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DOE OSTI2023

The reactive flow evolution of the polymer-bonded explosive PBX 9502: Experiments and model validation in extreme pressure regimes

The shock-to-detonation transition properties of the triaminotrinitrobenzene based PBX 9502 high explosive (HE) are experimentally and computationally explored in extremely high input pressure conditions. These include both slightly sub-Chapman–Jouguet and overdriven input pressure conditions, namely, ∼25 and ∼31 GPa, respectively. Our experiments capture the transient buildup of a shock-induced reaction via measurement of HE and polymethyl methacrylate window interface particle velocity profiles for a variety of sample thicknesses for this insensitive HE. These observations necessitate extremely thin explosive samples, and the high rates of reaction provide a considerable challenge to optical diagnostics. Samples at these thicknesses also provide an opportunity for evaluation of potential micro-structure effects on the resulting shock-to-detonation-transition measurements. To address this, the thin samples are also characterized via x-ray micro-computed tomography. Finally, a pair of previously established continuum-level detonation performance modeling approaches for PBX 9502 were used to analyze the experiments. The employed model variants crucially differ in their definition of each model’s empirical reaction rate functional form, utilization of shock state quantities, and local flow variable dependencies. As a result, the present experiments provide a novel platform to evaluate the quantitative and qualitative consequences stemming from these modeling choices in a challenging initiation scenario, largely beyond the chosen calibration range of either model. This new experimental information will provide a platform for both improved physics and model parameterizations for this well-studied explosive.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

High temperature and pressure regime soot: Physical, optical and chemical signatures from high explosive detonations

Submicron particles are formed during the detonation and deflagration of carbon-rich energetic materials known as high explosives (HE) that can be lofted and transported long distances in the atmosphere. Particles include refractory species like soot, a.k.a. black carbon (BC), and have impacts to climate and human health at local, regional, and global scales. Here, we contrast detonation soot aerosol physical, optical and chemical properties that are formed more efficiently in terms of emission factors and ratios with traditional combustion sources from biomass burning and fossil fuels. We utilize ambient aerosol techniques for the first time to identify soot from two well-known HE's (1) Comp B-3: 40% trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 60% 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX) and (2) PBX 9501: 95% 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazoctane (HMX) with 2.5% Estane and a 2.5% mixture of bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)-acetal (BDNPA) and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)-formal (BDNPF). Size distributions, optical and chemical properties are presented. Aggregate soot had small mobility diameters (<100 nm) and unique optical and chemical signatures depending on the explosive composite composition, detonation atmosphere (e.g., air, argon) and pressure. Single-scattering albedos (SSA) from 0.3 to 0.8 and absorption Angstrom exponents (AAE) from 0.5 to 2.0 measured across 405–870 nm wavelengths depended on the explosive composite composition and detonation conditions. Comp B-3 detonation soot was similar to other combustion soot sources, whereas PBX 9501 soot had high scattering relative to absorption. Carbonaceous chemical signatures included the presence of fullerenes that were distinct from ambient and laboratory-generated soot surrogates and the detection of trace metals, including aluminum, copper, iron, and zinc.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2013

FINDING THE FIRST COSMIC EXPLOSIONS. I. PAIR-INSTABILITY SUPERNOVAE

The first stars are the key to the formation of primitive galaxies, early cosmological reionization and chemical enrichment, and the origin of supermassive black holes. Unfortunately, in spite of their extreme luminosities, individual Population III (Pop III) stars will likely remain beyond the reach of direct observation for decades to come. However, their properties could be revealed by their supernova explosions, which may soon be detected by a new generation of near-IR (NIR) observatories such as JWST and WFIRST. We present light curves and spectra for Pop III pair-instability supernovae calculated with the Los Alamos radiation hydrodynamics code RAGE. Our numerical simulations account for the interaction of the blast with realistic circumstellar envelopes, the opacity of the envelope, and Lyman absorption by the neutral intergalactic medium at high redshift, all of which are crucial to computing the NIR signatures of the first cosmic explosions. We find that JWST will detect pair-instability supernovae out to z ∼> 30, WFIRST will detect them in all-sky surveys out to z ∼ 15-20, and LSST and Pan-STARRS will find them at z ∼< 7-8. The discovery of these ancient explosions will probe the first stellar populations and reveal the existence of primitive galaxies that might not otherwise have been detected.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2015

