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We investigate the competition of magnetic reconnections in self-generated and external magnetic fields in laser-produced plasmas. The temporal evolution of plasma structures measured with self-emission imaging shows the vertical expansions and horizontal separation of plasma, which can be signatures of reconnection outflows in self-generated and external magnetic fields, respectively. Because the outflows in self-generated magnetic fields are not clear in the presence of the external magnetic field, the external magnetic field can suppress the magnetic reconnection in self-generated magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic reconnection is experimentally investigated in laser produced plasmas. By irradiating a solid target with a high-power laser beam, a magnetic bubble is generated due to the Biermann effect. When two laser beams with finite focal spot displacements are utilized, two magnetic bubbles are generated, and the magnetic reconnection can take place. We measure the spatial and temporal plasma evolutions with optical diagnostics using framing camera. We observed the plasma jets, which are considered to be reconnection out flows. Spatial and temporal scales of the plasma jets are much larger than those of laser. The magnetic reconnection time has been estimated from the expansion velocity, which is consistent with the Sweet-Parker model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal acceleration of relativistic electrons due to the wakefield induced by an intense light pulse is investigated. The spectra of the cosmic rays are well represented by power-law. Wakefield acceleration has been considered as a candidate for the origins of cosmic rays. The wakefield can be excited by an intense laser pulse as large-amplitude precursor waves in collisionless shocks in the universe. National Central University (NCU) 100-TW laser facility in Taiwan is able to provide high-repetition rate and short intense laser. To experimentally study the wakefield acceleration for the spectrum of the cosmic rays, particle-in-cell simulations are performed to calculate the energy distribution functions of electrons in fixed laser conditions with various plasma densities. The transitions of wakefields from coherent to inherent are observed as the plasma density increases. The distribution functions indicate that the smooth nonthermal power-law spectra with an index of − 2 appear when the incoherent wakefields are excited. In contrast, the mono-peak appear in the spectra when the coherent wakefields are excited. The incoherent wakefields yielding the power-law spectra imply the stochastic accelerating of electrons. To explain the universal nonthermal power-law spectra with an index of − 2, we described and extended the stochastic acceleration model based on Fokker–Planck equation by assuming the transition rate as an exponential function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Preliminary experiments have been performed to investigate the effects of radiative cooling on plasma jets. Thin (3 μm–5 μm) conical shells were irradiated with an intense laser, driving jets with velocities >100 km s−1. Through the use of different targets materials – aluminium, copper and gold – the degree of radiative losses was altered, and their importance for jet collimation investigated. A number of temporally-resolved optical diagnostics was used, providing information about the jet evolution. Gold jets were seen to be narrower than those from copper targets, while aluminium targets produced the least collimated flows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Long time evolution of collisionless shocks in laser-produced plasmas is discussed. By irradiating a double plane target a high Mach number collisionless shock has been observed in laser produced counterstreaming plasmas [Kuramitsu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 106, 175002 (2011)]. While in early time we observe the shock in front of one plane, which is irradiated with the laser, we observe another shock in front of the other plane in much later time than the first shock formation. These two shocks coexist and collide or merge with each other as time passes. This means that the upstream plasmas for the first and second shocks have to be provided from the second and first shock sides, respectively, i.e., both the first and second shock have to be collisionless. There are two major candidates to account for the long time evolution of the collisionless shocks. One is that the secondary plasmas at the planes can be continuously created by the plasmas from the other planes. Another is that the actual shock thickness is much thiner than the detection limit, as indicated by numerical simulations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Experiments investigating the physics of interpenetrating, collisionless, ablated plasma flows have become an important area of research in the high-energy-density field. In order to evaluate the feasibility of designing experiments that will generate a collisionless shock mediated by the Weibel instability on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser, computer simulations using the Center for Radiative Shock Hydrodynamics (CRASH) radiation-hydrodynamics model have been carried out. This paper reports assessment of whether the experiment can reach the required scale size while maintaining the low interflow collisionality necessary for the collisionless shock to form. Comparison of simulation results with data from Omega experiments shows the ability of the CRASH code to model these ablated systems. The combined results indicate that experiments on the NIF are capable of reaching the regimes necessary for the formation of a collisionless shock in a laboratory experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]