THE PHYSICS OF WAVE GENERATION FROM BURSTS AT THE UPPER CRITICAL DEPTH

DETONATION OF EXPLOSIVES AT THE UPPER CRITICAL DEPTH (UCD) CAN GENERATE WATER SURFACE WAVES AT GREAT DISTANCES THAT ARE MORE THAN TWICE THOSE FROM A DEEPER DETONATION. EVIDENCE FOR THE UCD PHENOMENON IS ENTIRELY EMPIRICAL. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL EXPAND ON AN INNOVATIVE PHYSICAL EXPLANATION OF THE UCD, AND WILL PROVIDE QUANTITATIVE PREDICTIONS IN SUPPORT OF A CORRESPONDING UCD FOR NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS (NUCD). A UNIQUE CALCULATIONAL PROGRAM WILL BE FORMULATED WHOSE OBJECTIVE IS TO MODEL THE INTERACTION VETWEEN WATER MOTION AND AIR BLAST FROM PARTIALLY SUBMERGED HE CHARGES AND SHALLOWLY SUBMERGED NUCLEAR WARHEADS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THE EXISTENCE OF A NUCD WHICH COULD BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR BOTH OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE CONSIDERATIONS, MAKING MORE PRACTICAL THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO SHIPS AND SUBMARINES IN SHALLOW WATER AND EXTENSIVE DESTRUCTION IN HARBARS AND SHORELINE INSTALLATIONS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE IS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION: 1. WHAT PHYSICS IS IMPORTANT TO THE UCD, AND WHY IS THE MAXIMUM SO SHARP? 2. DOES THE SAME PHYSICS APPLY FOR A NUCD; IF SO, AT WHAT DEPTH? 3. CAN THE UCD OR NUCD PHENOMENA BE ENHANCED BY USING MULTIPLE EXPLOSIVES, E.G., SIMULTANEOUS EXPLOSIONS OF A SMALL YIELD ABOVE AND A LARGER YIELD BELOW THE SURFACE?