Shock Initiation of Detonation in Liquid Explosives

Experimental studies of the initiation of liquid explosives by strong plane shocks (pressures 50 to 100 kbar) are described. These experiments demonstrate thermal explosion as a result of shock heating in the explosive. When the shock enters the explosive, the explosive is heated. After a delay, detonation in the heated, compressed explosive begins at the interface, where the explosive has been hot longest. The detonation proceeds through the...