Laboratory plasma astrophysics simulation experiments using lasers

Laboratory astro-plasma physics experiments are being designed to advance both our astrophysics and plasma physics knowledge. With current high-energy and high-power laser technology, it is possible to reproduce the conditions of temperature and pressure met in extreme stellar environments in the laboratory. Coupled with sophisticated target design, laboratory simulation of aspects of astrophysical phenomena are in progress. The focus is to design experiments that address key aspects of the plasma physics occurring in astrophysical objects such as a supernova remnant or jet. This approach uses a plasma physics model, typically ideal MHD, to define a set of scaling criteria. Laboratory experiments are tested against this set of criteria. It is often the case that neither the astrophysical object nor the experiment achieves the constraints demanded by a model such as ideal MHD. Outlined are experimental approaches to dealing with less rigorous scaling and results from scaled experiments designed to address aspects of the shocks in a young supernova remnant and collimation of jets associated with protostellar objects.