Development of new diagnostics based on LiF detector for pump-probe experiments

We present new diagnostics for use in optical laser pump-X-ray Free Electron Laser(XFEL)probe experiments to monitor dimensions,intensity profile and focusability of the XFEL beam and to control initial quality and homogeneity of targets to be driven by optical laser pulse.By developing X-ray imaging,based on the use of an LiF crystal detector,we were able to measure the distribution of energy inside a hard X-ray beam with unprecedented high spatial resolution(~1 mm)and across a field of view larger than some millimetres.This diagnostic can be used in situ,provides a very high dynamic range,has an extremely limited cost,and is relatively easy to be implemented in pump-probe experiments.The proposed methods were successfully applied in pump-probe experiments at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser(SACLA)XFEL facility and its potential was demonstrated for current and future High Energy Density Science experiments.

Triggering star formation:Experimental compression of a foam ball induced by Taylor–Sedov blast waves

The interaction between a molecular cloud and an external agent(e.g.,a supernova remnant,plasma jet,radiation,or another cloud)is a common phenomenon throughout the Universe and can significantly change the star formation rate within a galaxy.This process leads to fragmentation of the cloud and to its subsequent compression and can,eventually,initiate the gravitational collapse of a stable molecular cloud.It is,however,difficult to study such systems in detail using conventional techniques(numerical simulations and astronomical observations),since complex interactions of flows occur.In this paper,we experimentally investigate the compression of a foam ball by Taylor–Sedov blast waves,as an analog of supernova remnants interacting with a molecular cloud.The formation of a compression wave is observed in the foam ball,indicating the importance of such experiments for understanding how star formation is triggered by external agents.

On the study of hydrodynamic instabilities in the presence of background magnetic fields in high-energy-density plasmas

Blast-wave-driven hydrodynamic instabilities are studied in the presence of a background B-field through experiments and simulations in the high-energy-density(HED)physics regime.In experiments conducted at the Laboratoire pour l’utilisation des lasers intenses(LULI),a laserdriven shock-tube platform was used to generate a hydrodynamically unstable interface with a prescribed sinusoidal surface perturbation,and short-pulse x-ray radiography was used to characterize the instability growth with and without a 10-T B-field.The LULI experiments were modeled in FLASH using resistive and ideal magnetohydrodynamics(MHD),and comparing the experiments and simulations suggests that the Spitzer model implemented in FLASH is necessary and sufficient for modeling these planar systems.These results suggest insufficient amplification of the seed B-field,due to resistive diffusion,to alter the hydrodynamic behavior.Although the ideal-MHD simulations did not represent the experiments accurately,they suggest that similar HED systems with dynamic plasma-β(=2μ_(0)ρv^(2)/B^(2))values of less than∼100 can reduce the growth of blast-wave-driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities.These findings validate the resistive-MHD FLASH modeling that is being used to design future experiments for studying B-field effects in HED plasmas.

Short-pulse laser-driven x-ray radiography

We have developed a new radiography setup with a short-pulse laser-driven x-ray source. Using a radiography axis perpendicular to both long- and short-pulse lasers allowed optimizing the incident angle of the short-pulse laser on the x-ray source target. The setup has been tested with various x-ray source target materials and different laser wavelengths.Signal to noise ratios are presented as well as achieved spatial resolutions. The high quality of our technique is illustrated on a plasma flow radiograph obtained during a laboratory astrophysics experiment on POLARs.

Maser radiation from collisionless shocks: application to astrophysical jets

This paper describes a model of electron energization and cyclotron-maser emission applicable to astrophysical magnetized collisionless shocks. It is motivated by the work of Begelman, Ergun and Rees [Astrophys. J. 625, 51(2005)] who argued that the cyclotron-maser instability occurs in localized magnetized collisionless shocks such as those expected in blazar jets. We report on recent research carried out to investigate electron acceleration at collisionless shocks and maser radiation associated with the accelerated electrons. We describe how electrons accelerated by lower-hybrid waves at collisionless shocks generate cyclotron-maser radiation when the accelerated electrons move into regions of stronger magnetic fields. The electrons are accelerated along the magnetic field and magnetically compressed leading to the formation of an electron velocity distribution having a horseshoe shape due to conservation of the electron magnetic moment. Under certain conditions the horseshoe electron velocity distribution function is unstable to the cyclotron-maser instability [Bingham and Cairns, Phys. Plasmas 7, 3089(2000); Melrose, Rev. Mod. Plasma Phys. 1, 5(2017)].

Analytical modelling of the expansion of a solid obstacle interacting with a radiative shock

In this paper, we present a model characterizing the interaction of a radiative shock(RS) with a solid material, as described in a recent paper(Koenig et al., Phys. Plasmas, 24, 082707(2017)), the new model is then related to recent experiments performed on the GEKKO XII laser facility. The RS generated in a xenon gas cell propagates towards a solid obstacle that is ablated by radiation coming from the shock front and the radiative precursor, mimicking processes occurring in astrophysical phenomena. The model presented here calculates the dynamics of the obstacle expansion,which depends on several parameters, notably the geometry and the temperature of the shock. All parameters required for the model have been obtained from experiments. Good agreement between experimental data and the model is found when spherical geometry is taken into account. As a consequence, this model is a useful and easy tool to infer parameters from experimental data(such as the shock temperature), and also to design future experiments.

Laboratory radiative accretion shocks on GEKKO XⅡlaser facility for POLAR project

A new target design is presented to model high-energy radiative accretion shocks in polars. In this paper, we present the experimental results obtained on the GEKKO XII laser facility for the POLAR project. The experimental results are compared with 2 D FCI2 simulations to characterize the dynamics and the structure of plasma flow before and after the collision. The good agreement between simulations and experimental data confirms the formation of a reverse shock where cooling losses start modifying the post-shock region. With the multi-material structure of the target,a hydrodynamic collimation is exhibited and a radiative structure coupled with the reverse shock is highlighted in both experimental data and simulations. The flexibility of the laser energy produced on GEKKO XII allowed us to produce high-velocity flows and study new and interesting radiation hydrodynamic regimes between those obtained on the LULI2000 and Orion laser facilities.