Fusion Targets Research Articles

Stability of perpendicular magnetohydrodynamic shocks in materials with ideal and nonideal equationsof state.

Magnetized target fusion approach to inertial confinement fusion involves the formation of strong shocks that travel along a magnetized plasma. Shocks, which play a dominant role in thermalizing the upstream kinetic energy generated in the implosion stage, are seldom free from perturbations, and they wrinkle in response to upstream or downstream disturbances. In Z-pinch experiments, significant plasma instability mitigation was observed with pre-embedded axial magnetic fields. To isolate effects, in this work we theoretically study the impact of perpendicular magnetic fields on the planar shock dynamics for different equationsof state. For fast magnetosonic shocks in ideal gases, it was found that the magnetic field amplifies the intensity of the perturbations when γ>2 or it weakens them when γ<2. Weak shocks have been found to be stable regardless of the magnetic plasma intensity and gas compressibility; however, for sufficiently strong shocks the magnetic fields can promote a neutral stability/SAE at the shock if the adiabatic index is higher than 1+sqrt[2]. Results have been validated with numerical simulations performed with the FLASH code.

Research on Automatic Emergency Braking System Based on Target Recognition and Fusion Control Strategy in Curved Road

To address the issue of incorrect recognition in the automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems on curved roads, a target recognition model is proposed to obtain the road curvature and to calculate the relative lateral distance. Based on the information from the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicles, the accurate selection of the hazardous target is accomplished. After identifying the dangerous target, a control strategy based on the fusion algorithm is proposed, because the safety distance model and the Time-to-Collision (TTC) model both have their limitations and cannot ensure driving safety and comfort simultaneously. The TTC model is optimized according to the actual relative distance between two vehicles on curved roads, the graded warning strategy and braking intervention time are established by the TTC model. And then the graded braking strategy is designed according to the safety distance model. The simulation platform is built based on Carsim and Simulink for verification and analysis. The results demonstrate that the proposed AEB control strategy on curved roads can accurately and efficiently identify the target vehicles on curved roads, avoid false triggering issues, and improve the AEB system’s reliability. And effectively avoid collisions with target vehicles that are in the same lane, improving driving safety and comfort.

Spatiotemporal fusion target detection and location based on depth optical flow and YOLOv3

Spatiotemporal fusion target detection and location based on depth optical flow and YOLOv3

Multi-Sensor Fusion Target Tracking Based on Maximum Mixture Correntropy in Non-Gaussian Noise Environments with Doppler Measurements

This paper addresses the multi-sensor fusion target tracking problem based on maximum mixture correntropy in non-Gaussian noise environments exclusively using Doppler measurements. As Doppler measurements are non-linear, a statistical linear regression model is constructed using the unscented transformation. Then, a centralized measurement model is developed, and the mixture correntropy is determined, which contains the high-order statistics of state prediction and the measurement error caused by noise. Then, a robust fusion filter is proposed by maximizing the mixture-correntropy-based cost. To improve numerical stability, the information filter and corresponding square root version are also derived. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed algorithm is analyzed, and the selection of the kernel width is discussed. Experiments are performed using simulated data and automatic driving software. The results show that the estimation performance of the proposed algorithm is better with respect to outliers and mixture Gaussian noise than that of traditional methods.

Evaluation of Higher Order Target Models in Radar And IRST Data Fusion

In general, the motion of maneuvering targets is described by acceleration model, which is a kinematic model, including position derivatives up to the second order. It is found that for tracking highly maneuvering targets, it is necessary to include higher order position derivatives in the model. A model including derivatives of position up to the third order called the jerk model is presented. In this paper, the tracking performance of an extended Kalman filter with the jerk model is evaluated and compared with that of an extended Kalman filter with acceleration model for fusion and tracking of a maneuvering target sensed by IRST and radar.

