Thermal effects in short laser pulses: Suppression of wave collapse

An envelope model for short laser pulses is proposed. These pulses are short compared to fluid motion timescales and long compared to electron thermalization timescales. Numerical simulation of the thermal blooming of laser pulses at powers near the boundary of the self-focusing regime is presented in this model. The model includes terms representing the contributions of thermal blooming and the Kerr effect. In the context of the model, thermal blooming and the Kerr effect compete; Kerr driving and thermal blooming suppressing wave collapse. The dynamics of pulses whose energies are near the collapse threshold are numerically simulated.