Direct Determination of Range from Current Nuclear Overpressure Equations
Abstract
The Brode expression determines peak overpressure as a function of scaled ground range from ground zero and scaled height of burst for nuclear explosions occurring at low altitudes. This study developed analytical expressions to directly compute scaled ground range from ground zero as a function of peak overpressure and scaled height of burst for a nuclear explosion. Since the Brode expression was an empirical fit of actual and predicted data, a curve fitting approach was selected over attempting to mathematically invert the expression. The Brode expression was used to both generate the data and evaluate the quality of any new expression. Acceptable error was specified as ten percent of the actual ground range for those regions of interest. Five analytical expressions in the form of polynomial equations were developed spanning peak overpressures from 1 to 100,000 psi. These polynomial equations were then combined into a Fortran 77 computer program which generated ground range directly from inputs of weapon yield, peak overpressure, and weapon burst height. In most cases the error of the new approximation was well below ten percent of the actual ground range.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA194873
Entities
People
- Roger S. Wolczek
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology