Explosive performance. Quarterly report, July--September, 1969 Page: 4 of 14
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D-2
DISCUSSION
We have been evaluating a method commonly referred to as the "aquarium technique"1,2
to measure the peak output pressure of PBX 9404. The relative simplicity and low
cost of the aquarium test make it appealing as an alternate method of acquiring
pressure data to supplement that generated by other methods, e.g., the LRL magnesium
plate3, and the detonation electric effect.
When a strong shock propagates in water through which a light source is viewed
by a streak camera, a continuous space-time history of the shock's progress can
be recorded as the transmissivity of the water is greatly reduced at the shock
front. Taking advantage of the hydrodynamic and translucent properties of the water
in this manner permits a quantitative measurement of the initial transmitted shock
velocity from which the initial shock strength can be computed.
The aquarium technique has been used for many years; however, the overall precision
of the pressure data was typically considered to be no better than about 10%.
Methods of treating the R-t data to best determine "jump-off" velocities, and
the variations in water Hugoniot equations-of-state have given rise to the impression
that the technique is largely an approximate method. We have evaluated the technique
using what is considered to be the best equation-of-state for water and by applying
a variety of analysis and data reduction schemes. Several aquarium shot experiments
(beginning with PBX 9404, whose detonation pressure has been thoroughly examined)
were planned and completed. The experiments were designed to measure the detonation
1M. A. Cook, R. T. Keyes, & W. 0. Ursenbach, J. Appi. Phys. 33, 3413 (1962).
2N. L. Coleburn, NOLTR 64-58 (1964).
3J. C. Cast, H. C. Hornig, J. W. Kury, UCLRL Report No. 50645, (1969).
4M. H. Rice & J. M. Walsh, J. Chem. Phys. 26 824, (1957).
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Rigdon, J.K. Explosive performance. Quarterly report, July--September, 1969, report, December 31, 1969; Amarillo, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc695047/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.