  The combination of fast propagation speeds and highly localized nature has
hindered the direct observation of the evolution of shock waves at the
molecular scale. To address this limitation, an experimental system is designed
by tuning a one-dimensional magnetic lattice to evolve benign wave forms into
shock waves at observable spatial and temporal scales, thus serving as a
'magnifying glass' to illuminate shock processes. An accompanying analysis
confirms that the formation of strong shocks is fully captured. The exhibited
lack of a steady state induced by indefinite expansion of a disordered
transition zone points to the absence of local thermodynamic equilibrium, and
resurfaces lingering questions on the validity of continuum assumptions in
presence of strong shocks.
