Experimental Study of Ar-Gas Radiation Behind the Front of a Strong Shock Wave

Emission spectra of argon behind the front of a strong shock wave are studied in the range of shock-wave velocities of 4.6–8.3 km/s and pressures before the wave front of 0.25–5.00 Torr. Time-integrated sweeps of radiation in a wide spectral range from the ultraviolet to infrared (190–1100 nm) and time dependences of the argon radiation intensity at wavelengths of 420, 532.8, and 740 nm are obtained. Three characteristic stages of the temporal evolution of the emission lines are defined. The dependences of the duration and intensity of the emission lines on the initial gas pressure and shock-wave velocity are established. Data are obtained on the background radiation intensity and can be used to separate the intensities of certain argon-atom lines from the total radiation.