Igor E. Golovkin

Hot Dense Capsule-Implosion Cores Produced by Z -Pinch Dynamic Hohlraum Radiation

Hot dense capsule implosions driven by Z-pinch x rays have been measured using a approximately 220 eV dynamic Hohlraum to implode 1.7-2.1 mm diameter gas-filled CH capsules. The capsules absorbed up to approximately 20 kJ of x rays. Argon tracer atom spectra were used to measure the T(e) approximately 1 keV electron temperature and the n(e) approximately 1-4 x 10(23) cm(-3) electron density. Spectra from multiple directions provide core symmetry estimates. Computer simulations agree well with the peak emission values of T(e), n(e), and symmetry, indicating reasonable understanding of the Hohlraum and implosion physics.

Experimental investigation of opacity models for stellar interior, inertial fusion, and high energy density plasmas

Theoretical opacities are required for calculating energy transport in plasmas. In particular, understanding stellar interiors, inertial fusion, and Z pinches depends on the opacities of mid-atomic-number elements over a wide range of temperatures. The 150–300 eV temperature range is particularly interesting. The opacity models are complex and experimental validation is crucial. For example, solar models presently disagree with helioseismology and one possible explanation is inadequate theoretical opacities. Testing these opacities requires well-characterized plasmas at temperatures high enough to produce the ion charge states that exist in the sun. Typical opacity experiments heat a sample using x rays and measure the spectrally resolved transmission with a backlight. The difficulty grows as the temperature increases because the heating x-ray source must supply more energy and the backlight must be bright enough to overwhelm the plasma self-emission. These problems can be overcome with the new generation...

Characterization of direct-drive-implosion core conditions on OMEGA with time-resolved Ar K-shell spectroscopy

Direct-drive-implosion core conditions have been characterized on the 60-beam OMEGA [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] laser system with time-resolved Ar K-shell spectroscopy. Plastic shells with an Ar-doped deuterium fill gas were driven with a 23 kJ, 1 ns square laser pulse smoothed with 1 THz smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD) and polarization smoothing (PS) using birefringent wedges. The targets are predicted to have a convergence ratio of ∼15. The emissivity-averaged core electron temperature (Te) and density (ne) were inferred from the measured time-dependent Ar K-shell spectral line shapes. As the imploding shell decelerates the observed Te and ne increase to 2.0 (±0.2) keV and 2.5 (±0.5)×1024 cm−3 at peak neutron production, which is assumed to occur at the time of the peak emissivity-averaged Te. At peak compression the ne increases to 3.1 (±0.6)×1024 cm−3 and the Te decreases to 1.7 (±0.17) keV. The observed core conditions are close to those predicted by a one-dimensional h...

Dynamic hohlraum radiation hydrodynamics

Z-pinch dynamic hohlraums are a promising indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion approach. Comparison of multiple experimental methods with integrated Z-pinch∕hohlraum∕capsule computer simulations builds understanding of the hohlraum interior conditions. Time-resolved x-ray images determine the motion of the radiating shock that heats the hohlraum as it propagates toward the hohlraum axis. The images also measure the radius of radiation-driven capsules as they implode. Dynamic hohlraum LASNEX [G. Zimmerman and W. Kruer, Comments Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 2, 85 (1975)] simulations are found to overpredict the shock velocity by ∼20–40%, but simulated capsule implosion trajectories agree reasonably well with the data. Measurements of the capsule implosion core conditions using time- and space-resolved Ar tracer x-ray spectroscopy and the fusion neutron yield provide additional tests of the integrated hohlraum-implosion system understanding. The neutron yield in the highest performing CH capsule implos...

Inertial fusion energy target output and chamber response: Calculations and experiments

The emission of photons and energetic ions by the burn and subsequent explosion of inertial fusion energy (IFE) targets poses a threat to the survival of the target chambers in future IFE power plants. Immediately after the deposition of target output, the chamber can experience sufficient heating to cause vaporization, melting, and shock loading on chamber walls. Until high-yield targets can be ignited in laboratory experiments, predictions of the nature of the target output and the response of the target chamber must be made with radiation-hydrodynamics computer codes that need to be validated with relevant smaller scale experiments. Physical models of equation of state, opacity, and radiation transport are in special need of validation. Issues of target output and chamber response requiring experiments and computer modeling are discussed and initial results from experiments are presented. Calculations of x ray and debris output from direct-drive IFE targets are shown and sensitivity of the output spect...

