Fig. 1: Setup diagram for multi-messenger imaging of laser-driven hydrodynamic shocks in water.
From: Multi-messenger dynamic imaging of laser-driven shocks in water using a plasma wakefield accelerator
a The main ultrafast laser pulse is focused on the gas jet driving the plasma wakefield accelerator, generating relativistic electrons and ultrafast X-ray pulses. A secondary long laser pulse is focused on the liquid (water) target creating high-energy-density conditions and driving a hydrodynamic shock. The electron beam profile is recorded with a phosphor scintillating screen, and its spectrum is characterized downstream using a magnetic spectrometer. The betatron X-rays are recorded with an in-vacuum CCD camera, and their spectrum is characterized using a Ross filter wheel. b 529 shots taken continuously measuring the electron beam mean momentum, charge, and FWHM divergence angle. The shaded green bands denote the boundaries of scintillating screens. c Energy spectrum of the betatron X-ray source, recovered by imaging a Ross filter wheel. The uncertainty in the electron and X-ray beam spectra is obtained from the standard deviation of the critical energy across multiple shots.
