On 22 April 2013, the Grant Board of the Government of the Russian Federation took a decision to support a research project carried out by Prof. Alexander Kudrin, Head of the Department of Electrodynamics of the Faculty of Radiophysics, Prof. Alexander Pukhov from the University of Dusseldorf (Germany) and Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Vvedenskii. They set a goal to develop computational science software, numerical models and algorithms for study of high energy density processes in nonlinear optics, plasma physics and astrophysics.

A new Laboratory of Computational Nonlinear Optics, Plasma Physics and Astrophysics, led by Assoc. Prof. Nikolay Vvedensky, seeks supercomputer solutions to problems of fundamental and applied science. New research software tools are applied to problem-solving tasks that require substantial computing resources. The project involves research into interaction of ultra-short ionizing laser pulses with different media; radiative and quantum processes in extremely strong electromagnetic fields; laser-plasma sources of electromagnetic radiation in parts of spectra which are difficult to access; plasma based particle acceleration; advanced fast ignition schemes for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF); nonlinear optics processes in nanostructured materials; dynamics of plasma and radiation near neutron stars; and particle acceleration in active galaxy nuclei, micro quasars and gamma-ray bursts.

During more than two years of work, a group of researchers from the Laboratory built a range of numerical models to explore new phenomena with an important bearing on our understanding of high energy density processes. Using Lobachevsky, the third most powerful university-based supercomputer in Russia, allowed researchers to calculate processes, optimize their parameters and develop new, more effective technological approaches.