Radiation intensity distribution in a nuclear-pumped gas-flow laser

It is shown experimentally that two lasing zones, displaced directly towards the entrance of the laser channel, are formed in gas-flow lasers pumped by the fission fragments of uranium nuclei. As the pump power is increased, these zones merge into a single zone that expands towards the exit section of the channel. The time dependence of the lasing power qualitatively repeats the shape of the exciting neutron pulse.