EXCITATION OF SHOCK-WAVES IN WATER UPON ITS IRRADIATION WITH FAST ELECTRONS

The theoretical possibility of exciting shock waves upon electron-beam irradiation of water is shown. The main pathway of deactivation of th e excited state formed in ion-electron recombination is vibration-tran slational relaxation. Fast energy relaxation in a liquid phase generat es thermal peaks; their explosion-like expansion induces weak shock wa ves. The mechanism of the formation of the shock waves is considered a nd their main parameters are calculated. The hydrodynamic effects in t he electron solvation and in the damage of living cells are discussed.