Automatic Optimization of Warhead Performance Measures

We propose to develop an improved system for optimizing the design of explosive warheads. Current warhead optimization technique will be advanced on several fronts. The optimization strategy will be modified to take advantage of an abundance of computer power: in each optimization step, "extra" simultaneous warhead-performance computations will be performed to: 1) explore a larger domain of the design space; 2) reduce the effects of numerical noise; and 3) compute higher-order derivatives of the objective function. This will allow more rapid achievement of design goals. For each type of warhead, we will establish a set of intermediate warhead-performance quality measures that are specific to that warhead's ultimate performance goals; special post-processing software will be developed to evaluate these objective functions from hydrocode output. This will ensure that an optimization successfully results in optimal performance of the warhead against its intended targets.