A laser strain gauge for accelerator targets

Multi megawatt accelerators can deliver sufficient power to a target to destroy it in a few pulses. In order to look at the response of solid and liquid targets under these high power pulses, we are developing optical methods of measuring surface deformations with time resolutions limited by laser pulse lengths. These methods can be used to examine the surfaces of solids and liquids during elastic deformation and unstable hydrodynamic flows. We present preliminary results of a system designed for target tests using the Brookhaven AGS and the Argonne CHM linac.