Shock temperature measurement using neutron resonance spectroscopy

We report a direct measurement of temperature in a shocked metal using Doppler broadening of neutron resonances. The 21.1-eV resonance in W-182 was used to measure the temperature in molybdenum shocked to similar to 63 GPa. An explosively launched aluminum flyer produced a planar shock in a molybdenum target that contained a 1-mm thick layer doped with 1.7 at. %W-182. A single neutron pulse, containing resonant neutrons of less than 1 mu s duration, probed the shocked material. Fits to the neutron time-of-flight data were used to determine the temperature of the shocked molybdenum.