Studies of Obsidian as a Material for Making Astronomical Mirrors

Abstract

Obsidian has been collected from sites in the United States, Iceland and New Zealand. Mirrors up to 31 inches in diameter have been made from obsidian. Optical work is much the same as with glass. The performance of obsidian mirrors, made from the best material, appear to be excellent. The physical properties of obsidian are now being studied on a uniform basis for all sites that have been investigated. These include internal structure, spectral transmission, the frequency of microcrystals in polished surfaces, and their effect on scattered light, thermal conduction and transmission, and strain.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 1954
Accession Number
AD0740690

Entities

People

  • Theodore Dunham Jr.

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • California
  • Conduction (Heat Transfer)
  • Conductivity
  • Cutting Tools
  • Diameters
  • Glass
  • Inclusions
  • Infrared Spectrometers
  • Islands
  • Materials
  • New Zealand
  • Optical Properties
  • Physical Properties
  • Ridges
  • Thermal Expansion
  • United States
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Materials Science and Engineering.
  • Polymer Science and Engineering.
  • Spectroscopy.