Abstract. The electrical conductivity of water was measured under shock loading by explosives. The experiments in the pressure range from 5 to 15 GPa were made with shock waves produced by cylindrical charges made of RDX/TNT 60/40. The higher pressures up to 40 GPa were reached by Mach reflection in a cylindrical tube of explosive filled with water. The results can be explained assuming that the electrical conductivity of water is caused by the autoionisation of the water molecules. Assuming furthermore that the autoionisation is only dependent on the shock temperature, the reaction energy can be computed to 94.6 kJ mol^-1, in good agreement with experiments made by Franck with supercritical steam, which gave a result of 85.0 kJ mol^-1.

Print publication: Issue 3 (14 March 1983)