Progress in measuring detonation wave profiles in PBX9501

Conference · Thu Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:350868

Gustavsen, R L; Sheffield, S A; Alcon, R R

The authors have measured detonation wave profiles in PBX9501 (95 wt% HMX and 5 wt% binders) using VISAR. Planar detonations were produced by impacting the explosive with projectiles launched in a 72 mm bore gas gun. Particle velocity wave profiles were measured at the explosive/window interface using two VISARs with different fringe constants. Windows with very thin vapor deposited aluminum mirrors were used for all experiments. PMMA windows provided an undermatch, and LiF (Lithium Fluoride) windows provided an overmatch to the explosive, reacted and unreacted. While the present experiments do not have adequate time resolution to adequately resolve the ZND spike condition, they do constrain it to lie between 38.7 and 53.4 Gpa or 2.4 and 3.3 km/s. Accurate knowledge of the CJ state places the reaction zone length at 35 {+-} 12 ns ({approx} 0.3 mm). The present experiments do not show any effect of the window on the reaction zone; both window materials result in the same reaction zone length.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 350868
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--98-3781; CONF-980803--; ON: DE99002818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
DETONATION WAVES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
WAVE PROPAGATION