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At least 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

MeMoVolc report on classification and dynamics of volcanic explosive eruptions

Classifications of volcanic eruptions were first introduced in the early twentieth century mostly based on qualitative observations of eruptive activity, and over time, they have gradually been developed to incorporate more quantitative descriptions of the eruptive products from both deposits and observations of active volcanoes. Progress in physical volcanology, and increased capability in monitoring, measuring and modelling of explosive eruptions, has highlighted shortcomings in the way we classify eruptions and triggered a debate around the need for eruption classification and the advantages and disadvantages of existing classification schemes. Here, we (i) review and assess existing classification schemes, focussing on subaerial eruptions; (ii) summarize the fundamental processes that drive and parameters that characterize explosive volcanism; (iii) identify and prioritize the main research that will improve the understanding, characterization and classification of volcanic eruptions and (iv) provide a roadmap for producing a rational and comprehensive classification scheme. In particular, classification schemes need to be objective-driven and simple enough to permit scientific exchange and promote transfer of knowledge beyond the scientific community. Schemes should be comprehensive and encompass a variety of products, eruptive styles and processes, including for example, lava flows, pyroclastic density currents, gas emissions and cinder cone or caldera formation. Furthermore open questions, processes and parameters that need to be addressed and better characterized in order to develop more comprehensive classification schemes and to advance our understanding of volcanic eruptions include conduit processes and dynamics, abrupt transitions in eruption regime, unsteadiness, eruption energy and energy balance.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Laser-Based Remote Sensing of Explosives by a Differential Absorption and Scattering Method

A multifunctional IR parametric laser system is developed and tested for remote detection and identification of atmospheric gases, including explosive and chemically aggressive substances. Calculations and experimental studies of remote determination of the spectroscopic parameters of the best known explosive substances TNT, RDX, and PETN are carried out. The feasibility of high sensitivity detection (~1 ppm) of these substances with the aid of a multifunctional IR parametric light source by differential absorption and scattering is demonstrated.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2019

Explosive Magnetotail Activity

Modes and manifestations of the explosive activity in the Earth’s magnetotail, as well as its onset mechanisms and key pre-onset conditions are reviewed. Two mechanisms for the generation of the pre-onset current sheet are discussed, namely magnetic flux addition to the tail lobes, or other high-latitude perturbations, and magnetic flux evacuation from the near-Earth tail associated with dayside reconnection. Reconnection onset may require stretching and thinning of the sheet down to electron scales. It may also start in thicker sheets in regions with a tailward gradient of the equatorial magnetic field B$_z$; in this case it begins as an ideal-MHD instability followed by the generation of bursty bulk flows and dipolarization fronts. Indeed, remote sensing and global MHD modeling show the formation of tail regions with increased B$_z$, prone to magnetic reconnection, ballooning/interchange and flapping instabilities. While interchange instability may also develop in such thicker sheets, it may grow more slowly compared to tearing and cause secondary reconnection locally in the dawn-dusk direction. Post-onset transients include bursty flows and dipolarization fronts, micro-instabilities of lower-hybrid-drift and whistler waves, as well as damped global flux tube oscillations in the near-Earth region. They convert the stretched tail magnetic field energy into bulk plasma acceleration and collisionless heating, excitation of a broad spectrum of plasma waves, and collisional dissipation in the ionosphere. Collisionless heating involves ion reflection from fronts, Fermi, betatron as well as other, non-adiabatic, mechanisms. Ionospheric manifestations of some of these magnetotail phenomena are discussed. Explosive plasma phenomena observed in the laboratory, the solar corona and solar wind are also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Influence of Annealing on the Properties of Explosively Welded Titanium Grade 1—AW7075 Aluminum Alloy Bimetals

Explosive welding of titanium Grade 1 to AW7075 aluminum alloy arranged in parallel setup was performed. The annealing of produced bimetals at the temperatures of 450, 500 and 550 °C for times ranging from 20 to 100 h was carried out after explosive welding. The produced bimetal was characteristic by its wavy interface typical for that bonding process. Increase in the microhardness at the interface was recorded due to work hardening. Delamination of titanium Grade 1 flyer sheet was firstly observed when annealing temperature of 500 °C for 40 h was carried out. Annealing at 550 °C also resulted in delamination of upper sheet. The intermetallic compound (IMC) layer was observed at the interface after annealing of bimetals. The higher the annealing temperature and time, the higher the thickness of continuous IMC layer. The maximum measured thickness of IMC layer averaged 13 µm. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses revealed that the interface layer is consisted of Al{sub 18}Ti{sub 2}Mg{sub 3} IMC. Microhardness at the interface increased dramatically up to 439 HV0.1 after annealing of bimetal due to the presence of above-mentioned IMC.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Cookoff experiments of a melt cast explosive (Comp-B3)

