A Multi-Decade Journey Coupling X-ray Diagnostics with Dynamic Compression Experiments

Since the 1950s, scientists have studied shock wave propagation to understand how materials fail, undergo phase transitions, or respond under conditions similar to those found deep within planets or during meteorite impacts, for example. These extreme states of matter can be created in laboratory settings on extremely short timescales—typically within billionths of a second—using explosives, lasers, or gas gun systems. For many years, researchers relied primarily on continuum diagnostics to infer material behavior during shock events, linking macroscopic observations to underlying physical processes. The ability to directly probe the microscopic length scale during shock compression has been a long-standing challenge that has spanned decades. This talk will highlight efforts over the years to integrate diagnostics such as X-ray diffraction with shock loading platforms, culminating in recent breakthroughs at advanced light sources that are providing unprecedented insight into dynamic material deformation across a broad range of length and time scales.