Review of spatiotemporal analysis of laser-induced plasma in gases

This work communicates a review ofspatially and temporally resolved measurements of laser-plasma emission spectra of hydrogen, cyanide, and hydroxyl, conducted at the University of Tennessee Space Institute. Spatial distribution inferences use integral inversion techniques favored for symmetric or near-symmetric excitation. The work presents shadowgraphs and focuses on phenomena associated with pulsed radiation of the order of ten nanosecond and for peak irradiance of the order of 1 to 10 TW/cm(2). Usually significant deposition of energy/pulse occurs when pulses are well-above threshold for optical breakdown with subsequent deposition of radiative energy in the expanding plasma kernel. Moreover, the work discusses applicability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for analysis of astrophysical plasma from, for example, white dwarfs.

Automated summary

This study reviews spatially and temporally resolved measurements of laser-plasma emission spectra of hydrogen, cyanide, and hydroxyl, focusing on phenomena associated with pulsed radiation and peak irradiance. Integral inversion techniques are used for inferences on spatial distribution, favored for symmetric or near-symmetric excitation. The study also discusses the applicability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for analysis of astrophysical plasma, such as white dwarfs.