Skip to main content
  • Book
  • © 2017

Impactful Times

Memories of 60 Years of Shock Wave Research at Sandia National Laboratories

  • Features individual recollections of researchers involved in shock wave research at Sandia National Laboratories from 1955 to the present
  • Describes the trials, tribulations, excitement, and successes involved in developing experimental, theoretical, and computational capabilities and the major advances made over the last 60 years at Sandia in the field of shock wave phenomena
  • Contains over 900 references to key publications by Sandia researchers in developing shock wave technologies
  • Highlights several major applications of shock wave technology enabled by the research, including analysis of the turret explosion aboard the USS Battleship Iowa and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet impact on Jupiter

Part of the book series: Shock Wave and High Pressure Phenomena (SHOCKWAVE)

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check for access.

Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xvii
  2. Building Shock Wave Capabilities

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Chapter 1 Introduction

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 3-17
    3. Chapter 2 The 1950s: Origins

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 19-47
    4. Chapter 3 The 1960s: Explosive Growth

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 49-83
    5. Chapter 4 The 1970s: New Opportunities

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 85-125
    6. Chapter 5 The 1980s: Heady Times

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 127-170
    7. Chapter 6 The 1990s: Black Monday

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 171-214
    8. Chapter 7 The 2000s: A New Millennium

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 215-262
    9. Chapter 8 Looking to the Future

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 263-272
  3. Memories of Shock Wave Research

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 273-273
    2. Chapter 9 Memories of Shock Wave Research at Sandia

      • James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney
      Pages 275-594
  4. Back Matter

    Pages 595-668

About this book

This book presents a history of shock compression science, including development of experimental, material modeling, and hydrodynamics code technologies over the past six decades at Sandia National Laboratories. The book is organized into a discussion of major accomplishments by decade with over 900 references, followed by a unique collection of 45 personal recollections detailing the trials, tribulations, and successes of building a world-class organization in the field. It explains some of the challenges researchers faced and the gratification they experienced when a discovery was made. Several visionary researchers made pioneering advances that integrated these three technologies into a cohesive capability to solve complex scientific and engineering problems. What approaches worked, which ones did not, and the applications of the research are described. Notable applications include the turret explosion aboard the USS Iowa and the Shoemaker-Levy comet impact on Jupiter.The personal anecdotes and recollections make for a fascinating account of building a world-renowned capability from meager beginnings. 

This book will be inspiring to the expert, the non expert, and the early-career scientist. Undergraduate and graduate students in science and engineering who are contemplating different fields of study should find it especially compelling.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, USA

    James R. Asay, Lalit C. Chhabildas, R. Jeffery Lawrence, Mary Ann Sweeney

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access