Initiation of lead azide using an electron pulse

A thermal model of the initiation of lead azide by means of an electronic pulse is studied. The heattransfer equations, which take into account the burnup of the sample, are solved numerically. Equations are derived for the ignition criterion and for the delay times in the ignition of condensed explosive materials. It is shown that the thermal ignition cannot explain the short delay time in the lead azide initiation by means of an electron pulse.