Effect of giant laser pulses on a quasistationary plasma flare

A study is made of the processes occurring in a plasma flare produced above a solid target under the action of a neodymium laser pulse in which along with regions of quasicontinuous generation there exist a few ''giant'' peaks. A plasma-air interface is observed at which the shock waves produced in the plasma by the giant pulses are reflected. A novel method for diagnostics of the plasma is proposed on the basis of an analysis of shock wave reflection, and the flare temperature is measured. A low-threshold optical breakdown in air is recorded near the interface