A review of astrophysics experiments on intense lasers

Astrophysics has traditionally been pursued at astronomical observatories and on theorists’ computers. Observations record images from space, and theoretical models are developed to explain the observations. A component often missing has been the ability to test theories and models in an experimental setting where the initial and final states are well characterized. Intense lasers are now being used to recreate aspects of astrophysical phenomena in the laboratory, allowing the creation of experimental testbeds where theory and modeling can be quantitatively tested against data. We describe here several areas of astrophysics—supernovae, supernova remnants, gamma-ray bursts, and giant planets—where laser experiments are under development to test our understanding of these phenomena.