1996 ICF program overview
The continuing objective of the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program is the demonstration of thermonuclear fusion ignition and energy gain in the laboratory. The underlying theme of all ICF activities as a science research and development program is the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Defense Programs (DP) science-based Stockpile Stewardship and Management (SSM) Program. The extension of current program research capabilities in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is necessary for the ICF Program to satisfy its stewardship responsibilities. ICF resources (people and facilities) are increasingly being redirected in support of the performance, schedule, and cost goals of the NIF. One of the more important aspects of ICF research is the national nature of the program. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) ICF Program falls within DOE's national ICF Program, which includes the Nova and Beamlet laser facilities at LLNL and the OMEGA, Nike, and Trident laser facilities at the University of Rochester (Laboratory for Laser Energetics, UR/LLE), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), respectively. The Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator (PBFA) and Saturn pulsed-power facilities are at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). General Atomics, Inc. (GA) develops and provides many of the targets for the above experimental facilities. LLNL's ICF Program supports activities in two major interrelated areas: (1) target physics and technology (experimental, theoretical, and computational research); and (2) laser science and optics technology development. Experiments on LLNL's Nova laser primarily support ignition and weapons physics research. Experiments on LLNL's Beamlet laser support laser science and optics technology development. In addition, ICF sciences and technologies, developed as part of the DP mission goals, continue to support additional DOE objectives. These objectives are (1) to achieve diversity in energy sources through inertial fusion energy (IFE) research and (2) to maintain a competitive US economy through new development of technologies of interest for government and industrial use, including Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD). This Overview is divided into sections that include Target Physics and Technology, Laser Science and Optics Technology, the National Ignition Facility, and Inertial Fusion Energy/New Technologies. These sections summarize the findings within the many articles written for refereed journals and the ICF Quarterly Report, and also discuss important results from FY 1996 that have not been covered explicitly in the articles.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Defense Programs (DP) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 9346
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-ID-129037; DP0210000; DP0210000; TRN: US0102789
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 30 Sep 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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