LIGHT CURVES OF CORE-COLLAPSE SUPERNOVAE WITH SUBSTANTIAL MASS LOSS USING THE NEW OPEN-SOURCE SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION CODE (SNEC)

We present the SuperNova Explosion Code (SNEC), an open-source Lagrangian code for the hydrodynamics and equilibrium-diffusion radiation transport in the expanding envelopes of supernovae. Given a model of a progenitor star, an explosion energy, and an amount and distribution of radioactive nickel, SNEC generates the bolometric light curve, as well as the light curves in different broad bands assuming blackbody emission. As a first application of SNEC, we consider the explosions of a grid of 15 M{sub ⊙} (at zero-age main sequence, ZAMS) stars whose hydrogen envelopes are stripped to different extents and at different points in their evolution. The resulting light curves exhibit plateaus with durations of ∼20–100 days if ≳1.5–2 M{sub ⊙} of hydrogen-rich material is left and no plateau if less hydrogen-rich material is left. If these shorter plateau lengths are not seen for SNe IIP in nature, it suggests that, at least for ZAMS masses ≲20 M{sub ⊙}, hydrogen mass loss occurs as an all or nothing process. This perhaps points to the important role binary interactions play in generating the observed mass-stripped supernovae (i.e., Type Ib/c events). These light curves are also unlike what is typically seen for SNe IIL, arguing that simply varying the amount of mass loss cannot explain these events. The most stripped models begin to show double-peaked light curves similar to what is often seen for SNe IIb, confirming previous work that these supernovae can come from progenitors that have a small amount of hydrogen and a radius of ∼500 R{sub ⊙}.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2015

SN 2009ip: CONSTRAINING THE LATEST EXPLOSION PROPERTIES BY ITS LATE-PHASE LIGHT CURVE

We constrain the explosion and circumstellar properties at the 2012b event of SN 2009ip based on its recently reported late-phase bolometric light curve. The explosion energy and ejected mass at the 2012b event are estimated as 0.01 M{sub ⊙} and 2 × 10{sup 49} erg, respectively. The circumstellar medium is assumed to have two components: an inner shell and an outer wind. The inner shell, which is likely created at the 2012a event, has a mass of 0.2 M{sub ⊙}. The outer wind is created by the wind mass loss before the 2012a mass ejection, and the progenitor is estimated to have had a mass-loss rate of about 0.1 M{sub ⊙} yr{sup −1} with a wind velocity of 550 km s{sup −1} before the 2012a event. The estimated explosion energy and ejected mass indicate that the 2012b event is not caused by a regular SN.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Seismoacoustic analysis of underground explosions using the Rayleigh integral

SUMMARY A coupled seismoacoustic model is developed for the analysis of acoustic signals produced by underground explosive events with an aim to develop a means of improving estimated depth and yield for explosion monitoring. A ground spall model is used to predict surface motion characteristics produced by an underground explosion and the Rayleigh integral is applied to relate the surface motion to the acoustic signal some distance from surface ground zero. The low-frequency component of the ground motion associated with the prolonged free fall of lofted material during spall is found to dominate the acoustic signal propagating away from surface ground zero at shallow angles. The model is applied to observed ground motion and acoustic signals recorded during the Source Physics Experiment (SPE) with promising results. In addition to accurately predicting characteristics of the observed acoustic signals from several of the SPE events, the model provides a means of explaining the lack of signals observed during several events in the SPE due to the directionality of the higher frequency acoustic signals associated with the uplift and closure components as well as the lack of a spatially localized, longer duration dwell.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Multiphenomenology explosion monitoring (MultiPEM): a general framework for data interpretation and yield estimation

SUMMARY An underground nuclear explosion (UNE) couples mechanical energy into crustal rock, which propagates as seismic and acoustic waves. These different physical phenomena transport, by different pathways, to standoff detectors at varying distances. The transport pathways attenuate the original signal but in different ways. Enabled by correct statistical weighting, signal attenuation models can be used to combine these disparate sensor data to estimate the yield of an UNE. Contemporaneous statistical models, used in yield estimation, can be improved with an advanced partition of error for these physical signal propagation models. We present an advanced multivariate approach to error modelling of multiphenomenology physical signatures. In addition to measurement error, our error model represents physical model biases as random with a physics-based covariance structure. To illustrate this proposed framework, we demonstrate the estimation of explosion yield using openly available seismic and acoustic data from chemical single-point explosions.

