It seems that there is no book that treats the measurement of the physical pa rameters of explosives as its only subject, although limited information is avail able in a number of books. Therefore, I have tried to bridge this gap in the lit erature with this book. A large number of various physical parameters have to be determined ex perimentally in order to test or characterise an explosive. Various physical principles have been applied for such measurements. Accordingly, a large number of different experimental methods exist, as well as various testing appa ratuses and procedures. On the other hand, great progress has been made recently in the study of detonation phenomena. New measuring techniques can assess extremely short processes to below nanoseconds scale. They make it possible to determine im portant parameters in detonation physics. I have made a great attempt to cover the available literature data on the subject. Because it would be a highly demanding task to include in a single volume all the methods that are in use by various testing agencies, I have tried to give primarily the principles for determination of individual physical pa rameters of explosives by different measuring methods as well as data treatment procedures.

This book represents a collection of lectures presented at the NATO Advanced study Institute(ASI) on "Chemistry & Physics of the Molecular Processes in Energetic Materials", held at Hotel Torre Normanna, Altavilla Milicia, Sicily, Italy, September 3 to 15, 1989. The institute was attended by seventy participants including twenty lecturers, drawn from thirteen countries. The purpose of the institute was to review the major ad vances made in recent years in the theoretical and experi mental aspects of explosives and propellants. In accordance with the format of the NATO ASI, it was arranged to have a relatively small number of speakers to present in depth, re view type lectures emphasizing the basic research aspects of the subject, over a two week period. Most of the speakers gave two lectures, each in excess of one hour with addition al time for discussions. The scope of the meeting was limit ed to molecular and spectroscopic studies since the hydro dynamic aspects of detonation and various performance crite ria of energetic materials are often covered adequately in other international meetings. An attempt was made to have a coherent presentation of various theoretical, computational and spectroscopic approaches to help a better understanding of energetic materials from a molecular point of view. The progress already made in these areas is such that structure property (e. g.