A numerical model describing the dynamics of plasma particle density upon filamentation of femtosecond radiation in the air is presented. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data. The pumping processes of the N2 and N2+ radiative levels are investigated. The model predicts a sharp drop in electron temperature and density within 1 ns. For the first positive nitrogen system, an excess of the population of the upper radiation level over the population of the lower one is observed for 550 ps.
Tight focusing of second-order cylindrical vector beam by Mikaelian lens
