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In this work we are investigating non-linear electromagnetic waves in two different physical
environments: laboratories on earth and the astrophysical objects known as pulsars.
In the first part of our work the interaction of electrons and positrons with strong waves in the
form of high intensity laser beams is analyzed. The possibility of emission of energetic radiation
which can result in prolific pair production in the focus of two short, counter-propagating ultrahigh
intensity laser pulses is examined, taking into account several different possibilities for the
relative polarizations and the waveform of the beams. The conclusion is reached that in the
next generation laser facilities currently under construction mainly in Europe, like ELI and the
10PW Vulcan laser, pair production and electromagnetic pair cascades should be observed for
intensities as low as 1024Wcm−2.
In the second part of this work we focus on large amplitude, low frequency waves that are
emitted by pulsars. After a brief review of the current understanding of pulsar winds and the
problems inherent to it, we show that the interaction of a relativistic striped pulsar wind with the
the termination shock should result in reflection of electromagnetic energy in the upstream, which
can affect the outflow, creating a precursor. We then investigate the possible conversion of the
pulsar wind to a superluminal linearly polarized wave propagating upstream of the termination
shock and show that this will result in the transfer of energy from the fields to the outflow
particles in the precursor, lowering the magnetization of the outflow and opening the way for
further particle acceleration at the shock front.
