Sustained interpenetrating plasma flows for the investigation of late time kinetic instability evolution

TL;DR

This paper reports on sustained collisionless plasma flows created on the OMEGA laser facility, enabling the study of electromagnetic kinetic instability evolution, particularly the Weibel instability, through simulations and measurements.

Contribution

It demonstrates a new experimental platform with prolonged collisionless plasma flows for investigating late-time kinetic instability evolution.

Findings

Interpenetrating flows remain collisionless for at least 11 ns.

Magnetic fields generated by instabilities are measured with proton radiography.

Supports growth and saturation of the Weibel instability.

Abstract

Sustained collisionless interpenetrating plasma flows have been generated on the OMEGA laser facility to enable direct investigation of nonlinear evolution of fields generated by electromagnetic kinetic instabilities. FLASH simulations and Thomson scattering measurements are used to determine the plasma conditions achieved. Interpenetrating flows are observed to remain collisionless for at least 11 ns, longer than any prior OMEGA experiment, supporting the growth and nonlinear saturation of the Weibel instability. Resulting magnetic fields are measured using proton radiography. This work establishes a unique platform for late-time filament evolution measurements.