Experimental observation of proton-induced shocks and magneto-fluid- dynamics in liquid metal

A liquid metal target is one of the options for the pion production target of a nu-factory. The interaction between a liquid metal and a proton beam were observed with static mercury as well as with a free mercury jet and up to 4 multiplied by 10**1**2 protons/bunch. The experimental method for investigating the magneto-fluid-dynamic effects of a high-velocity liquid metal in a high magnetic field magnet has been validated by recording the behaviour of a 15 m/s mercury burst entering the gradient of a 13 T solenoid at GHMFL Grenoble. The paper includes the description of the optical read-out system as well as numerical results of the mercury drop velocities.