Relativistic shock waves in the laboratory

AbstractDue to the recent developments in high power lasers in the multi-petawatt domain it seems now feasible to accelerate a micro-foil to relativistic velocities. In this paper, we calculate analytically the high velocities achieved by the ponderomotive force of the irradiating laser. The accelerated foil collides with a second foil resulting in the creation of the relativistic shock waves. The density, pressure, temperature, and shock wave velocities are calculated within the context of relativistic fluid dynamics. The calculated thermodynamic parameters that are achieved in these collisions are enormous.

Download Full-text

Ultrafast ignition with relativistic shock waves induced by high power lasers

High Power Laser Science and Engineering ◽

10.1017/hpl.2014.24 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Shalom Eliezer ◽

Noaz Nissim ◽

Shirly Vinikman Pinhasi ◽

Erez Raicher ◽

José Maria Martinez Val

Keyword(s):

Shock Wave ◽

Shock Waves ◽

Radiation Pressure ◽

Ponderomotive Force ◽

Relativistic Hydrodynamics ◽

Pressure Shock ◽

Compression Pressure ◽

High Power Lasers ◽

Relativistic Shock ◽

Wave Induced

Abstract In this paper we consider laser intensities greater than $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}10^{16}\ \mathrm{W\ cm}^{-2}$ where the ablation pressure is negligible in comparison with the radiation pressure. The radiation pressure is caused by the ponderomotive force acting mainly on the electrons that are separated from the ions to create a double layer (DL). This DL is accelerated into the target, like a piston that pushes the matter in such a way that a shock wave is created. Here we discuss two novel ideas. Firstly, the transition domain between the relativistic and non-relativistic laser-induced shock waves. Our solution is based on relativistic hydrodynamics also for the above transition domain. The relativistic shock wave parameters, such as compression, pressure, shock wave and particle flow velocities, sound velocity and rarefaction wave velocity in the compressed target, and temperature are calculated. Secondly, we would like to use this transition domain for shock-wave-induced ultrafast ignition of a pre-compressed target. The laser parameters for these purposes are calculated and the main advantages of this scheme are described. If this scheme is successful a new source of energy in large quantities may become feasible.

Download Full-text

A detailed study of entropy jump across shock waves in relativistic fluid dynamics

Il Nuovo Cimento B ◽

10.1007/bf02729699 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 92 (1) ◽

pp. 91-105 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

A. Strumia

Keyword(s):

Fluid Dynamics ◽

Shock Waves ◽

Relativistic Fluid Dynamics ◽

Relativistic Fluid

Download Full-text

Shear viscosity, bulk viscosity, and relaxation times of causal dissipative relativistic fluid-dynamics at finite temperature and chemical potential

Nuclear Physics A ◽

10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2012.07.005 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 889 ◽

pp. 73-92 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Xu-Guang Huang ◽

Tomoi Koide

Keyword(s):

Fluid Dynamics ◽

Bulk Viscosity ◽

Shear Viscosity ◽

Finite Temperature ◽

Chemical Potential ◽

Relaxation Times ◽

Relativistic Fluid Dynamics ◽

Relativistic Fluid

Download Full-text

Relativistic shock waves induced by ultra-high laser pressure

Laser and Particle Beams ◽

10.1017/s0263034614000056 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 243-251 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Shalom Eliezer ◽

Noaz Nissim ◽

Erez Raicher ◽

José Maria Martínez-Val

Keyword(s):

Shock Wave ◽

Shock Waves ◽

Laser Irradiance ◽

Compression Pressure ◽

Relativistic Shock ◽

Electron Positron ◽

High Laser ◽

Wave Compression ◽

The One ◽

First Time

AbstractThis paper analyzes the one dimensional shock wave created in a planar target by the ponderomotive force induced by very high laser irradiance. The laser-induced relativistic shock wave parameters, such as compression, pressure, shock wave and particle flow velocities, sound velocity and temperature are calculated here for the first time in the context of relativistic hydrodynamics. For solid targets and laser irradiance of about 2 × 1024 W/cm2, the shock wave velocity is larger than 50% of the speed of light, the shock wave compression is larger than 4 (usually of the order of 10) and the targets have a pressure of the order of 1015 atmospheres. The estimated temperature can be larger than 1 MeV in energy units and therefore very excited physics (like electron positron formation) is expected in the shocked area. Although the next generation of lasers might allow obtaining relativistic shock waves in the laboratory this possibility is suggested in this paper for the first time.

Download Full-text