Laboratory observation of ion drift acceleration via reflection off laser-produced magnetized collisionless shocks
Fermi acceleration is believed to be the primary mechanism to produce high-energy charged particles in the Universe, where charged particles gain energy successively from multiple reflections. Here, we present the direct laboratory experimental evidence of ion energization from single reflection off a supercritical collisionless shock, an essential component of Fermi acceleration, in a laser-produced magnetized plasma. A quasi-monoenergetic ion beam with two to four times the shock velocity was observed, which is consistent with the fast ion component observed in the Earth's bow shock. Our simulations reproduced the energy gain and showed that ions were accelerated mainly by the motional electric field during reflection. The results identify shock drift acceleration as the dominant ion energization mechanism, which is consistent with satellite observation in the Earth's bow shock. Our observations pave the way for laboratory investigations of the cosmic accelerators, also be beneficial to laser fusion and laser-driven ion accelerator.
Authors
- Yufei Hao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9578-6250)
- Hua-chong Si
- Dawei Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3283-7775)
- Zhiyong Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6416-3785)
- Hui-bo Tang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3039-164X)
- Jing-Jing Ju
- Peng Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4051-4447)
- Zhen-chi Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2857-2620)
- Quanming Lu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3041-2682)
- Guang-yue Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7491-0627)
- Ruxin Li
- Jin-can Wang
- Xiang-bing Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6660-200X)
- Yu Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1017-7953)
- Guoqiang Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5298-9661)
- Yulin Wang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4485-2697)
- Wei Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7267-9575)
- Zhe Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8076-5094)
- Ping Zhu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5627-2011)
- Jun Xiong (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3208-5497)
- Chuang Ren (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0858-4827)
- Xiaohui Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0661-5332)
- Ao Guo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7625-7625)
- Jiayi Zhao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1282-7190)
- Peng Hu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7030-6716)
- Jiancai Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5238-0338)
- Chun-kai Yu
- Zhiheng Fang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6686-3456)
- Zhizhan Xu
Institutions
- University of Science and Technology of China (CN)
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
- Harbin Institute of Technology (CN)
- Purple Mountain Observatory (CN)
- Institute of Plasma Physics (CN)
- Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science (CN)
- Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (CN)
- Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics (CN)
- Institute of Physics (CN)
- National Astronomical Observatories (CN)
- University of Rochester (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Science Advances
- Published
- 2025-02-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adn3320
- Citations
- 6
- Primary Topic
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 11.22
Funders
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- State Key Laboratory of High Field Laser Physics