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Title: Direct Observations of Particle Dynamics in Magnetized Collisionless Shock Precursors in Laser-Produced Plasmas

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [2];  [7]
  1. Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton University
  2. Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
  3. Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
  4. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
  5. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  6. Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States)
  7. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)

We present the first laboratory observations of time-resolved electron and ion velocity distributions in magnetized collisionless shock precursors. Thomson scattering of a probe laser beam was used to observe the interaction of a laser-driven, supersonic piston plasma expanding through an ambient plasma in an external magnetic field. From the Thomson-scattered spectra we measure time-resolved profiles of electron density, temperature, and ion flow speed, as well as spatially resolved magnetic fields from proton radiography. We observe direct evidence of the coupling between piston and ambient plasmas, including the acceleration of ambient ions driven by magnetic and pressure gradient electric fields, and deformation of the piston ion flow, key steps in the formation of magnetized collisionless shocks. Even before a shock has fully formed, we observe strong density compressions and electron heating associated with the pileup of piston ions. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that laboratory experiments can probe particle velocity distributions relevant to collisionless shocks, and can complement, and in some cases overcome, the limitations of similar measurements undertaken by spacecraft missions.

Research Organization:
Princeton Univ., Princeton, NJ (United States); Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) (SC-21); USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
NA0003613; AC05-00OR22725; SC0008655; SC0016249
OSTI ID:
1543244
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1546406
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 24 Vol. 122; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
Publisher:
American Physical Society (APS)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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