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Title: Self-consistent analysis of atomic-state and density correlation functions of partially ionized high-density plasmas and enhancement of the fusion reaction rate

Journal Article · · Physical Review A. General Physics; (United States)
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Setsunan University, Neyagawa, Osaka 572 (Japan)
  2. Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565 (Japan)

The enhancement of the fusion reaction rate in high-density two-component plasmas that consist of deuterium (D) and high-{ital Z} material such as carbon (C) or titanium (Ti) has been investigated theoretically. Ion-ion correlation in high-density two-component plasmas is described by a hypernetted-chain (HNC) equation including Coulomb potential of bound electrons. To take into account the effects of bound electrons, we calculate the degree of ionization of atoms consistently with HNC equations by using the Thomas-Fermi model. The results show that the fusion reaction rate of the D-D interaction is enhanced by a factor from 2 to 4 because the strong screening by the surrounding high-{ital Z} ions reduces an effective potential between two colliding deuteriums, and then the degree of ionization of high-{ital Z} materials is found to be important to determine the enhancement factors.

OSTI ID:
7046983
Journal Information:
Physical Review A. General Physics; (United States), Vol. 45:6; ISSN 1050-2947
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English