A radiative shock (RS) is one in which the density and temperature structures are affected by radiation from the shock-heated matter. RS plays a special role in astrophysics as it nontrivially combines both hydrodynamics and radiation physics. In most astrophysical shocks, the temperature and density conditions lead to strong emission, with radiation thus playing a major role therein. Various RS structures can be implied for numerous astrophysical objects, such as supernova explosions, stellar interiors [1], stellar winds, star formation, black hole accretion disks [2], accreting neutron stars [3], and gamma-ray bursts [4]. In particular, RS exists in the blast waves of core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe), where the radiation pressure in matter is larger than the thermal one.
Here, we present experiments to reproduce the characteristics of CCSNe with different stellar masses and initial explosion energies in a laboratory. In these experiments, shocks are driven in 1.2 and 1.9 atm xenon gas by a laser with energy from 1600 to 2800 J on the SGIII prototype laser facility. The shock velocity, shocked density, and temperature are obtained in the same experimental shots. With the shock position and recording time, we get the necessary parameters for the first time to scale with CCSNe cases using relevant scaling laws [5]. Furthermore, the rescaled theoretical values are similar to three CCSNe cases with stellar masses of 40 M_⊙ and 50 M_⊙ (M_⊙ denotes the Sun mass) and initial explosion energies of 1.5 and 2 B (1 B = 10⁴⁴ J). Based on the laboratory conditions, the driving mechanism of the supernova explosions could be investigated and unified by multiple cases. These results will contribute to time-domain astrophysical systems, where strong RSs propagate.

[1]  Orlando S, Bonito R, Argiroffi C, et al., Radiative accretion shocks along nonuniform stellar magnetic fields in classical T Tauri stars. Astron. Astrophys, 2013: 559: A127.
[2]   Kato S, Fukue J, and Mineshige S, Black-Hole Accretion Disks: Towards a New Paradigm. 2008: Kyoto, Japan: Kyoto University Press. 549.
[3]   Shapiro SL and Salpeter EE, Accretion onto neutron stars under adiabatic shock conditions. Astrophys J, 1975: 198: 671-682.
[4]   Rees MJ and Mészáros P, Relativistic fireballs: Energy conversion and time-scales. Mon Not R astr Soc, 1992: 258: 41-43.
[5]   Bouquet S, Falize E, Michaut C, et al., From lasers to the universe: Scaling laws in laboratory astrophysics. High Energ Dens Phys, 2010: 6: 368-380.

radiative shock,laser driven,core-collapse supernovae