Three parallel algorithms for classical molecular dynamics are presented. The first assigns each processor a fixed subset of atoms; the second assigns each a fixed subset of inter-atomic forces to compute; the third assigns each a fixed spatial region. The algorithms are suitable for molecular dynamics models which can be difficult to parallelize efficiently—those with short-range forces where the neighbors of each atom change rapidly. They can be implemented on any distributed-memory parallel machine which allows for message-passing of data between independently executing processors. The algorithms are tested on a standard Lennard-Jones benchmark problem for system sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000,000 atoms on several parallel supercomputers--the nCUBE 2, Intel iPSC/860 and Paragon, and Cray T3D. Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems. For large problems, the spatial algorithm achieves parallel efficiencies of 90% and a 1840-node Intel Paragon performs up to 165 faster than a single Cray C9O processor. Trade-offs between the three algorithms and guidelines for adapting them to more complex molecular dynamics simulations are also discussed.

Fast parallel algorithms for short-range molecular dynamics

The 1990 National Academy of Science final report of its review of the Inertial Confinement Fusion Program recommended completion of a series of target physics objectives on the 10-beam Nova laser at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as the highest-priority prerequisite for proceeding with construction of an ignition-scale laser facility, now called the National Ignition Facility (NIF). These objectives were chosen to demonstrate that there was sufficient understanding of the physics of ignition targets that the laser requirements for laboratory ignition could be accurately specified. This research on Nova, as well as additional research on the Omega laser at the University of Rochester, is the subject of this review. The objectives of the U.S. indirect-drive target physics program have been to experimentally demonstrate and predictively model hohlraum characteristics, as well as capsule performance in targets that have been scaled in key physics variables from NIF targets. To address the hohlrau...

The physics basis for ignition using indirect-drive targets on the National Ignition Facility

The advent of ultraintense laser pulses generated by the technique of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) along with the development of high-fluence laser materials has opened up an entirely new field of optics. The electromagnetic field intensities produced by these techniques, in excess of ${10}^{18}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{W}∕{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, lead to relativistic electron motion in the laser field. The CPA method is reviewed and the future growth of laser technique is discussed, including the prospect of generating the ultimate power of a zettawatt. A number of consequences of relativistic-strength optical fields are surveyed. In contrast to the nonrelativistic regime, these laser fields are capable of moving matter more effectively, including motion in the direction of laser propagation. One of the consequences of this is wakefield generation, a relativistic version of optical rectification, in which longitudinal field effects could be as large as the transverse ones. In addition to this, other effects may occur, including relativistic focusing, relativistic transparency, nonlinear modulation and multiple harmonic generation, and strong coupling to matter and other fields (such as high-frequency radiation). A proper utilization of these phenomena and effects leads to the new technology of relativistic engineering, in which light-matter interactions in the relativistic regime drives the development of laser-driven accelerator science. A number of significant applications are reviewed, including the fast ignition of an inertially confined fusion target by short-pulsed laser energy and potential sources of energetic particles (electrons, protons, other ions, positrons, pions, etc.). The coupling of an intense laser field to matter also has implications for the study of the highest energies in astrophysics, such as ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays, with energies in excess of ${10}^{20}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$. The laser fields can be so intense as to make the accelerating field large enough for general relativistic effects (via the equivalence principle) to be examined in the laboratory. It will also enable one to access the nonlinear regime of quantum electrodynamics, where the effects of radiative damping are no longer negligible. Furthermore, when the fields are close to the Schwinger value, the vacuum can behave like a nonlinear medium in much the same way as ordinary dielectric matter expanded to laser radiation in the early days of laser research.

/pdf/optics-in-the-relativistic-regime-4n43x5jaaf.pdf

Optics in the relativistic regime

The field of laser-matter interaction traditionally deals with the response of atoms, molecules, and plasmas to an external light wave. However, the recent sustained technological progress is opening up the possibility of employing intense laser radiation to trigger or substantially influence physical processes beyond atomic-physics energy scales. Available optical laser intensities exceeding ${10}^{22}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ can push the fundamental light-electron interaction to the extreme limit where radiation-reaction effects dominate the electron dynamics, can shed light on the structure of the quantum vacuum, and can trigger the creation of particles such as electrons, muons, and pions and their corresponding antiparticles. Also, novel sources of intense coherent high-energy photons and laser-based particle colliders can pave the way to nuclear quantum optics and may even allow for the potential discovery of new particles beyond the standard model. These are the main topics of this article, which is devoted to a review of recent investigations on high-energy processes within the realm of relativistic quantum dynamics, quantum electrodynamics, and nuclear and particle physics, occurring in extremely intense laser fields.

