Shock-driven kinetic and diffusive mix in high-Z pusher ICF designs

Journal Article · 12 February 2020 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5140361 · OSTI ID:1604013

Keenan, Brett D.  ^[1]; Taitano, William T.  ^[1]; Simakov, Andrei N.  ^[1]; Chacon, Luis  ^[1]; Albright, Brian James  ^[1]

---

1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Revolver and Double Shell Inertial Confinement Fusion capsule designs hope to achieve a robust volumetric thermonuclear burn via the use of a high-Z pusher shell filled with a cryogenic D–T fuel. Unfortunately, mix of the pusher material into the fuel (gas) may adversely impact the burn performance. Hydrodynamic instability of the metal/gas interface as the mix source is an obvious concern, but 1D effects may also be detrimental. Such effects include plasma diffusion at material interfaces, which has been the subject of numerous theoretical, computational, and experimental investigations. However, other 1D mix mechanisms may exist, which have yet to be thoroughly explored. In particular, plasma kinetic effects may drive the mix when a shock breaks out of the metal/gas interface. Using the state-of-the-art, hybrid (kinetic-ion/fluid electron), multi-ion Vlasov–Fokker–Planck code, iFP, we show herein that shock-driven kinetic effects can reconfigure the interface and the interfacial width subsequently grows diffusively. Finally, we consider any implications for high-Z pusher designs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• Grant/Contract Number: 89233218CNA000001
• OSTI ID: 1604013
• Alternate ID(s): OSTI ID: 1599250
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-19-32053; TRN: US2104177
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 27, Issue 2; ISSN 1070-664X
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English