CRC Press The Interaction of High-Power Lasers with Plasmas (Series in Plasma Physics)

The Interaction of High-Power Lasers with Plasmas provides a thorough self-contained discussion of the physical processes occurring in laser-plasma interactions, including a detailed review of the relevant plasma and laser physics. The book analyzes laser absorption and propagation, electron transport, and the relevant plasma waves in detail. It also discusses the physics of the electric and magnetic fields in a laser-induced plasma medium, laser-induced shock waves, rarefaction waves, heat waves, and the related hydrodynamic instabilities (Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and Kelvin-Helmholtz).A pedagogical presentation, the book addresses the basic physics issues from first principles, using simple models wherever appropriate. The coverage provides a foundation on which the graduate student can build an understanding of the past and present research in this field. For the experienced researcher, the book is a comprehensive and useful presentation of laser-plasma interactions. Review "Professor Eliezer, who is well known for his work on laser-plasma interactions, has produced a very welcome text which will provide a good introduction for people entering the field and a useful reference for those already working in it. … the book provides an introduction to the many questions which are currently of interest in laser-plasma interactions. As an up-to-date and accessible account of the subject it is to be welcomed." -Journal of Plasma Physics "The author has clearly used his extensive experience and understanding of the pedagogical and communication issues involved to produce a well-written text in which topics are presented to the reader with well-managed timing. Key terms are highlighted in bold type when first encountered so that the reader can hone in quickly on them, simply dipping into the book to refresh the memory or to clarify particular points of physics.Eliezer's text brings together three decades of the understanding of the underlying intense-laser plasma physics into a single unified resource. Although an ambitious goal, he succeeds admirably and [this book] is an ideal starting point for any graduate student entering this exciting area as well as providing a single, high-quality, comprehensive, and self-contained resource for the growing researcher community in intense laser-matter interaction."- J.T. Costello, in Contemporary Physics, 2003, 44(4) "This is a very good and long awaited book that deals with the exciting field of laser matter interaction. The book will be a great tool for both professionals and students. The author has made an outstanding effort to provide a clear and updated view of the current status of the field. The combination of derivations based on basic principles coupled with the realistic conditions makes this book very useful to those who have been working or just entering into this rapidly evolving field." - Professor A. Zigler, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel "[The book] provides an pedagogical introduction into the various topics, which will serve as an excellent textbook for students and researchers working in that field. …The different approaches to plasma physics are clearly presented in a highly educative manner. Eliezer has done an outstanding job in presenting the whole field of modern plasma physics generated by lasers starting from first principles. … the reader is always able to focus on the physics without getting confused by a too mathematical approach. Eliezer managed to include actual examples exactly at the right point, so the reader can get a feeling for the importance of different effects in present experiments … the book presents an invaluable source of knowledge for laser plasma interaction offered in excellent format. … The concepts are clearly displayed; the reader is guided, step by step through the individual processes up to the final physics expressions. Finally the results are presented in appropriate units and examples a