The DESY's FLASH X-ray laser has recently been experimenting X-ray bombardment of liquid hydrogen in order study the process of Hydrogen becoming a plasma. The article discusses thermal properties of Hydrogen and goes on to explain the methods undergone in their experiment that revealed a way of observing dense plasma.
X-rays are electromagnetic waves that are generally in the wavelength range of 0.1-10 nm, resulting in photon energies from 100eV to 100keV. They definitely contain enough energy in their photons to ionize Hydrogen, which has a ionization potential of only 13.6eV from 91nm EM waves, so the laser is absorbed by clouds of gaseous hydrogen through their high cross section for bound-free transitions at this X-ray wavelength.
The scientists used their X-ray pulsing laser to break apart molecular Hydrogen from a solid/liquid state and ultimately "heating" and energizing the electrons until ionization into a Hydrogen plasma. Setting their laser to a super fast pulse (around a trillionth of a second), they are able to observe the plasma as if looking at a slow motion camera, with each pulse revealing a 'photo' of information about the plasma. Understanding the discoveries they have made experimenting on Hydrogen, they are confident in the future ability of observing denser plasma like those found in deeper interiors of planets.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140311105833.htm
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