PHOTOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENTS ON BANSHEE,

Abstract

BANSHEE, an acronym for Balloon and Nike Scaled High Explosives Experiments, was a series of high altitude explosions using center-point-detonated 500-lb spherical pentolite charges. The program was intended to measure the hydrodynamic behavior of chemical explosions at various altitudes, and in turn provide information for deducing or checking the scaling laws appropriate to the al titude range of 0 to 100,000 ft. Technical pho tography was used to determine the behavior of the fireball radius as a function of time. Both high speed framing cameras and a slitless streak camera were used to cover the BANSHEE events which took place during 1961. The fireball radius vs time data were obtained primarily from the streak camera records, for time periods up to 60 milliseconds in some instances. A comparison of radius vs time information shows an obvious increase of radius as a function of altitude. The radius vs time data for representative events at sea level, 25,070 feet and 79,040 feet, when plotted in terms of Brodes' reduced variable, indicates that the fireball radius vs time can be scaled with altitude for a considerable por tion of its early time history. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 16, 1963
Accession Number
AD0416035

Entities

People

  • And James C. Mccue
  • Donald F. Hansen

Organizations

  • EG&G

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Altitude
  • Cameras
  • Energetic Materials
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • High Altitude
  • High Explosives
  • Materials
  • Pentolite
  • Scaling Laws
  • Sea Level
  • Streak Cameras

Readers

  • Explosive Engineering.
  • Snow Cover Descriptors for Reptiles and Their Illustrations.