Generation of converging strong shock wave formed by microsecond timescale underwater electrical explosion of spherical wire array

Abstract

A study of generation of converging strong shock wave using microsecond underwater electrical explosion of spherical Cu-wire array is presented. Hydrodynamic simulations coupled with the equation of state for Cu and water, deposited energy, and the magnetic pressure were used to calculate the water parameters in the vicinity of the implosion origin. The results of simulations agree with the shock wave time-of-flight and energy delivered to the water flow and show that in the vicinity (diameter of ∼12 μm) of an implosion one can expect water pressure of ∼6 TPa, temperature of ∼17 eV, and compression of ∼8.