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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.

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

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

A collisionless Weibel-instability mediated shock in a self-generated magnetic field is studied using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation [Kato and Takabe, Astophys. J. Lett. 681, L93 (2008)]. It is predicted that the generation of the Weibel shock requires to use NIF-class high-power laser system. Collisionless electrostatic shocks are produced in counter-streaming plasmas using Gekko XII laser system [Kuramitsu et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 175002 (2011)]. A NIF facility time proposal is approved to study the formation of the collisionless Weibel shock. OMEGA and OMEGA EP experiments have been started to study the plasma conditions of counter-streaming plasmas required for the NIF experiment using Thomson scattering and to develop proton radiography diagnostics. © Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2013.

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.

Rapid electron and ion heating is observed in collisionless counterstreaming plasma flows and explained via a novel heating mechanism that couples the electron and ion temperatures. Recent experiments measure plasma conditions 4 mm from the surface of single foil (single plasma stream) and double foils (two counterstreaming plasmas) targets using Thomson scattering. Significant increases in electron and ion temperatures (from $l100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ to $g1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{keV}$) compared to the single foil geometry are observed. While electrons are heated by friction on opposite going ions, ion-ion collisions cannot explain the observed ion heating. Also, density and flow velocity measurements show negligible slow down and rule out stagnation. The nonlinear saturation of an acoustic two-stream electrostatic instability is predicted to couple the ion temperature to the electron temperature through the dynamic evolution of the instability threshold. Particle-in-cell simulations including both collisional and collisionless effects are compared to the experimental measurements and show rapid electron and ion heating consistent with the experimental measurements.

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.

Proton imaging is commonly used to reveal the electric and magnetic fields that are found in high energy density plasmas. Presented here is an analysis of this technique that is directed towards developing additional insight into the underlying physics. This approach considers: formation of images in the limits of weak and strong intensity variations; caustic formation and structure; image inversion to obtain line-integrated field characteristics; direct relations between images and electric or magnetic field structures in a plasma; imaging of sharp features such as Debye sheaths and shocks. Limitations on spatial and temporal resolution are assessed, and similarities with optical shadowgraphy are noted. Synthetic proton images are presented to illustrate the analysis. These results will be useful for quantitatively analyzing experimental proton imaging data and verifying numerical codes.

Simultaneous Thomson scattering measurements of collective electron-plasma and ion-acoustic fluctuations have been utilized to determine ion species fraction from laser produced CH plasmas. The CH{sub 2} foil is heated with 10 laser beams, 500 J per beam, at the Omega Laser facility. Thomson scattering measurements are made 4 mm from the foil surface using a 30 J 2{omega} probe laser with a 1 ns pulse length. Using a series of target shots the plasma evolution is measured from 2.5 ns to 9 ns after the rise of the heater beams. Measuring the electron density and temperature from the electron-plasma fluctuations constrains the fit of the two-ion species theoretical form factor for the ion feature such that the ion temperature, plasma flow velocity and ion species fraction are determined. The ion species fraction is determined to an accuracy of {+-}0.06 in species fraction.

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.

A series of Omega experiments have produced and characterized high velocity counter-streaming plasma flows relevant for the creation of collisionless shocks. Single and double CH2 foils have been irradiated with a laser intensity of ∼ 1016 W/cm2. The laser ablated plasma was characterized 4 mm from the foil surface using Thomson scattering. A peak plasma flow velocity of 2000 km/s, an electron temperature of ∼ 110 eV, an ion temperature of ∼ 30 eV, and a density of ∼ 1018 cm -3 were measured in the single foil configuration. Significant increases in electron and ion temperatures were seen in the double foil geometry. The measured single foil plasma conditions were used to calculate the ion skin depth, c/ωpi ∼ 0.16 mm, the interaction length, lint, of ∼ 8 mm, and the Coulomb mean free path, λmfp ∼ 27 mm. With c/ωpi ≪ l int ≪λmfp, we are in a regime where collisionless shock formation is possible. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Laser-produced proton beams have been used to achieve ultrafast volumetric heating of carbon samples at solid density. The isochoric melting of carbon was probed by a scattering of x rays from a secondary laser-produced plasma. From the scattering signal, we have deduced the fraction of the material that was melted by the inhomogeneous heating. The results are compared to different theoretical approaches for the equation of state which suggests modifications from standard models.

