TIME AND SPACE RESOLVED ULTRA-STRONG MAGNETIC FIELD PROBING FROM RELATIVISTIC LASER PLASMA INTERACTION IN ULTRATHIN TARGETS AT THE ELI BEAMLINES
Abstract
The relativistic LPI (RLPI) interaction is initiated by the laser E-field ionizing accelerating the electrons, while the focal intensity gradient pushes them outside of the focal volume and simultaneously the Lorentz force (v x B) directs them forward to achieve near light speed within a fraction of the optical cycle. As the hot electrons are pushed out, creating strong currents and charge separations within a ~micron (or sub-micron) thin target, generating local B and E-fields, cold electrons from surrounding unexcited regions immediately begins streaming in responding to the fields, giving rise to kinetic plasma instabilities. During these processes, strong time dependent plasma density and temperature gradients are produced, which (when they are not aligned to each other) can also result in strong B-fields via the so called Biermann Battery (BB) mechanism. The BB mechanism is thought to be a crucial mechanism in seeding non-magnetized plasma with a magnetic field, especially in the context of astrophysical plasmas. Kinetic instabilities (mainly Weibel type instability) may also generate B fields in non-magnetized plasmas. The structure, strength, coupling and time evolution of these RLPI induced B-fields are not well-understood. Understanding B-field generation mechanisms in a high energy density plasma may also be important from astrophysical perspectives, as it is understood that B-fields and reconnection are crucial in the operation of astrophysical high energy plasma particle factories like astrophysical jets, solar flares to gamma-ray bursters (GRB). We propose to study magnetic field dynamics of RLPI with sub-micron thick liquid and solid targets will be studied in the intensity regime of 10^20 W/cm^2 at the ELI Beamlines facilities with high spatio-temporal resolution at high repetition rates to study evolution of Weibel and BB generated B-fields, the interplay between them and also create B-field reconnection in RLPI to capture its time evolution.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 20, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502210549
Entities
People
- Enam Chowdhury
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Ohio State University
- United States Air Force