Abstract
A simplified theoretical model for laser-produced spherical plasma during the laser heating period is proposed mainly from the application viewpoints. Attentions are paid to the time variation of the cut-off density surface, the plasma temperature and the transparency time for laser light, and these quantities are obtained in analytical forms for given parameters. The analytical results are compared with those obtained from numerical analyses based upon a spherically symmetric, one-dimensional Lagrangian hydrodynamic code (one-fluid, two-temperature). These two are found to be in good agreement, irrespective of the rather crude assumptions made in the analytical treatments. Thus, our simple theoretical model appears to serve to explain the approximate gross properties of laser-produced plasma during the laser heating phase.