Elastic Explosions in Solids Caused by Radiation

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Abstract
If intense radiation (coherent light, secondary ionization, or sustained fission) is put into a solid in a time δ short compared with the elastic relaxation time, a resulting internal ``explosion'' may cause multiple fracturing and other damage. We postulate that at t=δ≃0, the radiation causes a uniform dilation within a cylindrical region of radius a. Solution of the relevant wave equation (continuity preserved at r=a) indicates that a rarefaction wave of increasing amplitude moves inward from a with velocity v during the time interval, 0<t<a/v. The transient pressure variation at the center demonstrates a negative divergence at t=a/v. The pressure field at various times has been found by numerical integration. This model accounts for some features of the damage caused by laser beams and other damage processes.