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

Journal Article · Wed Nov 16 04:00:00 EST 2005 · Physics of Plasmas, vol. 13, N/A, February 8, 2006, pp. 022105

OSTI ID:898593

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

High Mach number blast waves were created by focusing a laser pulse on a solid pin, surrounded by nitrogen or xenon gas. In xenon, the initial shock is strongly radiative, sending out a supersonic radiative heat wave far ahead of itself. The shock propagates into the heated gas, diminishing in strength as it goes. The radiative heat wave also slows, and when its Mach number drops to 2 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; the heat wave becomes subsonic behind the second shock. For some time both shocks are observed simultaneously. Eventually the initial shock dimimishes in strength so much that it can longer be observed, but the second shock continues to propagate long after this time. This sequence of events is a new phenomenon that has not previously been discussed in literature. Numerical simulation clarifies the origin of the second shock, and its position 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: 898593
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JRNL-217898
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, vol. 13, N/A, February 8, 2006, pp. 022105, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas, vol. 13, N/A, February 8, 2006, pp. 022105
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
FOCUSING
LASERS
MACH NUMBER
NITROGEN
ORIGIN
PLASMA
SIMULATION
XENON