Abstract
The motion of a plasma produced by Q‐spoiled laser irradiation of a LiH particle has been analyzed as a spherical hydrodynamic expansion of a quasineutral ideal gas of ions and electrons in local thermal equilibrium. Using Dawson's form of the plasma optical absorption coefficient, digital computer calculations were made for laser pulse and particle parameters approximating those of the experiments of Haught and Polk. Calculated distributions of plasma pressure, density, temperature, and velocity are in agreement with solutions obtained for the system of equations by the method of separation of variables. For given laser pulse energy, the calculated plasma energy is maximized for rise times and pulse widths of the order of the time required for expansion of the plasma to the size of the laser focal spot. The calculated energy of the plasma divided by its total number of ions and electrons was found to be approximately independent of the degree of ionization assumed.

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