Two-dimensional monochromatic images of fast-electron stimulated Ar K{alpha} and He-{alpha} x-ray self-emission have recorded a time-integrated map of the extent of Ar{sup {approx}6+} and Ar{sup 16+} ions, respectively, within a high density (10{sup 20} cm{sup -3} atomic density) Ar plasma. This plasma was produced by irradiating a 2 mm wide clustering Ar gas jet with an ultra-high intensity (10{sup 19} W/cm{sup 2}, 200 fs) Ti:Sapphire laser operating at 800 nm. Spherically bent quartz crystals in the 200 (for K{alpha}) and 201 (for He-{alpha}) planes were used as near-normal incidence reflective x-ray optics. We see that a large (830 {micro}m long) region of plasma emits K{alpha} primarily along the laser axis, while the He-{alpha} emission is confined to smaller hot spot (230 {micro}m long) region that likely corresponds to the focal volume of the f/8 laser beam. X-ray spectra from a Bragg spectrometer operating in the von Hamos geometry, which images in one dimension, indicate that the centroids of the K{alpha} and He-{alpha} emission regions are separated by approximately 330 {micro}m along the laser axis.

We have studied the dynamics of warm dense Li with near-elastic x-ray scattering. Li foils were heated and compressed using shock waves driven by 4-ns-long laser pulses. Separate 1-ns-long laser pulses were used to generate a bright source of 2.96 keV Cl Ly-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ photons for x-ray scattering, and the spectrum of scattered photons was recorded at a scattering angle of $120\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$ using a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite crystal operated in the von Hamos geometry. A variable delay between the heater and backlighter laser beams measured the scattering time evolution. Comparison with radiation-hydrodynamics simulations shows that the plasma is highly coupled during the first several nanoseconds, then relaxes to a moderate coupling state at later times. Near-elastic scattering amplitudes have been successfully simulated using the screened one-component plasma model. Our main finding is that the near-elastic scattering amplitudes are quite sensitive to the mean ionization state $\overline{Z}$ and by extension to the choice of ionization model in the radiation-hydrodynamics simulations used to predict plasma properties within the shocked Li.

The acceleration of intense proton and ion beams by ultra-intense lasers has matured to a point where applications in basic research and technology are being developed. Crucial for harvesting the unmatched beam parameters driven by the relativistic electron sheath is the precise control of the beam. In this paper we report on recent experiments using the PHELIX laser at GSI, the VULCAN laser at RAL and the TRIDENT laser at LANL to control and use laser accelerated proton beams for applications in high energy density research. We demonstrate efficient collimation of the proton beam using high field pulsed solenoid magnets, a prerequisite to capture and transport the beam for applications. Furthermore, we report on two campaigns to use intense, short proton bunches to isochorically heat solid targets up to the warm dense matter state. The temporal profile of the proton beam allows for rapid heating of the target, much faster than the hydrodynamic response time thereby creating a strongly coupled plasma at solid density. The target parameters are then probed by x-ray Thomson scattering to reveal the density and temperature of the heated volume. This combination of two powerful techniques developed during the past few years allows for the generation and investigation of macroscopic samples of matter in states present in giant planets or the interior of the earth. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd.

A high contrast 12.6 keV Kr K alpha source has been demonstrated on the petawatt-class Titan laser facility using strongly clustering Kr gas jet targets. The contrast ratio (K alpha to continuum) is 65, with a competitive ultrashort pulse laser to x-ray conversion efficiency of 10(-5). Filtered shadowgraphy indicates that the Kr K alpha and K beta x rays are emitted from a roughly 1x2 mm(2) emission volume, making this source suitable for area backlighting and scattering. Spectral calculations indicate a typical bulk electron temperature of 50-70 eV (i.e., mean ionization state 13-16), based on the observed ratio of K alpha to K beta. Kr gas jets provide a debris-free high energy K alpha source for time-resolved diagnosis of dense matter.

