Planar laser explosion near a target in air

A theoretical analysis is made of the development of a planar laser explosion near a target in air. This explosion is due to the absorption of the energy of a short laser pulse by the front of an optical detonation wave moving toward the laser. It is shown that the energy transferred radiatively from the resultant plasma to the target may be considerably greater than the energy lost as radiation in the direction away from the target, and the total energy losses may reach a few tens of percent. In this way the target is heated strongly in spite of the fact that it is screened by the plasma from the direct action of the laser radiation. The plasma radiation reaching the target has a considerable component in the ultraviolet range.