DYNAMICS AND MODELING OF SHOCK-WAVES FORM ED DURING PROPAGATION OF ANOPTICAL DETONATION-WAVE IN ARGON

Experimental and theoretical investigations were made of axial and rad ial shock waves formed in argon during propagation of an optical deton ation wave maintained by a CO2 laser pulse. The experimental results a re not described by the standard self-similar law of motion of a cylin drical shock wave, but instead they agree well with the results of sel f-consistent two-dimensional numerical calculations. This is attribute d to displacement of a hot gas along the beam axis out of the zone of absorption of laser radiation. The distance R travelled by the front o f the resultant radial shock wave during a time interval t is describe d by the law R alpha t(alpha), where 0.55 < alpha < 0.65.