- Zastrau, U;
- Gamboa, EJ;
- Kraus, D;
- Benage, JF;
- Drake, RP;
- Efthimion, P;
- Falk, K;
- Falcone, RW;
- Fletcher, LB;
- Galtier, E;
- Gauthier, M;
- Granados, E;
- Hastings, JB;
- Heimann, P;
- Hill, K;
- Keiter, PA;
- Lu, J;
- MacDonald, MJ;
- Montgomery, DS;
- Nagler, B;
- Pablant, N;
- Schropp, A;
- Tobias, B;
- Gericke, DO;
- Glenzer, SH;
- Lee, HJ
We present results from time-resolved X-ray imaging and inelastic scattering on collective excitations. These data are then employed to infer the mass density evolution within laser-driven shock waves. In our experiments, thin carbon foils are first strongly compressed and then driven into a dense state by counter-propagating shock waves. The different measurements agree that the graphite sample is about twofold compressed when the shock waves collide, and a sharp increase in forward scattering indicates disassembly of the sample 1 ns thereafter. We can benchmark hydrodynamics simulations of colliding shock waves by the X-ray scattering methods employed.