Indirect drive ablative Rayleigh-Taylor experiments with rugby hohlraums on OMEGA
- CEA, DAM, DIF, F-91297 Arpajon (France)
Results of ablative Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth experiments performed in indirect drive on the OMEGA laser facility [T. R. Boehly, D. L. Brown, S. Craxton et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] are reported. These experiments aim at benchmarking hydrocodes simulations and ablator instabilities growth in conditions relevant to ignition in the framework of the Laser MegaJoule [C. Cavailler, Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 47, 389 (2005)]. The modulated samples under study were made of germanium-doped plastic (CHGe), which is the nominal ablator for future ignition experiments. The incident x-ray drive was provided using rugby-shaped hohlraums [M. Vandenboomgaerde, J. Bastian, A. Casner et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 065004 (2007)] and was characterized by means of absolute time-resolved soft x-ray power measurements through a dedicated diagnostic hole, shock breakout data and one-dimensional and two-dimensional (2D) side-on radiographies. All these independent x-ray drive diagnostics lead to an actual on-foil flux that is about 50% smaller than laser-entrance-hole measurements. The experimentally inferred flux is used to simulate experimental optical depths obtained from face-on radiographies for an extensive set of initial conditions: front-side single-mode (wavelength {lambda}=35, 50, and 70 {mu}m) and two-mode perturbations (wavelength {lambda}=35 and 70 {mu}m, in phase or in opposite phase). Three-dimensional pattern growth is also compared with the 2D case. Finally the case of the feedthrough mechanism is addressed with rear-side modulated foils.
- OSTI ID:
- 21282111
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 16, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3224027; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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