Williams, Brian J.↗

DOE OSTI2014

Modelling infrasound signal generation from two underground explosions at the Source Physics Experiment using the Rayleigh integral

For this study, we use the Rayleigh integral (RI) as an approximation to the Helmholtz–Kirchoff integral to model infrasound generation and propagation from underground chemical explosions at distances of 250 m out to 5 km as part of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE). Using a sparse network of surface accelerometers installed above ground zero, we are able to accurately create synthetic acoustic waveforms and compare them to the observed data. Although the underground explosive sources were designed to be symmetric, the resulting seismic wave at the surface shows an asymmetric propagation pattern that is stronger to the northeast of the borehole. This asymmetric bias may be attributed to the subsurface geology and faulting of the area and is observed in the acoustic waveforms. We compare observed and modelled results from two of the underground SPE tests with a sensitivity study to evaluate the asymmetry observed in the data. This work shows that it is possible to model infrasound signals from underground explosive sources using the RI and that asymmetries observed in the data can be modelled with this technique.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

The collapse and three-dimensional explosion of three-dimensional massive-star supernova progenitor models

ABSTRACT The explosion outcome and diagnostics of core-collapse supernovae depend sensitively on the nature of the stellar progenitor, but most studies to date have focused exclusively on one-dimensional, spherically symmetric massive star progenitors. We present some of the first core-collapse supernovae simulations of three-dimensional massive star supernovae progenitors, a 12.5- and a 15-M⊙ model, evolved in three dimensions from collapse to bounce through explosion with the radiation-hydrodynamic code fornax. We compare the results using those starting from three-dimensional progenitors to three-dimensional simulations of spherically symmetric, one-dimensional progenitors of the same mass. We find that the models evolved in three dimensions during the final stages of massive star evolution are more prone to explosion. The turbulence arising in these multidimensional initial models serves as seed turbulence that promotes shock revival. Detection of gravitational waves and neutrinos signals could reveal signatures of pre-bounce turbulence.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Progenitors and explosion properties of supernova remnants hosting central compact objects: I. RCW 103 associated with the peculiar source 1E 161348−5055

ABSTRACT We present a Chandra and XMM–Newton imaging and spectroscopic study of the supernova remnant (SNR) RCW 103 (G332.4−00.4) containing the central compact object 1E 161348−5055. The high-resolution Chandra X-ray images reveal enhanced emission in the south-eastern and north-western regions. Equivalent width line images of Fe L, Mg, Si, and S using XMM–Newton data were used to map the distribution of ejecta. The SNR was sectioned into 56 regions best characterized by two-component thermal models. The harder component (kT ∼ 0.6 keV) is adequately fitted by the VPSHOCK non-equilibrium ionization model with an ionization time-scale net ∼ 1011–1012 cm−3 s, and slightly enhanced abundances over solar values. The soft component (kT ∼ 0.2 keV), fitted by the APEC model, is well described by plasma in collisional ionization equilibrium with abundances consistent with solar values. Assuming a distance of 3.1 kpc and a Sedov phase of expansion into a uniform medium, we estimate an SNR age of 4.4 kyr, a swept-up mass Msw = 16$f_\mathrm{ s}^{-1/2}$ D$_{3.1}^{5/2}$ M⊙, and a low explosion energy E* = 3.7 × 1049 $f_\mathrm{ s}^{-1/2}$ D$_{3.1}^{5/2}$ erg. This energy could be an order of magnitude higher if we relax the Sedov assumption, the plasma has a low filling factor, the plasma temperature is underestimated, or if the SNR is expanding into the progenitor’s wind-blown bubble. Standard explosion models did not match the ejecta yields. By comparing the fitted abundances to the most recent core-collapse nucleosynthesis models, our best estimate yields a low-mass progenitor of around 12–13 M⊙, lower than previously reported. We discuss degeneracies in the model fitting, particularly the effect of altering the explosion energy on the progenitor mass estimate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2021

The research into the propagation law of the shock wave of a gas explosion inside a building

