On the Mechanism of Exploding Wires

Abstract

Experimental measurements are given for the energy input and shock wave arrival times for 10-cm No. 40 Cu wires exploded in air at an initial voltage of 9.25 kv. Two shocks in air are observed, one for each pulse before and after the dark pause. Pause duration measurements are also reported for wire explosions in gaseous He, N2, O2, Ar and CClF3 at l atm. Semiquantitative theoretical explanations are proposed for the increase in wire resistance which terminates the first current surge, and for the elapsed time (pause duration) before the vapor density of the expanding wire material declines sufficiently for reignition of the discharge.