Validated models of melt cast explosives exposed to accidental fires are essential for safety analysis. In the current work, we provide several experiments that can be used to develop and validate cookoff models of melt cast explosives such as Comp-B3 composed of 60:40 wt% RDX:TNT. We present several vented and sealed experiments from 2.5 mg to 4.2 kg of Comp-B3 in several configurations. We measured pressure, spatial temperature, and ignition time. Some experiments included borescope images obtained during both vented and sealed decomposition. We observed the TNT melt, the suspension of RDX particles in the melt, bubble formation caused by RDX decomposition, and bubble-induced mixing of the suspension. The RDX suspension did not completely dissolve, even as temperatures approached ignition. Our results contrast with published measurements of RDX solubility in hot TNT that suggest RDX would be completely dissolved at these high temperatures. These different observations are attributed to sample purity. We did not observe significant movement of the two-phase mixture until decomposition gases formed bubbles. Bubble generation was inhibited in our sealed experiments and suppressed mixing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2013

Explosive boiling of Ge{sub 35}Sb{sub 10}S{sub 55} glass induced by a CW laser

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Interaction of the CW 785 nm laser with chalcogenide GeSbS glass. • First demonstration of the explosive boiling induced by CW laser in glass. • Different processes as photo-induced oxidation, expansion, and viscosity-flow observed. • Applied diagnostics SEM, DHM, AFM, force spectroscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. • Damage threshold determined at 1.2 × 10{sup 24}s{sup −1} cm{sup −3} of absorbed photons. - Abstract: The response of bulk Ge{sub 35}Sb{sub 10}S{sub 55} glass to illumination by a continuous wave (CW) laser, sub-band-gap photons, was studied specifically with an atomic force microscopy including a force spectroscopy, with a digital holographic microscopy and with a scanning electron microscopy. Depending on the number of photons absorbed, photo-expansion, photo-oxidation and explosive boiling were observed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Anatomy of a diffracting detonation in a circular arc of explosive

Using high-resolution numerical simulation, study diffraction of a detonation as it traverses a 270° finite-thickness condensed-phase explosive arc. This geometry admits a steady solution in a frame rotating with angular speed ω 0 , which thereby facilitates a detailed analysis of how the loss of energy from the detonation reaction zone due to the diffraction process slows the propagation of the detonation. There exists a region of subsonic flow, between the detonation shock and the curve of sonic flow (labelled the DDZ), which is responsible for setting ω 0 . Although the DDZ spans the entire thickness for thin arcs, it is localized to a region near the inside surface as the arc is thickened. Furthermore the explosive energy release near this inside surface plays a disproportionate role in the diffraction process.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Explosive X-point collapse in relativistic magnetically dominated plasma

The extreme properties of the gamma-ray flares in the Crab nebula present a clear challenge to our ideas on the nature of particle acceleration in relativistic astrophysical plasma. It seems highly unlikely that standard mechanisms of stochastic type are at work here and hence the attention of theorists has switched to linear acceleration in magnetic reconnection events. In this series of papers, we attempt to develop a theory of explosive magnetic reconnection in highly magnetized relativistic plasma which can explain the extreme parameters of the Crab flares. In the first paper, we focus on the properties of the X-point collapse. Using analytical and numerical methods (fluid and particle-in-cell simulations) we extend Syrovatsky’s classical model of such collapse to the relativistic regime. We find that the collapse can lead to the reconnection rate approaching the speed of light on macroscopic scales. During the collapse, the plasma particles are accelerated by charge-starved electric fields, which can reach (and even exceed) values of the local magnetic field. The explosive stage of reconnection produces non-thermal power-law tails with slopes that depend on the average magnetization $\unicode[STIX]{x1D70E}$ . For sufficiently high magnetizations and vanishing guide field, the non-thermal particle spectrum consists of two components: a low-energy population with soft spectrum that dominates the number census; and a high-energy population with hard spectrum that possesses all the properties needed to explain the Crab flares.

Physics↗
DOE OSTI2024

Two-Dimensional Projected-Momentum Covariance Mapping for Coulomb Explosion Imaging

We introduce projected-momentum covariance mapping, an extension of recoil-frame covariance mapping for 2D ion imaging studies. By considering the two-dimensional projection of the ion momenta as recorded by the detector, one opens the door to a complex suite of analysis tools adapted from three-dimensional momentum imaging studies. This includes the use of different frames of reference to unravel the dynamics of fragmentation and the application of fragment momentum constraints to isolate specific fragmentation channels. The technique is demonstrated on data from a two-dimensional ion imaging study of the Coulomb explosion of the cis and trans isomers of 1,2-dichloroethene, following strong-field ionization by an intense near-infrared femtosecond laser pulse. Classical simulations are used to guide the interpretation of projected-momentum covariance maps. The results offer a detailed insight into the distinct Coulomb explosion dynamics for this pair of isomers and lay the groundwork for future time-resolved studies of photoisomerization dynamics in this molecular system.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Photoactive Excited States in Explosive Fe(II) Tetrazine Complexes: A Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory Study

