The Dawn of a New Era for High Energy Density Physics

The field of High Energy Density (HED) physics is on the verge of a revolutionary event - the achievement of fusion ignition in the laboratory. New laser facilities, the OMEGA Extended Performance (EP) laser at the University of Rochester and the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, greatly extend the range of high energy density (HED) plasma conditions (including ignition) accessible in the laboratory. These conditions are among the most extreme obtainable, with pressures in excess of {approx}1,000,000 atmospheres. Experiments at these facilities will elucidate fundamental new science in astrophysics, materials science, laser-matter interactions, and other areas. The demonstration of fusion ignition will be the culmination of decades of research, and for the first time, will open the burning plasma regime to laboratory exploration. Ignition will spur the development of advanced options for clean, environmentally sustainable energy