Developing a radiative shock experiment relevant to astrophysics

We report on the initial results of experiments being developed on the Falc on laser to simulate radiative astrophysical shocks. Cylindrically divergin g blast waves were produced in low-density (similar to 10(18) cm(-3)), high -Z gas by laser-irradiating Xe gas jets containing atomic clusters. The bla st-wave trajectory was measured by Michelson interferometry. The velocity f or the blast wave is slightly less than the adiabatic Sedov-Taylor predicti on, and an ionization precursor is observed ahead of the shock front. This suggests energy loss through radiative cooling and reduced compression due to preheat deposited ahead of the shock, both consistent with one-dimension al radiation hydrodynamics simulations.