On the use of conical reflectors in laser displacement interferometry
A laser interferometer with 90/spl deg/ conical reflectors was tested. Reflectors with a conic section of 90/spl deg/ in the meridional plane are of interest in a number of applications, including laser displacement interferometry, especially for measurements in submicrometre range, laser spectroscopy, and multi-pass optical cells.
MEASUREMENT OF THE GRAVITATIONAL CONSTANT USING THE ATTRACTION BETWEEN TWO FREELY FALLING DISCS: A PROPOSAL
The constant of gravitation, G, is the least well-known of the physical constants. A new, independent method of measurement, estimated as having a potential uncertainty at least as small as that achieved by existing methods, would be useful for an improvement in G determination. This experiment is based on the measurement of the relative motion of two freely falling test bodies (discs), caused by their gravitational attraction. The uncertainties are analyzed for two parallel tungsten discs with masses of about 30 kg. The use of test bodies with an incorporated optical system of multipass two-beam interferometers, as well as of multibeam interferometers, is proposed to measure their relative displacement. The estimations were made for laboratory experiment with free fall duration of 0.714 s. In this case, the relative displacement to be measured is about 0.1 μm. These estimates show that relative uncertainties lower than 5 × 10-5 can be obtained in G measurement in a single drop of the test bodies. The pro...
Prediction of net pressure on pressure equalized cavities
Abstract A numerical model has been developed for prediction of net pressure on pressure equalized cavities. The results based on this model show good agreement with those obtained from mock-up tests. Parametric studies verify that reductions in cladding load are possible, with proper design of curtain walls.