FEASIBILITY OF CAVITY PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENTS FOR A DECOUPLED NUCLEAR EXPLOSION
Abstract
A study was made of the feasibility of measuring the pressure produced at the wall of a 14.5-meter spherical cavity by a 0.1-kt nuclear explosion. It was concluded that it will be feasible to make the desired measurements, and an experiment plan is recommended that appears to promise the most useful results. It was found feasible to measure the temperature of hot air near the edge of an underground cavity in which a 0.1-kt nuclear explosion has occurred. Measurement of the relative brightness of the radiating air in bands 100A wide centered at 2500 and 3500A will give the temperature to =8 percent if the brightness ratio is determined to =20 percent. (Temperatures in the range 4000K to 10,000K are anticipated.) An absolute brightness measurement in either or both channels gives an independent measure of temperature. With existing sensors, temperature can be followed to 20 msec after detonation, using a 100- meter long x 0.1-meter diameter nitrogen-filled light pipe with a reflecting aluminum liner. If radiation detectors with response times shorter than 0.1 msec can be installed to survive the passage of the pressure wave, measurements to longer times are possible.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0623721
Entities
People
- L. M. Swift
- S. Rubin
- T. O. Passell
Organizations
- SRI International