Generating and Measuring Electron-Positron Plasmas at Laser Facilities

Explore the generation and measurement of electron-positron plasmas using laser facilities in this 17-minute conference talk. Learn about the extreme plasma conditions found around black holes and neutron stars, where relativistic, radiative, and quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects become crucial for understanding astrophysical phenomena. Discover how recent observational breakthroughs, including the first images of accreting black holes at event-horizon scales and mysterious Fast Radio Bursts, challenge current understanding of plasma processes in these extreme environments. Examine the role of nonlinear plasma processes such as magnetic reconnection and shocks under the extreme conditions expected around compact objects. Understand how laboratory studies using laser facilities can provide key physics insights into the behavior of these exotic plasmas, bridging the gap between theoretical astrophysics and experimental plasma physics. Gain insights into the interdisciplinary approach required to tackle these complex problems, combining expertise from observational and theoretical high-energy astrophysics, plasma theory, computational physics, and laser-plasma experimentation.