Fast ignitor coupling physics

Conference · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997

OSTI ID:627152

Mason, R J ^[1]; Tabak, M ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

The Fast Ignitor is an alternate approach to ICF in which short pulse lasers are used to initiate burn at the surface of the compressed DT fuel. The aim is to avoid the need for careful central focusing of final shocks, and possibly to lower substantially the energy requirements for ignition. Ultimately, both goals may prove crucial to Science Based Stockpile Stewardship (SBSS). This will be the case should either emerging energetic needs, or funding difficulties render the presently planned radiative fusion approach to ignition with the NIF impractical. Ignition is a first step towards the achievement of substantial energy and neutron outputs for such Stewardship. For success with the Fast Ignitor, the laser energy must be efficiently deposited into megavolt electrons (suprathermal), which must, in turn, couple to the background ions within an alpha particle range. To understand the electron fuel coupling, we have used ANTHEM plasma simulation code to model the transport of hot electrons generated by an intense short pulse laser into plasma targets over a broad range of densities. Our study will spell out the acceleration and transport mechanisms active in the Fast Ignitor environment.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 627152
• Report Number(s): LA-UR--97-4016; CONF-971082--; ON: DE98002646
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
A CODES
ALPHA PARTICLES
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
COUPLING
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY
ICF DEVICES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA SIMULATION
SOLID STATE LASERS