Promising lines of investigations in the realms of laboratory astrophysics with the aid of powerful lasers

• Published in: Physics of atomic nuclei Vol. 76; no. 4; pp. 404 - 422
• Main Authors: Belyaev, V. S., Batishchev, P. A., Bolshakov, V. V., Elkin, K. S., Karabadzhak, G. F., Kovkov, D. V., Matafonov, A. P., Raykunov, G. G., Yakhin, R. A., Pikuz, S. A., Skobelev, I. Yu, Faenov, A. Ya, Fortov, V. E., Krainov, V. P., Rozanov, V. B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.04.2013; Springer
• Subjects: ACCELERATION; ASTROPHYSICS; ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS; COSMIC GAMMA BURSTS; ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS; Electromagnetism; EVOLUTION; EXPLOSIONS; Gamma rays; Investigations; LASER RADIATION; Lasers; MAGNETIC FIELDS; Nuclear radiation; Nuclei; Particle and Nuclear Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA JETS; Plasma physics; PULSES; RELATIVISTIC RANGE; SHOCK WAVES; SPACE; SUPERNOVAE; X RADIATION; Neutron Star; Atomic Nucleus; Dark Energy; Black Hole; Dark Matter
• ISSN: 1063-7788; 1562-692X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063778813030046

The results of work on choosing and substantiating promising lines of research in the realms of laboratory astrophysics with the aid of powerful lasers are presented. These lines of research are determined by the possibility of simulating, under laboratory conditions, problematic processes of presentday astrophysics, such as (i) the generation and evolution of electromagnetic fields in cosmic space and the role of magnetic fields there at various spatial scales; (ii) the mechanisms of formation and evolution of cosmic gamma-ray bursts and relativistic jets; (iii) plasma instabilities in cosmic space and astrophysical objects, plasma jets, and shock waves; (iv) supernova explosions and mechanisms of the explosion of supernovae featuring a collapsing core; (v) nuclear processes in astrophysical objects; (vi) cosmic rays and mechanisms of their production and acceleration to high energies; and (vii) astrophysical sources of x-ray radiation. It is shown that the use of existing powerful lasers characterized by an intensity in the range of 10 18 –10 22 W/cm 2 and a pulse duration of 0.1 to 1 ps and high-energy lasers characterized by an energy in excess of 1 kJ and a pulse duration of 1 to 10 ns makes it possible to perform investigations in laboratory astrophysics along all of the chosen promising lines. The results obtained by experimentally investigating laser plasma with the aid of the laser facility created at Central Research Institute of Machine Building (TsNIIMash) and characterized by a power level of 10 TW demonstrate the potential of such facilities for performing a number of experiments in the realms of laboratory astrophysics.