Pulsating optical source appearing under continuous laser energy supply to a hypersonic air flow

The spatio-temporal gasdynamic structures of plasma formations produced in a hypersonic air flow by a focused high-power laser beam are analyzed numerically using the model of inviscid non-heat-conducting equilibrium radiating air. The reasons for the emergence of pulsating gasdynamic nonuniformity in the region between the bow shock wave and the intense laser radiation absorption zone are investigated.