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Measuring and modeling the bubble population produced by an underwater explosion.
1Graduate Program in Acoustics and Applied Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, P.O. Box 30, State College, Pennsylvania 16804, USA. fdh109@psu.edu
The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
|November 18, 2011
Summary
This study investigates the acoustic properties of bubble clouds from underwater explosions, revealing key insights into their less-studied post-detonation behavior and developing a predictive model for bubble populations.
Area of Science:
- Underwater acoustics
- Explosion dynamics
- Fluid mechanics
Background:
- Historical research on underwater explosions (since 1941) focused on initial shockwaves and gas-globe oscillations.
- The phenomena following gas-globe surface break-up, specifically bubble clouds, remain understudied.
- Understanding bubble cloud acoustics is crucial for characterizing post-detonation underwater environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally measure the acoustic response of an underwater explosion's bubble cloud.
- To develop a model for estimating bubble population based on acoustic measurements.
- To enhance the understanding of phenomena occurring after the primary shockwave of an underwater explosion.
Main Methods:
- Detonation of a 13.6 kg PBXN-111 charge at 15.2 m depth.
- Propagation of acoustic pulses (linear frequency-modulated and tonal) through the resulting bubble cloud.
- Measurement of acoustic energy loss using two hydrophone arrays.
- Application of three inversion methods to estimate bubble population.
Main Results:
- Quantified the spatial and temporal acoustic response of the bubble cloud.
- Successfully estimated bubble population using acoustic inversion techniques.
- Provided data for the development of a bubble population model.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully characterized the acoustic signature of underwater explosion bubble clouds.
- Developed a novel method for modeling bubble populations, improving post-detonation analysis.
- Highlights the importance of studying the less-understood later stages of underwater explosions.
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