Long-time evolution of magnetic fields in relativistic GRB shocks

We investigate the long-time evolution of magnetic fields generated by the two-stream instability at ultra- and sub-relativistic astrophysical collisionless shocks. Based on 3D PIC simulation results, we introduce a 2D toy model of interacting current filaments. Within the framework of this model, we demonstrate that the field correlation scale in the region far downstream the shock grows nearly as the light crossing time, lambda(t) ~ ct, thus making the diffusive field dissipation inefficient. The obtained theoretical scaling is tested using numerical PIC simulations. This result extends our understanding of the structure of collisionless shocks in gamma-ray bursts and other astrophysical objects.Comment: 5 pages. 2 figures. Submitted to ApJ

Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation

The UCLA Plasma Simulation Group is a major partner of the "Community Petascale Project for Accelerator Science and Simulation. This is the final technical report. We include an overall summary, a list of publications and individual progress reports for each years. During the past five years we have made tremendous progress in enhancing the capabilities of OSIRIS and QuickPIC, in developing new algorithms and data structures for PIC codes to run on GPUS and many future core architectures, and in using these codes to model experiments and in making new scientific discoveries. Here we summarize some highlights for which SciDAC was a major contributor

Continuation of the Application of Parallel PIC Simulations to Laser and Electron Transport Through Plasmas Under Conditions Relevant to ICF and SBSS

One of the important research questions in high energy density science (HEDS) is how intense laser and electron beams penetrate into and interact with matter. At high beam intensities the self-fields of the laser and particle beams can fully ionize matter so that beam -matter interactions become beam-plasma interactions. These interactions involve a disparity of length and time scales, and they involve interactions between particles, between particles and waves, and between waves and waves. In a plasma what happens in one region can significantly impact another because the particles are free to move and many types of waves can be excited. Therefore, simulating these interactions requires tools that include wave particle interactions and that include wave nonlinearities. One methodology for studying such interactions is particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. While PIC codes include most of the relevant physics they are also the most computer intensive. However, with the development of sophisticated software and the use of massively parallel computers, PIC codes can now be used to accurately study a wide range of problems in HEDS. The research in this project involved building, maintaining, and using the UCLA parallel computing infrastructure. This infrastructure includes the codes OSIRIS and UPIC which have been improved or developed during this grant period. Specifically, we used this PIC infrastructure to study laser-plasma interactions relevant to future NIF experiments and high-intensity laser and beam plasma interactions relevant to fast ignition fusion. The research has led to fundamental knowledge in how to write parallel PIC codes and use parallel PIC simulations, as well as increased the fundamental knowledge of HEDS. This fundamental knowledge will not only impact Inertial Confinement Fusion but other fields such as plasma-based acceleration and astrophysics

Continuation of the Application of Parallel PIC Simulations to Laser and Electron Transport Through Plasmas Under Conditions Relevant to ICF and SBSS

In 2006/2007 we continued to study several issues related to underdense laser-plasma interactions. We have been studying the onset and saturation of Raman backscatter for NIF conditions, nonlinear plasma oscillations, and the two-plasmon decay instability

Continuation of full-scale three-dimensional numerical experiments on high-intensity particle and laser beam-matter interactions

We present results from the grant entitled, ÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂContinuation of full-scale three-dimensional numerical experiments on high-intensity particle and laser beam-matter interactions.ÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂàThe research significantly advanced the understanding of basic high-energy density science (HEDS) on ultra intense laser and particle beam plasma interactions. This advancement in understanding was then used to to aid in the quest to make 1 GeV to 500 GeV plasma based accelerator stages. The work blended basic research with three-dimensions fully nonlinear and fully kinetic simulations including full-scale modeling of ongoing or planned experiments. The primary tool was three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The simulations provided a test bed for theoretical ideas and models as well as a method to guide experiments. The research also included careful benchmarking of codes against experiment. High-fidelity full-scale modeling provided a means to extrapolate parameters into regimes that were not accessible to current or near term experiments, thereby allowing concepts to be tested with confidence before tens to hundreds of millions of dollars were spent building facilities. The research allowed the development of a hierarchy of PIC codes and diagnostics that is one of the most advanced in the world

Multi-chromatic narrow-energy-spread electron bunches from laser wakefield acceleration with dual-color lasers

A method based on laser wakefield acceleration with controlled ionization injection triggered by another frequency-tripled laser is proposed, which can produce electron bunches with low energy spread. As two color pulses co-propagate in the background plasma, the peak amplitude of the combined laser field is modulated in time and space during the laser propagation due to the plasma dispersion. Ionization injection occurs when the peak amplitude exceeds certain threshold. The threshold is exceeded for limited duration periodically at different propagation distances, leading to multiple ionization injections and separated electron bunches. The method is demonstrated through multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Such electron bunches may be used to generate multi-chromatic X-ray sources for a variety of applications.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures; accepted by PR

Extreme case of Faraday effect: magnetic splitting of ultrashort laser pulses in plasmas

The Faraday effect, caused by a magnetic-field-induced change in the optical properties, takes place in a vast variety of systems from a single atomic layer of graphenes to huge galaxies. Currently, it plays a pivot role in many applications such as the manipulation of light and the probing of magnetic fields and material's properties. Basically, this effect causes a polarization rotation of light during its propagation along the magnetic field in a medium. Here, we report an extreme case of the Faraday effect where a linearly polarized ultrashort laser pulse splits in time into two circularly polarized pulses of opposite handedness during its propagation in a highly magnetized plasma. This offers a new degree of freedom for manipulating ultrashort and ultrahigh power laser pulses. Together with technologies of ultra-strong magnetic fields, it may pave the way for novel optical devices, such as magnetized plasma polarizers. In addition, it may offer a powerful means to measure strong magnetic fields in laser-produced plasmas.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure