Matter at extreme conditions by laser-driven rampcompression and x-ray diagnostics - Federica Coppari - 13 février 2015

Federica Coppari - Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA, USA

Vendredi 13 février 2015, 10 h 30

IMPMC, Université P. et M. Curie, 4, Place Jussieu, 75005 Paris

Salle de conférence, 4^e étage, Tour 22-23, Salle 1

Abstract

Recent advances in laser-driven compression now allow to reproduce conditions existing deep inside large planets in the laboratory. Ramp-compression allows to compress matter along a thermodynamic path not accessible through standard shock compression techniques, and open the way to the exploration of new pressure, density and temperature conditions. By carefully tuning the laser pulse shape we can compress the material to extremely high pressure and keep the temperature relatively low (i.e. below the melting temperature). In this way we can probe solid states of matter at unprecedented high pressures. This loading technique has been combined with diagnostics generally used in condensed matter physics, such as x-ray diffraction and x-ray absorption spectroscopy, to provide a complete picture of the behavior of matter in-situ during compression.
In this talk I will present some of the results obtained in ramp-compression experiments performed at the Omega Laser Facility (University of Rochester) where the phase maps of planetary relevant materials, such as Fe, FeO and MgO have been studied to unprecedented high pressures. The impact for geophysics and planetary science will be discussed as well as future directions of this research.