Boundary effects on the dynamics of channels generated by laser-initiated discharges

Abstract

The dynamics of unbounded and bounded reduced density channels have been characterized by means of ruby laser schlieren photography. These channels are produced by CO2 laser‐initiated discharges in clean atmospheric pressure air. Bounded channels exhibit a significant compression in width and earlier onset of fine scale turbulence. These results could impact proposed designs for inertial fusion reactors relying upon reduced density channels for particle transport through gas blankets