POSSIBILITY FOR USING A CUMULATIVE WAVE TO CREATE A NONEQUILIBRIUM ACTIVE MEDIUM FOR A RECOMBINATION LASER

Excessive nonequilibrium ionization of the active medium is the necess ary condition for the action of a recombination laser. The possibility of producing such an ionization by means of cumulative shock waves is analyzed. The effect is related to an increase in the recombination r ate during the compression of a plasma in a viscous shock. The compres sion ratio in a cumulative shock wave reflected from the axis of symme try is calculated by using the self-similar solution to the gasdynamic equations. This solution is obtained as an analytical continuation of the known Guderley-Landau-Stanyukovich solutions describing convergin g shock waves. The effect under consideration can occur in capillary g as discharges, which are used to generate the stimulated radiation.