Time-dependent density functional theory was used to investigate optical absorption of novel Fe(II) coordination complexes with tetrazine ligands. These octahedral compounds absorb near-infrared (NIR) light and can be applied as secondary explosives with low laser-initiation thresholds compared to pentaerythritol tetranitrate. Here in this paper, numerous ligand architectures are studied to determine relationships between molecular structure and optical absorption in order to tune the low-energy charge transfer (CT) band. Geometrical structures and vertical excitation energies calculated with the TPSSh density functional and 6-311G basis set are in excellent agreement with experiment, with a maximum deviation from UV–vis spectra of 0.10 eV. By altering molecular substituents of the ligand scaffold, the CT band can be tuned between 500 and 1100 nm. Additional conjugation in the ligand scaffold pushes the CT band into the NIR region of the spectrum. Triazolo-tetrazine ligands shift the CT band by approximately 0.70 eV relative to that of Fe(II) coordinated with bipyridine ligands. Oxygenated analogues of several compounds are also studied in order to predict optical response, while improving explosive performance. A natural population analysis suggests that the high nitrogen content of the ligand scaffolds in these energetic compounds lessens their metal-to-ligand charge transfer character compared to that of Fe(II) coordinated with bipyridine ligands. The proposed model quantum chemistry is used to establish structure–property relationships for optical properties in this class of materials in order to make optical initiation with conventional lasers a more feasible approach.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Fast Magic-Angle Spinning Solid-State 1 H NMR Reveals Structural Relationships in the High Explosive 2,6-Diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105)

1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments were performed on the proposed insensitive high-explosive 2,6-diamino-3,5-dinitropyrazine-1-oxide (LLM-105) at high-speed magic-angle spinning rates of up to 60 kHz. Here, these rapid speeds produce well-resolved spectra that aid in the study of the chemical and structural properties of this material. Extraordinarily long 1 H T 1 values were observed for the main amine peaks from the LLM-105 explosive and can be used to differentiate between peaks from the main compound and those of impurities. Further, advanced NMR measurements and simulations reveal unique spectral properties due to the strong network of intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding and provide insights in the structure of LLM-105.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Understanding Trigger Linkage Dynamics in Energetic Materials Using Mixed Picramide Nitrate Ester Explosives

The ability to predict the handling sensitivity of new organic energetic materials has been a longstanding goal. We report the synthesis and characterization of six new nitropicramide energetic materials with mixed functional groups that mimic known explosives such as nitroglycerin, erythritol tetranitrate (ETN), and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). The molecules have been studied theoretically using quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to identify the weakest bond in the reactants - the trigger-linkages - which control handling sensitivity, and to quantify their specific enthalpies of explosion. In good accord with the drop weight impact sensitivity data, our calculations predict that the sensitivities of the molecules are very similar owing to the small variations of the energy output and rates of trigger linkage rupture. In addition, both the QMD and DFT calculations point to the nitropicramide N–NO 2 bonds as the trigger linkages rather than the more typical O–NO 2 bonds. We propose that the switch of the trigger linkage from the nitrate esters to the nitramine groups arises from the strongly electron withdrawing character of the adjacent trinitrobenzene groups.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Volume Flow Rate Estimation for Small Explosions at Mt. Etna, Italy, From Acoustic Waveform Inversion

Rapid assessment of the volume and the rate at which gas and pyroclasts are injected into the atmosphere during volcanic explosions is key to effective eruption hazard mitigation. Here, we use data from a dense infrasound network deployed in 2017 on Mt. Etna, Italy, to estimate eruptive volume flow rates (VFRs) during small gas-and-ash explosions. We use a finite-difference time-domain approximation to compute the acoustic Green's functions and perform a full waveform inversion for a multipole source, combining monopole and horizontal dipole terms. The inversion produces realistic estimates of VFR, on the order of 4 × 10 4 m 3 /s and well-defined patterns of source directivity. This is the first application of acoustic waveform inversion at Mt. Etna. Our results demonstrate that acoustic waveform inversion is a mature and robust tool for assessment of source parameters and holds potential as a tool to provide rapid estimates of VFR in near real time.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

The Complicated Link Between Material Properties and Microfracture Density for an Underground Explosion in Granite

