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Title: Promising lines of investigations in the realms of laboratory astrophysics with the aid of powerful lasers

Journal Article · · Physics of Atomic Nuclei
; ; ; ; ; ; ;  [1]; ; ; ;  [2];  [3];  [4]
  1. Russian Space Agency, Central Research Institute of Machine Building (TsNIIMash) (Russian Federation)
  2. Russian Academy of Sciences (IVTAN), Joint Institute for High Temperatures (Russian Federation)
  3. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University) (Russian Federation)
  4. Russian Academy of Sciences, Lebedev Institute of Physics (Russian Federation)

The results of work on choosing and substantiating promising lines of research in the realms of laboratory astrophysics with the aid of powerful lasers are presented. These lines of research are determined by the possibility of simulating, under laboratory conditions, problematic processes of presentday astrophysics, such as (i) the generation and evolution of electromagnetic fields in cosmic space and the role of magnetic fields there at various spatial scales; (ii) the mechanisms of formation and evolution of cosmic gamma-ray bursts and relativistic jets; (iii) plasma instabilities in cosmic space and astrophysical objects, plasma jets, and shock waves; (iv) supernova explosions and mechanisms of the explosion of supernovae featuring a collapsing core; (v) nuclear processes in astrophysical objects; (vi) cosmic rays and mechanisms of their production and acceleration to high energies; and (vii) astrophysical sources of x-ray radiation. It is shown that the use of existing powerful lasers characterized by an intensity in the range of 10{sup 18}-10{sup 22} W/cm{sup 2} and a pulse duration of 0.1 to 1 ps and high-energy lasers characterized by an energy in excess of 1 kJ and a pulse duration of 1 to 10 ns makes it possible to perform investigations in laboratory astrophysics along all of the chosen promising lines. The results obtained by experimentally investigating laser plasma with the aid of the laser facility created at Central Research Institute of Machine Building (TsNIIMash) and characterized by a power level of 10 TW demonstrate the potential of such facilities for performing a number of experiments in the realms of laboratory astrophysics.

OSTI ID:
22163088
Journal Information:
Physics of Atomic Nuclei, Vol. 76, Issue 4; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7788
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English