Close-in Air Blast from Cratering Nuclear Detonation in Rhyolite
Abstract
Close-in air-blast data from the 4.3 +/- 0.4 kt Palanquin event in the Plowshare Program for development of nuclear excavation are presented and evaluated. When blast suppress ion factors are compared with those of past events, an effective yield of 2 kt is required to make Palanquin ground-shock-induced peak overpressures agree with those of past events. Four components of the blast wave from cratering explosions first observed on Project Dugout were again identified on Project Palanquin. The first two, the ground-transmitted, ground-shock-induced pulse and a Rayleigh-wave-induced pulse, are of academic interest. Of primary interest to Plowshare excavation projects are the air-transmitted, ground-shock-induced pulse (which dominated all the others) and the pulse from venting gases (for which the data suggest that peak overpressure may increase as the yield increases). Close-in pressures should be measured on any future event with a yield equal to or larger than Palanquin to resolve uncertainties created by the nature of Palanquin venting and to determine if there are nonscaling pressure increases with larger yields. The transition region between the epicenter and the genesis of the Rayleigh wave warrants investigation when the opportunity arises.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 25, 1968
- Accession Number
- ADA382353
Entities
People
- L. J. Vortman