My introduction to the fascinating phenomena associated with detonation waves came through appointments as an external fellow at the Department of Physics, University College of Wales, and at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds. Very special thanks for his accurate guidance through the large body of information on gaseous detonations are due to Professor D. H. Edwards of University College of Wales. Indeed, the onerous task of concisely enumerating the key features of unidimensional theories of detonations was undertaken by him, and Chapter 2 is based on his initial draft. When the text strays to the use of we, it is a deserved acknow ledgement of his contribution. Again, I should like to thank Professor D. Bradley of Leeds University for his enthusiastic encouragement of my efforts at developing a model of the composition limits of detonability through a relationship between run-up distance and composition of the mixture. The text has been prepared in the context of these fellowships, and I am grateful to the Central Electricity Generating Board for its permission to accept these appointments.

Of late the demands of industry in creating new composite and functional materials with present properties stimulated an increased interest to the investigation of processes which occur in the detonation technologies of complex chemical composition with an additive of disperse particles. The collection includes a series of papers presented at the 3d International Conference "Lavrentyev Readings on Mathematics, Mechanics, and Physics" (Novosibirsk, 1990),was held by the Hydrodynamics Institute under the support of the Presidium of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences to stimulate the international cooperation of the leading international centers. In the framework of this Conference the Round Table seminar was held by Prof. A. Borissov and Prof. V. Mi trofanov devoted to "Dynamic Structure of Detonation in Gaseous and Dispersed Media". The idea to hold such Round Table was supported by Chairman of Organizing Committee academician Prof. V.Titov from Hydrodynamics Institute, and academician Prof. V. Nakoryakov and also his Institute of Thermophysics. The main ideas discussed at the Round Table were presented in the form of papers which reflected present situation of the problem of dynamic structure of the detonation waves in gaseous and dispersed media. The basic experimental facts concerning of complicated mul ti dimensional non-stationary structure both of the detonation wave and its front surface, generation of the cell structure, the effect of transverse waves, obstacles, channel geometry etc. on the transition from dynamic regime to stationary structure are represented in the fist three papers.

The fourth of several volumes on solids in this series, the six extensive chapters here are more specifically concerned with detonation and shock compression waves in reactive heterogeneous media, including mixtures of solid, liquid and gas phases.

Damaging accidental explosions are a continuous threat to industry. Categories for such explosions include combustible dust explosions; reactive gas explosions, both confined and unconfined; hybrid explosions involving both gases and dusts; bursts of pressure vessels and piping; and liquid propellant explosions. This book evaluates the physical processes and resulting blast effects for these types of explosions. Special attention is given to reactive gas explosions, both confined and unconfined. This latter class of explosion has occurred all too frequently in refineries and petrochemical complexes, and is also one of the most difficult to predict and evaluate. Much recent work on this topic is reviewed and summarized. This is the only publication of its kind, to date, that offers such a thorough coverage of these types of industrial explosions. [p]Each class of explosion source is reviewed separately, first discussing fundamentals, then presenting methods of analysis and testing, and finally giving curves or equations to predict effects of the particular class of explosion. An extensive bibliography is included together with tables of pertinent properties of explosive materials. The text also includes many figures, equations, tables and a keyword index. The book is intended for researchers in the field of characterizing and mitigating industrial explosions. It will also be of interest to engineers, scientists, and insurers involved in processes.