Probing the Interface Stability of Implosions
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
In the quest for reaching ignition of deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel capsule implosions, experiments on the National Ignition Facility have shown lower final fuel areal densities than simulated. Possible explanations for reduced compression are higher preheat that can increase the ablator-DT ice density jump and induce mix at that interface, or reverberating shocks. We were hence interested in developing x-ray Refraction Enhanced Radiography (RER) to infer the inflight density profiles in layered fuel capsule implosions. The first experiments validated our setup by recording a streaked x-ray fringe pattern from an undriven high density carbon (HDC) capsule consistent with raytracing calculations at the required ~ 6 micron and 25 ps resolution. Streaked RER was then applied to inflight cryogenically layered HDC capsule implosions using a hydrogen-tritium fuel mix. The first RER of an inflight capsule revealed strong features associated with the ablation front and ice-ablator interface that are not visible in standard absorption in-flight radiographs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC52-07NA27344
- OSTI ID:
- 1479066
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-TR-760012; 947993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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