Laser Plasma Interactions 5: Inertial Confinement Fusion (Proceedings of the 45th Scottish Universities' Summer School in Physics, St Andrews, August 1994)

Abstract

The first paper in this volume of proceedings, Inertial Confinement Fusion by J Kilkenny, is not quite pedagogic. The introduction is rather abrupt, and it is assumed that the reader knows everything about the subject. For example it is never stated that the driver is the laser. The paper contains many phenomenological results, however. In the second paper, Laser Plasma Interactions in Hohlraums by W L Kruer, `ignition targets' are not explained; in the caption to figure 7 a `scale 1 hohlraum' needs definition and it would be useful to know the shape of the NIF pulse. Unfortunately, very little is written about the codes used in the paper. Section 5 is very interesting, though, and the whole paper is well introduced and well balanced. The experimental subject, X-ray driven Implosions in Laser-heated Hohlraums is described by A Hauer. After a good introduction, the author lists different experiments in catalogue fashion, but the subject progression and pedagogical presentation are excellent, with a very comprehensive text. There is probably a mistake in the caption of figure 2, however, which should read `left most plot'. R Sigel's coverage of Laser-induced Radiation Hydrodynamics and X-ray Generation is comprehensive but relies on knowledge of Part 1. The text illustrates very well the x-ray conversion of laser light and the different applications of radiation hydrodynamics. A minor point is that on page 84 relation (5) should show instead of . In N Hoffmann's Hydrodynamic Instabilities in Inertial Confinement Fusion, pedagogical aspects of the paper are emphasised and a very wide analysis of the Rayleigh - Taylor instability is presented. The author begins with a linear analysis of the instability and then calculates the growth rate for superposed fluids with density discontinuity and for a continuous density gradient. The cases of the ablation surface instability and of the instability for opposed density and pressure gradients are then studied. Descriptions and results from the differing kinds of codes are provided. Hydrodynamic instabilities are important for the study of inertial confinement fusion. A progressive explanation of Transport in Laser-produced Plasmas is given by A R Bell. He commences with Spitzer conductivity and moves on to nonlocal transport after the limitation of heat flux. Applications of transport to thermal smoothing and filamentation are described and the author also details the case of transport in magnetic fields. The very wide subject of Atomic and Radiation Physics of Hot Dense Plasmas is dealt with by S J Rose, and he makes a good synthesis of this important topic for ICF. Figure 1 provides a clear indication of the major interactions. The approach and references in this paper are concise and accurate for those commencing study in this area. The papers by D Cable (Nuclear Measurements of ICF Implosions) and J K Hoffer (Cryogenic Targets for ICF) are both technical but vital to the understanding of implosion diagnostics. Professor Mulser's Theory of Short Pulse Interaction represents a very interesting introduction to a new direction in laser - matter interactions, whilst A Migus (a short pulse laser specialist) describes well the new laser tool which will perform the physics presented by Professor Mulser. Finally X-ray Lasers by G Pert outlines an application of laser - plasma interactions. The atomic physics provided in the earlier papers (by Rose, Sigel and Kilkenny for example) can prove very useful for this subject. In conclusion this book mainly deals with indirect drive ICF and the two principal topics of hydrodynamic instabilities and radiative transfer, but readers can obtain an overview of new subjects such as short pulse high intensity laser-plasma interactions. The book provides a wide review of state of the art science in this developing field.