Refraction index of shock compressed water in the megabar pressure range.

We compressed water to megabar pressures by laser-driven shock waves and evidenced transparent, opaque and reflecting phases as pressure increases. The refraction index of water in the first two states was measured using a VISAR system. At high compression a sharp increase of the real and imaginary part of the refraction index is observed. Experiments were performed at the LULI and RAL laboratories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]