Pulsed-power-driven high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion research.
The Z accelerator [R.B. Spielman, W.A. Stygar, J.F. Seamen et al., Proceedings of the 11th International Pulsed Power Conference, Baltimore, MD, 1997, edited by G. Cooperstein and I. Vitkovitsky (IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, 1997), Vol. 1, p. 709] at Sandia National Laboratories delivers {approx}20 MA load currents to create high magnetic fields (>1000 T) and high pressures (megabar to gigabar). In a z-pinch configuration, the magnetic pressure (the Lorentz force) supersonically implodes a plasma created from a cylindrical wire array, which at stagnation typically generates a plasma with energy densities of about 10 MJ/cm{sup 3} and temperatures >1 keV at 0.1% of solid density. These plasmas produce x-ray energies approaching 2 MJ at powers >200 TW for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high energy density physics (HEDP) experiments. In an alternative configuration, the large magnetic pressure directly drives isentropic compression experiments to pressures >3 Mbar and accelerates flyer plates to >30 km/s for equation of state (EOS) experiments at pressures up to 10 Mbar in aluminum. Development of multidimensional radiation-magnetohydrodynamic codes, coupled with more accurate material models (e.g., quantum molecular dynamics calculations with density functional theory), has produced synergy between validating the simulations and guiding the experiments. Z is now routinely used to drive ICF capsule implosions (focusing on implosion symmetry and neutron production) and to perform HEDP experiments (including radiation-driven hydrodynamic jets, EOS, phase transitions, strength of materials, and detailed behavior of z-pinch wire-array initiation and implosion). This research is performed in collaboration with many other groups from around the world. A five year project to enhance the capability and precision of Z, to be completed in 2007, will result in x-ray energies of nearly 3 MJ at x-ray powers >300 TW.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 965095
- Report Number(s):
- SAND2004-6072C; TRN: US0903580
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Proposed for presentation at the American Physical Society/Division of Plasma Physics held November 14-18, 2004 in Savannah, GA.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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