What type of blast pressure is characterized by changes in atmospheric pressure?

The type of blast pressure characterized by changes in atmospheric pressure is dynamic pressure. Dynamic pressure refers to the rapid fluctuations in pressure that occur as a blast wave travels through the air. This pressure change typically manifests as a high-pressure phase followed by a low-pressure phase, which can cause significant damage to structures and result in injuries to individuals.

Dynamic pressure is crucial for understanding the effects of blast waves, as it encompasses the force exerted on surfaces during the passage of the wave. The rapid increase in pressure followed by a sharp decrease creates a distinct pressure profile, which can be measured and analyzed to assess the potential impacts of explosions.

Other concepts such as incident, reflective, and residual overpressure relate to different aspects of blast phenomena but do not solely focus on the atmospheric pressure changes that characterize dynamic pressure. Incident pressure generally refers to the initial pressure of the wave as it strikes a surface, reflective pressure pertains to the pressure changes caused by the wave reflecting off surfaces, and residual overpressure considers the pressure that remains after the initial blast wave has passed. Understanding dynamic pressure is vital for both military applications and safety measures in explosive environments.