Generation of Two Successive Shock Waves Focused to a Common Focal Point

A generator of two successive shock waves focused on a common focal point has been developed. Cylindrical pressure waves created by multichannel electrical discharges on two cylindrical composite anodes are focused by a metallic parabolic reflector-cathode. Near the common focus, the waves are transformed into strong shock waves. The anodes are energized from separate power supplies. This allows us to vary the time interval between the discharges and stagger the waves' arrival to the focal point. Schlieren photographs of the focal region show that mutual interaction of the two waves results in generation of a large number of secondary short wavelength shocks. Measurements of the shock waveforms at the focus demonstrate that the second (i.e., later arriving) wave is strongly attenuate due to the medium inhomogeneity produced by the first wave. Localized injury of a rabbit's liver induced by the shock waves has been demonstrated by the method of magnetic resonance imaging. Histological examination of the liver samples taken from the injured region revealed a very sharp boundary between the injured and healthy tissues