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This short paper reviews several recent key observations of the processes occurring in the lower atmosphere (chromosphere and photosphere) during flares. These are: evidence for compact and fragmentary structure in the flare chromosphere,…

In this letter we propose a Turing model of the formation of patterns of visible light emission intensity in atmospheric pressure gas discharges. The electron density and the electron temperature take the roles of activator and inhibitor…

Patterns are quotidian in nature. Distinct multiscale patterns are generally a consequence of nonequilibrium dynamical processes associated with mechanical or hydrodynamic instabilities. In this thesis, I report experimental investigations…

A fascinating class of patterns, often encountered in nature as meandering cracks on rocks, dried-out fields and tectonic plates is produced by the fracture of solids. Here we report the observation and modeling of an unusual type of…

The sudden release of copious $\g$-ray photons into a compact region creates an opaque photon--lepton fireball due to the prolific production of electron--positron pairs. The photons that we observe in the bursts emerge only at the end of…

Within the framework of the average approach and direct 3D PIC (particle-in-cell) simulations we demonstrate that the gyrotrons operating in the regime of developed turbulence can sporadically emit "giant" spikes with intensities a factor…

We experimentally generate optical tornado waves using spatial multiplexing on a single-phase modulation device. In their focal region, the intensity pattern outlines a spiral of decreasing radius and pitch. We examine the propagation…

Streamers often constitute the first stage of dielectric breakdown in strong electric fields: a nonlinear ionization wave transforms a non-ionized medium into a weakly ionized nonequilibrium plasma. New understanding of this old phenomenon…

Gamma ray bursts are among the most energetic events in the known universe. A highly relativistic fireball is ejected. In most cases the burst itself is followed by an afterglow, emitted under deceleration as the fireball plunges through…

Gamma-ray bursts are a complex, non-linear system that evolves very rapidly through stages of vastly different conditions. They evolve from scales of few hundred kilometers where they are very dense and hot to cold and tenuous on scales of…

In a non-spherical stellar explosion, non-radial motions become important near the stellar surface. For realistic deviations from spherical symmetry, non-radial flow dramatically alters the dynamics and emission of shock emergence on a…

We investigate the cause of the suppressed Balmer series and the origin of the white-light continuum emission in the X1.0 class solar flare on 2014 June 11. We use radiative hydrodynamic simulations to model the response of the flaring…

Numerous protoplanetary disks exhibit shadows in scattered light observations. These shadows are typically cast by misaligned inner disks and are associated with observable structures in the outer disk such as bright arcs and spirals.…

Extrasolar planets appear in a chemical diversity unseen in our own solar system. Despite their atmospheres being cold, continuous and transient plasma processes do affect these atmosphere where clouds form with great efficiency. Clouds can…

The blast-wave model for gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) has been called into question by observations of spectra from GRBs that are harder than can be produced through optically thin synchrotron emission. If GRBs originate from the collapse of…

Large-voltage and high-temperature plasma columns produced by pinch discharge can generate gamma-ray flashes with energy spectra and spectral evolution consistent with that observed in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). The inverse Compton scattering…

Percolation has long served as a model for diverse phenomena and systems. The percolation transition, that is, the formation of a giant cluster on a macroscopic scale, is known as one of the most robust continuous transitions. Recently,…

Formation of a rapidly spinning, strongly magnetized neutron star (NS) may occur in various classes of core-collapse events. If the NS injects an amount of energy comparable to the explosion energy of the accompanying supernova (SN) before…

Tip-streaming generates micron- and submicron- sized droplets when a thin thread pulled from the pointy end of a drop disintegrates. Here, we report streaming from the equator of a drop placed in a uniform electric field. The instability…

A simple analytical model of the barrier discharge in a long gap between opposing plane electrodes is developed. It is shown that the plasma density becomes uniform over large part of the gap in the course of the discharge development, so…