A theory of light-induced explosion

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical analysis, based on a simplified one-dimensional model, of the response of an explosive to a wide range of light intensities. A primary result has been the identification and development of a relationship among the important critical parameters. Numerical results illustrating the relationship among the critical light intensity, sample dimension, and ambient temperature have been obtained, with lead azide as the example.constant, and V2 the Laplacian operator. In the theory of thermal explosion it is postulated that the critical condition for inflammability is reached when the amount of heat developed by the chemical reaction is just equal to the amount lost to the surroundings. In other words, the conditions under which a stationary state is not possible will then give the critical conditions for explosion (1,4). We then have