Evidence of suprathermal electron fluxes in laser-produced plasma from the polarization and anisotropy of X-ray bremsstrahlung emission

Polarization and angular distribution of suprathermal X-ray emission from plasma produced by picosecond ruby laser pulses have been measured. Polarization of 12 ± 3 percent and anisotropy of X-ray angular distribution evidence the existence of suprathermal electron fluxes in plasma. Their direction corresponds to resonance absorption mechanism.