DISPLACEMENTS

THE ULTIMATE OBJECTIVE IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INERTIAL TRACKING SYSTEM TO MEASURE THE DISPLACEMENT OF TARGETS DURING BLAST TESTS IN LARGE SHOCK TUBES OR HIGH EXPLOSIVE SIMULATIONS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THE SYSTEM IS INTENDED TO SUPPLEMENT PHOTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE OF TARGET MOVEMENT WHEN THE TARGET IS OBSCURED BY DUST OR BY A CONDENSATION CLOUD. THE SYSTEM WILL UTILIZE ACCELEROMETERS AND ROLL OR ROLL RATE SENSORS AND ON BOARD RECORDING TO PROVIDE A SELF-CONTAINED UNIT FOR MOUNTING IN A TARGET. THE SYSTEM IS TO BE INTEGRATED FROM OFF-THE-SHLF HARDWARE. IN PHASE I THE FEASIBILITY OF THE SYSTEM FOR THE PURPOSE INTENDED WILL BE DETERMINED BY CONSTRUCTING A SENSOR ARRAY AND PLACING IT ON BOARD A LABORATORY TARGET. THE TARGET WILL BE MOVED ON KNOWN PATHS AND THE OUTPUT OF THE SENSORS REORDED USING OFF-BOARD RECORDING EQUIPMENT. THE RECORDS WILL BE PROCESSED AND THE TRAJECTORY OF THE CENTER OF GRAVITY OF THE TARGET AND ITS ANGULAR ORIENTATION AS INDICATED BY THE SENSORS WILL BE COMPARED TO THE ACTUAL MOVEMENT. THE CAPABILITIES OF SUCH A SENSOR ARRAY TO MEET THE SYSTEM OBJECTIVE WILL BE EVALUATED. IN PHASE II THE COMPLETE SYSTEM WILL BE ASSEMBLED.