Comprehensive review of detonation explores the "simple theory" and experimental tests of the theory; flow in a reactive medium; steady detonation; the nonsteady solution; and the structure of the detonation front. 1979 edition.

Detonation, as the authors point out, differs from other forms of combustion "in that all the important energy transfer is by mass flow in strong compression waves, with negligible contributions from other processes like heat conduction." Experiments have shown that these waves have a complex transverse structure, and have puzzled scientists by yielding some results that are at odds with the theoretical predictions. This newly corrected edition of a classic in its field serves as a comprehensive review of both experiments and theories of detonation ― focusing on the steady (i.e. time-independent), fully developed detonation wave, rather than on the initiation or failure of detonation. After an introductory chapter the authors explore the "simple theory," including the Zeldovich–von Newmann–Doering model, and experimental tests of the simple theory. The chapters that follow cover flow in a reactive medium, steady detonation, the nonsteady solution, and the structure of the detonation front. The authors have succeeded in making the detailed, difficult theoretical work more accessible by working out a number of simple cases for illustration.The original edition of this book influenced many other scientists to pursue theories and experiments in detonation physics. This new, corrected edition will be welcomed by physicists, chemists, engineers, and anyone interested in understanding the phenomenon of detonation.

Preface to the Dover Edition; Preface; Acknowledgments; Introduction1A. History1B. Plan of the Book The Simple Theory2A. The Simplest Theory 1. Conservation Laws 2. D-Discussion 3. Piston Problem2B. Application of the Simplest Theory; Product Equations of State 1. Equations of State Without Explicit Chemistry 2. Equations of State With Explicit Chemistry 3. Kamlet's Short Method 4. Quasistatic Cycle for Detonations 5. Overview2C. The Zeldovich-von Neumann-Doering Model 1. Example 1: Gas 2. Example 2: SolidAppendix 2A. Formulas for Detonation in a Polytropic Gas Experimental Tests of the Simple Theory3A. Gases 1. Experiment 2. Discussion3B. Solids and Liquids 1. Theory 2. Experiment Flow in a Reactive Medium4A. The Model 1. Chemical Reactions 2. Equation of State and Rate 3. Equations of Motion 4. Other Forms of the Equations of Motion 5. Steady Solutions 6. The Shock-Change Equation4B. Material Properties 1. The Polytropic Gas 2. Binary Mixture of Different Polytropic Gases4C. Representative Flows 1. Flow Without Reaction 2. Reaction Without Flow 3. Sound Waves in a Reactive Mixture 4. Shock Wave in a Reactive Mixture 5. Rarefaction Wave in a Reactive MixtureAppendix 4A. Chemical Reaction EquationsAppendix 4B. Temperature from Internal EnergyAppendix 4C. Equations of Motion for Slab, Cylinder, and Sphere SymmetryAppendix 4D. Frozen and Equilibrium Sound Speeds and sigmaAppendix 4E. Shock-Change Equations Steady Detonation5A. One Reaction, sigma > 0 1. Properties at Fixed Composition 2. Properties at Equilibrium Composition 3. Detonation with One Irreversible Reaction 4, Detonation with One Reversible Reaction 5. Magnitude of the Effects of Reversibility 6. A Realistic Example: Hydrogen/Oxygen5B. Two Irreversible Reactions 1. Both Reactions Exothermic 2. Second Reaction Endothermic (Eigenvalue Detonation)5C. One Irreversible Reaction with a Mole Decrement (Pathological Detonation)5D. Two Reversible Reactions 1. The lambda-plane 2. D-discussion 3. The Piston Problem 4. Examples5E. More Than Two Reactions5F. Inclusion of Transport Effects5G. Slightly Divergent Flow 1. The Steady-Flow Equations 2. Approximation for the Radial Derivative 3. A Simple-Example--Irreversible Reaction in an Ideal Gas 4. Effect of Chemical Equilibrium (Reversible Reaction) 5. The General Case 7. Applications and Results The Nonsteady Solution6A. Stability Theory 1. General Theory 2. The Square-Wave Detonation 3. Results 4. Shock Stability6B. Approximate Theories 1. Nonlinear Perturbation Theory 2. Geometrical Acoustics 3. One-Dimensional Oscillation in the Square-Wave Detonation6C. Finite-Difference Calculations 1. One dimension 2. Two dimensions Structure of the Front7A. Overview 1. An Intuitive Picture 2. The Triple Point 3. The Simplest Regular Structure 4. Experimental Methods 5. Calculations7B. Macroscopic Properties 1. Structures 2. Spacing and Acoustic Coupling 3. The Transverse Wave 4. The Sonic surface7C. Details of Structure 1. Marginal Detonation in a round Rube (Single Spin) 2. Marginal Detonation in Rectangular Tubes 3. Ordinary Detonation7D. Comparison of Theory and Experiment 1. Onset of Instability 2. Fast Gallop 3. Cell Size7E. Liquids and Solids 1. Differences from Gases 2. Light Confinement 3. Heavy Confinement 4. DiscussionAppendix 7A. Interpretation of Smear-Camera Photographs Bibliography; Index