Interaction of laser plasmas upon optical breakdown in the normal atmosphere

The plasma front propagation regimes and the spectral characteristics of plasma emission upon laser breakdown in the normal atmosphere are experimentally investigated. The molecular emission of atmospheric gases is recorded at the initial instants of the development of the laser plasma. The behaviour of the intensities of continuous and line emission spectra is investigated upon interaction of counterpropagating plasma fronts; in this case, an increase in the integrated intensity of the plasma emission and a rise in the contrast of emission lines against the background of continuous plasma emission was recorded.