MORE NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS IN CAVITIES

Abstract

An extension of earlier calculations (in RM-3727) describing cavity gas dynamics and wall pressures and temperatures for low-yield nuclear explosions to include 10-KT explosions, 40-, 60-, and 80-meter-radius cavities, and a contained atmosphere of water vapor at about 11 torr. These calculations do not include the effects of absorbers, but rather extend the previous results to larger cavity sizes, to lower ambient (pre-shot) cavity pressures, and to higher yields. Wall pressures, temperatures, and densities are reported for five new specific cases, with average cavity pressures ranging from approximately 8 to approximately 90 bars, and peak pressures ranging from 137 to 676 bars. Some typical pressure, temperature, and density profiles in the cavity interiors at various times are reported, in addition to the wall pressures, temperatures, and densities as functions of time for each case.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1968
Accession Number
AD0673530

Entities

People

  • H. L. Brode

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Atmospheres
  • Differential Equations
  • Diffusion
  • Dynamics
  • Energy
  • Equations
  • Explosions
  • Explosives
  • Gas Dynamics
  • Low Density
  • Nuclear Explosions
  • Phase
  • Radiation
  • Temperature Gradients
  • Vapors
  • Water Vapor

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Mechanical Engineering/Mechanics of Materials.
  • Nuclear and Radiation Engineering.
  • Plasma Physics.