Geophysical techniques are often implemented as quick and inexpensive ways to locate and characterize fractures in the subsurface, which is important for a number of geoscience fields. Seismic velocities are the most widely used proxies for identification of fractures, but the correlation is not always well-defined. In this study we present material property data: unconfined compressive strength (UCS), bulk density (ρ), Young's modulus (E), Poisson's ratio (ν), P wave velocity (V p ), and S wave velocity (V s ), in conjunction with microfracture densities measured on samples of granite collected before and after underground chemical explosions. Results indicate the relationship between fractures and material properties is complex, even in this single-lithology environment. We interpret that this complexity arises from varying fracture mechanisms (e.g. dilation-inducing fractures vs compression-inducing fractures) in different parts of the core, due to differences in stress conditions. Additional complexity may result from chemical interactions between the fresh fractures and the fluids in the area. Water content appears to have a significant, if not dominant, role in the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the samples. We suggest caution when using elastic property measurements as a proxy for fracturing in areas of explosion-induced damage, or in other areas where a variety of mechanisms induce fracturing.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Infrasound From a Buried Chemical Explosion Recorded on a Balloon in the Lower Stratosphere

Abstract Infrasound waveforms generated by natural and anthropogenic phenomena contain important clues about the size and nature of the event. We show that sensors on balloons in the lower stratosphere can record faithful representations of the near‐source acoustic wave field at unprecedented range. The acoustic signature of a buried chemical explosion recorded at a range of 56 km and an altitude of 21.8 km was nearly identical to that recorded on the ground 0.5 km from the epicenter, but absent on a ground sensor located 46 km away. Our results demonstrate that balloon‐borne infrasound techniques greatly increase the range at which well‐preserved acoustic representations of near‐source physics can be acquired, and that their propagation is simple to model. Our work has implications for monitoring remote regions of the earth for explosions, volcanic eruptions, and other phenomena. It also supports the prospect of balloon‐based infrasound seismology on Venus.

Bowman, Daniel C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Acoustic Waves From a Distant Explosion Recorded on a Continuously Ascending Balloon in the Middle Stratosphere

Abstract A helium‐filled mylar balloon carrying a smartphone and infrasound sensors ascended to a stratospheric height of 35 km over the surface detonation of a chemical explosive, with a total acoustic propagation distance of 127 km. The smartphone was configured to collect multi‐modal data at high rates from internal sensors. Analysis of the data shows successful collection of the explosion signal by both the smartphone's microphone and its accelerometers, the first from an ascending balloon. Comparison of the acoustic signal with that collected by other infrasound sensors, both airborne and ground‐based, provides insight into the possibilities and limitations of collecting acoustic data from the stratosphere.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Energetic eruptions leading to a peculiar hydrogen-rich explosion of a massive star

Every supernova so far observed has been considered to be the terminal explosion of a star. Moreover, all supernovae with absorption lines in their spectra show those lines decreasing in velocity over time, as the ejecta expand and thin, revealing slower-moving material that was previously hidden. In addition, every supernova that exhibits the absorption lines of hydrogen has one main light-curve peak, or a plateau in luminosity, lasting approximately 100 days before declining. Here we report observations of iPTF14hls, an event that has spectra identical to a hydrogen-rich core-collapse supernova, but characteristics that differ extensively from those of known supernovae. The light curve has at least five peaks and remains bright for more than 600 days; the absorption lines show little to no decrease in velocity; and the radius of the line-forming region is more than an order of magnitude bigger than the radius of the photosphere derived from the continuum emission. These characteristics are consistent with a shell of several tens of solar masses ejected by the progenitor star at supernova-level energies a few hundred days before a terminal explosion. Another possible eruption was recorded at the same position in 1954. Multiple energetic pre-supernova eruptions are expected to occur in stars of 95 to 130 solar masses, which experience the pulsational pair instability. That model, however, does not account for the continued presence of hydrogen, or the energetics observed here. Another mechanism for the violent ejection of mass in massive stars may be required.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanoscale reshaping of resonant dielectric microstructures by light-driven explosions

Femtosecond-laser-assisted material restructuring employs extreme optical intensities to localize the ablation regions. To overcome the minimum feature size limit set by the wave nature of photons, there is a need for new approaches to tailored material processing at the nanoscale. Here, we report the formation of deeply-subwavelength features in silicon, enabled by localized laser-induced phase explosions in prefabricated silicon resonators. Using short trains of mid-infrared laser pulses, we demonstrate the controllable formation of high aspect ratio (>10:1) nanotrenches as narrow as ~ $λ / 80$. The trench geometry is shown to be scalable with wavelength, and controlled by multiple parameters of the laser pulse train, such as the intensity and polarization of each laser pulse and their total number. Particle-in-cell simulations reveal localized heating of silicon beyond its boiling point and suggest its subsequent phase explosion on the nanoscale commensurate with the experimental data. The observed femtosecond-laser assisted nanostructuring of engineered microstructures (FLANEM) expands the nanofabrication toolbox and opens exciting opportunities for high-throughput optical methods of nanoscale structuring of solid materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