skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Development on the National Ignition Facility of a High Energy Density Opacity Platform

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/1396155· OSTI ID:1396155
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2] more »;  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [4];  [4];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [5] « less
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), NV (United States)
  4. Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
  5. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations

X-ray opacity is a crucial factor in all radiation-hydrodynamics calculations, yet it is one of the least validated of the material properties in simulation codes for high-energy-density plasmas. Recent opacity experiments at the Sandia Z-machine have shown up to factors of two discrepancies between theory and experiment for various mid-Z elements (Fe, Cr, Ni). These discrepancies raise doubts regarding the accuracy of the opacity models which are used in ICF and stewardship as well as in astrophysics. Therefore, a new experimental opacity platform has been developed on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), not only to verify the Z-machine experimental results, but also to extend the experiments to other temperatures and densities. Within the context of the national opacity strategy, the first NIF experiments were directed towards measuring the opacity of iron at a temperature of ~160 eV and an electron density of ~7xl021 cm-3(Anchor 1). The Z data agree with theory at these conditions, providing a reference point for validation of the NIF platform. Development shots on NIF have demonstrated the ability to create a sufficiently bright point backlighter using an imploding plastic capsule, and also a combined hohlraum, sample and laser drive able to produce iron plasmas at the desired conditions. Spectrometer qualification has been completed, albeit with additional improvements planned, and the first iron absorption spectra have now been obtained.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396
OSTI ID:
1396155
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-28950
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Replicating the Z iron opacity experiments on the NIF
Journal Article · Fri May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · High Energy Density Physics · OSTI ID:1396155
+26 more
Conceptual design of initial opacity experiments on the national ignition facility
Journal Article · Mon Jan 09 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Journal of Plasma Physics · OSTI ID:1396155
+17 more
Update on the Iron Opacity Experiments on the NIF
Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Astronomical Society of the Pacific Conference Series · OSTI ID:1396155
+18 more

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
opacity experiment
iron opacity
Opacity-on-NIF