Research Performance Progress Report

Abstract

The major goals of this project is to develop a suite of diagnostics to probe magnetic fields generated by the dynamics of high velocity interpenetrating plasma flows relevant to astrophysical collisionless shocks. Collisionless shocks are common in the universe and are responsible for decelerating and thermalizing supersonic plasma flows and accelerating a fraction of the incident particles to high energies. When high velocity, low density, plasma flows interact in astrophysics, turbulent electrostatic and electromagnetic waves are generated due to plasma instabilities, such as the Weibel instability. This can lead to localized pockets of very strong magnetic field generation. The net result is that the plasmas stagnate in what is called a collisionless shock. Understanding these enigmatic interactions requires well-controlled laboratory experiments able to validate the theory and the simulations. Time and spatially resolved magnetic field diagnostics are key to probing these frontier plasma dynamics, relevant to both astrophysics and laboratory applications of plasma physics. This project will enable us to develop the necessary diagnostics for this experiment on NIF. Our team has vast experience in performing laser experiments, theory, simulations and diagnostic development and is ideally suited for carrying out this work.