Processing of multi-monochromatic x-ray images from indirect drive implosions at OMEGA

We report here on the processing of multi-monochromatic x-ray images recorded with the MMI instrument in a series of stable and low-convergence indirect-drive implosion experiments in which Ar-doped D2-filled plastic shells were imploded with the OMEGA laser system. MMI records numerous narrow-band x-ray images over a broad photon energy range. From these images, specific line- and continuum-based subimages can be extracted. A procedure for processing data from the array of images recorded by MMI was developed and implemented into a convenient interactive data language code. Data from narrow-band x-ray images are critical for diagnosing the spatial structure of ICF implosion cores.

Analysis of X-ray spectral data with genetic algorithms

An algorithmic method for the analysis of X-ray line spectra using genetic algorithms is presented. This technique permits the extraction of diagnostic information on the emitting medium from the spectral data. As an example of the method, plasma electron number density and temperature are extracted from the analysis of X-ray spectral data recorded in an Ar-doped inertial-confinement-fusion core. For the study of a sequence of gradually changing spectra, a combination of genetic algorithms and case-based reasoning that learns from experience is used to accelerate the analysis. The technique is general and can be applied to other plasma spectroscopy studies including analysis of spatially and temporally resolved line absorption or emission data.

Generation of hot plasma at solid density by high-contrast ultra-short laser pulses

Abstract We have generated a high-density plasma by focusing frequency-doubled Ti-Sapphire laser pulses at λ=395 nm and a duration of 150 fs on flat solid targets at an intensity of ≈10 17 W / cm 2 . Using solid Al targets tamped by a thin surface layer of MgO we measured the Al K-shell emission. The measured resonance lines ( Ly α , He α and Heβ) and their Li-like and He-like satellites are extremely broad. In addition, we observed clear center of gravity red shifts of the main lines by using the cold Kα line as a reference. The temporal duration of the K-shell emission, measured by an X-ray streak camera, is ≈2.5 ps. Analysis of the spectra yields an effective electron temperature of ≈300 eV and an electron density of ≈(7–10)×10 23 cm −3 . A very weak emission of cold Al Kα indicates a low level of energy deposited by fast electrons in the solid. Essential for achieving these results is the suppression of early time expansion of the Al target by using both, a high-contrast laser pulse and a tamped target.

Comparison of genetic-algorithm and emissivity-ratio analyses of image data from OMEGA implosion cores.

Detailed analysis of x-ray narrow-band images from argon-doped deuterium-filled inertial confinement fusion implosion experiments yields information about the temperature spatial structure in the core at the collapse of the implosion. We discuss the analysis of direct-drive implosion experiments at OMEGA, in which multiple narrow-band images were recorded with a multimonochromatic x-ray imaging instrument. The temperature spatial structure is investigated by using the sensitivity of the Ly beta/He beta line emissivity ratio to the temperature. Three analysis methods that consider the argon He beta and Ly beta image data are discussed and the results compared. The methods are based on a ratio of image intensities, ratio of Abel-inverted emissivities, and a search and reconstruction technique driven by a Pareto genetic algorithm.

Two-fluid electromagnetic simulations of plasma-jet acceleration with detailed equation-of-state

We describe a new particle-based two-fluid fully electromagnetic algorithm suitable for modeling high density (ni ∼ 1017 cm−3) and high Mach number laboratory plasma jets. In this parameter regime, traditional particle-in-cell (PIC) techniques are challenging due to electron timescale and lengthscale constraints. In this new approach, an implicit field solve allows the use of large timesteps while an Eulerian particle remap procedure allows simulations to be run with very few particles per cell. Hall physics and charge separation effects are included self-consistently. A detailed equation of state (EOS) model is used to evolve the ion charge state and introduce non-ideal gas behavior. Electron cooling due to radiation emission is included in the model as well. We demonstrate the use of these new algorithms in 1D and 2D Cartesian simulations of railgun (parallel plate) jet accelerators using He and Ar gases. The inclusion of EOS and radiation physics reduces the electron temperature, resulting in higher ca...