Nonlinear phenomena in plasmas constitute a research area focused on collective behaviors that arise when plasma responses cannot be described by linearized fluid or kinetic equations. This includes the study of wave–wave and wave–particle interactions, parametric instabilities, turbulence, solitons, shocks, magnetic reconnection, and self-organization processes. Researchers investigate how nonlinearities in the Vlasov–Maxwell or magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations lead to energy transfer across scales, anomalous transport, and structure formation in laboratory, space, and astrophysical plasmas, using analytical theory, numerical simulations, and experiments to understand and control these complex dynamical regimes.
When a high-intensity laser interacts with plasma, the charged particles typically oscillate back and forth like waves on the ocean. But what if the laser itself could twist like a whirlpool? Researchers have now demonstrated ...
Optics & Photonics
Jun 29, 2026
0
157
Experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) require breathtaking precision. Each of the 192 lasers is focused to a width of a few millimeters to enter a 3-millimeter hole at the ...
Optics & Photonics
Jun 18, 2026
0
41
The mechanism that can cause a rapidly expanding plasma—the superhot state of matter harnessed in fusion energy systems—to spontaneously generate its own magnetic fields was identified through a new set of simulations. This ...
General Physics
May 5, 2026
0
58
Plasma, the fourth state of matter, consists of a gas in which electrons are no longer bound to atoms, which allows electricity to flow freely. When beams of particles moving close to the speed of light travel through plasma, ...
In his doctoral thesis, Michael Roop develops numerical methods that allow finding physically reliable approximate solutions to nonlinear differential equations used to model turbulence.
General Physics
Apr 16, 2026
0
18
How fast can a galaxy build ordered magnetic fields spanning thousands of light-years? Existing theories say several billion years, but observations of galaxies in our universe imply shorter timescales. In a study published ...
Astronomy
Mar 18, 2026
5
61
One particularly well-known fact about the moon is that it doesn't have much of a magnetosphere to speak of. There's no blanket to protect it from the solar wind ravaging its surface, blowing away its atmosphere and charging ...
Planetary Sciences
Mar 16, 2026
0
64
Harnessing the power of the sun holds the promise of providing future societies with energy abundance. To make this a reality, fusion researchers need to address many technological challenges. For example, fusion reactions ...
General Physics
Feb 13, 2026
0
43
A possible alternative to active debris removal (ADR) by laser is ablative propulsion by a remotely transmitted electron beam (e-beam). The e-beam ablation has been widely used in industries, and it might provide higher overall ...
Plasma Physics
Feb 9, 2026
0
42
In a new study published in Physical Review Letters, scientists have performed the first global simulations of monster shocks—some of the strongest shocks in the universe—revealing how these extreme events in magnetar magnetospheres ...
