skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: SHOCK TUBE STUDIES OF THE EFFECTS OF SHARP-RISING, LONG-DURATION OVER- PRESSURES ON BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS. Progress Report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4139705

A closed-end shock tube was used to study the effects of single and step- wise, fast-rising overpressures of long duration on mice, rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits. For animals exposed side-on against the end-plate to single, sharp- rising pressure pulses, the reflected pressures necessary to kill 50 per cent (LD/ sub 50/) were as follows: for the mouse-29.8 1.l; rabbit-33.4 1.2; guinea pig36.7 0.7; and the rat-38.7 0.6 psi. Animals located at short distances away from the end-plate were loaded in a two-step manner. The steps corresponded to the incident and reflected shock fronts. With stepwise increases in pressure, animals tolerated much higher reflected overpressures than when the pressure load consisted of a single, sharp-rising pulse. The importance of the time interval between step loads was pointed out and briefly discussed. (auth)

Research Organization:
Lovelace Foundation for Medical Education and Research, Albuquerque, N. Mex.
DOE Contract Number:
AT(29-1)-1242
NSA Number:
NSA-15-003821
OSTI ID:
4139705
Report Number(s):
TID-6056
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-61
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English