up vote 6 down vote favorite
share [g+] share [fb]

Just reading this article and in one of the first sentences it says:

A few days ago, 32-year-old Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan died in his car, after two motorcyclists attached a magnetic shaped charge to the door.

I'm trying to understand what "magnetic shaped" means or what is a "magnetic shaped charge", if it is some special term?

link|improve this question
88% accept rate
feedback

3 Answers

up vote 11 down vote accepted

A magnetic shaped charge is a charge (explosive device) whose explosion is shaped (by some mechanism) and is attached to the car by a magnet.

So the object is a shaped charge and it is modified by the adjective magnetic.

link|improve this answer
4  
Er, are you sure the magnetic field actually shapes the charge? I would take it to mean it is a standard shaped charge and the magnetic modifier is simply how the charge is attached to the target. – Dusty Jan 12 at 22:29
5  
This is not the answer. It is a shaped charge attached to the car using magnets – horatio Jan 12 at 22:30
Well, no I can't be certain. I'm not sure which interpretation is more likely. – Matt Эллен Jan 12 at 22:31
@horatio I've updated the answer – Matt Эллен Jan 12 at 22:32
2  
Shaped charge is a fixed phrase of long standing. It has nothing to do with magnetic fields. – John Lawler Jan 12 at 23:11
show 5 more comments
feedback
up vote 4 down vote

Matt is correct. This is a shaped charge that attaches via a magnet; as opposed to a magnetically shaped charge, which would indicate a charge that gets its shape magnetically.

link|improve this answer
feedback
up vote 0 down vote

No. The magnet is used to attach the bomb to the vehicle. Then the “shaped charge” is referencing the way the explosive material is arranged to explode: focussing much of the energy into a small space.

An example would be a bomb, itself probably the size of a hockey puck, but which left a hole the size of a dime, for an example. It releases molten copper and incinerates everything inside the vehicle. Shaped charges are used to pierce armor.

Two separate components.

God bless the USA.

link|improve this answer
feedback

Your Answer

 
or
required, but never shown
discard

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.