A newly recognized phenomenon termed the anticipatory effect is reported and its probable mechanism discussed. This effect occurs upon the burning of delay columns pressed above typical relay and flash charges and is re¬flected, in some systems, by more than a 40% diminution of burning time when no thermally sensitive terminal charge is present.nAn important mechanism operative in propagative columnar burning of pressed delay composition is the passage of hot gases through pores of the column. These gases, reaction products of the burning delay compo¬sition in the upper portions of the column, evidently precede the flame front of the column and have been shown to ignite a terminally loaded relay charge at times shorter than would have been expected were the flame front alone the initiating source for the terminal charge. This effect has practical significance as it relates to end item performance. In this investigation the anticipatory effect was characterized for columns in which various delay and terminal charge compositions were used.
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