Diagnosing collisions of magnetized, high energy density plasma flows using a combination of collective Thomson scattering, Faraday rotation, and interferometry (invited)

• DOI: 10.1063/1.4890564
• Publication Date: 2014-07-29T00:30:53Z
• Authors: G. F. Swadling; S. V. Lebedev; G. N. Hall; S. Patankar; N. H. Stewart; R. A. Smith; A. J. Harvey-Thom...; G. C. Burdiak; P. de Grouchy; J. Skidmore; L. Suttle; F. Suzuki-Vidal; S. N. Bland; K. H. Kwek; L. Pickworth; M. Bennett; J. D. Hare; W. Rozmus; J. Yuan
• Keywords: Thomson scattering

A suite of laser based diagnostics is used to study interactions magnetised, supersonic, radiatively cooled plasma flows produced using the Magpie pulse power generator (1.4 MA, 240 ns rise time). Collective optical Thomson scattering measures time-resolved local flow velocity and temperature across 7–14 spatial positions. The spectrum recorded from multiple directions, allowing more accurate reconstruction vectors. areal electron density measured 2D interferometry; optimisation analysis are discussed. Faraday rotation diagnostic, operating at 1053 nm, magnetic field distribution in plasma. Measurements obtained simultaneously by these constrain analysis, increasing accuracy interpretation.