A model laser-compression experiment

The compression of plasmas by laser beams to produce a significant thermonuclear energy requires very sophisticated experimental techniques and equipment, costing millions of dollars. We review here comparatively simple techniques which should permit a time-resolved demonstration of an isentropic density compression, using low-powered lasers of a type commonly encountered in university research laboratories, and diagnostic equipment of modest cost. Althoughthermonuclear burn cannot be investigatedwith such simple apparatus, many aspects of flux-limited thermal transport, light absorption, and end-effects (i.e. intensity assymmetries) could be conveniently and quantitatively investigated.