Work

Impact pressure shaping plasma jets and affected by high metallicity

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: High-Mach-number plasma jets have been extensively investigated in both astrophysical and laboratory contexts. In this work, we revisit the framework of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory and introduce a new analytical approach for examining plasma jets generated by intense laser–plasma interactions. Specifically, we reformulate the fundamental MHD equations to elucidate the governing factors of local plasma density evolution. Furthermore, MHD simulations of laser irradiation on planar targets demonstrate that impact pressure plays a dominant role in the propagation of high-Mach-number plasma jets. In addition, a pronounced dependence on the atomic number is identified: higher-Z materials amplify the impact pressure, suggesting that metallicity exerts a significant influence on the morphology and dynamics of astrophysical jets.

Source: Matter and Radiation at Extremes

DOI: 10.1063/5.0275550

Authors: Zuolin Ma, Yongli Ping, Jiayong Zhong

Institutions: Beijing Normal University, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai

Language: English

Topic: Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China

Awards: G1060248756, G7367694198, G7416343258, G8251697756