Exploration of cross-beam energy transfer mitigation constraints for designing an ignition-scale direct-drive inertial confinement fusion driver

The compression of direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets is strongly impacted by cross-beam energy transfer (CBET), a laser-plasma instability that limits ablation pressure by redirecting laser energy outward and that is projected to be mitigated by laser bandwidth. Here, we explore various CBET mitigation constraints to guide the design of future ICF facilities. First, we find that the flat, Gaussian, and Lorentzian spectral shapes have similar CBET mitigation properties, and a flat shape with nine spectral lines is a good surrogate for what can be obtained with other spectral shapes. Then, we conduct a comprehensive study across energy scales and ignition designs. 3D hydrodynamic simulations are used to derive an analytical model for the expected CBET mitigation as a function of laser and plasma parameters. From this model, we study the bandwidth requirements of conventional and shock ignition designs across four different energy scales and find that they require between 0.5 and 3±0.2% relative bandwidth. Best mitigation is achieved when the beam radius over critical radius Rb/Rc is kept low during the drive while the plasma temperature is kept high. In a steady state, we find that the bandwidth required to mitigate 85% of CBET scales as (Rb/Rc)2.15Ln−0.58I0.7, where Ln is the density scale length, and I the laser intensity. Finally, we find that the chamber beam port layout does not influence CBET mitigation. In the case of a driver using many monochromatic beamlets, we find that ∼10 beamlets per port is required, with diminishing returns above ∼20.

X-ray self-emission imaging with spherically bent Bragg crystals on the Z-machine

An x-ray imaging scheme using spherically bent crystals was implemented on the Z-machine to image x rays emitted by the hot, dense plasma generated by a Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) target. This diagnostic relies on a spherically bent crystal to capture x-ray emission over a narrow spectral range (&amp;lt;15 eV), which is established by a limiting aperture placed on the Rowland circle. The spherical crystal optic provides the necessary high-throughput and large field-of-view required to produce a bright image over the entire, one-cm length of the emitting column of a plasma. The average spatial resolution was measured and determined to be 18 µm for the highest resolution configuration. With this resolution, the radial size of the stagnation column can be accurately determined and radial structures, such as bifurcations in the column, are clearly resolved. The success of the spherical-crystal imager has motivated the implementation of a new, two-crystal configuration for identifying sources of spectral line emission using a differential imaging technique.

Cascaded solenoid acceleration of vortex laser-driven collimated proton beam

Efficient cascaded proton acceleration driven by an intense Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) laser is realized in combined three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and CST STUDIO SUITE (CST) simulations. CST simulations show that there is no divergent force component in the transverse direction in the coil center. Therefore, the collimated proton beam driven by the LG laser in the first stage benefits from the uniform beam acceleration in the second stage. By contrast, the proton beam with larger divergence disperses to the outside of the coil because of the divergent force near the coil wire in the Gaussian laser case. Finally, a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam with a higher flux is generated by the LG laser, which is much better than the Gaussian laser case. The obtained proton beam can potentially be used in some special applications, such as proton radiography, fast ignition of fusion targets, biomedical applications, and production of warm dense matter.

Plasma polymers as targets for laser-driven proton-boron fusion

Laser-driven proton-boron (pB) fusion has been gaining significant interest for energetic alpha particles production because of its neutron-less nature. This approach requires the use of B- and H-rich materials as targets, and common practice is the use of BN and conventional polymers. In this work, we chose plasma-assisted vapour phase deposition to prepare films of oligoethylenes (plasma polymers) on Boron Nitride BN substrates as an advanced alternative. The r.f. power delivered to the plasma was varied between 0 and 50 W to produce coatings with different crosslink density and hydrogen content, while maintaining the constant thickness of 1 μm. The chemical composition, including the hydrogen concentration, was investigated using XPS and RBS/ERDA, whereas the surface topography was analyzed using SEM and AFM. We triggered the pB nuclear fusion reaction focusing laser pulses from two different systems (i.e., the TARANIS multi-TW laser at the Queen’s University Belfast (United Kingdom) and the PERLA B 10-GW laser system at the HiLASE center in Prague (Czech Republic)) directly onto these targets. We achieved a yield up to 108 and 104 alpha particles/sr using the TARANIS and PERLA B lasers, respectively. Radiative-hydrodynamic and particle-in-cell PIC simulations were performed to understand the laser-target interaction and retrieve the energy spectra of the protons. The nuclear collisional algorithm implemented in the WarpX PIC code was used to identify the region where pB fusion occurs. Taken together, the results suggest a complex relationship between the hydrogen content, target morphology, and structure of the plasma polymer, which play a crucial role in laser absorption, target expansion, proton acceleration and ultimately nuclear fusion reactions in the plasma.

Using Laboratory-Based X-ray Tomography for Metrological Measurements of Inertial Confinement Fusion Targets.

Using Laboratory-Based X-ray Tomography for Metrological Measurements of Inertial Confinement Fusion Targets.

