Investigation of the Propagation of Blast Waves over Relatively Large Distances and the Damaging Possibilities of Such Propagation
Abstract
The test firing of large guns and explosives has resulted, on numerous occasions, in complaints from inhabitants residing outside the testing area. The size of the testing area should preclude any such damaging effects but the presence of these effects indicated that on certain days a blast wave is propagated to unusually great distances with a relatively high pressure difference across the wave surface. Consideration of seismic waves and air waves led to the conclusion that this unusual blast effect is propagated through the atmosphere and hence is, to a great extent, dependent upon existant meteorological conditions. In this paper an attempt is made to determine those meteorological conditions which are conducive to unusual blast wave propagation and to establish a few rules of thumb which will enable a reasoning person, with the aid of temperature and wind soundings of the lower atmosphere, to determine the presence of dangerous propagating conditions. These rules of thumb are not based upon a rigid theoretical analysis simply because our lack of knowledge of microscopic meteorological phenomena and the physical characteristics of spherical blast waves would make such a rigid analysis meaningless.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 16, 1948
- Accession Number
- AD0496075
Entities
People
- Warren W. Berning
Organizations
- Ballistic Research Laboratory