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REVIEWS OF TOPICAL PROBLEMS

Kinetic and gasdynamic processes in nonequilibrium molecular physics

A. I. Osipov, A. V. Uvarov

Lomonosov Moscow State University

Abstract: We review the propagation of optical and hydrodynamic perturbations in a gas having nonequilibrium internal degrees of freedom. We discuss the nonequilibrium processes that lead to variation of the refractive index and self-focusing via the effect of kinetic cooling and nonequilibrium vibrational excitation of molecules. We analyze the propagation of small and nonlinear perturbations, as well as shock waves, in nonequilibrium gases.

PACS: 51.10.+y, 51.70.+f, 33.20.Tp, 33.15.Kr, 51.20.+d, 51.40.+p

Received: June 11, 1992

DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.0162.199211a.0001

 English version: Physics–Uspekhi, 1992, 35:11, 903–923