Physics – Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Oct 2003
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2003aps..dppci1004d&link_type=abstract
American Physical Society, 45th Annual Meeting of the Division of Plasma Physics, October 27-31, 2003, Albuquerque, New Mexico,
Physics
Plasma Physics
Scientific paper
Progress in the field of experimental astrophysics could be described as explosive, which seems fitting given that supernovae motivate much of its work. Under conditions that are identical to or relevant to astrophysical ones, ongoing high-energy-density research is studying both the properties and the dynamics of astrophysical plasmas. Material properties are under study in astrophysically relevant experiments to explore equations of state, x-ray opacities, and the properties of photoionized plasmas. Dynamic processes under study include hydrodynamic instabilities, jet propagation, the interaction of shocks and clumps, radiative shocks, and radiation transport. This talk will provide an update regarding new developments in this field and specific examples from two areas in which the speaker is actively involved - deeply nonlinear hydrodynamic systems that approach turbulent conditions and radiatively collapsing shocks. It has become clear that experiments and astrophysical systems can exist in a regime that probably permits the existence of turbulent states which cannot be simulated by existing or contemplated computer codes. The ongoing experiments to produce and characterize such states will be discussed. The experiments produce a blast wave that shocks and then decelerates an unstable, embedded interface to produce high-velocity spikes of dense material at very high Reynolds number. The talk will explain why this system can be expected to undergo a mixing transition and will show current experimental evidence related to this. This talk will also discuss the ongoing experiments to produce and diagnose an isolated, shocked layer that radiatively collapses to high density, just as astrophysical shocks do in supernova remnants and in other systems. This group of experiments uses the leading edge of a shocked and accelerated layer of low-Z material to drive a shock wave through 1.1 atm of xenon gas at more than 100 km/s. Under these conditions, radiative cooling of the xenon causes the shocked material to collapse to high density. The work of the author has been supported by the Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under grants DE-FG03-99DP00284, DE-FG03-00SF22021 and other grants and contracts It has involved collaborations among the NLUF Experimental Astrophysics Team and with other individuals to be acknowledged in the talk.
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