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Femtosecond Laser Filaments for Use in Sub-Diffraction-Limited Imaging and Remote Sensing
Published on: April 25, 2019
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Filamentation instability of counterstreaming laser-driven plasmas.
W Fox1, G Fiksel2, A Bhattacharjee3
1Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire 03824, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|December 17, 2013
Summary
We observed filamentation from Weibel instability in colliding plasma flows, relevant to astrophysical shocks. Ultrafast proton radiography imaged the resulting electromagnetic fields, matching theory and simulations.
Area of Science:
- Plasma physics
- Astrophysical shocks
- Electromagnetic instabilities
Background:
- Collisionless shocks are crucial in astrophysics.
- Weibel instability drives filamentation in plasmas.
- Understanding plasma flow interactions is key.
Purpose of the Study:
- To observe Weibel-type instability in counterstreaming plasma flows.
- To investigate supersonic, collisionless plasma regimes.
- To validate theoretical models and simulations.
Main Methods:
- Creating counterstreaming plasma flows using laser-driven ablative acceleration of plastic foils.
- Utilizing OMEGA EP Laser System for plasma generation.
- Employing ultrafast laser-driven proton radiography for imaging electromagnetic fields.
Main Results:
- Observed filamentation resulting from Weibel-type instability.
- Confirmed supersonic, collisionless interaction regime.
- Experimental results align with Weibel instability theory.
- Observations are consistent with particle-in-cell simulations.
Conclusions:
- Weibel instability drives filamentation in counterstreaming plasmas.
- Proton radiography is effective for imaging Weibel-generated fields.
- The experiment validates theoretical and simulation models for collisionless shocks.
