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Title: Velocity correction for neutron activation diagnostics at the NIF

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5038734 · OSTI ID:1479059

The velocity distribution of the hotspot in an inertial confinement fusion implosion changes the energy spectra of fusion neutrons emitted from the experiment as a function of viewing angle. These velocity-induced spectral changes affect the response of neutron activation diagnostics (NADs) positioned around the experiment and must be accounted for to correctly extract information about areal density (ρR) asymmetry from the data. Three mechanisms through which average hotspot velocity affects NAD activation are addressed: change in activation cross section due to the Doppler shift of the mean neutron energy, kinematic focusing of neutron fluence, and change in the scattering cross section due to the Doppler shift. Using the hotspot velocity inferred from neutron time-of-flight measurements of D-T and D-D fusion neutrons, the hotspot velocity is shown to account for the observed NAD activation asymmetry in a calibration shot with negligible fuel ρR. Finally, a robust method to evaluate uncertainties in spherical-harmonic fits to the NAD data due to the velocity correction and detector uncertainty is discussed.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1479059
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1476964
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL--750006; {"Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748",935047}
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 89; ISSN 0034-6748
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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