GRAVITY AND ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE SCALING EQUATIONS FOR SMALL EXPLOSION CRATERS IN SAND

An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effects of varying gravity and atmospheric pressure on the size of small explosion craters formed in cohesionless sand. The explosives used were commercially available squibs and caps and a linear detonating cord. Gravity was varied by fly...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Johnson,Stewart W, Smith,Jerry A, Franklin,Eldon G, Moraski,Leon K, Teal,David J
Format: Report
Language:English
Subjects:
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE
CRATERING
DETONATING CORD
EXPLOSION EFFECTS
Explosions
EXPLOSIVES INITIATORS
EXTRATERRESTRIAL BASES
Geology, Geochemistry and Mineralogy
GRAVITY
LUNAR ENVIRONMENTS
MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHOTOGRAPHY
SAND
SIZES(DIMENSIONS)
UNDERGROUND EXPLOSIONS
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Summary:An experimental investigation was conducted to determine the effects of varying gravity and atmospheric pressure on the size of small explosion craters formed in cohesionless sand. The explosives used were commercially available squibs and caps and a linear detonating cord. Gravity was varied by flying the test container in an aircraft through carefully controlled maneuvers to simulate 0.17, 0.38, and 2.5 times terrestrial gravity. Atmospheric pressure was controlled separately by use of a ground-based vacuum chamber. The influence of aircraft vibrations, changes in sand density and moisture content, and techniques of measurement were all considered and evaluated. (Author) Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Working Group for Extraterrestrial Resources (6th), Brooks AFB, San Antonio, Tex., 19-21 Feb 68.