Crater Analysis
Definition
Measurement of crater diameter, depth and ejecta direction at the seat of explosion. Feeds Hopkinson-Cranz scaling to estimate explosive type and charge weight (yield).
- Measures
- Crater diameter, depth, ejecta direction
- Feeds into
- Hopkinson-Cranz scaling
- Purpose
- Estimate explosive type and charge weight
- Location
- Seat of explosion
Common questions
What does Hopkinson-Cranz scaling actually calculate?+
It relates crater dimensions to charge weight using a cube-root scaling law, so a measured crater can be converted into an estimated TNT-equivalent yield once soil or surface conditions are accounted for.
Why is ejecta direction recorded alongside crater size?+
Ejecta pattern helps confirm the device orientation and burial depth, which affects how crater dimensions translate to yield, and it can help distinguish a buried device from a surface-placed one.
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