Prof. G. Ravindra Kumar

High intensity, ultrashort light pulses are revolutionizing science in exciting ways, as they can excite matter to high temperature at high density. This feature of ultrashort pulses provides a great opportunity for doing experiments in the lab that help us understand the behaviour of matter pushed to extreme conditions pervading most of the universe! Research in this area encompasses topics of interest to diverse areas - from astrophysics to accelerator physics and from condensed matter science to biology [1]. This talk will first introduce the subject and then dwell on the production and behaviour of `hot’ electrons (ranging up to MeV) in the plasma created by the laser. We will see results of some experiments performed at TIFR – creation of gigantic magnetic fields and their turbulent evolution, ultrafast plasma dynamics, passage of relativistic particles through dense, hot matter and interesting consequences in terms of ion acceleration, ultrafast hard x-ray emission, laser fusion, laboratory astrophysics etc. [2-6]. References: [1] G. Ravindra Kumar, “Intense, ultrashort light and dense, hot matter” Pramana- Journal of Physics, 73, p 113-155 (2009) [Tutorial Review] [2] S. Mondal et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 105002 (2010); Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (USA) 109, 8011 (2012): K. Jana et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. (submitted 2020) [3] K.Ohta et al. Phys.Rev.Lett. 104, 055001 (2010); M. Shaikh et al, Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 065001 (2018) [4] G. Chatterjee et al., Phys.Rev.Lett. 108, 235005 (2012) [5] A. Adak et al, Phys. Rev.Lett 114, 115001 (2015) [6] G. Chatterjee et al., Nature Commun. 10.1038/NCOMMS15970 (2017)