Effects of explosion energy and depth to the formation of blast wave and crater: Field Explosion Experiment for the understanding of volcanic explosion

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 28; no. 22; pp. 4287 - 4290
• Main Authors: Goto, Akio, Taniguchi, Hiromitsu, Yoshida, Mario, Ohba, Tsukasa, Oshima, Hiromitsu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Blackwell Publishing Ltd 15.11.2001; American Geophysical Union
• Subjects: Crystalline rocks; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas; experimental studies; depth; strength; explosive eruptions; craters; overpressure; explosions; volcanism; dimensions; energy
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1029/2001GL013213

We made field explosion experiments as an analogue of volcanic explosion to understand the relationship between the explosion condition and the resultant surface phenomena. The main parameters we employed were explosion depth and explosion energy. Through the experiments we confirmed that scaled depth, which is the depth divided by cube root of energy, is the main parameter determining the properties of explosive volcanism. The energy assigned to blast wave decreased exponentially against the scaled depth. The scaled crater diameter became maximum when the scaled depth was about 4 × 10−3 m/J¹/³. Scaled crater diameters by nuclear, chemical subsurface and some volcanic explosions were almost the same. From the scaling law, the overpressure at crater rim was estimated to be several MPa, which corresponded to typical rock strength. Probably the ground‐forming materials were broken inside the area where overpressure exceeded their strength.