Intense broadband illumination for ultrahigh-speed photography

摘要

The MegaSun high intensity illumination system has been developed for ultrahigh-speed imaging applications that previously required argon candles (argon bombs) for adequate illumination. This plasma discharge system has produced excellent color images of explosive tests taken by various Cordin cameras operating up to two million frames per second with small stops (125 ns exposure). Exposure times of 10 ns to 50 ns were easily achieved with a variety of intensified electronic cameras. For tests involving explosives, the non-destructive nature of the lamps facilitates new test arrangements-for example, the large standoff distances associated with destructive argon candles are no longer necessary. For the wider test community that does not use explosives, this benign, yet intense, light source generates the illumination necessary to use these ultrahigh-speed cameras to acquire superb color images. This paper will briefly review the mechanical, electrical, and optical characteristics of the MegaSun system, and then illustrate its capabilities with a variety of images from live tests.