Acoustic energy transfer to the upper atmosphere from surface chemical and underground nuclear explosions

An adequate model is used to investigate the upward transport of acoustic pulse energy through the atmosphere. Pulses generated by surface point chemical and underground nuclear explosions are considered. Vertical profiles of energy transferred by acoustic pulses through the cross-section of a cone are calculated. The cone of initial zenith angles is θ=±20°θ=±20° and θ=±7°θ=±7° for these explosions, respectively. It is shown that a significant part of the energy is absorbed at heights of 80–130 km. Dissipation of the infrasonic energy causes the heating of a layer of 0.007 K due to the impulse of a surface explosion of 500 t of trinitrotoluene (TNT) and of 0.03 K due to the impulse of an underground explosion. Propagation of acoustic waves produces temperature perturbation about a few tens of Kelvin degree.