On The Analytic Theory Of Explosions

Abstract

The physical problem that we study in this thesis may be stated as follows A perfect idealized gas at high pressure is held stationary by a thn spherical diaphragm of umt radius, and is surrounded by a second perfect gas at (uniform) low pressure The inner medium will be referred to as 'gas', and the outer medium as 'air' At time t=0, the d~aphragm is destroyed and the gas rushes outward, compressing the alr around it The subsequent flow can be divided into five regions A-E Region A is undisturbed gas Region B is a rarefaction wave bounded by a 'head' and a 'tail' in which the gas n rapidly expandlng, irrespective of the behaviour outside the tail Region C consists of a rarefied fan moving outward An ~nterfaceo r contact surface separates the gas from region D containing compressed air moving outside Regon E is undisturbed air The transition from region E to region D takes place via a shock This flow is often referred to as blast wave