  Laser interaction with uniform and nanostructured near-critical plasmas has
been investigated by means of 2D particle-in-cell simulations. The effect of a
nanostructure (modeled as a collection of solid-density nanospheres) on energy
absorption and radiative losses has been assessed in a wide range of laser
intensities and average densities of the target. The nanostructure was found to
affect mainly the conversion efficiency of laser energy into ion kinetic energy
and radiative losses for the highest simulated intensities.
