Patrick Mora (born 1952) is a French theoretical plasma physicist who specializes in laser-plasma interactions.[1][2] He was awarded the 2014 Hannes Alfvén Prize[3] and 2019 Edward Teller Award[4] for his contributions to the field of laser-plasma physics.

Patrick Mora
NationalityFrench
EducationUniversité Paris-Sud (Ph.D.)
Known forLaser-plasma physics
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsPlasma physics
Thesis Génération de champs magnétique dans l'interaction non linéaire rayonnement-plasma, et expansion des plasmas créés par laser  (1980)

Mora is a research director of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and a professor at the École Polytechnique in Paris, where he is also director of the Institut Lasers et Plasmas (Institute for Lasers and Plasmas).[5]

Early life and career

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Mora studied from 1971 to 1975 at the École normale supérieure. In 1975, he received his agrégation in physics and in 1980 he received his doctorate from Université Paris-Sud. From 1975 to 1982, he did research at the Saclay Nuclear Research Centre and from 1982 for the French National Centre for Scientific Research. Since 1989, he has also been a professor at the École Polytechnique. In 2001, he became director of the Center for Theoretical Physics and in 2009, the director of the Institute for Lasers and Plasmas.

Scientific contributions

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Mora developed a widely used model of the interaction of laser light with plasmas in connection with energy transport in plasma and plasma hydrodynamics.[6] With his colleague Jean-Francois Luciani, he also developed a nonlinear and non-local theory of heat transport in a plasma via electrons.[7] This has applications in improving numerical simulations in laser-driven inertial fusion. With Tom Antonsen, he developed a model of the propagation of laser pulses in non-dense plasmas that revealed their tendency to self-focus or to display Raman scattering.[8][9] Mora developed a theory of the expansion of plasmas into vacuum, which explains the flow dynamics and structure of the ion front.[2][10][11][12] His theories are used to explain ion and electron beam acceleration experiments.[13]

Honors and awards

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In 1997, he received the Paul Langevin Prize from the Société Française de Physique.[14]

In 2014, he received the Hannes Alfvén Prize from the European Physical Society for "decisive results in the field of laser-produced plasma physics, in particular for illuminating descriptions of laser light absorption in plasmas, electron heat transport in steep temperature gradients and plasma expansion dynamics into vacuum".[15]

In 2019, he received the Edward Teller Award from the American Nuclear Society for "his scientific contributions to laser-plasma physics, from laser from laser light absorption to non-local electron heat transport and plasma expansion dynamics, and for his inspiring spirit of community service".[4][16]

References

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  1. ^ Mora, Patrick (2001). "Physics of relativistic laser-plasmas". Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 43 (12A): A31–A37. Bibcode:2001PPCF...43A..31M. doi:10.1088/0741-3335/43/12a/303. ISSN 0741-3335. S2CID 250896212.
  2. ^ a b Quesnel, Brice; Mora, Patrick (1998). "Theory and simulation of the interaction of ultraintense laser pulses with electrons in vacuum". Physical Review E. 58 (3): 3719–3732. Bibcode:1998PhRvE..58.3719Q. doi:10.1103/physreve.58.3719. ISSN 1063-651X.
  3. ^ "EPS Plasma Physics Division Prizes | e-EPS". www.epsnews.eu. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  4. ^ a b "The Edward Teller Award 2019 presented to Patrick Mora | Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR7644". www.cpht.polytechnique.fr. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  5. ^ "Patrick MORA | Centre de Physique Théorique - UMR7644". www.cpht.polytechnique.fr. Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  6. ^ Mora, Patrick (1982). "Theoretical model of absorption of laser light by a plasma". Physics of Fluids. 25 (6): 1051–1056. Bibcode:1982PhFl...25.1051M. doi:10.1063/1.863837. ISSN 0031-9171.
  7. ^ Luciani, J. F.; Mora, P.; Virmont, J. (1983). "Nonlocal Heat Transport Due to Steep Temperature Gradients". Physical Review Letters. 51 (18): 1664–1667. Bibcode:1983PhRvL..51.1664L. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.51.1664.
  8. ^ Antonsen, T. M.; Mora, P. (1992). "Self-focusing and Raman scattering of laser pulses in tenuous plasmas". Physical Review Letters. 69 (15): 2204–2207. Bibcode:1992PhRvL..69.2204A. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.69.2204. ISSN 0031-9007. PMID 10046425.
  9. ^ Mora, Patrick; Antonsen, Jr., Thomas M. (1997). "Kinetic modeling of intense, short laser pulses propagating in tenuous plasmas". Physics of Plasmas. 4 (1): 217–229. Bibcode:1997PhPl....4..217M. doi:10.1063/1.872134. ISSN 1070-664X.
  10. ^ Mora, P. (2003). "Plasma Expansion into a Vacuum". Physical Review Letters. 90 (18): 185002. Bibcode:2003PhRvL..90r5002M. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.90.185002. ISSN 0031-9007. PMID 12786012.
  11. ^ Mora, P. (2005). "Thin-foil expansion into a vacuum". Physical Review E. 72 (5): 056401. Bibcode:2005PhRvE..72e6401M. doi:10.1103/physreve.72.056401. ISSN 1539-3755. PMID 16383760.
  12. ^ Mora, P.; Grismayer, T. (2009). "Rarefaction Acceleration and Kinetic Effects in Thin-Foil Expansion into a Vacuum". Physical Review Letters. 102 (14): 145001. Bibcode:2009PhRvL.102n5001M. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.102.145001. ISSN 0031-9007. PMID 19392445.
  13. ^ Diaw, A.; Mora, P. (2011). "Rarefaction shock in plasma with a bi-Maxwellian electron distribution function". Physical Review E. 84 (3): 036402. Bibcode:2011PhRvE..84c6402D. doi:10.1103/physreve.84.036402. ISSN 1539-3755. PMID 22060508.
  14. ^ "Prix Paul Langevin - Société Française de Physique". sfpnet.fr (in French). Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  15. ^ "École Polytechnique - Accueil site de l'Ecole Polytechnique". www.polytechnique.edu (in French). Retrieved 2020-06-05.
  16. ^ "ANS / Honors and Awards / Recipients / Edward Teller Award". ans.org. Retrieved 2020-06-05.