Laboratory realization of relativistic pair-plasma beams

Relativistic electron-positron plasmas are ubiquitous in extreme astrophysical environments such as black holes and neutron star magnetospheres, where accretion-powered jets and pulsar winds are expected to be enriched with such pair plasmas. Their behaviour is quite different from typical electron-ion plasmas due to the matter-antimatter symmetry of the charged components and their role in the dynamics of such compact objects is believed to be fundamental. So far, our experimental inability to produce large yields of positrons in quasi-neutral beams has restricted the understanding of electron-positron pair plasmas to simple numerical and analytical studies which are rather limited. We present first experimental results confirming the generation of high-density, quasi-neutral, relativistic electron-positron pair beams using the 440 GeV/c beam at CERN's Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator. The produced pair beams have a volume that fills multiple Debye spheres and are thus able to sustain collective plasma oscillations. Our work opens up the possibility of directly probing the microphysics of pair plasmas beyond quasi-linear evolution into regimes that are challenging to simulate or measure via astronomical observations.

[1]  Hui-Hwa Chen,et al.  Perspectives on relativistic electron–positron pair plasma experiments of astrophysical relevance using high-power lasers , 2023, Physics of Plasmas.

[2]  C. J. Baker,et al.  Positron accumulation in the GBAR experiment , 2022, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment.

[3]  R. Froeschl,et al.  New Capabilities of the FLUKA Multi-Purpose Code , 2022, Frontiers in Physics.

[4]  M. R. Edwards,et al.  Confinement of relativistic electrons in a magnetic mirror en route to a magnetized relativistic pair plasma , 2021, Physics of Plasmas.

[5]  M. R. Edwards,et al.  Magnetically collimated relativistic charge-neutral electron–positron beams from high-power lasers , 2021, Physics of Plasmas.

[6]  Y. Lyubarsky.  Emission Mechanisms of Fast Radio Bursts , 2021, Universe.

[7]  L. Willingale,et al.  A new frontier in laboratory physics: magnetized electron–positron plasmas , 2020, Journal of Plasma Physics.

[8]  B. Huffman,et al.  Generating ultradense pair beams using 400 GeV/c protons , 2020, Physical Review Research.

[9]  A. Arefiev,et al.  Relativistic plasma physics in supercritical fields , 2020, Physics of Plasmas.

[10]  G. Yocky,et al.  FACET-II facility for advanced accelerator experimental tests , 2019, Physical Review Accelerators and Beams.

[11]  E. Stenson,et al.  Lossless Positron Injection into a Magnetic Dipole Trap. , 2018, Physical review letters.

[12]  N. Lewis,et al.  Enhancing positron production using front surface target structures , 2018, Applied Physics Letters.

[13]  V. Verzilov,et al.  Commissioning of beam instrumentation at the CERN AWAKE facility after integration of the electron beam line , 2018, Journal of Physics: Conference Series.

[14]  S. Mazzoni,et al.  JACoW : Scintillation and OTR Screen Characterization with a 440 GeV/c Proton Beam in Air at the CERN HiRadMat Facility , 2017 .

[15]  Zhi‐zhan Xu,et al.  Ultrashort megaelectronvolt positron beam generation based on laser-accelerated electrons , 2016 .

[16]  T. Ditmire,et al.  High e+/e− Ratio Dense Pair Creation with 1021W.cm−2 Laser Irradiating Solid Targets , 2015, Scientific Reports.

[17]  A. Watts,et al.  Magnetars: the physics behind observations. A review , 2015, Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society.

[18]  D. Meyerhofer,et al.  Scaling the yield of laser-driven electron-positron jets to laboratory astrophysical applications. , 2015, Physical review letters.

[19]  J. Vieira,et al.  Generation of neutral and high-density electron–positron pair plasmas in the laboratory , 2015, Nature Communications.

[20]  C. Surko,et al.  Plasma and trap-based techniques for science with positrons , 2015 .

[21]  P. W. Chin,et al.  Overview of the FLUKA code , 2014, ICS 2014.

[22]  P. Chang,et al.  Magnetic collimation of relativistic positrons and electrons from high intensity laser-matter interactions , 2014 .

[23]  K. Schreckenbach,et al.  The NEPOMUC upgrade and advanced positron beam experiments , 2012 .

[24]  T. Arber,et al.  Dense electron-positron plasmas and ultraintense γ rays from laser-irradiated solids. , 2012, Physical review letters.

[25]  H. Gaillard,et al.  HiRadMat: A New Irradiation Facility for Material Testing at CERN , 2011 .

[26]  A. Bell,et al.  Possibility of prolific pair production with high-power lasers. , 2008, Physical review letters.

[27]  E. Hodgson,et al.  Characterization of the response of chromium-doped alumina screens in the vacuum ultraviolet using synchrotron radiation, , 2002 .

[28]  Greaves,et al.  An electron-positron beam-plasma experiment. , 1995, Physical review letters.

[29]  R. Blandford,et al.  Pair cascades in extragalactic jets. 1: Gamma rays , 1995 .

[30]  Segel,et al.  Neutrino energy loss from the plasma process at all temperatures and densities. , 1993, Physical review. D, Particles and fields.

[31]  Martin J. Rees,et al.  Theory of extragalactic radio sources , 1984 .

[32]  J. Arons.  Pair creation above pulsar polar caps : geometrical structure and energetics of slot gaps. , 1983 .

[33]  J. Arons.  Some problems of pulsar physics or I'm madly in love with electricity , 1979 .

[34]  T. Erber,et al.  High-Energy Electromagnetic Conversion Processes in Intense Magnetic Fields , 1966 .

[35]  V. Silin.  On electromagnetic properties of relativistic plasma , 1960 .

[36]  Julian Schwinger,et al.  On gauge invariance and vacuum polarization , 1951 .

[37]  G. Breit,et al.  Collision of Two Light Quanta , 1934 .

[38]  W. Heitler,et al.  On the Stopping of Fast Particles and on the Creation of Positive Electrons , 1934 .

[39]  Vlachoudis.  FLAIR: A POWERFUL BUT USER FRIENDLY GRAPHICAL INTERFACE FOR FLUKA , 2009 .