Explosion of relativistic electron vortices in laser plasmas

TL;DR

This paper investigates the formation and evolution of relativistic electron vortices in laser-produced plasmas, revealing their boundary dynamics, instabilities, and eventual fragmentation through simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a simple analytical model for stationary vortices and demonstrates their complex behavior and instability mechanisms via 2D PIC simulations.

Findings

Vortex boundary field intensification observed

Multistream instabilities develop at vortex boundaries

Vortices break into smaller structures over time

Abstract

The interaction of high intensity laser radiation with underdense plasma may lead to the formation of electron vortices. Though being quasistationary on an electron timescales, these structures tend to expand on a proton timescale due to Coloumb repulsion of ions. Using a simple analytical model of a stationary vortex as initial condition, 2D PIC simulations are performed. A number of effects are observed such as vortex boundary field intensification, multistream instabilities at the vortex boundary, and bending of the vortex boundary with the subsequent transformation into smaller electron vortices.