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For application of particle beams as weapons, it is essential to know the consequences of beam-explosives interactions. In the present work, explosives have been subjected to particle beams of varied parameters below the level of ignition and the consequent chemical and physical changes have been determined. It has been found that in primary explosives (lead azide and lead styphnate) thermal ignition can be achieved regardless of confinement. However, in the case of high explosives such as TNT, HMX, and TATB, confinement is required for thermal ignition. Without confinement other changes such as crystal phase transitions, melt-flow, evaporation, spallation, pyrolysis, fragmentation and chemical decomposition occur. These phenomena could conceivably disable a warhead indirectly by adversely effecting the performance of its explosives. particle beams, lead azide, HMX, explosives, lead styphnate, TATB, ignition, TNT, warhead.