Modelling of a continuous optical discharge stabilized by a gas flow in quasi-optical approximation

Abstract

We consider a continuous optical discharge (COD) sustained by a weakly focused CO2 laser beam and stabilized by a cold gas flow incident in the direction of the laser radiation propagation. We develop and examine a two-dimensional radiative gas-dynamic model for COD which uses realistic quasi-optics and takes refraction of the laser radiation in the plasma properly into account in describing the laser beam propagation. The model is applied to calculate the parameters of COD in the air flow as functions of the laser power and inlet velocity of the incident flow.