developed using wafers of thorium and aluminum for diffusion and bonding studies.

Abstract: "The deuterium plasma which is ejected by a 6000-ampere pulsed current through a rail-type spark source has a yield in the forward direction which is a factor of 5 to 10 greater than that in the perpendicular direction. This effect is believed to be due to the magnetic propulsion of the plasma."

Report presenting some accompanying tables and bibliography for experimental aerodynamic studies in the field of wing controls during the period between January 1946 and February 1955. The tables are grouped according to the following major classifications: trailing-edge flap controls, leading-edge flap controls, and spoiler controls.

Report presenting testing of free-falling recoverable-model tests at transonic speeds on a model with an aspect-ratio-4 triangular wing and a 45 degree sweptback tail in the extended wing-chord plane. Results regarding the lift, drag, stability, tail effectiveness, and buffet boundary are provided.

Abstract: In the Biology Division, the maintenance of animals containing radioactive materials posed many problems. In addition to routine care of the animals, protection had to be provided for the personnel who worked with the contaminated animals. Frequent air changed in the room in which the animals were caged were necessary: farm workers were required to wear masks; animal cages were checked regularly for radiation; acid was used on the sawdust in the excrete pens; and a new, more efficient type of cage was designed. The most import feature of the new cage was that the support for the screen floor was outside the confines of the cage. Stainless steel was the preferred metal for case construction. Photographs and working drawings of cages for mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and goats, and several types of metabolism cases are included in this paper. Cage decontamination was accomplished with the aid of complexing agents such as citric acid or sodium tartrate. Under certain conditions, nitric acid was used.

Certain types of neutron diffusion calculations were considerably simplified when the Serber.Wilson Method was introduced about eight years ago. This method, semi-empirical In nature and named after its co-discoverers, was first formulated for the one-velocity isotropic theory and applied to spherical geometries. Within these limits it has in general proved to be a fairly accurate method. If restricted source-free case it has, in addition, turned out to be quite manageable both analytically and numerically.

"Investigations were conducted of a 12 degree 21-inch conical diffuser of 2:1 area ratio to determine the interrelation of boundary layer growth and performance characteristics. Surveys were made of inlet and exit from, longitudinal static pressures were recorded, and velocity profiles were obtained through an inlet Reynolds number range, determined from mass flows and based on inlet diameter of 1.45 x 10(exp 6) to 7.45 x 10(exp 6) and a Mach number range of 0.11 to approximately choking. These investigations were made to two thicknesses of inlet boundary layer" (p. 1).

The reports aims to determine the solubility limitation of concentrations of uranium in the food preparation step of the tributyl phosphate waste metal recovery process, and the subsequent solubilities in the RA column.

As an aid in forecasting possible blast damage in areas distant from a bomb burst point, a special-purpose electronic analog computer has been developed. Sound ray paths (orthogonal trajectories to sound wave front) are computed as a function of meteorological conditions.

From Introduction: "An apparatus that gives a quick and an accurate measurement of the rate of discharge has been has been designed by the NACA and is described in this report."

From Summary: "Long-range hypervelocity vehicles are studied in terms of their motion in powered flight, and their motion and aerodynamic heating in unpowered flight. Powered flight is analyzed for an idealized propulsion system which rather closely approaches present-day rocket motors. Unpowered flight is characterized by a return to earth along a ballistic, skip, or glide trajectory. Only those trajectories are treated which yield the maximum range for a given velocity at the end of powered flight. Aerodynamic heating is treated in a manner similar to that employed previously by the senior authors is studying ballistic missiles (NACA RM A53D28), with the exception that radiant as well as convective heat transfer is considered in connection with glide and skip vehicles."

Report presenting a low-speed investigation of the aerodynamic and control characteristics of a 3-percent-thick, 60 degree delta-wing-fuselage configuration in the full-scale tunnel to obtain data at large scale on control configurations of general interest and to determine whether significant Reynolds number effects existed for a very thin wing subject to leading-edge vortex-type flow. Aerodynamic forces, moments, and hinge moments were obtained for several types of controls and flap deflections.

