fusion research and LFEX laser for ultra-intense physics are installed there. I have
benefited from discussions with experimentalists from all over the world.
I have tried to write these three books so that the description is always with
intuitive understanding as I explain to experimentalists. I tried not to use complicated
equations in order to keep the books easy to read for non-specialists. Many color
figures are used to help non-experts obtain concrete images about the physics. Since
the idea of laboratory astrophysics was conceived from the similarity of the physics
of turbulence in laser implosion and supernova explosion, some ideas and examples
of experimental laboratory astrophysics are also described.
While writing this book, I realized that one book is not enough to transfer my
knowledge to the readers clearly; therefore, I decided to write three volumes.
Volume 1 discusses the physics of how laser energy is absorbed by plasma and
how electrons obtain laser energy in non-thermodynamic equilibrium process.
Importance of non-linear and chaos physics are described. Assuming that readers
have preliminary knowledge about this field, I explain the following subjects in
Volume 1: Electromagnetism, Mechanics, Analytical mechanics, Quantum
mechanics, and Relativity.
Volume 2 is devoted to the physics of plasma energized by laser absorption and
related physics. Abrupt heating by laser generates extremely high pressure, driving
strong shock waves to compress matter to a high density like the core of planets and
stars. The physics of compressible hydrodynamics becomes important, and the
subject of turbulence driven by the hydrodynamic motion is a challenging subject.
Volume 2 discusses the following topics of physics to the readers: Fluid dynamics,
Thermodynamics, Statistical physics, Quantum statistical physics, and Atomic
physics.
In Volume 2, it is assumed that the plasma is collisional and is in thermodynamic
equilibrium locally. On the other hand, the physics of plasma without collision is
discussed in Volume 3. In relatively low-density region, high-energy electrons
generated by laser are freely running without collision, and they do not collide
with each other, the so-called collisionless plasma. The electrons interact with
electric and magnetic field fluctuations to generate a variety of plasma instabilities.
The field and charged particle interaction provides particle acceleration, anomalous
transport, anti-matter generation, and so on. Volume 3 provides insights into the
following areas of physics: Electromagnetism, Physical kinetics, Statistical physics,
Relativity, and Quantum electrodynamics.
As you already know, the laser-plasma physics is not a single subject discipline
and the expression of “integrated physics” would be nice expression. As a metaphor,
the laser plasma is a kind of “decathlon”, not 100m dash. Note that it requires a
constant study and effort.
Since I am a theoretical plasma physicist, most topics discuss about theoretical
physics of laser plasmas. Although I have worked with many experimentalists, I
have not written about the methods of diagnostics for laser plasma. Several
experimental data are shown in this book, but the accuracy of diagnostics is not
discussed. Note that I selectively cited a limited number of papers so that those
papers are also very useful for senior researchers to know more about each topic.
viii
Preface
benefited from discussions with experimentalists from all over the world.
I have tried to write these three books so that the description is always with
intuitive understanding as I explain to experimentalists. I tried not to use complicated
equations in order to keep the books easy to read for non-specialists. Many color
figures are used to help non-experts obtain concrete images about the physics. Since
the idea of laboratory astrophysics was conceived from the similarity of the physics
of turbulence in laser implosion and supernova explosion, some ideas and examples
of experimental laboratory astrophysics are also described.
While writing this book, I realized that one book is not enough to transfer my
knowledge to the readers clearly; therefore, I decided to write three volumes.
Volume 1 discusses the physics of how laser energy is absorbed by plasma and
how electrons obtain laser energy in non-thermodynamic equilibrium process.
Importance of non-linear and chaos physics are described. Assuming that readers
have preliminary knowledge about this field, I explain the following subjects in
Volume 1: Electromagnetism, Mechanics, Analytical mechanics, Quantum
mechanics, and Relativity.
Volume 2 is devoted to the physics of plasma energized by laser absorption and
related physics. Abrupt heating by laser generates extremely high pressure, driving
strong shock waves to compress matter to a high density like the core of planets and
stars. The physics of compressible hydrodynamics becomes important, and the
subject of turbulence driven by the hydrodynamic motion is a challenging subject.
Volume 2 discusses the following topics of physics to the readers: Fluid dynamics,
Thermodynamics, Statistical physics, Quantum statistical physics, and Atomic
physics.
In Volume 2, it is assumed that the plasma is collisional and is in thermodynamic
equilibrium locally. On the other hand, the physics of plasma without collision is
discussed in Volume 3. In relatively low-density region, high-energy electrons
generated by laser are freely running without collision, and they do not collide
with each other, the so-called collisionless plasma. The electrons interact with
electric and magnetic field fluctuations to generate a variety of plasma instabilities.
The field and charged particle interaction provides particle acceleration, anomalous
transport, anti-matter generation, and so on. Volume 3 provides insights into the
following areas of physics: Electromagnetism, Physical kinetics, Statistical physics,
Relativity, and Quantum electrodynamics.
As you already know, the laser-plasma physics is not a single subject discipline
and the expression of “integrated physics” would be nice expression. As a metaphor,
the laser plasma is a kind of “decathlon”, not 100m dash. Note that it requires a
constant study and effort.
Since I am a theoretical plasma physicist, most topics discuss about theoretical
physics of laser plasmas. Although I have worked with many experimentalists, I
have not written about the methods of diagnostics for laser plasma. Several
experimental data are shown in this book, but the accuracy of diagnostics is not
discussed. Note that I selectively cited a limited number of papers so that those
papers are also very useful for senior researchers to know more about each topic.
viii
Preface