Relativistic Laser-Matter Interaction and Relativistic Laboratory Astrophysics

TL;DR

This paper explores how high-intensity laser interactions with plasmas can simulate astrophysical phenomena, focusing on particle acceleration, shock waves, and magnetic reconnection in a laboratory setting.

Contribution

It highlights the similarity between laser-produced plasmas and astrophysical plasmas in the ultrarelativistic regime, proposing a framework for laboratory relativistic astrophysics.

Findings

Identification of key dimensionless parameters for laser and astrophysical plasmas

Analysis of charged particle acceleration mechanisms

Discussion of shock waves and magnetic reconnection processes

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the prospects of using the laser radiation interaction with plasmas in the laboratory relativistic astrophysics context. We discuss the dimensionless parameters characterizing the processes in the laser and astrophysical plasmas and emphasize a similarity between the laser and astrophysical plasmas in the ultrarelativistic energy limit. In particular, we address basic mechanisms of the charged particle acceleration, the collisionless shock wave and magnetic reconnection and vortex dynamics properties relevant to the problem of ultrarelativistic particle acceleration.