The Effect of the Nuclear Environment on Crater Ejecta Trajectories for Surface Bursts.
Abstract
This report presents the calculations of the influence of nuclear environment on the trajectories of fragments ejected from craters formed by surface bursts. The SHELL-OIL code provided the air environments. A representative ejection field of the coarser ejecta was chosen for the calculation. Three fragment sizes with diameters of 1 cm (pebble), 10 cm (cobble), and 100 cm (boulder) were introduced into nuclear clouds formed by a 100-KT, a 10-MT, and a 100-MT explosion. Two initial speeds of 100,000 cm/sec and 10,000 cm/sec were chosen to represent the high-velocity ejecta, which produces the high or far-ranging missiles, and the low-velocity ejecta which probably constitutes most of the ejecta. Five ejection angles of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 deg. from the horizontal were chosen. Ejection times were 1, 10, and 100 milliseconds. The results of the calculation indicate that the range of high-velocity ejecta increases with yield, that the efficiency of the stem in carrying ejecta aloft into the cloud ('vacuum cleaner effect') increases with yield, and that the impact velocities for cobbles and boulders are always terminal velocity or less. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1968
- Accession Number
- AD0845372
Entities
People
- Gary P. Ganong
- Wayne A. Roberts
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory