The afterglow emission that follows gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) contains valuable information about the circumburst medium and, therefore, about the GRB progenitor. Theoretical studies of GRB blast waves, however, are often limited to simple density profiles for the external medium (mostly constant density and power-law R−k ones). We argue that a large fraction of long-duration GRBs should take pla...

In this work the effect of the accuracy of a FAE detonation modeling on the generated blast wave is investigated. First, a one-dimensional numerical simulation with a reduced chemical kinetics of C2H2-O2-Ar, involving 25 elementary reactions, is used as the base model. The properties of the blast calculated with this model is compared with those of simpler models, the similarity solution of Tay...

This work is to develop an experiment-validated numerical model to elucidate the wave transmission mechanisms through a surrogate head under blast loading. Repeated shock tube tests were conducted on a surrogate head, i.e., water-filled polycarbonate shell. Surface strain on the skull simulant and pressure inside the brain simulant were recorded at multiple locations. A numerical model was deve...

This paper discusses high-energy-density laboratory astrophysics experiments exploring the RayleighTaylor instability under conditions similar to the blast wave driven, outermost layer in a core-collapse supernova. The planar blast wave is created in an experimental target using the Omega laser. The blast wave crosses an unstable interface with a seed perturbation machined onto it. The perturba...

We have examined the evolution of cylindrically symmetric blast waves produced by the deposition of femtosecond laser pulses in gas jets. In high- Z gases radiative effects become important. We observe the production of an ionization precursor ahead of the shock front and deceleration parameters below the adiabatic value of 1/2 (for a cylinder), an effect expected when the blast wave loses ener...

As the gathering of information on the prevalence of blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (bTBI) continues, there is a need for the development and validation of a physical model (headform) reproducing the mechanical response of the human head to the direct loading from a blast wave. The chain of events leading to an injuries following direct exposure to a blast wave is very complex and its f...

It has been suggested that relativistic blast waves may power the jets of AGN and gamma-ray bursts (GRB). We address the important issue how the kinetic energy of collimated blast waves is converted into radiation. It is shown that swept-up ambient matter is quickly isotropised in the blast wave frame by a relativistic two-stream instability, which provides relativistic particles in the jet wit...

BACKGROUND : Injuries from combat and terrorist explosions are increasing worldwide. As such, physicians can expect to treat more patients with complex and unique patterns of injury produced not only by fragments and blunt trauma, but also by high-pressure air expanding from the detonation center. DISCUSSION : Tissue damage from the blast wave or primary blast injury can be an important cause...