Fundamental study of dense-fluid detonation

Mathematical models of detonation in dense fluids and in solids are investigated. The interaction of pressure waves, or shock waves, with high explosives is studied. The steady state dynamical equations of continuum mechanics, including viscosity, conductivity, and chemical reactions are solved to simulate detonation in fluids capable of undergoing fast exothermic reactions. The coupled ordinary differential equations of motion of molecular dynamics, for solids are solved to simulate the initiation process proceding detonation. Simple models designed to describe the results of these macroscopic and microscopic approaches are examined. Detonation wave profiles are obtained using a realistic dense fluid equation of state. These profiles are compared to the predictions of the simplified Zeldovich-Von Neumann-Doering model. Methods for simulating the rapid uniaxial compression of solids suited to molecular dynamics simulation are developed.