Laser studies of exploding wires

Experiments are described in which a laser beam was used to analyze electrical explosion of a dielectric filament mounted at the exit from a high-current relativistic electron beam generator. Three-frame shadow and Schlieren photographs, interference patterns, and plasma holograms were recorded with an exposure of 2 ns per frame. The electron density was measured in different regions of the plasma and the electron temperature at the ''pinch'' reached 2.5 keV after t = 170 ns. The influence of laser light refraction in the plasma is discussed, and the electron density profile in the pinch is determined