Hypervelocity particle breakup: analysis and experiment. Feasibility report

During the reentry destruction of an isotopic generator, the mechanisms of fuel form ablation must be predictable to properly assess the nuclear hazard associated with the event. Ultimate land deposition patterns and contaminant densities are directly a function of the final ablative particle size. One mechanism of fuel form ablation is the mechanical breakup of molten material by aerodynamic forces created during hypervelocity reentry. The object of this study was to determine the feasibility of describing the breakup phenomenon by statistical mechanical analytic techniques, and to determine the applicability of employing a light gas gun and a controlled environmental range to experimentally observe the breakup phenomenon. (auth)