Based on the dissipation rate conservation equations of turbulent kinetic energy in the k‐ ε turbulence model, a complicated three‐dimensional finite element model of a kitchen filled with gas mixture is developed by using the open source field operation and manipulation (OpenFOAM). Two representative kitchens were used to investigate the propagation law of the shock wave of a gas explosion inside a building by considering the key characteristics of the blast shock wave. The influence of some crucial parameters, such as initial conditions and kitchen parameters, on the properties of the blast shock wave is investigated. The basic steps to predict the peak pressure of the blast shock wave are given in consideration of the initial condition and the kitchen whilst the injury effect of the blast shock wave on the humans and animals is evaluated. The research results indicate that the pressure time history and the peak pressure space distribution are greatly influenced by the kitchen design layout. The coupled interaction between the initial temperature and gas volume concentration, especially at the upper and lower explosion limits of the gas, significantly affects the peak pressure. The peak pressure varies significantly with the opening and the buffer; however, it has little relation with the width, length, and height of the kitchen. The proposed method can accurately and effectively predict the peak pressure of the blast shock wave inside buildings. In terms of the peak pressure space distribution of the explosion shock wave, the peak pressure is much higher than the threshold of the killing pressure, which is unsafe for the humans and animals in the building.

Lin, Shu-Chao↗

DOE OSTI2022

Compressive strength of the plastic-bonded explosive surrogate idoxuridine under quasistatic and dynamic compression

Inert simulant materials, or “mocks”, are often used as surrogates for plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) in non-detonative tests in order to mitigate hazards. Mocks should reproduce as many non-detonative properties of the explosive as possible, including structural behavior in a variety of thermal and mechanical environments. Recently, the molecular crystal idoxuridine (IDOX) has been identified as an ideal mock for the main component in the explosive polymer-matrix composite PBX 9501, and has performed favorably under quasistatic loading conditions. Here, in order to assess robustness over a range of mechanical environments, plastic-bonded IDOX was compression tested from 0.001/s to 2000/s strain rates and compared to PBX 9501 historical data. Plastic-bonded IDOX showed good agreement to PBX 9501 across these strain rates, justifying continued development and production as a mock.

Burch, Alexandra C.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Near-MHz temperature and H 2 O measurements in post-detonation fireballs of 25 g hemispherical explosives using scanned-wavelength-modulation spectroscopy

A laser absorption spectroscopy diagnostic integrated within a hardened optical probe was used to measure temperature and water mole fraction at 500 kHz in post-detonation fireballs of explosives. In the experiments, an exploding-bridgewire detonator initiated a 25 g hemisphere of explosive (N5 or PETN). This produced a hemispherical fireball that traveled radially towards a hardened measurement probe. The probe contained a pressure transducer and optical equipment to pitch fiber-coupled laser light across a 12.6 cm gap onto a detector. Tunable diode lasers emitting near 7185.6 and 6806 c m − <#comment/> 1 were used to measure the absorbance spectrum of H 2 O utilizing peak-picking scanned-wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with a scan frequency of 500 kHz and modulation frequencies of 35 and 45.5 MHz, respectively. This enabled measurements of temperature and X H 2 O in the shock-heated air and trailing fireball at 500 kHz. Time histories of pressure, temperature, and H 2 O mole fraction were acquired at different standoff distances to quantify how the fireball evolved in space and time as well as to compare measured quantities between PETN and N5 fireballs. The standard deviation of temperature and X H 2 O during one representative test were found to be 17 K (1.3%) and 0.011 (5%), respectively. These measurements demonstrate this diagnostic’s ability to provide rapid and reliable measurements in harsh, highly transient post-detonation environments produced by solid explosives.

Schwartz, Charles J.↗

DOE OSTI2023

Particulate mass migration and mixing in cylindrically contained explosions

Abstract To explore particulate movement near the plasma of chemical explosions, rugged tracer particles were placed within and on the exterior of metal charges and electrically detonated. The particles were collected on/in the porous walls of plastic cylinders at diameters that correlated to the plasma width during different phases of the explosion. The particles’ positions were determined by Boolean logic analysis of their luminescent intensity. The cylinders which caught particles from the initial phases of the explosion retained placement information, while wider cylinders showed uniform mixing. These results/analysis methodology can help improve the understanding of particulate mixing in harsh environments. Graphical abstract

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

A Multimodal Event Catalog and Waveform Data Set That Supports Explosion Monitoring from Nevada, U.S.A.

