Spatial profiles of stimulated Brillouin scattering ion waves in a laser-produced plasma.

The ion fluctuation axial profile is measured by Thomson scattering in an inhomogeneous laser-produced plasma. The electron temperature and plasma drift velocity at the location of the measured ion waves and the plasma density profile are simultaneously measured. The measured ion fluctuation profile is compared to the profile predicted by convective growth of the stimulated Brillouin scattering instability calculated from the measured hydrodynamic profiles.