Physics and Astronomy Colloquium - Dr. Matthew C. Levy - University of Oxford

Title: "Extreme Laser Power and How To Use It: Terawatt Laboratory Astrophysics, Petawatt Coupling and Beyond"

February 12, 2016
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Location
Wilder 104
Sponsored by
Physics & Astronomy Department
Audience
Public
More information
Tressena Manning
603-646-2854

Abstract: Exponential progress in laser technology over the past 20 years has made possible new and exciting forms of laboratory studies. Laser systems in operation today can regularly achieve peak powers in excess of 1 petawatt (1015 Watts), enabling the creation and diagnosis of scaled astrophysical phenomena, and opening paths to table-top particle accelerators, ultrafast imaging sources, and inertial confinement fusion. In this presentation, I will show results using terawatt lasers to probe collisionless shock wave formation relevant to supernova remnants [1,2]. I will then discuss the relativistic physics that governs the coupling between the most powerful light sources on Earth — petawatt lasers — and dense matter [3].  Finally, I will remark on the exotic physics such as prolific electron-positron pair production that is anticipated in next-generation laser-matter interactions [4].

 

[1] Medvedev, M. V. & Loeb, A. Astrophys. J. 526, 697–706 (1999).

[2] Huntington, C. M. et al. Nat. Phys. 1–13 (2015).

[3] M. C. Levy et al., Nat. Commun., 5(May), 1–6. doi:10.1038/ncomms5149 (2014).

[4] US Department of Energy "Frontiers of Plasma Physics" whitepaper https://www.orau.gov/plasmawkshps2015/whitepapers/general-Levy_Matthew.pdf

Location
Wilder 104
Sponsored by
Physics & Astronomy Department
Audience
Public
More information
Tressena Manning
603-646-2854