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Physical Properties of Conventional Explosives Deduced from Radio Frequency Emissions
Author(s) -
Harlin Jeremiah,
Nemzek Robert
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.56
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1521-4087
pISSN - 0721-3115
DOI - 10.1002/prep.200800076
Subject(s) - explosive material , amplitude , electric field , physics , radio frequency , plasma , materials science , atomic physics , environmental science , optics , nuclear physics , chemistry , electrical engineering , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics , engineering
Abstract Los Alamos National Laboratory collected broadband radio frequency (RF) electric field change measurements from multiple detonations of high explosives (HE). Three types of HE were used: small cylinders of flake TNT, solid TNT, and PBX‐9501. Low frequency signals (<80 MHz) were shot‐to‐shot repeatable and occurred within the first 100 μs at measured amplitudes of about 2 V m −1 at 35 m distance. High frequency signals (>290 MHz) occurred later, were an order of magnitude lower in signal strength, and were not repeatable. There is a positive correlation between the maximum electric field change and the shock velocity of the HE. The amount of free charge produced in the explosion estimated from the first RF pulse is between 10 and 150 μC. This implies a weakly ionized plasma with temperatures between 2600 and 2900 K.