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Radiative shell thinning in intense laser-driven blast waves*

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Published 11 February 2009 Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd
, , Citation J Osterhoff et al 2009 New J. Phys. 11 023022 DOI 10.1088/1367-2630/11/2/023022

1367-2630/11/2/023022

Abstract

The structural evolution of blast waves launched by intense laser pulses in gases is investigated. These blast waves exhibit significant energy loss through radiation while propagating in xenon as evidenced by interferometric imaging revealing radiative precursors and deceleration parameters well below those of an energy-conserving wave. Thinning of the blast wave shell from radiative cooling is observed through comparison of shocks launched in gases of differing atomic number. Shell thinning is also measured when the gas density is altered, indicating the influence of conditions within the preshock medium. These results are compared with radiative-hydrodynamic simulations.

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Footnotes

  • British Crown Copyright 2009/MOD.

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10.1088/1367-2630/11/2/023022