Abstract
A compact spark light source has been developed that provides electrically triggered light flashes at high repetition rates. The flashes are of duration about 20 ns (measured between half-peak intensity points) and are subject to a time jitter of less than 5 ns relative to the input trigger pulses. When used with photoelastic and schlieren techniques in the visualization of repetitive pulsed ultrasound the source can stroboscopically resolve the wave features of ultrasound of frequency as high as 10 MHz.