Laboratory analogue of a supersonic accretion column in a binary star system.
Nature Communications Nature Publishing Group 7 (2016) ncomms11899
Abstract:
Astrophysical flows exhibit rich behaviour resulting from the interplay of different forms of energy-gravitational, thermal, magnetic and radiative. For magnetic cataclysmic variable stars, material from a late, main sequence star is pulled onto a highly magnetized (B>10 MG) white dwarf. The magnetic field is sufficiently large to direct the flow as an accretion column onto the poles of the white dwarf, a star subclass known as AM Herculis. A stationary radiative shock is expected to form 100-1,000 km above the surface of the white dwarf, far too small to be resolved with current telescopes. Here we report the results of a laboratory experiment showing the evolution of a reverse shock when both ionization and radiative losses are important. We find that the stand-off position of the shock agrees with radiation hydrodynamic simulations and is consistent, when scaled to AM Herculis star systems, with theoretical predictions.Target fabrication for the POLAR experiment on the Orion laser facility
High Power Laser Science and Engineering Cambridge University Press (CUP) 3 (2015) e8
Radiological characterisation of photon radiation from ultra-high-intensity laser-plasma and nuclear interactions.
Journal of radiological protection : official journal of the Society for Radiological Protection 26:3 (2006) 277-286
Abstract:
With the increasing number of multi-terawatt (10(12) W) and petawatt (10(15) W) laser interaction facilities being built, the need for a detailed understanding of the potential radiological hazards is required and their impact on personnel is of major concern. Experiments at a number of facilities are being undertaken to achieve this aim. This paper describes the recent work completed on the Vulcan petawatt laser system at the CCLRC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where photon doses of up to 43 mSv at 1 m per shot have been measured during commissioning studies. It also overviews the shielding in place on the facility in order to comply with the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 (IRR99), maintaining a dose to personnel of less than 1 mSv yr(-1) and as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).Vulcan petawatt-operation and development
The European Physical Journal Special Topics EDP Sciences 133 (2006) 555-559
Vulcan petawatt: Design, operation and interactions at 5 × 1020 Wcm−2
Laser and Particle Beams Cambridge University Press (CUP) 23:1 (2005) 87-93