Extremely high-intensity laser interactions with fundamental quantum systems

Data Reduction And Error Analysis For The Physical Sciences

Laser plasma interaction experiments have been performed using a fs Titanium Sapphire laser. Plasmas have been generated from planar PMMA targets using single laser pulses with 3.3 mJ pulse energy, 50 fs pulse duration at 800 nm wavelength. The electron density distributions of the plasmas in different delay times have been characterized by means of Nomarski Interferometry. Experimental data were compared with hydrodynamic simulation. First results to characterize the plasma density and temperature as a function of space and time are obtained. This work aims to generate plasmas in the warm dense matter (WDM) regime at near solid-density in an ultra-fast laser target interaction process. Plasmas under these conditions can serve as targets to develop x-ray Thomson scattering as a plasma diagnostic tool, e.g., using the VUV free-electron laser (FLASH) at DESY Hamburg.

Space-Time Characterization of Laser Plasma Interactions in the Warm Dense Matter Regime

Summary form only given, as follows. We have recently succeeded measuring the temperature and ionization balance of a previously unexplored regime of high density matter with a proof-of-principal experiment at the Omega laser facility. We used spectrally-resolved 4.75-keV x-ray scattering from solid-density beryllium and carbon plasmas. Spectrally resolved x-ray scattering provides for the first time detailed information on electron densities, temperature, and velocity distributions. In our experiments, we observe the Compton-downshifted spectral line that is broadened by the thermal motion of the electrons in the plasma. These are the first measurements from a solid-density plasma close to the Fermi degenerate state that is a fundamental state of matter occurring in many high energy density laboratory experiments. We compare our results with calculations of the ionization balance using the activity expansion method and an averaged atom model. In this regime, we find that the experimental data test models of electronic properties at high density. These results also suggest that the full range of dense plasmas, from Fermi degenerate, to strongly coupled, to high temperature ideal gas plasmas will now be accessible.

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/8704/27557/01229033.pdf

Electronic property measurements of solid density plasmas with x-ray scattering

P. Audebert, H. Baldis, J. Benage, M. Bergh, C. Caleman, R. Cauble, P. Celliers, M.H. Chen, H.K. Chung, G. Collins, M. Fajardo, R. Falcone, R. Faustlin, R. Fedosejevs, E. Forster, J. Gauthier, S. Glenzer, E. Glover, G. Gregori, J. Hajdu, P. Heimann, C.A. Iglesias, S. L. Johnson, L. Juha, F. Y. Khattak, J. Krzywinski, R.W. Lee, A. Lindenbergh, H. Merdji, J. Meyer-ter-Vehn, S. Moon, T. Moller, W .L. Morgan, M. Murillo, B. Nagler, A. Nelson, A. Ng, Y. Ralchenko, R. Redmer, O. Renner, D. Riley, F. Rogers, S. J. Rose, F. Rosmej, W . Rozmus, R. Schuch, H. A. Scott, T. Schenkel, D. Schneider, J. R. Seely, R. Sobierajski, K. SokolowskiTinten, T. Stoelker, S. Toleikis, T. Tschentscher, S. Vinko, H. W abnitz, J. S. W ark., T. W hitcher, K. W idmann, P. Zeitoun...

Free-electron Lasers

We report the observation of amplification of a probe laser beam (I {le} 1 {times} 10{sup 14} W/cm{sup 2}) in a large scale ({approximately} 1 mm) plasma by interaction with a pumping laser beam (I = 2 {times} 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}) and a stimulated Langmuir wave. When the plasma density is adjusted to allow the Langmuir wave dispersion to match the difference frequency and wave number of the two beams, amplification factors as high as {times} 2.5 result. Interpretation of this amplification as scattering of pump beam energy by the Langmuir wave that is produced by the ponderomotive force of the two beams, allows the dependence of Langmuir wave amplitude on ponderomotive force to be measured. It is found that the Langmuir wave amplitude saturates at a level that depends on ion wave damping, and is generally consistent with secondary ion wave instabilities limiting its growth. 20 refs., 4 figs.

/pdf/observation-of-the-saturation-of-langmuir-waves-driven-by-1d4q7x113s.pdf

Observation of the saturation of Langmuir waves driven by ponderomotive force in a large scale plasma

We present an improved analytical expression for the x-ray dynamic structure factor from a dense plasma which includes the effects of weakly bound electrons. This result can be applied to describe scattering from low to moderate Z plasmas, and it covers the entire range of plasma conditions that can be found in inertial confinement fusion experiments, from ideal to degenerate up to moderately coupled systems. We use our theory to interpret x-ray scattering experiments from solid density carbon plasma and to extract accurate measurements of electron temperature, electron density and charge state. We use our experimental results to validate various equation-of-state models for carbon plasmas.

Siegfried Glenzer

Papers

Space-Time Characterization of Laser Plasma Interactions in the Warm Dense Matter Regime

Electronic property measurements of solid density plasmas with x-ray scattering

Free-electron Lasers

Observation of the saturation of Langmuir waves driven by ponderomotive force in a large scale plasma

Electronic Structure Measurement of Solid Density Plasmas using X-Ray Scattering