  A high explosive shock tube of non-ideal gaseous plasma for proton
radiography is described. The gas dynamic flow in the shock compressed xenon at
initial pressure of 7 bar was investigated in the tube. The velocity of the
shock wave in xenon and the associated particle velocity were measured by a
high-speed rotating mirror streak camera. Experimental time-distance data was
used for approximation of the velocities by exponential decay functions. The
shock tube is intended for generation of non-ideal plasma of xenon at the
pressure of 5-12 kbar, the density of 0.24-0.3 g/cm3 when the initial pressure
is about 7 bar.