Correcting Hohlraum Drive Asymmetry with Glow Discharge Polymerization Coated Capsule Shims

In inertial confinement fusion target design, the shape discrepancy between the cylindrical hohlraum and the spherical capsule creates a low mode asymmetry in the implosion. One way to correct such asymmetry is to shim the target capsule surface with extra mass in specific locations following a three-dimensional P4 Legendre mode. Previously, the desired surface pattern was precision machined out of the capsule. The resulting 2DConA experiments that investigated the implosion’s shape demonstrated the shimming method’s success. However, machining leaves large defects on the capsule surface that will degrade neutron yield in a DT implosion. An alternative shimming approach is to grow the pattern on the capsule surface using a glow discharge polymerization coating process in a stencil lithography application. In this paper, we discuss the fabrication, characterization, and challenges of making shimmed target capsules with this new method.

Modeling for Trajectory of Ballistic Missile Target Group

Ballistic target tracking and fusion is important to missile defense systems. A vital problem of in tracking and fusion is how to model the trajectory of ballistic missile target group accurately. This paper proposes a method to model the trajectory of ballistic missile, decoys and debris. The method uses pseudo-spectral method to determine the trajectory of a ballistic missile, is based on release model to establish the trajectory of decoys, and considers vanishing condition to model the trajectory of debris. The simulation results show the proposed method can obtain the trajectory of the ballistic missile target group and approximate the real situation with appropriate parameters.

Study on the morphology of liquid–gas interface inside inertial confinement fusion target under the condition of temperature gradient based on Young–Laplace equation

This study investigates the morphology of the liquid–gas interface inside inertial confinement fusion targets with temperature gradients from the perspective of force balance. The effects of contact angle, liquid volume, temperature gradient, and target size on the interface morphology are discussed. The filling of the fuel and the preparation of the ice layer inside the target are carried out near the deuterium–deuterium triple point at 18.71 K, accompanied by temperature gradient distributions of different magnitudes. The morphology of the liquid–gas interface has a significant impact on the subsequent laser experiments. The differential equation for calculating the morphology of the liquid–gas interface under non-uniform temperature field is derived based on the Young–Laplace equation. In order to verify the accuracy and applicability of the model as well as to provide guidance for practical applications such as process optimization, experimental data within a temperature gradient range of 0.69–1.38 K/cm during the fuel filling process were selected. Image processing techniques, including denoising and edge detection, were applied to the experimental images. The obtained structured data were compared with the numerical solutions of the equation for the liquid–gas interface morphology. The accuracy of the equation was verified by the results. Based on this, the morphology of the liquid–gas interface of deuterium–deuterium inside targets under different experimental conditions was calculated. It was found that a smaller target radius, higher filling temperature, smaller contact angle, and larger temperature gradient are more conducive to subsequent experiments.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors: recent progress and future of targeted therapy.

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is a rare component of bone and soft-tissue sarcomas that has distinct pathological features as a lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltrate. As is the case for other non-small round cell sarcomas, surgical resection remains the standard treatment strategy for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors, but recurrence is possible. Concerning systemic therapy, the available data for conventional chemotherapy (such as those of doxorubicin-based regimens) are limited, and case reports of anti-inflammatory inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor treatments describe some degree of symptom relief and efficacy against tumor progression. However, as more information about cancer genomics accumulates, the potential for molecularly targeted therapies for inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors has become more promising. Approximately half of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors harbor anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion genes, and the other half could have potentially targetable fusion genes or mutations such as ROS1, NTRK and RET; case reports demonstrating the clinical efficacy of treatments targeted to inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor have been published, as have several prospective clinical trials. Few drugs are approved for the treatment of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and most of them were approved for tumor-agnostic indications. Drugs that could be used for pediatric indications and dosing in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor have also not been established. To provide effective targeted therapy for rare diseases such as inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, it is necessary to obtain clinical evidence by designing and performing clinical trials and to find a path toward regulatory approval.

HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies elicited in humans by a prefusion-stabilized envelope trimer form a reproducible class targeting fusion peptide

Elicitation of antibodies that neutralize the tier-2 neutralization-resistant isolates that typify HIV-1 transmission has been a long-sought goal. Success with prefusion-stabilized envelope trimers eliciting autologous neutralizing antibodies has been reported in multiple vaccine-test species, though not in humans. To investigate elicitation of HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies in humans, here, we analyze B cells from a phase I clinical trial of the "DS-SOSIP"-stabilized envelope trimer from strain BG505, identifying two antibodies, N751-2C06.01 and N751-2C09.01 (named for donor-lineage.clone), that neutralize the autologous tier-2 strain, BG505. Though derived from distinct lineages, these antibodies form a reproducible antibody class that targets the HIV-1 fusion peptide. Both antibodies are highly strain specific, which we attribute to their partial recognition of a BG505-specific glycan hole and to their binding requirements for a few BG505-specific residues. Prefusion-stabilized envelope trimers can thus elicit autologous tier-2 neutralizing antibodies in humans, with initially identified neutralizing antibodies recognizing the fusion-peptide site of vulnerability.

