Non-Spitzer return currents in intense laser-plasma interactions

The propagation of an intense (1019Wcm−2) laser-produced hot electron distribution through overdense, long scale-length plasma is modeled using the one-dimensional relativistic electron Vlasov-Fokker-Planck code KALOS [Bell et al., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 48, R37 (2006)]. The initial density profile is chosen to be relevant to the coronal region in fast ignition fusion scenarios in which the density rises from around 10ncr to solid density …