Formation of a millimeter-sized spark discharge in ambient air is traced on a nanosecond time scale using multi-frame laser probing with an exposure time of 70 ps and spatial resolution of 3-4 μm. The discharge is initiated by a 25 kV voltage pulse with a rise time of 4 ns, with the pulse applied to the gap formed by a point cathode and flat anode. It is demonstrated that the gap breakdown is accompanied by the fast (∼1 ns) formation of a highly ionized homogeneous spark channel originating from the point cathode. We discover that the fast fine-scale filamentation of the homogeneous spark channel arises several nanoseconds after the breakdown and at some distance from the cathode, which results in a complex filamentary structure of the channel. We find that the growing spark channel, in fact, develops in the form of multiple (N  10) rapidlyevolving filaments that constitute micron-sized (∼10-50 μm) plasma channels with an electron density of -ñ 10 10 e 19 20 cm −3 and subnanosecond characteristic evolution time. First filaments appear at the top of the developing homogenous spark channel. Further, the growing filaments are split themselves, and their number is increased over time up to several tens. Our findings indicate that the fast fine-scale filamentation is one of the important mechanisms governing the spark channel resistance after the breakdown.

The first space-time resolved spontaneous magnetic field (SMF) measurements realized on Prague Asterix Laser System are presented. The SMF was generated as a result of single laser beam (1.315 μm) interaction with massive planar targets made of materials with various atomic numbers (plastic and Cu). Measured SMF confirmed azimuthal geometry and their maximum amplitude reached the value of 10 MG at the laser energy of 250 J for both target materials. It was demonstrated that spatial distributions of these fields are associated with the character of the ablative plasma expansion which clearly depends on the target material. To measure the SMF, the Faraday effect was employed causing rotation of the vector of polarization of the linearly polarized diagnostic beam. The rotation angle was determined together with the phase shift using a novel design of a two-channel polaro-interferometer. To obtain sufficiently high temporal resolution, the polaro-interferometer was irradiated by Ti:Sa laser pulse with the wavelength of 808 nm and the pulse duration of 40 fs. The results of measurements were compared with theoretical analysis.

The propagation of an ionization wave through a subcritical foam is studied under inertial confinement fusion conditions. Independent measurements of the ionization wave velocity are compared with hydrodynamic simulations and analytical models. It is shown that simulations of a homogeneous material at equivalent density strongly overestimate the front velocity. The internal foam structure can be accounted for with a simple model of foam homogenization that allows improving agreement between experiment and calculations.

The process of non-uniform laser-driven DT plasma burning caused by the thermonuclear burn wave produced and propagating in plasma is investigated theoretically. The energy transfer from the burning plasma region to the remaining cold portion is assumed to be realized either by α-particles or by free electrons. A similarity solution of this problem has been obtained and, deriving from this solution, the conditions for “firing-up” non-uniform thermonuclear targets are defined.