Rayleigh-Taylor Growth Measurements in the Acceleration Phase of Spherical Implosions on OMEGA

Journal Article · Thu Sep 10 00:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.105001· OSTI ID:963796

The Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth of 3D broadband nonuniformities was measured using x-ray radiography in spherical plastic shells accelerated by laser light at an intensity of ~2 x 10^14 W/cm^2. The 20- and 24-um-thick spherical shells were imploded with 54 beams on the OMEGA laser system. The shells contained diagnostic openings for backlighter x rays used to image shell modulations. The measured shell trajectories and modulation RT growth were in fair agreement with 2D hydro simulations during the acceleration phase of the implosions with convergence ratios of up to ~2:2. Since the ignition designs rely on these simulations, improvements in the numerical codes will be implemented to achieve better agreement with experiments.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: FC52-08NA28302
• OSTI ID: 963796
• Report Number(s): DOE/NA/28302-907; 2009-82; 1890
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English