Simulation and modeling of the Gamble II self-pinched ion beam transport experiment

Conference · Thu Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999

OSTI ID:20067602

Rose, D V; Ottinger, P F; Hinshelwood, D D ^[1]

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1. and others

Progress in numerical simulations and modeling of the self-pinched ion beam transport experiment at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is reviewed. In the experiment, a 1.2-MeV, 100-kA proton beam enters a 1-m long, transport region filled with a low pressure gas (30--250 mTorr helium, or 1 Torr air). The time-dependent velocity distribution function of the injected ion beam is determined from an orbit code that uses a pinch-reflex ion diode model and the measured voltage and current from this diode on the Gamble II generator at NRL. This distribution function is used as the beam input condition for numerical simulations carried out using the hybrid particle-in-cell code IPROP. Results of the simulations will be described, and detailed comparisons will be made with various measurements, including line-integrated electron-density, proton-fluence, and beam radial-profile measurements. As observed in the experiment, the simulations show evidence of self-pinching for helium pressures between 35 and 80 mTorr. Simulations and measurements in 1 Torr air show ballistic transport. The relevance of these results to ion-driven inertial confinement fusion will be discussed.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Department of Energy
• OSTI ID: 20067602
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM PROFILES
BEAM TRANSPORT
HELIUM
INERTIAL FUSION DRIVERS
ION BEAM FUSION REACTORS
ION BEAMS
KILO AMP BEAM CURRENTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PROTON BEAMS