Geophysics graduate student Shengnian Luo is checking the alignment of a streak camera for shock-wave equation of state measurements on stishovite, an important high-pressure form of SiO2. Shock wave studies are used to study materials under the extreme pressures and temperatures relevant to the deep interiors of the earth and other planets. The two-stage light-gas gun (on the right) can launch a projectile up to ~7 km/s. inducing pressures up to several megabars in the sample. The 40 mm power/gas gun (on the left) is used to study samples at lower pressures.

Photo credit: Tom Ahrens