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.

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.

A 10-ps, 263-nm (4ω) laser is being built to probe plasmas produced on the OMEGA EP [J. H. Kelly, L. J. Waxer, V. Bagnoud, I. A. Begishev, J. Bromage, B. E. Kruschwitz, T. E. Kessler, S. J. Loucks, D. N. Maywar, R. L. McCrory et al., J. Phys. IV France 133, 75–80 (2006)]10.1051/jp4:2006133015. A suite of optical diagnostics (schlieren, interferometry, and grid image refractometry) has been designed to diagnose and characterize a wide variety of plasmas. Light scattered by the probe beam is collected by an f/4 catadioptric telescope and a transport system is designed to image with a near-diffraction-limited resolution (∼1 − μm full width at half maximum) over a 5-mm field of view to a diagnostic table. The transport system provides a contrast greater than 1 : 104 with respect to all wavelengths outside of the 263 ± 2 nm measurement range.

In this paper, scaling relations pertinent to collisionless-shock experiments are derived. Two oppositely directed, non-relativistic interpenetrating plasma streams are considered. A full set of collisionless Vlasov–Maxwell equations is used to describe the plasma streams. Two scaling parameters are identified for those streams in which the initial temperature is small compared with the final temperature. If the scaling parameters are held constant between the two systems, the knowledge of the behavior of one of the systems allows for a direct prediction of behavior of the other, irrespective of differences in, for example, the plasma density. This similarity covers both hydrogen and non-hydrogen ion species. Reduced versions suitable for assessing electrostatically mediated and magnetically mediated (Weibel-like) models of the shocks are described. In these limiting cases, the number of scaling parameters reduces to one, making the similarity quite broad. The presence of these scaling relations can serve as a basis for making comparisons between models and selecting the most plausible models. A brief discussion is presented of the constraints associated with the role of intra-jet collisions, whose frequency may be non-negligible even if the collisions between the particles of two jets are very rare.

Laser-produced plasmas are often used as bright x-ray backlighters for time-resolved plasma diagnostics, but such backlighters simultaneously generate damaging electromagnetic pulse (EMP). A laser-driven Ar gas jet x-ray source has been measured with magnetic flux B-dot probes to produce 20 times ±37% less integrated EMP in the 0.5–2.5 GHz band than a solid chlorinated plastic foil, while retaining 85% of the laser to ≈3 keV x-ray conversion efficiency. These results are important for future backlighter development, since tailoring target density may provide a way to reduce EMP even as laser power increases.

Counterstreaming laser-generated plasma jets can serve as a test-bed for the studies of a variety of astrophysical phenomena, including collisionless shock waves. In the latter problem, the jet’s parameters have to be chosen in such a way as to make the collisions between the particles of one jet with the particles of the other jet very rare. This can be achieved by making the jet velocities high and the Coulomb cross-sections correspondingly low. On the other hand, the intra-jet collisions for high-Mach-number jets can still be very frequent, as they are determined by the much lower thermal velocities of the particles of each jet. This paper describes some peculiar properties of intra-jet hydrodynamics in such a setting: the steepening of smooth perturbations and shock formation affected by the presence of the “stiff” opposite flow; the role of a rapid electron heating in shock formation; ion heating by the intrajet shock. The latter effect can cause rapid ion heating which is consistent with recent counterstreaming jet experiments by Ross et al. [Phys. Plasmas 19, 056501 (2012)].

The magnetic field generation in two interpenetrating, weakly collisional plasma streams produced by intense lasers is considered. The generation mechanism is very similar to the neutral beam injection current drive in toroidal fusion devices, with the differences related to the absence of the initial magnetic field, short interaction time, and different geometry. Spatial and temporal characteristics of the magnetic field produced in two counterstreaming jets are evaluated; it is shown that the magnetic field of order of 1 T can be generated for modest jet parameters. Conditions under which this mechanism dominates that of the “Biermann battery” are discussed. Other settings where the mechanism of the collisional current drive can be important for the generation of seed magnetic fields include astrophysics and interiors of hohlraums.

