Evaluation of a Mortar Substitute for Firing Weapon Acoustic Studies

Abstract

This report discusses the investigation of a sound source for studies of acoustic array techniques for the determination of firing weapons. A device which simulates the muzzle blast signals from 4.2 inch mortars was considered. In this device, a modified 4.2 inch mortar, the shell is replaced by a cardboard tube containing a weight of water equivalent to the round weight. Use of this device relaxes the normally stringent safety requirements associated with mortar firings and reduces per round cost to roughly one-tenth that associated with mortar firings. Recordings were made of the water mortar and a standard 4.2 inch mortar sited side-by-side with microphones at ranges of 1.1 and 1.7 km. The spectral content of the two signals was determined using Fast Fourier Transforms. The results indicate great similarities between the signals from the two sources.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 04, 1976
Accession Number
ADA034810

Entities

People

  • Gary W. Ahlgren

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acoustic Arrays
  • Amplitude
  • Arrays
  • Dynamic Range
  • Fast Fourier Transforms
  • Frequency
  • Frequency Response
  • Gunpowder
  • Ignition
  • Instrumentation
  • Intensity
  • Measurement
  • Microphones
  • Propellants
  • Recording Systems
  • Spectra
  • Standards

Readers

  • Marksmanship and Weaponry.
  • Munitions and Ordnance Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design