FAST-RISE HIGH PRESSURE GAUGE FOR LONG-DURATION NUCLEAR AIRBLAST

KTECH PROPOSES TO DEVELOP OPTICAL HOPKINSON BAR PRESSURE GAUGES FOR MEASUREMENT OF AIRBLAST ON UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR EVENTS. THE BARS WILL BE MADE OF SINGLE CRYSTAL SAPPHIRE WHICH HAS A MEASURED YIELD STRENGTH IN EXCESS OF 10 GPA. THESE GAUGES WILL HAVE A RISE TIME OF ABOUT 2 US OF DATA. DURING PHASE I, WE WILL CONSTRUCT AND CALIBRATE A STRESS-INDUCED BIREFRINGENCE GAUGE (SIBG) WHICH WOULD NEED NO ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS IN OR NEAR THE CAVITY, RESULTING IN AN EMP-PROOF GAUGE. IN PHASE II, WE WOULD VALIDATE THE GAUGE WITH ABOVE GROUND TESTS AND FLASE X-RAY AND E-BEAM MACHINES ON HE EVENTS, AS DISTANT IMAGE. A FULL NUCLEAR AIRBLAST APPLICATION WOULD OCCUR ON DIAMOND FORTUNE AS PHASE II. THIS RESEARCH IS INNOVATIVE IN THAT WE WILL DEVELOP INSTRUMENTATION FOR MEASUREMENT OF AIRBLAST IN UNDERGROUND CAVITY HEIGHT-OF-BURST EVENTS. UNLIKE OTHER INSTRUMENTATION, THE OPTICAL HOPKINSON BAR WILL BE IMMUNE TO UPSET BY SOURCE REGION ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE.