The goal of this project is to provide a method to characterize cathodic protection systems by injecting active signals into a test point instead of interrupting the impressed current. This method, which observes the response of the system to an active signal, will determine parameters that could not be measured before. In addition to the IR-drop and polarized potential, the other parameters that can be measured are the equivalent resistance, the rise times of the wave-forms generated by the active signals, depletion-region capacitance, painting capacitance, the decay time of polarized potential, and delineation of the corrosion-accelerating potentials and normal potentials. The project objectives include the implementation of the active signal generating circuits and the measurements of said parameters in addition to the actual proof-of-concept and evaluation of the ion distribution under the effects of the interfering fields. Phase I will be concentrated on measuring the above parameters in addition to the proof of the existence of said parameters in a simulated condition. NASA will be able to protect its corroding structures with a minimum of cost and effort through electrolysis and active analysis.Commercial application exists in the cathodic protection of buried pipelines, storage tanks, and offshore platforms.corrosion analysis, impressed current
