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Proton radiography is a technique extensively used to resolve magnetic field structures in high-energy-density plasmas, revealing a whole variety of interesting phenomena such as magnetic reconnection and collisionless shocks found in astrophysical systems. Existing methods of analyzing proton radiographs give mostly qualitative results or specific quantitative parameters, such as magnetic field strength, and recent work showed that the line-integrated transverse magnetic field can be reconstructed in specific regimes where many simplifying assumptions were needed. Using artificial neural networks, we demonstrate for the first time 3D reconstruction of magnetic fields in the nonlinear regime, an improvement over existing methods, which reconstruct only in 2D and in the linear regime. A proof of concept is presented here, with mean reconstruction errors of less than 5% even after introducing noise. We demonstrate that over the long term, this approach is more computationally efficient compared to other techniques. We also highlight the need for proton tomography because (i) certain field structures cannot be reconstructed from a single radiograph and (ii) errors can be further reduced when reconstruction is performed on radiographs generated by proton beams fired in different directions.

We report on the detection of the time-dependent B-field amplitude and topology in a laser-driven solenoid. The B-field inferred from both proton deflectometry and Faraday rotation ramps up linearly in time reaching 210 ± 35 T at the end of a 0.75-ns laser drive with 1 TW at 351 nm. A lumped-element circuit model agrees well with the linear rise and suggests that the blow-off plasma screens the field between the plates leading to an increased plate capacitance that converts the laser-generated hot-electron current into a voltage source that drives current through the solenoid. ALE3D modeling shows that target disassembly and current diffusion may limit the B-field increase for longer laser drive. Scaling of these experimental results to a National Ignition Facility (NIF) hohlraum target size (∼0.2cm^{3}) indicates that it is possible to achieve several tens of Tesla.

It has been shown by Lubotzky in [10] that the set of verbal images of a fixed non-abelian finite simple group G is precisely the set of automorphism invariant subsets of G. Here, we use similar methods to those of Lubotzky to determine the verbal images of certain almost simple groups and quasisimple groups.

In the field of high-energy density physics (HEDP), lasers in both the nanosecond and picosecond regimes can drive conditions in the laboratory relevant to a broad range of astrophysical phenomena, including gamma-ray burst afterglows and supernova remnants. In the short-pulse regime, the strong light pressure (>Gbar) associated ultraintense lasers of intensity I > 10 18 W/cm 2 plays a central role in many HEDP applications. Yet, the behavior of this nonlinear pressure mechanism is not well-understood at late time in the laser–plasma interaction. In this paper, a more realistic treatment of the laser pressure ‘hole boring’ process is developed through analytical modeling and particle-in-cell simulations. A simple Liouville code capturing the phase space evolution of ponderomotively-driven ions is employed to distill effects related to plasma heating and ion bulk acceleration. Taking into account these effects, our results show that the evolution of the laser-target system encompasses ponderomotive expansion, equipartition, and quasi-isothermal expansion epochs. These results have implications for light piston-driven ion acceleration scenarios, and astrophysical applications where the efficiencies of converting incident Poynting flux into bulk plasma flow and plasma heat are key unknown parameters.

A study of the transition from collisional to collisionless plasma flows has been carried out at the National Ignition Facility using high Mach number (M>4) counterstreaming plasmas. In these experiments, CD-CD and CD-CH planar foils separated by 6-10 mm are irradiated with laser energies of 250 kJ per foil, generating ∼1000 km/s plasma flows. Varying the foil separation distance scales the ion density and average bulk velocity and, therefore, the ion-ion Coulomb mean free path, at the interaction region at the midplane. The characteristics of the flow interaction have been inferred from the neutrons and protons generated by deuteron-deuteron interactions and by x-ray emission from the hot, interpenetrating, and interacting plasmas. A localized burst of neutrons and bright x-ray emission near the midpoint of the counterstreaming flows was observed, suggesting strong heating and the initial stages of shock formation. As the separation of the CD-CH foils increases we observe enhanced neutron production compared to particle-in-cell simulations that include Coulomb collisions, but do not include collective collisionless plasma instabilities. The observed plasma heating and enhanced neutron production is consistent with the initial stages of collisionless shock formation, mediated by the Weibel filamentation instability.

