Subnanosecond velocity interferometer measurements of detonating PBX-9502

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:6125171

Sheffield, S. A.; Bloomquist, D. D.

A velocity interferometer system was recently assembled which includes a high speed electronic streak camera to measure the particle velocity-time history of a diffusely reflecting surface. It has been named ORVIS for Optically Recorded Velocity Interferometer System. Measurements were made on detonating PBX-9502 (95/5 mixture of TATB and Kel-F) to determine the structure of the detonation front to see how the results compare with the measurements of Hayes, et al., using electromagnetic gauges embedded in superfine TATB. Measurements were made by reflecting laser light off a copper foil surface and then routing it through a velocity interferometer with a glass etalon in one leg to delay the light by 250 or 500 picoseconds, depending on the setup. The interferometer was tuned such that a pattern of straight fringes was obtained rather than the normal bull's-eye pattern. a cylindrical lens was used to focus each fringe to a dot to concentrate the light. This made the fringe pattern a line of dots which was focused on the slit of an Imacon 790 streak camera capable of streak rates up to 1 mm/ns. With this setup a time resolution of 300 to 500 picoseconds could be attained at the maximum streak rate. These experiments demonstrate that shock-front rise time measurements are now possible to a time resolution of several hundred picoseconds and we feel this approach can be used to attain about 50 picosecond time resolution. It is a powerful method to probe the structure of both shock and detonation waves.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6125171
• Report Number(s): SAND-81-1773C; CONF-810602-32; ON: DE81025476
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIONS
DETONATION WAVES
DETONATIONS
EXPLOSIONS
INTERFEROMETERS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MEASURING METHODS
MOTION
OPERATION
PARTICLES
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOGRAPHY
SHOCK WAVES
STREAK PHOTOGRAPHY