Ignition of a laser-fusion target by a focusing shock wave

Journal Article · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5398617

Shcherbakov, V A

The thermonuclear ignition by a focusing shock wave and the burning of a previously compressed spherical target are analyzed. In particular, for a target consisting of a DT mixture with a mass mroughly-equal400 ..mu..g (the initial radius of this target at a DT density rho/sub 0/ = 0.1 g/cm/sup 3/ is r/sub 0/ = 1 mm), compressed beforehand to a density rho = 40 g/cm/sup 3/, a compression velocity uroughly-equal(1.5--1.6) x 10/sup 7/ cm/s is required for ignition of the target by a focusing shock wave. The energy deposited in the target by the time of the flash is Eroughly-equal30 kJ, while the fusion energy released during the burning is Qroughly-equal50 MJ (if the target expands freely). In other words, the fusion gain is k = Q/E/sub las/roughly-equal1600 (since only a small fraction, approx.10%, of the laser energy is transferred to the target, the ratio of the fusion energy to that of the laser is of course much lower).

• OSTI ID: 5398617
• Journal Information: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 9:2; ISSN SJPPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700208* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
CONFINEMENT
ENERGY YIELD
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
LASER FUSION REACTORS
LASER TARGETS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
SHOCK WAVES
TARGETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
YIELDS