We are performing scaled astrophysics experiments on Omega and on NIF. Laser driven counter-streaming interpenetrating supersonic plasma flows can be studied to understand astrophysical electromagnetic plasma phenomena in a controlled laboratory setting. In our Omega experiments, the counter-streaming flow plasma state is measured using Thomson scattering diagnostics, demonstrating the plasma flows are indeed super-sonic and in the collisionless regime. We observe a surprising additional electron and ion heating from ion drag force in the double flow experiments that are attributed to the ion drag force and electrostatic instabilities. [1] A proton probe is used to image the electric and magnetic fields. We observe unexpected large, stable and reproducible electromagnetic field structures that arise in the counter-streaming flows [2]. The Biermann battery magnetic field generated near the target plane, advected along the flows, and recompressed near the midplane explains the cause of such self-organizing field structures [3]. A D3He implosion proton probe image showed very clear filamentary structures; three-dimensional Particle-In-Cell simulations and simulated proton radiography images indicate that these filamentary structures are generated by Weibel instabilities and that the magnetization level (ratio of magnetic energy over kinetic energy in the system) is ∼0.01 [4]. These findings have very high astrophysical relevance and significant implications. We expect to observe true collisionless shock formation when we use >100 kJ laser energy on NIF.

A new physical model of the hosing instability that includes relativistic laser pulses and moderate densities is presented and derives the density dependence of the hosing equation. This is tested against two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. These simulations further examine the feasibility of using multiple pulses to mitigate the hosing instability in a Nd:glass-type parameter space. An examination of the effects of planar versus cylindrical exponential density gradients on the hosing instability is also presented. The results show that strongly relativistic pulses and more planar geometries are capable of mitigating the hosing instability which is in line with the predictions of the physical model.

We report the measurements of electrostatic field structures associated with an electrostatic shock formed in laser-produced counter-streaming plasmas with proton imaging. The thickness of the electrostatic structure is estimated from proton images with different proton kinetic energies from 4.7 MeV to 10.7 MeV. The width of the transition region is characterized by electron scale length in the laser-produced plasma, suggesting that the field structure is formed due to a collisionless electrostatic shock., Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 688 (1), ISSN:1742-6588, ISSN:1742-6596

Diagnosing plasma conditions can give great advantages in optimizing plasma wakefield accelerator experiments. One possible method is that of photon acceleration. By propagating a laser probe pulse through a plasma wakefield and extracting the imposed frequency modulation, one can obtain an image of the density modulation of the wakefield. In order to diagnose the wakefield parameters at a chosen point in the plasma, the probe pulse crosses the plasma at oblique angles relative to the wakefield. In this paper, mathematical expressions relating the frequency modulation of the laser pulse and the wakefield density profile of the plasma for oblique crossing angles are derived. Multidimensional particle-in-cell simulation results presented in this paper confirm that the frequency modulation profiles and the density modulation profiles agree to within 10%. Limitations to the accuracy of the measurement are discussed in this paper. This technique opens new possibilities to quantitatively diagnose the plasma wakefield density at known positions within the plasma column.

Proton radiography is a useful diagnostic of high energy density (HED) plasmas under active theoretical and experimental development. In this paper we describe a new simulation tool that interacts realistic laser-driven point-like proton sources with three dimensional electromagnetic fields of arbitrary strength and structure and synthesizes the associated high resolution proton radiograph. The present tool's numerical approach captures all relevant physics effects, including effects related to the formation of caustics. Electromagnetic fields can be imported from PIC or hydrodynamic codes in a streamlined fashion, and a library of electromagnetic field `primitives' is also provided. This latter capability allows users to add a primitive, modify the field strength, rotate a primitive, and so on, while quickly generating a high resolution radiograph at each step. In this way, our tool enables the user to deconstruct features in a radiograph and interpret them in connection to specific underlying electromagnetic field elements. We show an example application of the tool in connection to experimental observations of the Weibel instability in counterstreaming plasmas, using $\sim 10^8$ particles generated from a realistic laser-driven point-like proton source, imaging fields which cover volumes of $\sim10 $ mm$^3$. Insights derived from this application show that the tool can support understanding of HED plasmas., Figures and tables related to the Appendix are included in the published journal article

The interaction of petawatt (1015 W) lasers with solid matter forms the basis for advanced scientific applications such as table-top particle accelerators, ultrafast imaging systems and laser fusion. Key metrics for these applications relate to absorption, yet conditions in this regime are so nonlinear that it is often impossible to know the fraction of absorbed light f, and even the range of f is unknown. Here using a relativistic Rankine-Hugoniot-like analysis, we show for the first time that f exhibits a theoretical maximum and minimum. These bounds constrain nonlinear absorption mechanisms across the petawatt regime, forbidding high absorption values at low laser power and low absorption values at high laser power. For applications needing to circumvent the absorption bounds, these results will accelerate a shift from solid targets, towards structured and multilayer targets, and lead the development of new materials., Petawatt laser-matter interactions could open the way to fusion energy or compact particular accelerators, but predicting the amount of light absorbed in these interactions is challenging. New analysis by Levy et al. reveals the theoretical upper and lower limits of this absorption.

