Measurement of ion acceleration and diffusion in a laser-driven magnetized plasma
Here we present results from an experiment performed at the GSI Helmholtz Center for Heavy Ion Research. A mono-energetic beam of chromium ions with initial energies of ~ 450 MeV was fired through a magnetized interaction region formed by the collision of two counter-propagating laser-ablated plasma jets. While laser interferometry revealed the absence of strong fluid-scale turbulence, acceleration and diffusion of the beam ions was driven by wave-particle interactions. A possible mechanism is particle acceleration by electrostatic, short scale length kinetic turbulence, such as the lower-hybrid drift instability.
Authors
- A. F. A. Bott
- K. Moczulski
- F. Miniati
- K. A. Beyer
- P. Neumayer
- J. T. Y. Chu
- M. Metternich
- P. Tzeferacos
- H. Nazary
- A. R. Bell
- C. D. Arrowsmith
- H. Wen
- C. Spindloe
- D. C. Lamb
- G. Gregori
- D. Schumacher
- C. B. Stuart
- E. Hansen
- B. Reville
- A. Blazevic
- R. Bingham
- J. W. D. Halliday
- C. A. J. Palmer
- C. Heaton
- S. Sarkar
- A. Scopatz
- T. Campbell
- A. Reyes
Institutions
- Queen's University Belfast (GB)
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (GB)
- GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research (DE)
- University of Strathclyde (GB)
- Technische Universität Darmstadt (DE)
- University of Oxford (GB)
- University of Chicago (US)
- Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics (DE)
- University of Rochester (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-03-02
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-70113-y
- Primary Topic
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- UK Research and Innovation
- Laserlab-Europe
- European Commission
- Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council