Electromagnetic field induced by shock compression of a current-carrying conductor

The electromagnetic field induced by shock compression of a current-carrying conductor is shown to consist of two current waves. One propagates in the uncompressed material at the shock-wave velocity. The other is due to current inward diffusion. As the shock wave propagates, the current passes from the first wave to the second. At large observation periods, the situation resembles conventional current diffusion into a conducting half-space. Control parameters for electrodynamic problems with shock waves are found. Their physical meaning is the ratio between the times of field convection and diffusion in different regions. In specific cases, the problem is reduced to the motion of the surface of a current-carrying half-space and to shock metallization of an insulator.