Report discusses the results of an analysis of available data to determine what measured characteristics are significant in defining satisfactory flying qualities, what characteristics are reasonable to require of an airplane, and what influence the various design features have on the observed flying qualities.

Report presenting time histories of rolling and yawing moments on inclined bodies of revolution with vertical-tail surfaces at several Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers. Three ogival-nose bodies with three overall fineness ratios and a conical-nosed body with a fineness ratio of 12.0 were tested. Results regarding the visual-flow studies, rolling- and yawing-moment measurements, and pressure measurements are provided.

Report presenting a series of flight tests to determine the flying qualities of a man standing on a platform supported by a teetering rotor. The machine was tested with a free-teetering rotor, a spring-restrained rotor, and a rotor and foot platform isolated from the framework by rubber connections. Results of the different configurations during indoor and outdoor flights are presented.

Abstract: An investigation of ionization by shock waves in hydrogen has been initiated. The shock waves are produced in a 1-inch diameter glass pipe by a high-voltage spark at one end. Variables which will influence attainment of the maximum degree of ionization and ion temperature are described. Spectroscopic methods of measuring ion density and temperature are outlined, and improvements in the design of the shock tube are discussed.

"The extension to a compressible fluid of Lagally's theorem on the moment on a body in an incompressible fluid and Poggi's method of treating the flow of compressible fluids are employed for the determination of the effect of compressibility on the moment of an arbitrary body. Only the case of the two-dimensional subsonic flow of an ideal compressible fluid is considered. As examples of the application of the general theory, two well-known systems of profiles are treated; namely the elliptic profile and the symmetrical Joukowski profiles with sharp trailing edges" (p. 581).

Report presenting an investigation in a chemical jet at a stagnation temperature of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit at a Mach number of 2.8 to determine the feasibility of cooling models by the ejection of a solid coolant at the stagnation point. A series of conical models were tested with glass, Lucite, nylon, Teflon, and Texolite rods as coolants. Results regarding the cooling properties of each of the materials are provided, and all materials performed adequately with the exception of Teflon.

"The wave drag, based on linearized theory, of any lifting or non-lifting planar or nonplanar object in a steady supersonic flow is shown to be identical at a fixed Mach number to the average wave drag of a series of equivalent bodies of revolution. The streamwise gradient of area, measured normal to the free stream, at a section of each of these equivalent bodies of revolution is given by the sum of two quantities: 1. the streamwise gradient of area, measured in parallel oblique planes tangent to the Mach cones, along the given object. 2. A term proportional to the resultant force on the object measured in the same oblique planes" (p. 1).

"An investigation of a single-annulus turbojet combustor with slot-type air admission was conducted to demonstrate the application of certain design principles to the control of outlet-gas temperature distributions. Comparisons of performance of a one-quarter-annulus combustor (duct-type installation) and a full-annulus combustor (obtained in a full-scale turbojet engine) are presented to indicate the applicability of results obtained from combustion studies conducted in duct-type installations. A reasonable correlation existed between the performance of the one-quarter-annulus and full-annulus combustors except for temperature distribution" (p. 1).

Report presenting wind-tunnel flutter testing at a range of Mach numbers conducted on a swept-wing towed airplane model equipped with an autopilot system. Results regarding the towed model tests, fixed-root tests, and a comparison between the calculated and experimental flutter characteristics are provided.

This report describes the flow meter for measuring air-flow rate through special hoods that allow the decrease in flow rate.

Memorandum presenting a technique for predicting the influence of body vortices and the wing shock-expansion field on the pitch-up characteristics of supersonic airplanes to supplement the calculative methods for wing vortices which are well known. The method is applied to the prediction of the pitch-up characteristics of four airplanes with high tails, of which one serves as a calculative example.