Evaporation of targets and formation of absorption waves in air under the influence of ultraviolet laser radiation

An investigation was made of gasdynamic regimes of interaction of KrF laser radiation pulses with a graphite target in air at various pressures. At radiation flux densities up to 1 GW/cm² the dominant process was target evaporation initiating a shock wave in the surrounding air. Formation of an optical detonation wave partly absorbing laser radiation was observed at atmospheric pressure.