The long-term absorption and scattering of light obliquely incident on an inhomogeneous and self-consistent evolving plasma profile including differential ion flow is considered. In general, the plasma has a sharp rise in density from subcritical to supercritical. The subcritical density decreases for increasing radiation pressure relative to the plasma pressure. In this profile an instability develops of the radiating decay type which modulates and generally enhances the absorption. The plasma density profile appears to evolve toward large light absorption.

• Received 29 October 1974

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.36.35