EXPLOSION TESTS UNDER THICK POLAR ICE

• Main Authors: LESLIE, DONALD M., NELSON, CARL A.
• Other Authors: NAVAL ORDNANCE LAB WHITE OAK MD
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1961
• Subjects: Underwater Ordnance; Explosions; *EXPLOSIVES; *ICE; *UNDERWATER EXPLOSIONS; POLAR REGIONS; ALUMINUM; RDX; DESTRUCTORS; TNT; SUBMARINES; SAFETY; PENETRATION; TEST METHODS; Arctic; Arctic Ocean
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0327953; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0327953

Several small charges of high explosive were fired under old polar ice in the Arctic Ocean to study their effects on ice. At the test site the ice varied from 8 ft to about 16 ft in thickness, and was characterized by low salinity, relatively warm temperature, and moderately high tensile strength. It was concluded that a 35-lb charge of HBX-3 exploded at optimum standoff distance beneath this type of ice will pulverize an area at least 40 ft in diam, and will crack the ice extensively in an area about 90 ft in diam.