Review of recent experimental and theoretical laser-plasma research carried out at Soreq

This chapter reports on the study of laser produced plasmas and laser produced shock waves using a set of different oscillators and an Nd: glass laser system. Topics covered include the laser system, laser light reflection and absorption, momentum measurements, electron-ion decay instability, the measurement of return currents and self-similar expansion, shock wave measurements, the spectra of highly ionized Cd, In, Sn and Te atoms, two dimensional x-ray spectroscopy of laser produced plasma, calculation of laser produced compression and pressure, the use of effective Feynman diagrams for atomic cross-section calculations, non-local-thermodynamic-equilibrium (LTE) models, and stochastic analysis in laser generated plasma. Presents a table and 2 diagrams