A new, 3D adaptive grid code for astrophysical and geophysical gasdynamics

This paper describes a new, 3D adaptive grid code which solves the gasdynam ic equations together with a system of rate equations for atomic/ionic and molecular species. This code also includes a treatment of the radiative tra nsfer, which had been developed for a previous, uniform grid 3D code. In order to validate the code, we present a comparison between a numerical simulation and a laboratory experiment of a shock wave driven by a Nd:YAG l aser-generated, expanding plasma bubble. We find that the agreement between the predicted and observed time-evolution of the shock wave is highly sati sfactory. Finally, future applications of this code to astrophysical and geophysical problems are discussed.