ABSTRACT
We analyze, using experiments and 3D MHD numerical simulations, the dynamic and radiative properties of a plasma ablated by a laser (1 ns, 10[Formula: see text]-10[Formula: see text] W/cm[Formula: see text]) from a solid target as it expands into a homogeneous, strong magnetic field (up to 30 T) that is transverse to its main expansion axis. We find that as early as 2 ns after the start of the expansion, the plasma becomes constrained by the magnetic field. As the magnetic field strength is increased, more plasma is confined close to the target and is heated by magnetic compression. We also observe that after [Formula: see text] ns, the plasma is being overall shaped in a slab, with the plasma being compressed perpendicularly to the magnetic field, and being extended along the magnetic field direction. This dense slab rapidly expands into vacuum; however, it contains only [Formula: see text] of the total plasma. As a result of the higher density and increased heating of the plasma confined against the laser-irradiated solid target, there is a net enhancement of the total X-ray emissivity induced by the magnetization.
ABSTRACT
Accretion dynamics in the formation of young stars is still a matter of debate because of limitations in observations and modeling. Through scaled laboratory experiments of collimated plasma accretion onto a solid in the presence of a magnetic field, we open a first window on this phenomenon by tracking, with spatial and temporal resolution, the dynamics of the system and simultaneously measuring multiband emissions. We observe in these experiments that matter, upon impact, is ejected laterally from the solid surface and then refocused by the magnetic field toward the incoming stream. This ejected matter forms a plasma shell that envelops the shocked core, reducing escaped x-ray emission. This finding demonstrates one possible structure reconciling current discrepancies between mass accretion rates derived from x-ray and optical observations, respectively.