Initiation of ignition of a combustible gas mixture in a closed volume by the radiation of a high-power pulsed CO2 laser

The results of experiments on initiating the ignition of a CH₄ – O₂ – SF₆ triple gas mixture in a closed volume by the radiation of a high-power CO₂ laser are presented. It is shown that spatially nonuniform (in the direction of the laser beam) gas heating by the laser radiation leads to formation of a fast combustion wave, propagating along the chamber axis and giving rise to 'instantaneous' ignition. At the threshold value 16.5 J of the laser radiation energy the fast combustion wave is transformed into a detonation wave, which causes an explosion and destruction of the reaction chamber