A pairwise nuclear fusion algorithm for weighted particle-in-cell plasma simulations

Higginson, Drew Pitney; Link, Anthony; Schmidt, Andrea

doi:10.1016/j.jcp.2019.03.020

A pairwise nuclear fusion algorithm for weighted particle-in-cell plasma simulations

Journal Article · Tue Mar 19 00:00:00 EDT 2019 · Journal of Computational Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2019.03.020· OSTI ID:1548348

^[1]; Link, Anthony ^[1]; Schmidt, Andrea ^[1]

Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

In this work, a pairwise nuclear fusion algorithm for arbitrarily weighted macroparticles in a particle-in-cell simulation is described. The method is benchmarked in situations with like-particles, D(d,n)³He, unlike-particles, D(t,n)⁴He, thermonuclear plasmas, beam-target fusion, and for large difference in macroparticle weights. Studies of the required number of macroparticles in thermonuclear plasmas show that 100–1000 macroparticles are required to achieve repeatability of yields around 10%, likewise 10⁴–10⁵ for 1%, depending on the fusion interaction and ion temperature.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1548348

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1642259

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL--756402; 942208

Journal Information:: Journal of Computational Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Computational Physics Journal Issue: C Vol. 388; ISSN 0021-9991

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (24)

Weighted Particles in Coulomb Collision Simulations Based on the Theory of a Cumulative Scattering Angle Nanbu, K.; Yonemura, S. Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 145, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1006/jcph.1998.6049	journal	September 1998
A binary collision model for plasma simulation with a particle code Takizuka, Tomonor; Abe, Hirotada Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 25, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9991(77)90099-7	journal	November 1977
Angular distributions and cross-section ratios for the reactions 2H(d, n)3He and 2H(d, p)3H below 500 keV Theus, R. B.; McGarry, W. I.; Beach, L. A. Nuclear Physics, Vol. 80, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/0029-5582(66)90089-7	journal	May 1966
2H + reactions from 1.96 to 6.20 MeV Schulte, R. L.; Cosack, M.; Obst, A. W. Nuclear Physics A, Vol. 192, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9474(72)90093-0	journal	September 1972
Low-energy fusion cross sections of D + D and D + 3He reactions Krauss, A.; Becker, H. W.; Trautvetter, H. P. Nuclear Physics A, Vol. 465, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9474(87)90302-2	journal	March 1987
Differential and total cross sections and astrophysical S -factors for2H(d,n)3He and2H(d,p)3H reactions in a wide energy range Goncharov, P. R. Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, Vol. 120 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adt.2017.05.006	journal	March 2018
The persistence of Maxwellian D and T distributions during burn in inertial confinement fusion Sherlock, M.; Rose, S. J. High Energy Density Physics, Vol. 5, Issue 1-2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hedp.2008.11.001	journal	June 2009
Numerical methods for particle simulations at extreme densities and temperatures: Weighted particles, relativistic collisions and reduced currents Sentoku, Y.; Kemp, A. J. Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 227, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2008.03.043	journal	July 2008
A full-angle Monte-Carlo scattering technique including cumulative and single-event Rutherford scattering in plasmas Higginson, Drew P. Journal of Computational Physics, Vol. 349 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2017.08.016	journal	November 2017
Modern Nuclear Data Evaluation with the TALYS Code System Koning, A. J.; Rochman, D. Nuclear Data Sheets, Vol. 113, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nds.2012.11.002	journal	December 2012
Towards a More Complete and Accurate Experimental Nuclear Reaction Data Library (EXFOR): International Collaboration Between Nuclear Reaction Data Centres (NRDC) Otuka, N.; Dupont, E.; Semkova, V. Nuclear Data Sheets, Vol. 120 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nds.2014.07.065	journal	June 2014
Neutron Energy and Flux Distributions from a Crossed-Field Acceleration Model of Plasma Focus and Z-Pinch Discharges Bernstein, M. J. Physics of Fluids, Vol. 15, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1693966	journal	January 1972
Kinetic simulation of thermonuclear-neutron production by a 107-A deuterium Z pinch Welch, D. R.; Rose, D. V.; Thoma, C. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3457932	journal	July 2010
Validation of thermal conductivity in magnetized plasmas using particle-in-cell simulations Asahina, T.; Nagatomo, H.; Sunahara, A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 24, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4981233	journal	April 2017
Hybrid-PIC modeling of laser-plasma interactions and hot electron generation in gold hohlraum walls Thoma, C.; Welch, D. R.; Clark, R. E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 24, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4985314	journal	June 2017
Kinetic effects on neutron generation in moderately collisional interpenetrating plasma flows Higginson, D. P.; Ross, J. S.; Ryutov, D. D. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5048386	journal	January 2019
Fast ion kinetics and fusion reaction mechanism in the plasma focus Jäger, U.; Herold, H. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 27, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/27/3/006	journal	March 1987
Improved formulas for fusion cross-sections and thermal reactivities Bosch, H. -S; Hale, G. M. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 32, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/32/4/I07	journal	April 1992
Relativistic calculation of fusion product spectra for thermonuclear plasmas Ballabio, L.; Källne, J.; Gorini, G. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 38, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/38/11/310	journal	November 1998
The production spectrum in fusion plasmas Appelbe, B.; Chittenden, J. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 53, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/53/4/045002	journal	February 2011
Contemporary particle-in-cell approach to laser-plasma modelling Arber, T. D.; Bennett, K.; Brady, C. S. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 57, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/57/11/113001	journal	September 2015
Fully Kinetic Particle-in-Cell Simulations of a Deuterium Gas Puff z Pinch Welch, D. R.; Rose, D. V.; Clark, R. E. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 103, Issue 25 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.255002	journal	December 2009
Transition from Beam-Target to Thermonuclear Fusion in High-Current Deuterium Z -Pinch Simulations Offermann, Dustin T.; Welch, Dale R.; Rose, Dave V. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.195001	journal	May 2016
Transition from Collisional to Collisionless Regimes in Interpenetrating Plasma Flows on the National Ignition Facility Ross, J. S.; Higginson, D. P.; Ryutov, D. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 118, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.185003	journal	May 2017

Cited By (3)

Effect of polarity on beam and plasma target formation in a dense plasma focus Jiang, S.; Higginson, D. P.; Link, A. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5048423	journal	April 2019
Kinetic simulations of sheared flow stabilization in high-temperature Z-pinch plasmas Tummel, K.; Higginson, D. P.; Link, A. J. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5092241	journal	June 2019
Hybrid particle-in-cell simulations of laser-driven plasma interpenetration, heating, and entrainment Higginson, D. P.; Amendt, P.; Meezan, N. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5110512	journal	November 2019

Similar Records

A corrected method for Coulomb scattering in arbitrarily weighted particle-in-cell plasma simulations

Journal Article · Sun Apr 05 20:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Computational Physics · OSTI ID:1623345

Thermonuclear reactions probed at stellar-core conditions with laser-based inertial-confinement fusion

Journal Article · Sun Aug 06 20:00:00 EDT 2017 · Nature Physics · OSTI ID:1404861

Evaluation of charged-particle reactions for fusion applications

Conference · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1990 · OSTI ID:5730541

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING
Inertial confinement fusion
Monte Carlo methods
Nuclear Fusion
Particle-in-cell
Thermonuclear Fusion

A pairwise nuclear fusion algorithm for weighted particle-in-cell plasma simulations

Citation Formats

References (24)

Cited By (3)

Similar Records

Related Subjects