Flash X-ray diagnostics of argon jets: X-ray induced fluorescence imaging and radiography

Summary form only given. In this work we report on the development and application of two flash X-ray diagnostic techniques. A compact X-ray source specially designed for these studies was used to characterize argon flows at atmospheric pressure in ambient air. The table-top X-ray source emits strong doses of X-ray photons of about 10 keV in pulses of 20 ns FWHM with an X-ray emission zone smaller than 300 /spl mu/m. Single shot radiography of two converging argon flows expanding through rectangular nozzles (1 mm/spl times/20 mm) was achieved with the use of Polaroid films. This experiment, that confirms some previous studies on soft X-ray radiography, has been performed to allow a straight comparison of the radiograph with the results from the imaging technique described below.