Extreme plasma physics in the lab and in astrophysics

Many extreme astrophysical scenarios share common underlying microphysics with laboratory scenarios with relativistic particle beams and ultra-intense lasers. In these conditions, collective plasma effects driven by relativistic flows, ultra-high field intensities, and quantum electrodynamics effects are intertwined.

In many scenarios, these relativistic and quantum effects can have direct consequences on the collective plasma dynamics. The underlying first principle mechanisms are highly nonlinear, and occur at scales far from the plasma or the object scales, making these processes intrinsically multi-scale, and thus requiring a combination of theory and large-scale numerical simulations.

The conditions under which extreme plasma physics can be relevant will be discussed, along with the recent progress (from large-scale simulations of compact objects to multi-dimensional laser/beam plasma interactions), illustrating how ultra-intense electromagnetic fields approaching the critical Schwinger field impact the collective plasma dynamics. This interplay will be emphasized, and the main challenges and open questions will be presented.

Work partially supported by the European Research Council (AdG InPairs).