An electron-beam method for measuring the local density of a rarefied
gas is considered and ways of adapting it to the diagnostics of pulsed
erosion jets, formed by intense laser evaporation of the surface of a
solid, are discussed. A description is given of measurement systems a
nd the results of the density measurements are reported for the specif
ic case of an erosion jet formed by irradiation of a lead target with
millisecond pulses.