Lasers provide an unparalleled tool for exploring phenomena that are nearly impossible to investigate under controlled laboratory conditions, enabling the replication of extreme astrophysical and planetary processes such as supernova shockwaves, the interiors of gas giants, plasma jets, accretion processes, inertial fusion, and the generation of extreme radiation. As the system capable of delivering high-energy pulses to a vacuum-sealed environment without requiring electrodes or projectiles, lasers are uniquely suited for studying the chemical consequences of asteroid impacts and meteor plasma. These capabilities enable the simulation of complex planetary environments comprising gases, solids, liquids, and their mixtures, advancing our understanding of planetary processes driven by asteroid impacts and meteor plasma chemistry.

The potential of lasers in planetary science was first recognized in the 1970s, when small-scale lasers were employed to simulate meteorite and meteor interactions. Since then, table-top lasers have been utilized to study impact-driven chemical synthesis, yielding insights into the formation of compounds such as silicon oligomers, hydrocarbons, hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, and nitrates on early Mars. Terawatt-class lasers, however, represent a transformative advancement, enabling the creation of large-scale plasma with unparalleled precision and energy density, thereby opening new frontiers for experimental research in planetary science.

Over the past two decades, our team has leveraged terawatt-class laser facilities PALS and HiLASE in Prague to simulate hypervelocity impacts and meteors, exploring their spectra as well as chemical consequences in planetary atmospheres and their implications for prebiotic synthesis. In single laser-shot experiments, we have successfully demonstrated the formation of essential prebiotic molecules, such as canonical nucleobases, sugars, and amino acids. Furthermore, we have investigated the transformation of simple molecules—formamide, isocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, acetylene, methane, and carbon monoxide—providing insights into the chemical pathways that likely shaped the atmospheres and surfaces of early terrestrial planets. These processes could have contributed to the emergence of prebiotic niches capable of harboring life.

Our ongoing research broadens these studies by simulating hypervelocity impacts under diverse atmospheric conditions, including those of primordial Earth, Venus-like rocky planets, and gas giants. By examining the remote signatures of such impacts, we aim to uncover the impact histories of planetary systems, the evolution of planetary architectures, and the formation of life-supporting environments. Laser-based experiments replicating the complex plasma phenomena associated with meteoroid impacts, have also inspired the development of a novel observational spectrograph for investigating meteor spectra from space. This cutting-edge instrument, designed for deployment aboard a CubeSat, will be demonstrated during the maiden flight of the Space Rider automated scientific vessel.

This presentation will highlight the use of terawatt lasers in simulating planetary processes, emphasizing their transformative role in advancing our understanding of planetary evolution, the origins of life, and the development of innovative space instruments. 

recording: www.youtube.com/watch