Collisionless Shocks in a Large Magnetized Laser-Plasma Plume

Collisionless shock waves have been created in a large (
$\sim$
20 cm) magnetized laser-plasma plume using a pulsed Helmholtz coil and the unique three-beam capability of the Trident terawatt laser facility. A combination of sequential laser pulses creates, shocks, and probes a large magnetized plasma. The data show collisionless coupling between the super-Alfvénic laser blow-off cloud and the ambient plasma.