CRATER SCALING LAWS FOR DESERT ALLUVIUM
Available data indicate that scaling laws derived from dimensional analysis of cratering phenomena are not reliable for predicting crater dimensions over wide ranges of charge weight. A strictly empirical analysis of data from experiments in Nevada desert alluvium provides an estimate of the degree to which various crater parameters deviate from conventional cube-root scaling. Incorporating this deviation from cube-root scaling and assuming a particular equivalence between high explosives and nuclear explosives, crater dimensions for nuclear explosives are predicted at various depths of burst (0.1 < lambda /sub D/ < 2). Apparent crater volumes in desert alluvium scale approximately as charge weight to the 0.9 power. As a result, apparent crater volumes from a megaton explosive may be as much as 50 per cent less than those predicted by the scaling of dimensional analysis. Also, depth of burst for maximum crater dimension is found to be proportional to the 0.3 power of charge weight. The problem of extrapolating data from high explosives for prediction of cratering effects of nuclear explosives is examined and some difficulties in this procedure are outlined. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Sandia Corp., Albuquerque, N. Mex.
- NSA Number:
- NSA-14-010258
- OSTI ID:
- 4158442
- Report Number(s):
- SC-4391(RR)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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