In order to examine the potential of wing shock waves for Promoting chemical changes in organic contaminants dispersed in geologic media, as a prelude to the development of a novel in-situ remediation technology, laboratory experiments were carried out on synthetic soil matrices containing controlled amounts of chemical impurities. Samples were subjected to peak stresses in the gigapascal range in the Shock Dynamics Center's specially designed gas gun facilities, and recovered. Chemical analyses of the recovered shocked samples through various spectroscopic techniques showed significant amounts of chemical conversion. More specifically, in research investigations spread over a 12 month period, six organic compounds. including some examples of typical soil contaminants (acrylamide (AA), benzonitrile (BN), diphenylacetylene (DPA), nitrobenzene (NB). pbenylacetylene (PA), and tetrachloroethylene (TCE)) were studied. These compounds were individually dispersed in Ottawa sand at an upper-limit concentration of 10 wt. % and subjected to shock pulses of approximately 10 GPa in amplitude and 2-3 microsecs in time duration. The shock treated samples were recovered and analyzed. It was concluded that under the chosen shock conditions, AA, TCE, and PA underwent shock-induced polymerization while NB underwent decomposition. In addition, based on the intermediates and products formed, it was possible to formulate mechanistic pathways leading to their formation. It was also concluded that, in the case of BN and DPA, more research was needed in order to bring about any measurable chemical conversion.

This volume is concerned primarily with the chemical and physical effects of shock waves on typical materials. It compares naturally occurring materials with similar materials produced by shock compression in the laboratory, providing clues about the environment and events that produced the natural materials.

A comprehensive guide to carbon inside Earth - its quantities, movements, forms, origins, changes over time and impact on planetary processes. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.