High-power femtosecond light strings as novel atmospheric probes

High-power, femtosecond light filaments, also termed light strings, are experimentally observed to propagate over distances which substantially exceed the diffraction lengths that would correspond to their transverse dimensions. Thus, they provide a way to deliver high powers of focused light over long distance, and may potentially serve as light probes in remote sensing. We concentrate on a theoretical understanding of the underlying physics. In this talk, we review the results of our computer simulations providing insight into the rich spatio-temporal dynamics of this interesting phenomenon.