Experimental Observation of a Radiative Wave Generated in Xenon by a Laser-Driven Supercritical Shock

First experimental evidence of a radiative wave propagating ahead of a supercritical shock is given. An aluminum piston driven by laser light at wavelengths of 1.06 and 0.35 {μ}m induces the shock wave in xenon gas. The plane piston velocity ranges from 2.5 ×{} 10⁶ to 1.2 ×{} 10⁷ cm·{}s^-1 and the gas pressure is up to 6 bars. Experimental results are in good agreement with a simple analytical model of the propagation of a radiative wave in front of a supercritical shock wave when the approximation of radiation heat conduction is assumed.