Effect of melting on the critical ignition energy of condensed explosives by a short laser pulse

A criterion for the initiation of explosives with a melting point below the ignition temperature by a short laser pulse is obtained. The criterion obtained is in good agreement with numerical solutions of the heat conduction equation in the cylindrical coordinate system. This criterion made it possible to explain experiments on the initiation of PETN from an open surface by a laser pulse in the range of transparency with variation in the diameter of the light beam. The calculation results coincided with the experiment at $\alpha$ = 0.065 cm$^{-1}$ and the Fresnel reflection coefficient.