Blast wave diagnostic for the Petawatt laser system

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1149277· OSTI ID:295655

Budil, K S; Gold, D M; Estabrook, K G; Remington, B A; Kane, J; Bell, P M; Pennington, D; Brown, C; Hatchett, S; Koch, J A; Key, M H; Perry, M D ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, L-21, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

We report on a diagnostic to measure the trajectory of a blast wave propagating through a plastic target 400 {mu}m thick. This blast wave is generated by the irradiation of the front surface of the target with {approximately}400 J of 1 {mu}m laser radiation in a 20 ps pulse focused to a {approximately}50 {mu}m diameter spot, which produces an intensity in excess of 10{sup 18}thinspW/cm{sup 2}. These conditions approximate a point explosion and a blast wave is predicted to be generated with an initial pressure nearing 1 Gbar which decays as it travels approximately radially outward from the interaction region. We have utilized streaked optical pyrometry of the blast front to determine its time of arrival at the rear surface of the target. Applications of a self-similar Taylor{endash}Sedov blast wave solution allows the amount of energy deposited to be estimated. The experiment, LASNEX design simulations and initial results are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 295655
• Report Number(s): CONF-980605-; ISSN 0034-6748; TRN: 99:001841
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 70, Issue 1; Conference: 12. topical conference on high-temperature plasma diagnostics, Princeton, NJ (United States), 7-11 Jun 1998; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
SHOCK WAVES
LASER RADIATION
DETONATION WAVES
PLASTICS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
VERY HIGH PRESSURE
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT