Operation Greenhouse. Scientific Director's report of atomic weapon tests at Eniwetok, 1951. Annex 1. 6. Blast measurements. Part 5. Measurement of density, temperature, and material velocity in an air shock produced by a nuclear explosion

Technical Report · Sun Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1985

OSTI ID:7110450

Porzel, F B; Whitener, J E

The results from laboratory tests and test firing were quite encouraging. It was concluded that: (1) the beta densitometer is a feasible device for the measurement of density as a function of time in the shock wave from a nuclear explosion. It is limited to pressure levels of 6 or 8 psi for bombs in the range of 50 kt, but is capable of higher-pressure levels on larger bombs where the interference from gamma rays is less serious; (2) dust-loading behind the shock wave is a major perturbation to the ideal hydrodynamics and can change the density by as large a factor as the shock itself; (3) the rise time at distances of 7,500 feet on Easy Shot was sharp within a resolution of approximately 0.2 msec; and (4) the field calibration used on Operation Greenhouse appeared reasonably accurate and was worthy of subsequent development.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7110450
• Report Number(s): AD-A-995355/5/XAB
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
GREENHOUSE PROJECT
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
SHOCK WAVES
DENSITY
VELOCITY
AIR
BOMBS
CALIBRATION
DENSITOMETERS
HYDRODYNAMICS
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
TIME DEPENDENCE
EXPLOSIONS
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
GASES
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICS
PHOTOMETERS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
WEAPONS
450202* - Explosions & Explosives- Nuclear- Weaponry- (-1989)