Collisionless shocks can be produced as a result of strong magnetic fields in a plasma flow, and therefore are common in many astrophysical systems. The Weibel instability is one candidate mechanism for the generation of sufficiently strong fields to create a collisionless shock. Despite their crucial role in astrophysical systems, observation of the magnetic fields produced by Weibel instabilities in experiments has been challenging. Using a proton probe to directly image electromagnetic fields, we present evidence of Weibel-generated magnetic fields that grow in opposing, initially unmagnetized plasma flows from laser-driven laboratory experiments. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations reveal that the instability efficiently extracts energy from the plasma flows, and that the self-generated magnetic energy reaches a few percent of the total energy in the system. This result demonstrates an experimental platform suitable for the investigation of a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, including collisionless shock formation in supernova remnants, large-scale magnetic field amplification, and the radiation signature from gamma-ray bursts.

Using the post-Newtonian formalism of gravity, we attempt to calculate the x-ray Thomson scattering cross section of electrons that are accelerated in the field of a high intensity optical laser. We show that our results are consistent with previous calculations, suggesting that the combination of high power laser and 4th generation light sources may become a powerful platform to test models exploring high order corrections to the Newtonian gravity.

Self-organization occurs in plasmas when energy progressively transfers from smaller to larger scales in an inverse cascade. Global structures that emerge from turbulent plasmas can be found in the laboratory and in astrophysical settings; for example, the cosmic magnetic field, collisionless shocks in supernova remnants and the internal structures of newly formed stars known as Herbig-Haro objects. Here we show that large, stable electromagnetic field structures can also arise within counter-streaming supersonic plasmas in the laboratory. These surprising structures, formed by a yet unexplained mechanism, are predominantly oriented transverse to the primary flow direction, extend for much larger distances than the intrinsic plasma spatial scales and persist for much longer than the plasma kinetic timescales. Our results challenge existing models of counter-streaming plasmas and can be used to better understand large-scale and long-time plasma self-organization. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

We report a case of a meconium-filled hemiscrotum detected by prenatal ultrasound and misdiagnosed as in-utero testicular torsion. Over the 2 months that the mass was followed, the ultrasound characteristics and size changed significantly. Imaging immediately after birth and early surgical treatment resulted in a favorable outcome.

Two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations characterizing the interaction of ultraintense short pulse lasers in the range 10^{18} \leq I \leq 10^{20} W/cm^{2} with converging target geometries are presented. Seeking to examine intensity amplification in high-power laser systems, where focal spots are typically non-diffraction limited, we describe key dynamical features as the injected laser intensity and convergence angle of the target are systematically varied. We find that laser pulses are focused down to a wavelength with the peak intensity amplified by an order of magnitude beyond its vacuum value, and develop a simple model for how the peak location moves back towards the injection plane over time. This performance is sustained over hundreds of femtoseconds and scales to laser intensities beyond 10^{20} W/cm^{2} at 1 \mu m wavelength., Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Physics of Plasmas

Astrophysical collisionless shocks are common in the universe, occurring in supernova remnants, gamma ray bursts, and protostellar jets. They appear in colliding plasma flows when the mean free path for ion-ion collisions is much larger than the system size. It is believed that such shocks could be mediated via the electromagnetic Weibel instability in astrophysical environments without pre-existing magnetic fields. Here, we present laboratory experiments using high-power lasers and investigate the dynamics of high-Mach-number collisionless shock formation in two interpenetrating plasma streams. Our recent proton-probe experiments on Omega show the characteristic filamentary structures of the Weibel instability that are electromagnetic in nature with an inferred magnetization level as high as ∼1% [C. M. Huntington et al., “Observation of magnetic field generation via the weibel instability in interpenetrating plasma flows,” Nat. Phys. 11, 173–176 (2015)]. These results imply that electromagnetic instabilities are significant in the interaction of astrophysical conditions.

We report a case of a meconium-filled hemiscrotum detected by prenatal ultrasound and misdiagnosed as in-utero testicular torsion. Over the 2 months that the mass was followed, the ultrasound characteristics and size changed significantly. Imaging immediately after birth and early surgical treatment resulted in a favorable outcome.

Particle coupling to the oscillatory and steady-state nonlinear force of an ultraintense laser is studied through analytic modeling and particle-in-cell simulations. The complex interplay between these absorption mechanisms—corresponding, respectively, to “hot” electrons and “hole punching” ions—is central to the viability of many ultraintense laser applications. Yet, analytic work to date has focused only on limiting cases of this key problem. In this paper, we develop a fully relativistic model in 1-D treating both modes of ponderomotive light absorption on equitable theoretical footing for the first time. Using this framework, analytic expressions for the conversion efficiencies into hole punching ions and into hot electrons are derived. Solutions for the relativistically correct hole punching velocity and the hot electron Lorentz factor are also calculated. Excellent agreement between analytic predictions and particle-in-cell simulations is demonstrated, and astrophysical analogies are highlighted.

