Laser ablation of nickel has been investigated by the molecular dynamics simulation technique. The 500 fs laser pulses at 248 run were used in the simulations. The influence of the laser energy density on the process of ablation was studied. The time evolution of the plasma plume was shown. The threshold was determined and the ablation rate as a function of the laser energy density was obtained. The values are in good agreement with the experimental data of other authors. The dynamics of the shock wave in a solid was studied. The velocity of the ablated atoms and ions is several kilometers per second and increases with the laser fluence rise. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.