Laboratory observation of secondary shock formation ahead of a strongly radiative blast wave

Conference · Thu Apr 20 04:00:00 EDT 2006

OSTI ID:895440

Hansen, J F; Edwards, M J; Froula, D H; Edens, A D; Gregori, G; Ditmire, T R

We have previously reported the experimental discovery of a second shock forming ahead of a radiative shock propagating in Xe. The initial shock is spherical, radiative, with a high Mach number, and it sends a supersonic radiative heat far ahead of itself. The heat wave rapidly slows to a transonic regime and when its Mach number drops to two with respect to the downstream plasma, the heat wave drives a second shock ahead of itself to satisfy mass and momentum conservation in the heat wave reference frame. We now show experimental data from a range of mixtures of Xe and N{sub 2}, gradually changing the properties of the initial shock and the environment into which the shock moves and radiates (the radiative conductivity and the heat capacity). We have successfully observed second shock formation over the entire range from 100% Xe mass fraction to 100% N{sub 2}. The formation radius of the second shock as a function of Xe mass fraction is consistent with an analytical estimate.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 895440
• Report Number(s): UCRL-PROC-221171
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
CAPACITY
MACH NUMBER
MIXTURES
PLASMA