Collisionless shocks are often observed in fast-moving astrophysical plasmas, formed by non-classical viscosity that is believed to originate from collective electromagnetic fields driven by kinetic plasma instabilities. However, the development of small-scale plasma processes into large-scale structures, such as a collisionless shock, is not well understood. It is also unknown to what extent collisionless shocks contain macroscopic fields with a long coherence length. For these reasons, it is valuable to explore collisionless shock formation, including the growth and self-organization of fields, in laboratory plasmas. The experimental results presented here show at a glance with proton imaging how macroscopic fields can emerge from a system of supersonic counter-streaming plasmas produced at the OMEGA EP laser. Interpretation of these results, plans for additional measurements, and the difficulty of achieving truly collisionless conditions are discussed. Future experiments at the National Ignition Facility are expected to create fully formed collisionless shocks in plasmas with no pre-imposed magnetic field. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

Laser-generated colliding plasma streams can serve as a test-bed for the study of various astrophysical phenomena and the general physics of self-organization. For streams of a sufficiently high kinetic energy, collisions between the ions of one stream with the ions of the other stream are negligible, and the streams can penetrate through each other. On the other hand, the intra-stream collisions for high-Mach-number flows can still be very frequent, so that each stream can be described hydrodynamically. This paper presents an analytical study of the effects that these interpenetrating streams have on large-scale magnetic fields either introduced by external coils or generated in the plasma near the laser targets. Specifically, a problem of the frozen-in constraint is assessed and paradoxical features of the field advection in this system are revealed. A possibility of using this system for studies of magnetic reconnection is mentioned.

Microcapsules (5-100 μm) were prepared through interfacial cross-linking of various proteins (human serum albumin, lysozyme, haemoglobin, casein, pepsin) with glutaraldehyde or terephthaloylchloride. Surprisingly they all snowed an inhibitory effect on cultured cells in a concentration range of 100 μg ml−1 to 10 mg ml−1. This effect seemed non-specific, reversible and to depend on contact with the cell plasma membrane. The electric charges of microcapsules could be involved in the inhibition phenomenon.

Invertase was incorporated into polyamide microcapsules. The following parameters were studied: pH of the aqueous phase during interfacial polymerization; duration of the polymerization; surfactant concentration; stirring rate; improvements in the isolation procedure; effect of lyophilization. The inactivation of the encapsulated enzyme by pepsin was shown to be related to the acidic incubation medium and prompted incorporation of protective proteins in the microcapsules. This process allowed relative protection of the enzyme. In a second set of experiments, an emulsification-reticulation method was developed, which encapsulated invertase in a cross-linked protein. Various proteins and bifunctional acylating agents were tested. Microcapsules of immobilized invertase were prepared through cross-linking of the enzyme protein itself.

Microcapsules (diameter range: 5 to 100 microns) prepared through interfacial cross-linking of proteins with terephthaloylchloride exhibited a cytotoxic effect on L 1210 cell cultures. IC50 was: 0.86 mg/ml +/- 0.24 for microcapsules prepared from human serum albumin (AT microcapsules) and 0.63 mg/ml +/- 0.05 for those obtained from egg white lysozyme (LT microcapsules). With K 562 cells IC50 were 0.42 +/- 0.11 mg/ml (AT microcapsules), 0.06 mg/ml (LT microcapsules). An increase in the cytotoxicity was observed when reducing the size of the microcapsules and when increasing the reaction pH or the terephthaloylchloride concentration, or the relative concentration of microcapsules vs cells. On the contrary, the cytotoxic effect decreased, when prolonging the cross-linking time. The activity was not affected when the microcapsules were washed with toluene or with an alkaline solute. The cytotoxic effect, which appears for relatively high doses, apparently involves a contact between the microcapsules and the cells and seems to be related with the degree of cross-linking of the constitutive protein.

Hemoglobin microcapsules were prepared through cross-linking of hemoglobin itself with various acyldichlorides. Variations in the reticulation conditions were preformed in order to ameliorate the oxygen dissociation curve, the mean diameter, and the possibility for the microcapsules to be lyophilized. With terephthaloylchloride, as the cross-linking agent, incorporation of inositol hexaphosphate and glucose, followed by stabilization through glutaraldehyde and using high stirring speed, allowed preparation of stable hemoglobin microcapsules, 5 micrometers in diameter, which suffered rapid lysis by proteases. They were able to ensure oxygen transfer: the dissociation curve was sigmoidal with a p50 = 13 mm Hg. They retained these properties after lyophilization followed by rehydration.