Light source based on an explosion shock tube with a xenon density step

The cumulation of shock wave energy on passing a step in the density of xenon in an explosive shock tube produces a two peaked pulse of light with a power of $\approx$10 MW in ultraviolet, blue, and green spectral bands with half widths of 30, 70, and 60 nm, respectively. The maximum energies emitted in these bands by the travelling source are 3.6, 4.1, and 6.5 kJ, respectively.