Measurement of free surface velocities of copper plates by interferometer

Abstract The velocity of the back surface of a target copper plate is measured using a velocity interferometer system. The measured free surface velocity does not arrive at the impact velocity of 322 m s −1 . This lower value may be due to the appearance of a precursor in addition to an unsteady shock wave front following the precursor. A remarkable outward plastic flow occurs near the bonding interface of the target and impactor.