Multimodal, curated data sets and nuisance event catalogs remain rare in the explosion monitoring community relative to curated seismic data sets. The source of this relative absence is the difficultly in deploying multimodal receivers that sense the seismic, acoustic, and other modalities from multiphysics sources. We provide such a data set in this study that delivers seismic, infrasound, and electromagnetic (magnetometer) sensor records collected over a two–week period, within 255 km of a 10 ton buried chemical explosion called DAG–4 that was located at 37.1146°, –116.0693° on 22 June 2019 21:06:19.88 UTC. This catalog includes 485 seismic, seismoacoustic, and infrasound–only events that an expert analyst manually built by reviewing waveforms from 29 seismic and infrasound sensors. Our data release includes waveforms from these 29 seismic, infrasound, and seismoacoustic stations and two magnetometer stations and their station metadata. We deliver these waveforms in NNSA KB Core CSS.w format (i4) with a corresponding wfdisc table that provides the header information. Here, we expect that this data set will provide a valuable, benchmark resource to develop signal processing algorithms and explosion monitoring methods against manual, human observations.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2018

Explosion-Generated Infrasound Recorded on Ground and Airborne Microbarometers at Regional Distances

Recent work in deploying infrasound (low–frequency sound) sensors on aerostats and free–flying balloons has shown them to be viable alternatives to ground stations. However, no study to date has compared the performance of surface and free–floating infrasound microbarometers with respect to acoustic events at regional (100s of kilometers) range. The prospect of enhanced detection of aerial explosions at similar ranges, such as those from bolides, has not been investigated either. We examined infrasound signals from three 1–ton trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent chemical explosions using microbarometers on two separate balloons at 280– to 400–km ranges and ground stations at 6.3– to 350–km ranges. Signal celerities were consistent with acoustic waves traveling in the stratospheric duct. However, significant differences were noted between the observed arrival patterns and those predicted by an acoustic propagation model. Very low–background noise levels on the balloons were consistent with previous studies that suggest wind interference is minimal on freely drifting sensors. In conclusion, simulated propagation patterns and observed noise levels also confirm that balloon–borne microbarometers should be very effective at detecting explosions in the middle and upper atmosphere as well as those on the surface.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Source Separation and Medium Change of Contained Chemical Explosions from Coda Wave Interferometry

Differences in the seismic coda of neighboring events can be used to investigate source location offsets and medium change with coda wave interferometry (CWI). We employ CWI to infer the known relative location between two chemical explosions in Phase I of the Source Physics Experiment (SPE). The inferred displacement between the first, SPE-1, and second, SPE-2, chemical explosion is between 6 and 18 m, with an expectation of 9.2 m, where the known separation is close to 9.4 m. We also employ CWI to find any velocity perturbation due to damage from SPE-2, by comparing its coda with the collocated third SPE chemical explosion, SPE-3. We find that damage due to SPE-2 must be confined to a spherical region with radius less than 10 m and velocity perturbation less than 25%.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2017

Determining the Coalescence of Hotspots into Uniform Detonation Fronts in High Explosives

Microwave Interferometry (MI) offers the advantage of a continuous time measurement of detonation front velocity from detonation initiation to disassembly, which is an important step to assure the quality of stockpile high explosives. However, the method is currently characterized by areas of poor signal strength, which lead to low confidence measurements. Experiments in inert materials were conducted to determine if reflective hot spots, pockets of plasma that form during detonation, are responsible due to varying hot spot concentrations. Instead, it was found that the copper tube used in a range of standard HE test configurations is the cause of the poor signal reception. Hot spots were represented by microwave reflective aluminum particles. The aluminum was mixed with Titanium Dioxide, a material electrically similar to the insensitive high explosive, triaminotrinitrobenzene (TATB), in volume percent fractions (VPFs) between 0 and 100% aluminum, in increments of 10%. Reflectivity was measured based on input and reflection received from a test apparatus with a layer representing undetonated explosive and another representing an approaching shockwave. The results showed no correlation between VPF and measured reflectivity test cases while enclosed in the standard copper tube. Upon further testing, each sample’s measured reflectivity independent of the copper enclosure did correlate with VPF. This revealed that the test enclosure currently used for MI measurements is causing poor MI signal reception, and new methods must be developed to account for this aberration in MI measurements.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