SPECTRAL SCIENCES, INC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF151-110

Description

ABSTRACT:Intense light emission from high explosive (HE) detonations is a well-known phenomenon, containing considerable information about the explosives and environment. The very early temporal period of this UV-VIS-NIR emission represents the brightest radiance and contains spectral signatures of intermediate compounds emitted during fireball expansion and from reactions with ambient species. Spectral analysis to identify the emitting chemical species has not been fully exploited, yet is critical to support ongoing research and development towards improved control, safety and performance of explosive materials and munitions. In particular, there is a need for a species classification system coupled to a unified, comprehensive database of emission spectra. Spectral Sciences, Inc. (SSI), in collaboration with Prof. Nick Glumac of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), hereby proposes to develop a complete spectral signature processing capability for interpreting the spectral signatures at all times of the explosion process from early breakout period to fireball conditions. This software, dubbed Fitting Imagery of Explosives Radiance with Endmember Signatures software (FIERES), will provide a classification system based on a database of UV/VIS/NIR signatures constructed for all possible species and conditions in the detonation environment.BENEFIT:High Explosives, munitions, detonation, UV-VIS-NIR, high temperatures, spectral signatures, classification, Endmember.