Equation of State of Metals from Shock Wave Measurements

Abstract

Shock wave pressure magnitudes from about 150 to 500 kilobars have been attained for metals by using high explosives. A photographic technique for the nearly simultaneous determination of shock and free surface velocities is presented, and measurements for aluminum, copper, and zinc are given.Expressions are derived which permit the calculation of pressure-compression points from measured velocity pairs. Consequent Hugoniot curves are presented, probable errors for which are 1 to 2 percent in compression for a given pressure. Finally, the known Hugoniot curves are employed in a calculation which determines temperatures and isotherms.