Multilayer weak shocks generated by restrike during underwater electrical explosion of Cu wires

Underwater electrical explosions of Cu wires were carried out on a microsecond time scale to produce underwater shock waves. Experimental results show that the radial density distribution of the water flow after restrike contains several oscillations, observed as ∼1 mm-spaced layers in the backlit streak images and laser shadowgraphs. The phenomenon is attributed to the partial reheating of the exploding product (EP) by an interior restrike arc, which stimulates a compression wave propagating back and forth radially in the EP. Simulations are used to support the interior breakdown scenario and to demonstrate that each reflection of the compression wave at the EP-water interface launches a weak shock into the water, forming a multilayer structure. As the surrounding metallic vapor is ionized due to radiation and thermal conduction from the arc, the highly conductive plasma channel continues to extend radially and launches the main compression wave, which drowns out the multilayers when the power injection is sufficiently high.