WEAK SHOCK-WAVES IN A SUSTAINED-CO2-DISCHARGE PLASMA

The interaction of weak shock waves with a sustained-CO2-discharge pla sma was studied in two discharge regimes, that is, when either dissoci ative attachment or dissociative recombination is predominant in the e lectron-loss processes. In the first case, the shock wave is revealed to be amplified by the non-self-sustained discharge plasma. A threshol d value of E/N is determined, above which the electron loss is mainly due to the dissociative attachment of electrons to carbon dioxide mole cules in the positive column of a non-self-sustained discharge. The in fluence of the shock relaxation zone on the accuracy of the shock para meter measurements using the Schlieren technique is considered.