Study of explosion-generated plasma, it’s velocity and effects upon collision

Abstract. Explosion-generated plasma is formed when the detonation wave exits condensed high explosive and compresses air surrounding the charge. It is a less known detonation phenomenon. It is naturally unstable, and it is reported to exist only for hundreds of nanoseconds. It however can be stabilized by leading the plasma through a tube attached to the charge. Interestingly, this leading tube doesn´t have to be made from a tough material, it can be thin plastic, glass or even a paper. This work is about measuring the velocity of created plasma in different geometries and studying the effects of its collision with a solid material. Velocities exceeding 10 km/s were measured and with varying geometries, different damage patterns on the witness plate were observed.