The mechanism is analyzed that generates radiative plasma structures (RPS)
[J. P. Dahlburg , J. Quant Spectros. Radiat. Transfer 54, 113 (1995)] in dr
iven, ablating plasmas of subcritical density. A reduced set of radiation-h
ydrodynamics equations is derived which model the onset of RPS phenomenon.
(C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(99)00710-7].