Model experiment of magnetic field amplification in laser-produced plasmas via the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability

A model experiment of magnetic field amplification (MFA) via the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability (RMI) in supernova remnants (SNRs) was performed using a high-power laser. In order to account for very-fast acceleration of cosmic rays observed in SNRs, it is considered that the magnetic field has to be amplified by orders of magnitude from its background level. A possible mechanism for the MFA in SNRs is stretching and mixing of the magnetic field via the RMI when shock waves pass through dense molecular clouds in interstellar media. In order to model the astrophysical phenomenon in laboratories, there are three necessary factors for the RMI to be operative: a shock wave, an external magnetic field, and density inhomogeneity. By irradiating a double-foil target with several laser beams with focal spot displacement under influence of an external magnetic field, shock waves were excited and passed through the density inhomogeneity. Radiative hydrodynamic simulations show that the RMI evolves as the density inhomogeneity is shocked, resulting in higher MFA

Positive nasal culture of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a risk factor for surgical site infection in orthopedics

Background Although nasal carriage of MRSA has been identified as one of the risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) with MRSA, there have been no reports of this in the orthopedics field

X-ray spectroscopy of relativistic plasma with controlled preplasma formation at J-KAREN-P experiments

After recent upgrade of the Petawatt-class J-KEREN-P laser system the experiments with on-target relativistic intensity up to 10^22 W/cm^2 (pulse energy ~10 J, pulse length ~40 fs, focal spot down to 1.5 um) are routinely carried out at KPSI, QST. In general, for solid targets the plasma formation threshold is of ~10^10-10^12 W/cm^2, therefore the long ASE prepulse, short and ultrashort pedestal intensity crucially impact the formation of plasma conditions and the observed phenomena. It was demonstrated that there exists a strong dependence of the degree of Fe ionization on a laser prepulse, and that an effective generation of energetic, multiply-charged moderate- and high-Z ions can be driven only with laser pulses of ultra-high contrast.Here we report on the new experiments performed at J-KAREN-P laser with the tailored plasma density profile created by specially incorporated prepulse. For the prepulse the ~1/100 of the main pulse power was picked up and delivered to the target with controlled sub-nanosecond time interval prior to the main pulse. The prepulse was focused: (1) on the front of a stainless steel foil for the formation of downstream preplasma with conditions aiming the efficient generation of x-ray flare and high-order harmonics (experiment led by A.S. Pirozhkov); and (2) on the rear-side of a 4-Chlorosterene foil mimicking upstream preplasma, which has the necessary density profile for collisionless shock ion acceleration, when the main pulse is irradiated (experiment led by Y. Fukuda and Y. Sakawa). For both experiments, we present the detailed analysis of plasma parameters provided by means of high-resolution x-ray spectroscopic methods, based on emission characteristics of plasma in the spectral range of Ne-like Fe and H-like Cl ionization states, respectively.International Conference on High Energy Density Sciences (HEDS2021

Recent progress in x-ray spectral diagnostics of contrast dependent plasma at relativistic intensities of ~10^22 W/cm^2

At PW-class laser facilities pulse intensities of the order of 10^21 – 10^22 W/cm^2 can be reached by focusing high quality laser beams to spots of a few microns size. Under such conditions, during fs- time intervals a huge amount of optical energy is concentrated into a tiny volume and by the interaction with solid targets creates a plasma with high energy density. Such plasma can be sources of non-linear phenomena, among known and predicted by theory there is the acceleration to high energy of protons, ions, electrons and neutrons, generation of HOH and gamma-flare, creation of exotic states of hollow ions and WDM. The observed phenomena are defined by the type of target, laser energy and strongly depend on the prepulse condition. Achieving highly ionized states for elements with medium Z allows to effectively perform x-ray diagnostics of plasma parameters and preplasma conditions by means of high-resolution spectroscopy based on the analysis of spectra of H-like and He-like ions.Here we l present a review on the recent results on application of x-ray spectroscopic diagnostics of plasmas generated in the interaction of J-KAREN-P ultra-high intensity laser pulses with solid and clusters targets under conditions of different intrinsic laser contrast and under the cases of specially incorporated prepulse for controlled preplasma formation. Plasma parameters were evaluated by means of time integrated x-ray spectroscopic measurements and kinetic modeling using the code PrismSPECT. Certain line intensity relations, including the relations (Ly_a / He_b), (Ly_a / Ly_a satellites), relation between Ly_a satellites, as well as broadening and the shape of line, were used as the main tools for evaluation of plasma parameters. Each of the tools has preferred dependences on plasma electron temperature, electron density, electric and magnetic field strength. Four types of experiments are under consideration.3rd International Conference on Nuclear Photonics NP202

X-ray spectroscopy evidence of solid-density ultra-relativistic laser plasma in renewable micron-scale cryogenic clusters targets

Recently it was shown that injection of gas preliminary cooled down to cryogenic temperatures is a promising way to produce micron-scale clusters. For example, in hydrogen clusters with the size up to ≈2 μm were produced via a conical nozzle at 25 K, 6 MPa. Micron scale clusters can be also created with another pre-cooled gases, for example Ar or Kr, but for other temperature values. So large clusters diameter value becomes comparable with a waist width of a laser beam produced by the J-KAREN-P laser facility. As a result, an experimental case can occur, when most of the laser energy is absorbed in a single cluster. Such situation can be considered as an interaction of a laser pulse with matter, state of which is close to solid-state. In the presentation plasma X-ray spectra features indicating the described case of high-intensity laser and large-scale-cluster interaction are discussed. They were observed experimentally during irradiation of cryogenic (T = 140 K – 220 K) Ar flows by ultra-intensive (I = 10^22 W/cm^2) femtosecond laser pulses generated by the J-KAREN-P laser. Registered X-ray spectra of produced plasma contains Ar XVIII Ly-α and Ar XVII He-α of comparable intensities. It should be noted that the Ar XVIII Ly-α line has been for the first time observed in laser-matter interaction experiments. It indicates that the density of irradiated matter is high enough to provide a rate of impact ionization process, which is sufficient to create a significant amount of H-like Ar ions. It is a challenge to reach such condition for a pure gas or small clusters. Thus, the observed spectra are considered as an evidence of a large micron cluster existing in the beam waist region.International Conference on High Energy Density Sciences (HEDS2021