Excitation and Vaporization in Aluminum and Uranium Subjected to High Pressure Shocks
Abstract
Both uranium and aluminum were shock heated and subsequently allowed to expand into a large, high altitude test chamber. No free uranium atoms were observed. Electronically excited aluminum was seen at real times that corresponded to values which are 10,000 times longer than the known radiative lifetime of the states involved. This means that sizeable numbers of free aluminum atoms are created using shock heating techniques, and further that many of these same atoms are formed in a metastable state or states which lie several electron volts above the ground state. The effects of this metastable on the reaction chemistry are considered; electronically and vibrationally excited A1O can readily be formed if the postulated atomic metastable atom is the 4P state in served chemistry occurring during atmospheric release.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA004868
Entities
People
- Robert A. Fluegge
Organizations
- Calspan