Study of propagation of ultraintense electromagnetic wave through plasma using semi-Lagrangian Vlasov codes

Interaction of relativistically strong laser pulses with underdense and overdense plasmas is investigated by a semi-Lagrangian Vlasov code. These Vlasov simulations revealed a rich variety of phenomena associated with the fast particle dynamics induced by the electromagnetic wave as electron trapping, particle acceleration, and electron plasma wavebreaking. To describe the distribution of accelerated particle momenta and energy will require a very detailed analysis of the kinetic and time history of the plasma wave evolution. The semi-Lagrangian Vlasov code allows us to handle the interaction of ultrashort electromagnetic pulse with plasma at strongly relativistic intensities with a great deal of resolution in phase space.