2012/05/21 by N. P. Dover, Dover, N. P., C. A. J. Palmer +25
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Plasma Physics (physics.plasm-ph) #physics.plasm-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.1205.4558
arxiv created 2012/05/22 · arxiv updated 2012/05/23
Observations of the interaction of an intense λ0 ≈ 10 μm laser pulse with near-critical overdense plasmas (ne = 1.8 - 3 nc) are presented. For the first time, transverse optical probing is used to show a recession of the front surface caused by radiation pressure driven hole-boring by the laser pulse with an initial velocity > 106 ms-1, and the resulting collisionless shocks. The collisionless shock propagates through the plasma, dissipates into an ion-acoustic solitary wave, and eventually becomes collisional as it slows further. These conclusions are supported by PIC simulations which show that the initial evolution is dominated by collisionless mechanisms.