Working Group 3: Relativistic Plasmas

Leader: Krzysztof Nalewajko

Co-Leader: Maria Petropoulou

Research

This group studies plasmas moving at relativistic speeds, such as those found in astrophysical jets and laboratory experiments.

Key Scientific Questions

• How can astrophysical jets produce ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos?
• How do plasma processes control the dynamics, stability, and emission properties of relativistic jets?
• Can laboratory experiments probe the relevant dissipative processes in relativistic plasmas?

Key Objectives / Main Tasks

• Understand jet propagation by coupling numerical frameworks across scales, from launching to large-scale evolution.
• Develop hybrid modelling approaches combining MHD, force-free electrodynamics, and kinetic descriptions with mesh refinement.
• Establish knowledge exchange between laboratory plasma and astrophysical communities to constrain key dissipative processes.