Plasma physics in strong-field regimes: Theories and simulations
Abstract
In strong electromagnetic fields, unique plasma phenomena and applications emerge whose description requires recently developed theories and simulations [Y. Shi, Ph.D. thesis, Princeton University (2018)]. In the classical regime, to quantify effects of strong magnetic fields on three-wave interactions, a convenient formula is derived by solving the fluid model to the second order in general geometry. As an application, magnetic resonances are exploited to mediate laser pulse compression, whereby higher intensity pulses can be produced in wider frequency ranges, as confirmed by particle-in-cell simulations. In even stronger fields, relativistic-quantum effects become important, and a plasma model based on scalar quantum electrodynamics (QED) is developed which unveils observable corrections to Faraday rotation and cyclotron absorption in strongly magnetized plasmas. Beyond the perturbative regime, lattice QED is extended as a numerical tool for plasma physics, using which the transition from wakefield acceleration to electron-positron pair production is captured when laser intensity exceeds the Schwinger threshold.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 10.1063/5.0043228
Entities
People
- Hong Qin
- Nathaniel Fisch
- Yuan Shi
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- National Nuclear Security Administration
- Princeton University
- United States Department of Energy