Related papers: Relativistic light sails need to billow
We point out that even the most intense laser beams available today can provide only a very small fraction of the beam energy required to reach the design luminosity for a future e+e- linear collider. This fact seems to have been overlooked…
High resolution radio observations remain the most direct way to study the formation and evolution of radio jets associated with the accretion onto massive black holes. We report preliminary results of our seven year VLBA observational…
The cosmic curvature, a fundamental parameter for cosmology could hold deep clues to inflation and cosmic origins. We propose an improved model-independent method to constrain the cosmic curvature by combining the constructed Hubble diagram…
We model accelerated trips at high-velocity aboard light sails (beam-powered propulsion in general) and radiation rockets (thrust by anisotropic emission of radiation) in terms of Kinnersley's solution of general relativity and its…
The threshold properties of photonic crystal quantum dot lasers operating in the slow-light regime are investigated experimentally and theoretically. Measurements show that, in contrast to conventional lasers, the threshold gain attains a…
Accelerator-based light sources such as storage rings and free-electron lasers use relativistic electron beams to produce intense radiation over a wide spectral range for fundamental research in physics, chemistry, materials science,…
Due to their broad spectral width, ultrashort lasers provide new possibilities to shape light beams and control their properties, in particular through the use of spatio-temporal couplings. In this context, we present a theoretical…
It has been proposed that blazar jets are structured, with a fast spine surrounded by a slower sheath or layer. This structured jet model explains some properties of their emission and morphology. Because of their relative motion, the…
Ultrashort laser pulses pose unique tools to trigger and probe the fastest charge dynamics in matter, allowing the investigation of fundamental physical phenomena with unprecedented resolution in space, time, and energy. One of the most…
We have performed the first three-dimensional relativistic hydrodynamic simulations of extragalactic jets of pure leptonic and baryonic plasma compositions propagating into a hydrostatic intracluster medium environment. The numerical…
Conventional lasers make use of optical cavities to provide feedback to gain media. Conversely, mirrorless lasers can be built by using disordered structures to induce multiple scattering, which increases the effective path length in the…
Advanced diffractive films may afford advantages over passive reflective surfaces for a variety space missions that use solar or laser in-space propulsion. Three cases are compared: Sun-facing diffractive sails, Littrow diffraction…
The radiation pressure force and torque on a one-dimensional bi-grating composed of a Si-SiO_2 high contrast binary metagrating is analyzed for the purpose of stable beam riding whereupon a high power laser having an expanding Gaussian…
The radiation pressure acceleration regime of laser ion acceleration requires high intensity laser pulses to function efficiently. Moreover the foil should be opaque for incident radiation during the interaction to ensure maximum momentum…
Ultrathin lightsails propelled by laser radiation pressure to relativistic speeds are currently the most promising route for flyby-based exoplanet exploration. However, there has been a notable lack of experimental characterization of key…
Time-resolved studies have so far relied on rapidly triggering a photo-induced dynamic in chemical or biological ions or molecules and subsequently probing them with a beam of fast moving photons or electrons that crosses the studied…
The Starshot lightsail project aims to build an ultralight spacecraft ("nanocraft") that can reach Proxima Centauri b in approximately 20 years, requiring propulsion with a relativistic velocity of ~60 000 km/s. The spacecraft's…
Relativistic aberration influences apparent luminosities of objects moving with relativistic relative velocities. The superluminosity or dimming of incoming or receding jets ejected from Active Galactic Nuclei is believed to be the…
We study the drag force on dust grains moving at relativistic velocities through interstellar gas and explore its application. First, we derive a new analytical formula of the drag force at high energies and find that it is significantly…
The concept of exploring space using solar power is energetically appealing, but interstellar solar sails typically require extremely low areal densities (~g/m^2). This work explores an alternative approach: storing solar energy as…