Abstract
Measurements of temperature in laser pulse induced gas breakdown are described. Data are presented for breakdown in air and helium at atmospheric pressure and above by ruby laser pulses up to 200 MW. Temperatures in the range 35 eV to 55 eV were obtained. It is shown that for these conditions temperatures deduced from absolute values of soft X-ray flux transmitted through a metal filter are subject to much less error than those deduced using the two foil ratio technique.

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