A Preliminary Study of Aerosol Initiated CO2 Laser Produced Air Sparks and Their Ability to Guide Electrical Discharges.
Abstract
The time development of air sparks initiated on aerosols near the focal region (f = 3m) of a 1 kJ CO2 laser beam has been studied. The spark at each aerosol produced a shock wave that expanded spherically at approximately 200000 cm/sec during the 1.5 microsec. tail of the laser pulse. In time these spherical waves coalesced forming a turbulent cylindrical column from which a cylindrical blast wave separated. The turbulent cylindrical region was nearly stationary (> 100 microsec. time scale) and was able to conduct electrical streamers at greatly enhanced velocities, approximately 5000Km/sec at times as long as one millisecond after the laser pulse. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA050097
Entities
People
- A. W. Desilva
- I. M. Vitkovitsky
- Joseph R. Greig
- R. E. Pechacek
- Richard F. Fernsler
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory