This book, as a volume in the Shock Wave Science and Technology Reference Library, is primarily concerned with detonation waves or compression shock wavesinreactiveheterogeneousmedia,includingmixturesofsolid,liquid,and gas phases. Thetopicsinvolveavarietyofenergyreleaseandcontrolprocessesthrough heterogeneous reactive shock waves; a contemporary research ?eld of deto- tionthathasfoundwideapplicationsinpropulsionandpower,hazardprev- tion, as well as military engineering. This volume contains six chapters. The ?rsttwochaptersdescribethedetonationbehaviorofvolumetricallydispersed multiphase explosive mixtures, and the subsequent two chapters deal with condensed multiphase composite explosives. Chapter 5 discusses the unique solid-statereactionsinmicroscopicsolidparticlemixturesunderhigh-pressure shock loading. The ?nal chapter is fundamental in describing shock ignition behaviorofsolidandliquidparticles. Eachchapterisself-containedandcanbe read independently of the others, though they are thematically interrelated. They o?er a timely reference for graduate students as well as professional s- entists and engineers, by laying out the foundations and discussing the latest developments, including yet unresolved challenging problems. The ?rst chapter, by S. B. Murray and P. A. Thibault, discusses spray or liquid aerosol detonation. This chapter provides not only an updated review, but also o?ers a concise heuristic introduction to spray detonation for both high-vapor-pressure and low-vapor-pressure fuel. After an excellent introd- tory or refresher reading for any class on laboratory phenomena of con?ned spray detonation, the authors o?er a state-of-the-art description on deto- tion of uncon?ned fuel spray in air and its future research directions. This is possibly the ?rst article in the open literature that provides such a c- prehensive summary of the uncon?ned spray detonation phenomenon and its various engineering approaches.
