Anomalous self-generated electrostatic fields in nanosecond laser-plasma interaction

Electrostatic (E) fields associated with the interaction of a well-controlled, high-power, nanosecond laser pulse with an underdense plasma are diagnosed by proton radiography. Using a current three-dimensional wave propagation code equipped with nonlinear and nonlocal hydrodynamics, we can model the measured E-fields that are driven by the laser ponderomotive force in the region where the laser undergoes filamentation. However, strong fields of up to 110 MV/m measured in the first millimeter of propagation cannot be reproduced in the simulations. This could point to the presence of unexpected strong thermal electron pressure gradients possibly linked to ion acoustic turbulence, thus emphasizing the need for the development of full kinetic collisional simulations in order to properly model laser-plasma interaction in these strongly nonlinear conditions. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3555522