A modified method of characteristics and its application in forward and inversion simulations of underwater explosion

This paper introduces a modified method of characteristics and its application in forward and inversion simulations of underwater explosion. Compared with standard method of characteristics which is appropriate to homoentripic flow problem, the modified method can be also used to deal with isentropic flow problem such as underwater explosion. Underwater explosion of spherical TNT and composition B explosives are simulated by using the modified method, respectively. Peak pressures and flow field pressures are obtained, and they are coincident with those from empirical formulas. The comparison demonstrates the modified is feasible and reliable in underwater explosion simulation. Based on the modified method, inverse difference schemes and inverse method are introduced. Combined with the modified, the inverse schemes can be used to deal with gas-water interface inversion of underwater explosion. Inversion simulations of underwater explosion of the explosives are performed in water, and equation of state (EOS) of detonation product is not needed. The peak pressures from the forward simulations are provided as boundary conditions in the inversion simulations. Inversion interfaces are obtained and they are mainly in good agreement with those from the forward simulations in near field. The comparison indicates the inverse method and the inverse difference schemes are reliable and reasonable in interface inversion simulation. (C) 2016 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).