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Title: Reaction-in-flight neutrons as a test of stopping power in degenerate plasmas

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4928104· OSTI ID:1234914

We present the first measurements of reaction-in-flight (RIF) neutrons in an inertial confinement fusion system. The experiments were carried out at the National Ignition Facility, using both Low Foot and High Foot drives and cryogenic plastic capsules. In both cases, the high-energy RIF (En > 15 MeV) component of the neutron spectrum was found to be about 10–4 of the total. The majority of the RIF neutrons were produced in the dense cold fuel surrounding the burning hotspot of the capsule, and the data are consistent with a compressed cold fuel that is moderately to strongly coupled (Γ~ 0.6) and electron degenerate (θFermie~ 4). The production of RIF neutrons is controlled by the stopping power in the plasma. Thus, the current RIF measurements provide a unique test of stopping power models in an experimentally unexplored plasma regime. In conclusion, we find that the measured RIF data strongly constrain stopping models in warm dense plasma conditions, and some models are ruled out by our analysis of these experiments.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-06NA25396; Not applicable
OSTI ID:
1234914
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1229577
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-14-29105; PHPAEN
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 8; ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 27 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (10)

A neutron activation spectrometer and neutronic experimental platform for the National Ignition Facility (invited) journal September 2016
In-flight neutron spectra as an ICF diagnostic for implosion asymmetries journal February 2018
On alpha-particle transport in inertial fusion journal June 2019
Modified parameterization of the Li-Petrasso charged-particle stopping power theory journal December 2019
Dynamic high energy density plasma environments at the National Ignition Facility for nuclear science research journal February 2018
Kinetic physics in ICF: present understanding and future directions journal April 2018
Spectral composition of thermonuclear particle and recoil nuclear emissions from laser fusion targets intended for modern ignition experiments journal June 2018
Reaction-in-Flight neutrons as a test of stopping power in degenerate plasmas journal May 2016
Measurement of the Bi 209 ( n , 4 n ) Bi 206 and Tm 169 ( n , 3 n ) Tm 167 cross sections between 23.5 and 30.5 MeV relevant to reaction-in-flight neutron studies at the National Ignition Facility journal August 2017
Neutron Time-of-Flight Measurements of Charged-Particle Energy Loss in Inertial Confinement Fusion Plasmas journal October 2019