Direct observation of the phenomenology of a solid thermal explosion using time-resolved proton radiography

Phys Rev Lett. 2008 Jun 6;100(22):228301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.228301. Epub 2008 Jun 4.

Abstract

We present a new phenomenology for burn propagation inside a thermal explosion based on dynamic radiography. Radiographic images were obtained of an aluminum cased solid cylindrical sample of a plastic bonded formulation of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine. The phenomenology observed is ignition followed by cracking in the solid accompanied by the propagation of a radially symmetric front of increasing proton transmission. This is followed by a further increase in transmission through the sample, ending after approximately 100 micros. We show that these processes are consistent with the propagation of a convective burn front followed by consumption of the remaining solid by conductive particle burning.