Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
In this study, the linear shock velocity (U) versus particle velocity (u), which is well suited for describing the Hugoniot curve of metals, is revisited from a thermodynamical point of view. In this way, it is possible to set-up a theoretical relation between the Grüneisen coefficient and the isentrope derivatives to third order at the initial state before jump, ensuring the linear U(u) relationship. When applied to the classical Morse potential describing the Equation of State (EoS) in the Mie-Grüneisen form, the theoretical result is in a good acceptance with the shock experimental results carried out on copper.