i2^ THEORY OF THE SHOCK WAVE 



original reports.^ These reports also include formulas for calculation 

 of the asymptotic variation of peak pressure and time constant at large 

 distances, which are discussed in the next section. 



4.3. The Asymptotic Behavior of Spherical Shock Waves 



Although the detailed evaluation of the Kirkwood-Bethe propa- 

 gation theory provides numerical values of spherical shock wave param- 



30,000 



CM 



UJ 

 (T. 



<n 



CO 

 UJ 

 (T 

 Q. 



< 



10,000 



3000 



1000 



w'^Vr 



(lbVft) 



Fig. 4.2 Calculated peak pressure and time constant for TNT (Kirkwood- 

 Bethe theory). 



eters for selected values of distance and initial conditions, it does not 

 permit a simple indication of the manner in which these parameters may 

 be expected to depend on distance. Fortunately, it is a relatively 

 simple matter to determine the limiting laws which hold at large dis- 



3 The final compilations are given in two reports by Kirkwood, Brinkley, and 

 Richardson (59, V and OSRD 3949). It is to be noted that other calculations ni 

 earlier reports by Kirkwood et al are superseded by these results. 



