TY - GEN
T1 - Observation and characterization of laser driven shock waves in tenuous plasma
AU - Ahmed, H.
AU - Doria, D.
AU - Romagnani, L.
AU - Sarri, G.
AU - Ianni, E.
AU - Prasad, R.
AU - Cerchez, M.
AU - Lindemann, A. L.
AU - Quinn, K.
AU - Willi, O.
AU - Kourakis, I.
AU - Borghesi, M.
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - The observation and characterization of collisionless shock waves generated in laser plasma interactions is presented. The shock waves are generated by long pulse ~lns, intense (10 15Wycm 2) laser irradiation of solid targets and are observed to propagate in a tenuous (10 13 - 16cm -3), non magnetized background plasma. These nonlinear entities are detected and characterized by employing a proton imaging technique, which allows the simultaneous detection of propagation velocity, width of the shock front and electrostatic field associated with the shock, with high spatial and temporal resolution. Ion Acoustic Solitons (IAS) were observed under certain conditions and as inferred from the reconstructed associated electric field profile. The variation of IAS velocity and width as a function of the ambient parameters was characterized. The data show an increase in velocity and decrease in width as the density of the background plasma (generated via photo ionization of controlled, low density gas in a gas cell) is increased. The experimental results are interpreted in the frame work of Korteweg-de Vries nonlinear wave description and in agreement with theoretical predications.
AB - The observation and characterization of collisionless shock waves generated in laser plasma interactions is presented. The shock waves are generated by long pulse ~lns, intense (10 15Wycm 2) laser irradiation of solid targets and are observed to propagate in a tenuous (10 13 - 16cm -3), non magnetized background plasma. These nonlinear entities are detected and characterized by employing a proton imaging technique, which allows the simultaneous detection of propagation velocity, width of the shock front and electrostatic field associated with the shock, with high spatial and temporal resolution. Ion Acoustic Solitons (IAS) were observed under certain conditions and as inferred from the reconstructed associated electric field profile. The variation of IAS velocity and width as a function of the ambient parameters was characterized. The data show an increase in velocity and decrease in width as the density of the background plasma (generated via photo ionization of controlled, low density gas in a gas cell) is increased. The experimental results are interpreted in the frame work of Korteweg-de Vries nonlinear wave description and in agreement with theoretical predications.
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84867657558
SN - 9781618395931
T3 - 38th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2011, EPS 2011 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts
SP - 1444
EP - 1447
BT - 38th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2011, EPS 2011 - Europhysics Conference Abstracts
T2 - 38th EPS Conference on Plasma Physics 2011, EPS 2011
Y2 - 27 June 2011 through 1 July 2011
ER -