Characterization and magnetic augmentation of a low voltage electromagnetic railgun
By: John P. Hartke
Contributors: Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.) 
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 42
Description: In the near future armored vehicles will be fielded with reactive armor which can not be defeated by today's      chemically propelled munitions. Today's munitions are limited to muzzle velocities less than the speed of sound in      the chemical propellant which is about 1.8 km/s. Electromagnetic launch technologies have the ability to launch      projectiles at velocities in excess of 2 km/s and may be able to defeat the reactive armor. Not only can      electromagnetic launch technologies be used as an anti-tank weapon but it can also be used as anti-missile defense.      To investigate electromagnetic launch technologies and the effects of augmentation a 44 cm railgun was constructed      and tested. The railgun was powered by a capacitor bank of fourteen 330 V, 600 micro-F capacitors. The velocity      of the projectile, the voltage across the capacitors and the current through the rails were measured. The      augmentation of the gun with a permanent magnetic field increased the velocity of the projectile by 85% while air      injection augmentation had no effect.
Notes: "December 1997."

Thesis advisor(s): Richard Harkins, William B. Maier, II.

Thesis (M.S. in Physics) Naval Postgraduate School, December 1997.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 39-40)

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.

Also available online.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.

US Army (USA) author.

dk/dk cc:9116 5/19/98.