[P-EM17] Space Plasma Science

[PEM17-07] Wakefield acceleration of ions by using high-intensity laser

*Shogo Isayama¹, Kanta Nakahara¹, Yasuhiro Kuramitsu², Yuki Abe², Takumi Minami², Kohei Yamanoi³, Yumi Kaneyasu³, Yuji Fukuda⁴, Kotaro Kondo⁴, Kentaro Sakai⁵, Masato Knasaki⁹, Shuta Tanaka⁶, Shih-Hung Chen⁷, Yao-Li Liu⁸ (1.Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 2.Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 3.Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 4.National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology, 5.National Institute for Fusion Science, 6.Department of Physical Sciences, Aoyama Gakuin University, 7.Department of Physics, National Central University, Taiwan , 8.Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, 9.Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University)

Keywords:Ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), Wakefield acceelration, High-intensity laser

The acceleration mechanism of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) remains an open question. Wakefield acceleration, where charged particles are accelerated by plasma waves, is considered a possible mechanism, as it enables efficient energy gain with minimal radiation loss. While wakefield acceleration has been extensively studied for electrons, experimental verification of ion wakefield acceleration remains limited due to the high phase velocity of plasma waves in conventional conditions. In this study, we investigate ion wakefield acceleration using the J-KAREN-P laser system. Our experiment employs a foam target with a near-critical density (~5n_c) to reduce the phase velocity of the plasma wave, enabling ion trapping and acceleration.
Preliminary results from our experiment indicate the successful acceleration of protons and carbon ions through wakefield mechanism. These findings provide a crucial step toward reproducing ion wakefield acceleration under laboratory conditions, offering insights into the mechanisms underlying cosmic-ray acceleration. Future experiments aim to achieve relativistic ion energies, further bridging the gap between laboratory plasma physics and astrophysical phenomena.
In this presentation, we will discuss the initial experimental results obtained in December 2022 and explore potential strategies for achieving higher ion energies, supported by numerical simulations.