Modified Bell-Plesset Effect with Compressibility: Application to Double-Shell Ignition Target Designs

The effect of spherical convergence on the fluid stability of collapsing and expanding bubbles was originally treated by Bell [Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory Report No. LA-1321 (1951)] and Plesset [J. Appl. Phys. 25, 96 (1954)]. The additional effect of fluid compressibility was also considered by Bell but was limited to the case of nonzero density on only one side of a fluid interface. A more general extension is developed which considers distinct time-dependent uniform densities on both sides of an interface in a spherically converging geometry. A modified form of the velocity potential is used that avoids an unphysical divergence at the origin [Goncharov et al., Phys. Plasmas 7, 5118 (2000); Lin et al., Phys. Fluids 14, 2925 (2002)]. Two consequences of this approach are that an instability proposed by Plesset for an expanding bubble in the limit of large interior density is now absent and application to inertial confinement fusion studies of stability becomes feasible. The model is applied to a proposed ignition double-shell target design [Amendt et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 2221 (2002)] for the National Ignition Facility [Paisner et al., Laser Focus World 30, 75 (1994)] for studying the stability of the inner surface of an imploding high-Z inner shell. Application of the Haan [Phys. Rev. A 39, 5812 (1989)] saturation criterion suggests that ignition is possible

Generalized x-ray scattering cross section from non-equilibrium solids and plasmas

We propose a modified x-ray form factor that describes the scattering cross section in warm dense matter valid for both the plasma and the solid (crystalline) state. Our model accounts for the effect of lattice correlations on the electron-electron dynamic structure, as well as provides a smooth transition between the solid and the plasma scattering cross sections. In addition, we generalize the expression of the dynamic structure in the case of a two-temperature system (with different electron and ion temperatures). This work provides a unified description of the x-ray scattering processes in warm and dense matter, as the one encountered in inertial confinement fusion, laboratory astrophysics, material science, and high-energy density physics and it can be used to verify temperature relaxation mechanisms in such environments

Investigation of Dense Cesium Laser Plasma

A dense Cs vapour is irradiated by a tunable dye laser with the maximum power of 500KW and the half width of 20ns, and ionization mechanisms of the laser induced Cs plasma are investigated. An initial electron is produced by laser absorptions of the Cs molecular. At the high Cs number density, enough number of the Cs (6P) atoms are excited by electron collisions. If the dye laser is tuned to the atomic transition of 6P-9S, the Cs (6P) excited atom absorbs the further laser photon and is ionized. At the low Cs density, two-photon inoization is a main ionization process

High-energy x-ray microscopy of laser-fusion plasmas at the National Ignition Facility

Multi-keV x-ray microscopy will be an important laser-produced plasma diagnostic at future megajoule facilities such as the National Ignition Facility (NIF).In preparation for the construction of this facility, we have investigated several instrumentation options in detail, and we conclude that near normal incidence single spherical or toroidal crystals may offer the best general solution for high-energy x-raymicroscopy at NIF and at similar large facilities. Kirkpatrick-Baez microscopes using multi-layer mirrors may also be good secondary options, particularly if apertures are used to increase the band-width limited field of view

Studies of Background Levels for the NIF Yield Diagnostics from Neutron and Gamma Radiation

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is nearing completion of construction and is preparing for the National Ignition Campaign (NIC) with potentially significant yield in 2010. The design of a wide range of yield diagnostics in and outside the target-bay of the NIF must consider scattered background neutrons and neutron-induced gamma rays to measure neutrons and x-rays from target. The large and complex target chamber and facility make the calculation of scattered neutrons and gamma rays extremely challenging. The NIF was designed with shielded locations for many of the yield diagnostics including the neutron alcove and four diagnostic mezzanines. Accurate calculation of the background levels in these shielded locations requires advanced Monte Carlo techniques, e.g., variance reduction. Placement, size, and materials of collimators on the line of sight (LOS) through the shielding must be evaluated to trade off signal levels and unwanted backgrounds. The background at these locations is also affected by neutrons that pass through the laser beam tubes and scatter off of structures and walls in the switch yards. Detailed 3D Monte Carlo analyses are performed to determine neutron and gamma fluxes for some of the yield diagnostics

Characterization of the series 1000 camera system

The National Ignition Facility requires a compact network addressable scientific grade CCD camera for use in diagnostics ranging from streak cameras to gated x-ray imaging cameras. Due to the limited space inside the diagnostic, an analog and digital input/output option in the camera controller permits control of both the camera and the diagnostic by a single Ethernet link. The system consists of a Spectral Instruments Series 1000 camera, a PC104+ controller, and power supply. The 4k by 4k CCD camera has a dynamic range of 70 dB with less than 14 electron read noise at a 1MHz readout rate. The PC104+ controller includes 16 analog inputs, 4 analog outputs and 16 digital input/output lines for interfacing to diagnostic instrumentation. A description of the system and performance characterization is reported