Laser plasma accelerated by an optical discharge moving in air at a hypersonic velocity

The results of computer simulations show that a pulsing optical discharge moving in the atmosphere at a hypersonic velocity creates a plasma stream propagating in the direction opposite to that of the discharge. The plasma is accelerated upon efflux from the high-pressure region into an “evacuated” channel created by the discharge. Analytical expressions were derived to evaluate the stream velocity, density, and radius depending on the discharge parameters.