Radiation-produced forces in laser-heated plasmas

Abstract

The effects of electrostrictive forces on a laser-heated plasma have been calculated for different laser wavelengths using a hydrodynamic code of standard form. Large density discontinuities and marked fluctuations in reflectivity are predicted.

Radiation Pressure Dominated Plasma Flow

“…The existence of such density humps under certain conditions has been shown numerically in Refs. [7] and [11], In this letter we show that concise -and at the same time exact -formulae for the variations of density and Mach number in steady adiabatic and isothermal flows can be deduced if all quantities are evaluated at any local maximum of the electric field amplitude. -We then solve the correct initial-value problem of plasma production from a solid target under the action of light pressure.…”

“…They all have in common that no essential flow of the plasma has been taken into account. On the other hand it is well known that the flow of the plasma plays a decisive role [6][7][8][9][10][11], In laser plasmas produced from dense targets for instance the flow is subsonic near the target and becomes supersonic with decreasing density.…”

On electromagnetic wave momentum transfer to an inhomogeneous plasma

“…They were the first to observe both plasma density profile modification with the profile steepening in the vicinity of the critical density and the establishment of the so-called cavitons in an underdense plasma. Since then, much work has been done in this field both analytically [3,[14][15][16][17][18][19] and purely computationally by either particle simulation codes [4][5][6] or gas dynamic codes [7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. Nevertheless, a clear answer, to the question of whether the ponderomotive force can change the plasma dynamics significantly (in a primary sense, i.e.…”