Equation of State Measurements in Liquid Deuterium to 70 GPa

Using intense magnetic pressure, a method was developed to launch flyer plates to velocities in excess of 20km/s. This technique was used to perform plate-impact, shock wave experiments on cryogenic liquid deuterium ( L-D₂) to examine its high-pressure equation of state. Using an impedance matching method, Hugoniot measurements were obtained in the pressure range of 30–70GPa. The results of these experiments disagree with previously reported Hugoniot measurements of L-D₂ in the pressure range above ∼40GPa, but are in good agreement with first principles, ab initio models for hydrogen and its isotopes.