Polar-drive implosions on OMEGA and the National Ignition Facility
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Polar-drive (PD) experiments on the OMEGA [Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] laser are described. Continuous pulse shapes, where a low-power foot is followed by a rise to the main pulse, and triple-picket pulse shapes, where three pickets precede the main pulse, are used to irradiate warm plastic shell capsules. Both of these pulse shapes set the target on a low, ignition-relevant adiabat of ~3.5. The areal density is modeled very well in these implosions indicating that shock timing is well modeled in PD geometry. It is shown that the symmetry can be predictably varied by changing the beam pointings. Symmetry is also well reproduced across the two pulse shapes. Limitations of OMEGA experiments are discussed. Preliminary designs for PD implosion experiments on the NIF, with the goal of addressing ignition-relevant issues for PD, including symmetry are presented.
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- NA0002035
- OSTI ID:
- 1172374
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 20, Issue 5; ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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