RADIATIVE COOLING OF OPTICALLY THICK LOW-TEMPERATURE PLASMA IN A CHAMBER WITH RADIATION ABSORBING WALLS

Based on theoretical analysis and numerical investigation into radiati ve cooling of optically thick plasma in a chamber with radiation-absor bing walls it is shown that the dynamics of radiative cooling depends on two processes - on propagation of a radiative cooling wave and on p ropagation of acoustic waves generated by the radiative cooling wave t hrough plasma. The parameters controlling either of the two processes are determined, and equations for calculating characteristic times of plasma cooling and acoustic wave propagation are derived.