Continuation of the Application of Parallel PIC Simulations to Laser and Electron Transport Through Plasmas Under Conditions Relevant to ICF and SBSS
One of the important research questions in high energy density science (HEDS) is how intense laser and electron beams penetrate into and interact with matter. At high beam intensities the self-fields of the laser and particle beams can fully ionize matter so that beam -matter interactions become beam-plasma interactions. These interactions involve a disparity of length and time scales, and they involve interactions between particles, between particles and waves, and between waves and waves. In a plasma what happens in one region can significantly impact another because the particles are free to move and many types of waves can be excited. Therefore, simulating these interactions requires tools that include wave particle interactions and that include wave nonlinearities. One methodology for studying such interactions is particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. While PIC codes include most of the relevant physics they are also the most computer intensive. However, with the development of sophisticated software and the use of massively parallel computers, PIC codes can now be used to accurately study a wide range of problems in HEDS. The research in this project involved building, maintaining, and using the UCLA parallel computing infrastructure. This infrastructure includes the codes OSIRIS and UPIC which have been improved or developed during this grant period. Specifically, we used this PIC infrastructure to study laser-plasma interactions relevant to future NIF experiments and high-intensity laser and beam plasma interactions relevant to fast ignition fusion. The research has led to fundamental knowledge in how to write parallel PIC codes and use parallel PIC simulations, as well as increased the fundamental knowledge of HEDS. This fundamental knowledge will not only impact Inertial Confinement Fusion but other fields such as plasma-based acceleration and astrophysics.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE - National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG52-03NA00065
- OSTI ID:
- 903411
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NA/00065-3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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