Do you know what is the "Kopp-Etchells effect"?

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In fact, the Kopp-Etchells effect is a new name.
It was named after two soldiers who died in Afghanistan in July 2009. The Kopp-Etchells effect is a result of dust striking helicopter blades as they take off or land at night, causing a bright 'halo' effect around the spinning rotor disk.
So, if it happens at night, you can watch an amazing show.

When operating in sandy environments, sand hitting the moving rotor blades erodes their surface. This can damage the rotors; the erosion also presents serious and costly maintenance problems.

The abrasion strips on helicopter rotor blades are made of metal, often titanium or nickel, which are very hard, but less hard than sand. When a helicopter is flown near to the ground in desert environments abrasion occurs from the sand striking the rotor blade. At night, the sand hitting the metal abrasion strip causes a visible corona or halo around the rotor blades. The corona effect is caused by the oxidation of eroded particles resulting in visible corona.

In 2009, war correspondent Michael Yon referred to this corona effect as "Kopp-Etchells effect", to honor Cpl. Benjamin Kopp, and Cpl. Joseph Etchells, recently fallen American and British soldiers, respectively

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The images, especially the first one with the starry nightsky behind and the double Halos, are truly amazing.
Talk about "Divine Chariot".

Ancient alien theory is the first thing that popped into my head...

Awesome pictures.

Here's a video how it looks through NV goggles.

That's got to be slightly dangerous for the helicopter occupants too... I mean those haloes make a great aimpoint for enemy snipers and etc. Also that's gotta be hell on maintenance anything that's causing enough erosion to give off light is pretty serious. I don't know how you'd go about fixing this issue but it strikes me as something that should be fixed somehow ASAP. I can only imagine what a helicopter rotor costs to replace, and when you factor in how many helicopters are operating in these environments it works out to a lot of helicopter blades that are being affected.

reply to post by roguetechie


When you go into a hot LZ with a UH60 it's not sniper fire you are afraid of because a standard 7.62mm won't scratch the armor. It's the random RPG hitting your helo or mortar shell that worries you. But apart of that a starting or landing helo is always a sitting duck, halo effect or not.

Originally posted by Vandettas
Ancient alien theory is the first thing that popped into my head...

In other words, a "Divine Chariot".

The agitation of atoms causes the electron to jump quantum shells and light up the atom.
Dust causing impact on spinning blades must ignite some atoms into illumination.

This atom bombardment into illumination was a constant study by Tesla into more
efficient lighting over the Edison light bulb.

Thats cool! Seen it a few times myself. Also, what you see is not all that bad for the blades when using the correct blade tape and paint IAW that AO. Tip caps usually go first maybe a bad bim from time to time.

At anyrate always cool to see.

Now i know it has a name!

This is an interesting effect of the atmosphere or materials of making light when
we do not necessarily want the light to occur. The blade tips seem to be getting the
hits getting worn down perhaps. The tip are at a higher velocity and at the envelope
of the air movement perhaps. Amazing very bright lighting or at least noticeable in
Night Vision.

The full starry sky can only be done in a long term exposure and makes the blade
lighting effect look like a ring of light.

I noted in the Night Vision video some background stars actually blinking but that
was before all the dust and then never saw any stars as if there was sky it was
dark.

reply to post by TeslaandLyne


Have you witnessed it first hand?

Its really cool!!

Originally posted by PLASIFISK
reply to post by TeslaandLyne

 

Have you witnessed it first hand?

Its really cool!!

Only been around or in a helicopter once.
The view inside did not suit me and complained to the pilot which
was a bad thing. He tipped the ship so I could see ground and my tipped stomach
told me to tell the pilot that was enough for now. You don't want to do that always
fly straight.

I noticed more cameras on local TV helicopters either off from the tail or on a
following ship and you see the ship and the ground view. Thought that was cool.

As far as lights we are not expected to see are UFOs and the reason for the
lighting would be the same.

reply to post by TeslaandLyne


Well you can see the interaction of the blades and sand with the naked eye. Although not as clear.

Cool though.

Originally posted by PLASIFISK
reply to post by TeslaandLyne

 

Well you can see the interaction of the blades and sand with the naked eye. Although not as clear.

Cool though.

I was looking at the stills and some might be long exposure but there had to be light.
Light is an interesting topic and involved in theory.

Seeing light on the tip would be quite unexpected.
Something new.

Funny thing, I watched an episode of "Aircrash Investigations" today and it was about BA Flight 009 from Jakarta to Perth and the whole plane was engulfed in a mysterious sparkle and glow and I had to think of this thread and thought "That's this Kopp something effect !!" and after an emergency landing they found it indeed was and it was caused through volcanic ash high up in the atmosphere.

The abrasion to the wings and turbines was immense.

Lesson learned: ATS could save lives. Well .. kind of. I mean they almost crashed because they had no idea what it was, and had one of the pilots read this thread prior to taking of .. Just found that a funny coincidence.