Energy loss and multiple scattering of light ions in dense and strongly magnetized plasma

Abstract

The alpha particles produced in inertial fusion reactions are less energetic than (or of the order of) a MeV/amu. The surrounding electronic plasma has a thermal velocity from 0.1 to 10 keV, while Deuterium–Tritium thermal velocity remains usually lower. Then the velocity scale of the different actors is the following one: V thi ⪡ V p < V the , ( V thi and V the being, respectively, the plasma ion and electron thermal velocities, and V p the alpha projectile velocity). In this low projectile velocity regime, we are investigating the influence of a strong external magnetic field on the energy loss of light ions. A brief review of different theoretical approaches results is presented first. Then we study a diffusion coefficient, transverse to the external magnetic field, of a light ion in an electron plasma target to characterize the B-dependence of this diffusion and consequently the energy loss. Finally, we look at the multiple scattering of a light ion by an electron plasma target and how the magnetic field could affect the projectile penetration depth.