We have measured the key spectrometric properties (peak reflectivity, reflection curve width, and Bragg angle offset) of a spherically bent quartz 200 crystal using the x-ray emission from a laser-produced Ar plasma. This crystal can image Ar Kα x-rays at near-normal incidence (θB ≈ 81 degrees); our technique operates the same crystal as a high-throughput focusing monochromator on the Rowland circle at angles far from normal incidence (θB ≈ 68 degrees) to make a reflection curve with He-like x-rays from the same laser plasma. This approach, which is applicable to many commonly imaged x-ray emission lines and corresponding spherically bent crystals, permits the experimentalist to obtain an in-situ crystal characterization in the same reflection order as that used for operation.

A scalable setup using injection by frequency conversion to establish a multipassing cavity for noncollective Thomson scattering on low density plasmas is presented. The cavity is shown to support10 passes through the target volume with a 400% increase in energy on target versus a single-pass setup. Rayleigh scattering experiments were performed and demonstrate the viability of the cell to study low density plasmas of the order of 10(12)-10(13) cm(-3). A high-repetition, low-energy, single-pass Thomson scattering setup was also performed on the University of California, Los Angeles Large Plasma Device and shows that the multipass cavity could have a significant advantage over the high-repetition approach due to the cavity setup's inherently higher signal per shot.

Langmuir probes are used to study the expansion of a laser plasma into a large (17 m long × 0.6 m diameter) ambient magnetized cylindrical plasma. The expansion is either perpendic- ular or at 45 ◦ to the 300 − 600 G axial background field. One probe geometry allows data c ollection close to the ablation surface, inside a diamagnetic bubble f ormed during the laser plasma expan- sion. We measure expansion velocities of this diamagnetic cavity and the bulk laser plasma. Ad- ditionally, we detect fast ions along the axis of the ambient plasma column when the laser plasma expansion is directed at 45 ◦ to the background field. We obtain the fast ion velocity distr ibution by comparing the measured ion gyroradii to those predicted by Monte Carlo simulations of the ion trajectories in an external magnetic field. Experimental me asurement of fast ion velocity distribu- tions can help tune the experimental parameters that are required to drive collisionless shock waves through a laboratory plasma.

A three-axis, 2.5 mm overall diameter differential magnetic probe (also known as B-dot probe) is discussed in detail from its design and construction to its calibration and use as diagnostic of fast transient effects in exploding plasmas. A design and construction method is presented as a means to reduce stray pickup, eliminate electrostatic pickup, reduce physical size, and increase magnetic signals while maintaining a high bandwidth. The probe's frequency response is measured in detail from 10 kHz to 50 MHz using the presented calibration method and compared to theory. The effect of the probe's self-induction as a first order correction in frequency, O(omega), on experimental signals and magnetic field calculations is discussed. The probe's viability as a diagnostic is demonstrated by measuring the magnetic field compression and diamagnetism of a sub-Alfvenic (approximately 500 km/s, M(A) approximately 0.36) flow created from the explosion of a high-density energetic laser plasma through a cooler, low-density, magnetized ambient plasma.

The absolute laser conversion efficiency to Kα-like inner shell x-rays (integrated from Kα to Kβ) is observed to be an order of magnitude higher in argon gas jets than in solid targets due to enhanced emission from higher ionization stages following ultrashort pulse laser irradiation. Particle-in-cell and spectral simulations indicate that these observations are consistent with Kα emission from a warm Ar plasma subject to hot electron inner-shell ionization. These results demonstrate that gas jet targets are bright, high conversion efficiency, high repetition rate, debris-free multi-keV x-ray sources for spectrally resolved scattering and backlighting of rapidly evolving dense matter.

We have commissioned a high-energy glass-laser at the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) to study the interaction of a dense laser-produced plasma with a large (17 m) magnetized plasma. First experiments with an energy of the laser blow-off an order of magnitude higher than previous work (Gekelman et al. in J. Geophys. Res. 108(A7):1281, 2003) produced large amplitude Alfven waves (δ B ⊥ /B 0≈15%). We will discuss the potential of this facility for collisionless laboratory astrophysics experiments.