2, Highlights of the research program-Continued Molecular weight distributions of polymers studied. Apparatus measures thermal expansion of small specimens. Page 104 104 105 105 106 Air drag on fibers under impact.... 106 Interlaboratory evaluations of test methods. 106 Atomic radiation affects polystyrene and cellulose . 107 Thermal decomposition of polystyrene.. 107 Fluorescence of cellulosic polymers. 107 Viscoelastic behavior of rubbers investigated. 107 Configurational distributions in polymer chains.. 111 Conformational changes in peptide-containing polymers. Kinetics of collagen precipitation. Mercury-tin system investigated. 2.3. Special technical service programs. 2. Highlights of the research program-Continued Tropospheric propagation and radio noise. Page 133 134 135 135 Upper atmosphere and space physics. Study on radiation hazard in space completed. 140 141 141 142 143 145 Modulation research. Jicamarca radio observatory.. Cylindrical shock waves from exploding wires. Studies conducted on gaseous electronic processes. Cosmic noise study completed at USSR Mirnyy Base, 145 147 147 147 148 148 148 150 150 150 151 151 Electric energy usage in houses equipped with heat pumps.. Environmental factors in an underground fallout shelter... 162 162 2. Highlights of the research program-Continued New method for predicting roofing asphalt durability. Page 163 163 164 Safety codes revised. 164 Fluid dynamics of plumbing systems reviewed. 164 Thermal conductivity measurements and reference samples. 165 166 Standard samples now available for portland cement analysis. 166 166 Resistance of exterior-finish porcelain enamels to weathering.. 166 167 Standardization of thermal emittance measurements. 2.3.7. Weights and measures. 168 168 3. Appendixes 3.1. Organization. 3.2. Summary of NBS staff. 3.3. Financial data on NBS program. 3.4. Advisory committees. 3.5. Awards and honors. 3.6. Education and training program. 3.7. List of publications and patents. 172 172 178 179 179 184 185 187 1. GENERAL REVIEW Programs in measurement standards, materials research, and radio propagation continued, during the past year, to constitute the major effort of the National Bureau of Standards. Because these programs are in direct support of science, technology, and industry, they contribute to that complex of forces, events, and factors which determine the rate of the Nation's economic growth. Science and technology are indeed prime factors in economic growth, and the Bureau plays a unique and vital role in science and technology. As industrial technology becomes increasingly complex, urgent demands arise for greater measurement precision, for assurance of closer consistency among the countless individual measurements that are being made throughout the Nation. A radio transmitter, a space vehicle, an automatized production line each requires hundreds and even thousands of individual parts and components whose electrical, mechanical, and chemical characteristics must be carefully controlled for successful operation. And as more complex systems are developed, requiring even more parts to perform more sophisticated functions, the acceptable production tolerances for individual parts are continually being reduced. Thus, to an increasing extent, technological progress-particularly in such fields as automation, nuclear power, and the space effort has come to depend upon the ability to make measurements with extremely high accuracy and reliability. The central mission of the National Bureau of Standards is to make this measurement competence possible-to provide national leadership in the development and use of accurate, uniform techniques of physical measurement. It is the Bureau's responsibility to develop and maintain the national standards upon which our measurements are based and to make these standards available to American science and industry through its measurement services program of calibrations, reference materials, and measurement assistance to other laboratories. Through an extensive program of research in the physical sciences, the Bureau continually strives to meet the expanding requirements of science and industry, to provide the standards and measurement methods that are required in new or rapidly-developing areas. A second important NBS responsibility is to develop and apply measurement techniques for determining the intrinsic properties of matter and materials. Here effort is focused on obtaining and publishing accurate measurement data that are of great importance to science and industry. Methods of precise measurement are employed to make accurate determinations of natural constants such as atomic weights or the speed of light, and to measure the fundamental properties of metals, ceramics, plastics, rubbers, and other materials. Other NBS responsibilities include the operation of central research and technical service programs for the Federal Government. Such programs are carried on by the Central Radio Propagation Laboratory, the Data Processing Systems Laboratory, the Building Research Division, the National Hydraulics Laboratory, and the Cryogenic Engineering Laboratory. This report attempts to present the highlights of the Bureau's program for the fiscal year 1962. In section 2, the body of the report, studies and achievements from the various fields in which the Bureau is active have been selected for brief presentation. However, the breadth of the program and diversity of projects may make it difficult for the reader to obtain a coherent picture of the year's activity. The remainder of section 1 is therefore devoted to a brief summary of the more important accomplishments and activities of the year. STANDARDS AND MEASUREMENT METHODS Advances were made in the precision measurement of high voltages. Design of a highly stable, shielded 100-megohm resistor made it possible to measure d-c voltages up to 100,000 volts to within 20 parts per million. For determining the voltage ratio and phase angle corrections of instrument voltage transformers, a 1-picofarad, 350,000-volt free-air capacitor was designed and constructed. With this device an accuracy of 3 parts per hundred thousand is obtained in calibrating instrument transformers for use on 350,000-volt power lines. In other work on electrical standards, a rapid, convenient method was devised for calibrating the standard-resistance voltage divider (volt box) at its rated voltage. In recent years the volt box has become part of the basic equipment of many standardizing laboratories. Although this type of standard has usually been calibrated at NBS in the past, its growing use made necessary the development of a method by which other qualified standardizing laboratories may perform the task. The dielectric properties of materials often set operating limits for electrical equipment. Standard reference specimens of dielectric materials are thus needed to check techniques and equipment for measuring these properties. To aid in establishing the necessary standards, the Bureau designed and constructed an improved three-terminal dielectric specimen holder with which high-precision dielectric measurements can be made at room temperature. Progress was made in research on methods for measuring both very high and very low temperatures. For temperature measurements up to 36,000 °F by spectroscopic means, an inexpensive analog computing device was developed which greatly improves the efficiency of spectroscopic studies of cylindrically symmetric temperature sources, such as high-current plasma arcs. Previously extensive calculations had been required in order to separate the contributions of the different radial zones of the arc. With the analog device, the true radial characteristics of the arc are available in the laboratory as the data are obtained. |