DURING THE DYNAMIC COMPRESSION OF ENERGETIC MATERIALS, THE MECHANICAL RESPONSE OF THE MATERIAL COUPLES TO CHEMICAL REACTIONS, RESULTING IN IGNITION AND DECOMPOSITION. THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF OUR PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO DEVELOP A BETTER FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PROCESS. TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL, WE PLAN TO DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE THE EXPERIMENTAL FEASIBILITY TO MONITOR IN REAL-TIME CHEMICAL REACTIONS AT SUBSURFACE LOCATIONS IN OPTICALLY-SCATTERING HETEROGENEOUS MATERIALS UNDER DYNAMIC COMPRESSION. WE THEN PLAN TO USE THIS CAPABILITY TO INVESTIGATE AND CHARACTERIZE ENERGETIC MATERIALS AT THE MESOSCALE.