Accession Number:

ADA142561

Title:

A Laboratory Study of Aircraft Precipitation Static Charging

Descriptive Note:

Final scientific rept. 1 Aug 1982-31 Jul 1983

Corporate Author:

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER INST OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (UNITED KINGDOM) DEPT OF PHYSICS

Personal Author(s):

• Illingworth, A. J.

Report Date:

1984-05-01

Pagination or Media Count:

51.0

Abstract:

Laboratory experiments show that when small ice particles collide with targets at speeds of up to 80ms then the charge transfer is dependent upon the work function of the target material. Most common materials charge negatively, in agreement with observed aircraft charging in ice clouds, but magnesium which has a low work function charges positively. These results enable the charging of materials to be predicted before flight, and also suggest that alloys of magnesium should minimise aircraft charging. The laboratory apparatus could be use to characterize the charging of the new composite materials for aircraft surfaces.

Descriptors:

• *ELECTROSTATIC CHARGE
• *ICE
• AIRCRAFT
• CHARGE TRANSFER
• COLLISIONS
• METALS
• PARTICLES
• PRECIPITATION STATIC

Subject Categories:

• Aircraft
• Atmospheric Physics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE