Aachen PK 2003 – scientific programme
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P: Plasmaphysik
P 9: Plasma Physics
P 9.4: Talk
Tuesday, March 18, 2003, 16:30–16:50, FO4
Collisionless Shock Formation in Magnetic Fields using Exploding Foils — •c. Courtois1, A. D Ash1, D. Chambers1, R.O. Dendy2, R.A.D. Grundy1, R. Heathcote3, P. Helander2, B. Lings4, K.G. McClements2, M.M. Notley3, K. Rosolankova4, M. Tolley3, and N.C. Woolsey1 — 1Departement of Physics, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom — 2UKAEA, Culham Science Centre, Abingdon, OX14 3DB, United Kingdom — 3CLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom — 4Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX4 1PP, United Kingdom
Here we present results of an experiment designed to address key aspects of magnetized collisionless shocks by colliding two laser-produced plasmas.
Results show that counter-propagating collisionless plasmas mainly interpenetrate when no magnetic field is present.
In contrast, experimental results obtained in the presence of a 7 T magnetic field suggest the formation of shock-like structures.
This may result from an increase in the effective collisionality as the ion gyro-radius becomes shorter than the system size.
Finally, these results indicate that experimental dimensionless parameters (plasma beta...) can match those of a 100 year old supernova remnant, and that scaled laser plasma experiments of collisionless shocks are relevant to supernova remnant studies.