Non‐Ideal Plasma and Early Experiments at FAIR: HIHEX ‐ Heavy Ion Heating and EXpansion

Early Experiments at FAIR in 2018 ‐ 2022 suggested by the HEDgeHOB collaboration in the field of non‐ideal plasma physics are discussed. Specific energies of 5‐10 kJ/g, pressures of 1‐2 GPa and temperatures of 1‐2 eV are expected to be reached in the substance at the first experiments with a U+28 beam with the energy of 0.2 AGeV and maximal intensity 3 · 1010 per impulse. It will provide the possibility to investigate the two phase region including the critical point of several metals in HIHEX (Heavy Ion Heating and EXpansion) experiments with the plane and cylindrical geometry, realizing regimes of quasi‐isochoric heating, isentropic expansion and compression when the flow strikes the target. Analysis of thermal radiation transfer will give information on the vaporization dynamics. Measurements of electrical conductivity and optical properties on the supercritical adiabat will disclose information on the insulator to metal transition under these conditions. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)