The ionization phenomena produced by high speed shock waves have been studied by observing the interaction of electromagnetic waves with the shock produced plasma. Measurements of mm wave reflection and transmission, optical interferometry using He-Ne gas laser light and scattering of ruby laser light by plasma are availed. by use of the optical focusing technique of mm wave, the ionization behind shock front was observed with high special resolution and the profile of the plasma density and the collision frequency of electrons was determined, A new diagnostic technique was developed, which can give many informations, such as electron density, ion temperature, electron temperature and characteristic oscillations of plasma, of objective plasma from the spectroscopic profile of scattered light. Preliminary results have been obtained and compared with the data obtained by the laser interferometry. Finally the experiments on gas breakdown and shock production by high power laser light are described. This kind of experimental technique may develop new fields of gas dynamics and magnetohydrodynamic experiments.