Table of contents

We review some theoretical and phenomenological aspects of massive gravities in 4 dimensions. We start from the Fierz–Pauli theory with Lorentz-invariant mass terms and then proceed to Lorentz-violating masses. Unlike the former theory, some models with Lorentz violation have no pathologies in the spectrum in flat and nearly flat backgrounds and lead to an interesting phenomenology.

Recent experimental and theoretical investigations are reviewed concerning the generation of fast charged particles and superstrong magnetic fields in the interaction of ultrashort laser pulses with solid targets. The mechanisms of generating fast charged particles in superstrong light fields of laser radiation with intensities ranging from 10¹⁷ to 10²¹ W cm^–2 are considered. Electron acceleration due to vacuum heating, the ponderomotive potential, resonance absorption, the laser-driven wake field in the underdense part of plasma, cyclotron mechanism and some other mechanisms are thoroughly analyzed. Experimental data on the acceleration of protons and atomic ions by spatial charge fields on thin and thick solid targets are presented and theoretically interpreted. Particular attention is paid to the generation of superstrong quasistatic magnetic fields in laser plasmas and methods for measuring them under the action of various laser pulses of both femto- and picosecond durations. The possible formation of magnetic plasma configurations and magnetic plasma confinement are discussed.

About 10 years ago, the method of renormalization-group symmetries entered the field of boundary value problems of classical mathematical physics, stemming from the concepts of functional self-similarity and of the Bogoliubov renormalization group treated as a Lie group of continuous transformations. Overwhelmingly dominating practical quantum field theory calculations, the renormalization-group method formed the basis for the discovery of the asymptotic freedom of strong nuclear interactions and underlies the Grand Unification scenario. This paper draws on lectures delivered at the XIII School for Nonlinear Waves, Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia, 1–7 March 2006 [see V F Kovalev, D V Shirkov "Renormalization group symmetry for solutions of boundary value problems" in Nonlinear Waves 2006 (Ed. by A V Gaponov-Grekhov) (N. Novgorod: IAP RAS, 2007) p. 433] to describe the logical framework of a new algorithm based on the modern theory of transformation groups and to present the most interesting results of application of the method to differential and/or integral equation problems and to problems that involve linear functionals of solutions. Examples from nonlinear optics, kinetic theory, and plasma dynamics are given, where new analytic solutions obtained with this algorithm have allowed describing the singularity structure for self-focusing of a laser beam in a nonlinear medium, studying generation of harmonics in weakly inhomogeneous plasma, and investigating the energy spectra of accelerated ions in expanding plasma bunches.

The current status of experimental high-energy physics is reviewed based on recent conference sources and taking into account the forthcoming LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiments when selecting the material. The latest experimental data discussed relate closely to the ATLAS, CMS, and LHCb physics programs.

A scientific session of the Physical Sciences Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) was held on 26 March 2008 at the conference hall of the P N Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS. The following reports were presented at the session:

(1) Klimov V V (P N Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS, Moscow) "Nanoplasmonics"; (2) Istomin Ya N (P N Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS, Moscow) "Electron–positron plasma generation in the magnetospheres of neutron stars"; (3) Kosevich Yu A (N N Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, RAS, Moscow) "Multichannel propagation and scattering of phonons and photons in low-dimension nanostructures".

An abridged version of these reports is given below.

• Nanoplasmonics, V V Klimov Physics-Uspekhi, 2008, Volume 51, Number 8, Pages 839-844 • Electron–positron plasma generation in the magnetospheres of neutron stars, Ya N Istomin Physics-Uspekhi, 2008, Volume 51, Number 8, Pages 844-848 • Multichannel propagation and scattering of phonons and photons in low-dimension nanostructures, Yu A Kosevich Physics-Uspekhi, 2008, Volume 51, Number 8, Pages 848-859