DYNAMICS AND MODELING OF SHOCK-WAVES FORMED DURING PROPAGATION OF AN OPTICAL DETONATION-WAVE IN ARGON

Experimental and theoretical investigations were made of axial and radial shock waves formed in argon during propagation of an optical detonation wave maintained by a CO2 laser pulse. The experimental results are not described by the standard self-similar law of motion of a cylindrical shock wave, but instead they agree well with the results of self-consistent two-dimensional numerical calculations. This is attributed to displacement of a hot gas along the beam axis out of the zone of absorption of laser radiation. The distance R travelled by the front of the resultant radial shock wave during a time interval t is described by the law R alpha t(alpha), where 0.55 < alpha < 0.65.