An ultraviolet high-energy Thomson scattering probe beam has been implemented on the Omega laser facility at the University of Rochester. The new probe operates at a wavelength of 264nm, with a maximum energy of 260J in a pulselength of 1ns. The probe is focused with an F/6.7 lens to a minimum focal spot of 40{micro}m within a pointing tolerance of

Material in the Australian performing arts programs and ephemera (PROMPT) collection consists of programs and related items for Australian performing arts organisations, Australian artists performing overseas, professional productions performed in Australia (including those featuring overseas performers) and overseas performances of Australian plays, music, etc.

We experimentally demonstrate that application of laser smoothing schemes including smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD) and polarization smoothing (PS) increases the intensity range for efficient coupling of frequency doubled (527 nm) laser light to a long scalelength plasma with n{sub e}/n{sub cr} = 0.14 and T{sub e} = 2 keV.

We present collective x-ray scattering (CXS) measurements using a Chlorine He-{alpha} x-ray source pumped with less than 200 J of laser energy. The experimental scattering spectra show plasmon resonances from shocked samples. These experiments use only 10{sup 12} x-ray photons at the sample of which 10{sup -5} have been scattered and detected with a highly efficient curved crystal spectrometer. Our results demonstrate that x-ray scattering is a viable technique on smaller laser facilities making CXS measurements accessible to a broad scientific community.

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.

We present the observation of a nonlocal heat wave by measuring spatially and temporally resolved electron temperature profiles in a laser produced nitrogen plasma. Absolutely calibrated measurements have been performed by resolving the ion-acoustic wave spectra across the plasma volume with Thomson scattering. We find that the experimental electron temperature profiles disagree with flux-limited models, but are consistent with transport models that account for the nonlocal effects in heat conduction by fast electrons.

The Full Aperture Backscatter System (FABS) provides a measure of the spectral power, and integrated energy scattered by stimulated Brillouin (348-354 nm) and Raman (400 - 700 nm) scattering into the final focusing lens of the first four beams of the NIF laser. The system was designed to provide measurements at the highest expected fluences with: (1) spectral and temporal resolution, (2) beam aperture averaging, and (3) near-field imaging. This is accomplished with a strongly attenuating diffusive fiber coupler and streaked spectrometer and separate calibrated time integrated spectrometers, and imaging cameras. Measurement of the wavelength dependent sensitivity of the complete system is accomplished with a calibrated Xe lamp. Data from the calibration system is combined with experimental data to produce the power and energy measurements. Examples of measurements will be discussed.

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.