Description
Here we present designs for future experiments investigating ion acceleration at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research. The work builds on a previous experimental campaign which found evidence for ion acceleration when a mono-energetic beam of chromium ions with initial energies of ∼ 450 MeV was fired through a magnetised interaction region formed by the collision of two counter-propagating laser-ablated plasma jets. While laser interferometry revealed the absence of strong fluid-scale turbulence, acceleration and diffusion of the beam ions consistent with wave-particle interactions was observed using a time-of-flight detector.
The new experiment will aim to better diagnose plasma conditions and explore the potential role of electrostatic kinetic turbulence as an acceleration mechanism. Building on previous theoretical work, optical Thomson scattering will be fielded to probe short-scale kinetic turbulence, while also functioning as a density and temperature diagnostic. Faraday rotation imaging will be fielded in complement to provide improved measurements of the magnetic field strength.