Finite Amplitude Propagation of an Underwater Explosion Shock Wave Out to a Convergence-Zone Caustic

Abstract

The effect of wave overtaking on the peak pressure of refracted underwater explosion shock waves is estimated by a method-0f-characteristics calculation. The results show that considerably greater attenuation of the peak pressure occurs as a shock wave travels out to a convergence-zone caustic in the ocean than is experienced by a non-refracted shock wave traveling the same distance. Depending on the explosion conditions, taking account of this additional attenuation can reduce the predicted peak pressure in the vicinity of the caustic by as much as 30%. The report provides a simple method for estimating this effect for particular conditions using routinely available output data from ray tracing programs.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 08, 1972
Accession Number
AD0744243

Entities

People

  • John F. Goertner

Organizations

  • Naval Ordnance Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Propagation
  • Acoustic Waves
  • Amplitude
  • Attenuation
  • Convergence
  • Convergence Zones (Sonar)
  • Explosions
  • Munitions
  • Oceans
  • Ray Tracing
  • Refraction
  • Sargasso Sea
  • Shock Waves
  • Sound Waves
  • Underwater Explosions
  • Wave Propagation
  • Waves

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Wave Propagation and Nonlinear Chaotic Dynamics.