Shock Induced Thermal Explosion

Abstract

Shock initiation experiments on condensed phase solid and liquid explosives as well as gases have suggested the strong role of hot spots (also called reaction centers) as sites where ignition of the explosive first takes place. Shock initiation studies in liquid Nitromethane have provided representative evidence. In these experiments, an inert piston is driven into the explosive and after the elapse of an “induction period”, an ignition event occurs in a reaction center, (thought to be located at the piston face for Nitromethane). The continued growth and development of the center ultimately gives rise to a detonation.