Implosions: An experimental testbed for high energy density physics

The Nova laser facility has been used to produce matter in extreme conditio ns in the laboratory. The plasmas are produced by imploding spherical capsu les filled with deuterium and trace amounts of Ar. A spectroscopic study of these indirectly driven, inertially confined plasmas provides measurements of the plasma parameters as a function of time. Multiple diagnostics measu re peak n(e) similar to 1 x 10(24) cm(-3) and T-e similar to 1000 eV. A ser ies of experiments have demonstrated that the results are reliable and repr oducible. These experiments are designed to produce laboratory implosions t hat can serve as a "testbed" for high energy density matter. Measuring temp erature gradients are the next step so that they can become sources suitabl e for studying physics such as high-density plasma effects or radiative coo ling.