Recent experiments on the hydrodynamics of laser-produced plasmas conducted at the PALS laboratory

We present a series of experimental results, and their interpretation, connected to various aspects of the hydrodynamics of laser produced plasmas. Experiments were performed using the Prague PALS iodine laser working at 0.44 mu m wavelength and irradiances up to a few 10(14)W/cm(2). By adopting large focal spots and smoothed laser beams, the lateral energy transport and lateral expansion have been avoided. Therefore we could reach a quasi one-dimensional regime for which experimental results can be more easily and property compared to available analytical models.