Elastic compression to 30 kbar along 〈111〉 in shocked LiF

Experimental data are presented for shock propagation along the 〈111〉 crystallographic direction in single−crystal LiF. Within experimenal bounds, an elastic response to 30 kbar is observed. This is in marked contrast with identical 〈100〉 crystals and earlier studies on other single crystals. The elastic behavior along the 〈111〉 direction is in good agreement with low stress and strain rate studies but raises interesting questions regarding crystal strength and dislocation mechansim operative under shock loading.