This award provides support for the participation of six US scientists in a joint US-Japan seminar on the "Physics of High Power Laser Matter Interactions". The seminar will be held on March 9-13, 1992 in Osaka, Japan. The co-organizers are Professor George Miley, Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois and Professor Sadao Nakai, Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Japan. Specific topics to be discussed at the seminar include (1) laser plasma interactions; (2) radiation and atomic processes and energy transport; and (3) physics and applications of high density plasmas to fusion, accelerator, x-ray lasers and industrial processes. This will be the fifth seminar on this topic dating back to 1972, the last being held in 1988. Since then there have been a number of rapid developments in the field and it is therefore timely to hold another seminar. The seminar will concentrate upon the physics of laser interaction with various media ranging from solids to plasmas. Using powerful lasers, unique high-density plasmas can be generated. Much fundamental research is being undertaken aimed at understanding the processes involved in these laser-plasma interactions and at developing applications for laser produced plasmas. The United States and Japan have two of the most advanced laser laboratory facilities in the world and researchers from both countries have made a number of very important contributions to the field. The seminar will permit representatives from several research groups in the two countries to meet and exchange information which should lead to more extensive research collaboration.
