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  • Letter
  • Open Access

Formation of collisionless shocks driven by strongly magnetized relativistic electrons in the laboratory

P. T. Campbell1,*, B. K. Russell1,†, C. Dong2,3, G. Fiksel1, P. M. Nilson4, A. G. R. Thomas1, C. A. Walsh5, K. M. Krushelnick1, and L. Willingale1

  • 1Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, 2200 Bonisteel Boulevard, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
  • 2Department of Astronomy, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
  • 3Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory and Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA
  • 4Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, USA
  • 5Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, USA

  • *campbpt@umich.edu
  • †bkruss@umich.edu
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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L012016 – Published 18 January, 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.6.L012016

Abstract

In experiments performed with the OMEGA EP laser system, proton deflectometry captured magnetic field dynamics consistent with collisionless shock formation driven by strongly magnetized relativistic electrons. During laser-foil interactions, shocks can form as relativistic electrons and strong surface magnetic fields generated by a short-pulse laser impinge on a cooler plasma produced by a longer-pulse laser. Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations reproduce the magnetic draping and fast formation speeds measured in the experiment and reveal that this relativistic-electron-driven shock forms at an interface that is unstable to shear and streaming instabilities. The simulation results provide insight into the microphysics that may influence high-energy shocks observed in extreme astrophysical environments.

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Phys. Rev. Research 6, L012016– Published 18 January, 2024
  • Received 27 January 2023
  • Revised 13 October 2023
  • Accepted 15 December 2023
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