Experimental HTSC-MAGLEV System and Efficiency Evaluation of a Noncontact Acceleration of IFE Target Placed in a Levitating Carrier

Over the last two decades, superconducting materials have undergone an evolution that has broadened its application space. This work focuses on the issue of noncontact acceleration of fusion targets for fueling of a commercial Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) power plant. This approach attracts a significant interest due to its potential for almost frictionless motion. The operational principle is the magnetic acceleration of the levitating target carrier (or HTSC-sabot) made from high-temperature superconducting tapes of the second generation (2G-HTSC). From physics, the possibility of their practical applications is directly related to the flux pinning of quantized magnetic flux lines in the superconductors (so called, high-pinning, Type-II HTSCs). The article describes the important achievements made in this area: 1) measurements of the magnetic moment of 2G-HTSC tapes (Tc = 92 K) in the wide temperature range of 10–95 K; 2) building a circular PMG system (outer radius is R = 50 mm, В = 0.13−0.25 T) to study magneto-thermo-mechanical interactions between HTSC-sabot and permanent magnets under external variable load with a rate of 2‒5 Hz; 3) studying a static and dynamic stability of the guidance force for a set of different top-down suspended HTSC-sabots; 4) calculation of the HTSC-sabot velocity at which it leaves a circular trajectory at temperatures of ~ 80 K to evaluate its behavior at T ~17 K. The obtained results are in a good agreement that will allow one to estimate the parameters of a circular accelerator of R = 1 m based on HTSC magnetic levitation (HTSC-MAGLEV) transport; the operating temperature is T ~17 K which is characteristic of the target delivery to IFE power plant. The results of this work provide theoretical and experimental support for the practical design and application of such ac-celerator for reaching the target injection velocities in the range of 200−400 m/s.

The main protease 3CLpro of the SARS-CoV-2 virus: how to turn an enemy into a helper.

Despite the long history of use and the knowledge of the genetics and biochemistry of E. coli, problems are still possible in obtaining a soluble form of recombinant proteins in this system. Although, soluble protein can be obtained both in the cytoplasm and in the periplasm of the bacterial cell. The latter is a priority strategy for obtaining soluble proteins. The fusion protein technology followed by detachment of the fusion protein with proteases is used to transfer the target protein into the periplasmic space of E. coli. We have continued for the first time to use the main viral protease 3CL of the SARS-CoV-2 virus for this purpose. We obtained a recombinant 3CL protease and studied its complex catalytic properties. The authenticity of the resulting recombinant enzyme, were confirmed by specific activity analysis and activity suppression by the known low-molecular-weight inhibitors. The catalytic efficiency of 3CL (0.17 ± 0.02µM-1-s-1) was shown to be one order of magnitude higher than that of the widely used tobacco etch virus protease (0.013 ± 0.003µM-1-s-1). The application of the 3CL gene in genetically engineered constructs provided efficient specific proteolysis of fusion proteins, which we demonstrated using the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and GST fusion protein. The solubility and immunochemical properties of RBD were preserved. It is very important that in work we have shown that 3CL protease works effectively directly in E. coli cells when co-expressed with the target fusion protein, as well as when expressed as part of a chimeric protein containing the target protein, fusion partner, and 3CL itself. The results obtained in the work allow expanding the repertoire of specific proteases for researchers and biotechnologists.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 1 Targeting Fusion Polypeptides with Stimuli-Responsiveness for Anti-angiogenesis.

Genetically engineered fusion polypeptides have been investigated to introduce unique bio-functionality and improve some therapeutic activity for anti-angiogenesis. We report herein that stimuli-responsive, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) targeting fusion polypeptides composed of a VEGFR1 (fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (Flt1)) antagonist, an anti-Flt1 peptide, and a thermally responsive elastin-based polypeptide (EBP) were rationally designed at the genetic level, biosynthesized, and purified by inverse transition cycling to develop potential anti-angiogenic fusion polypeptides to treat neovascular diseases. A series of hydrophilic EBPs with different block lengths were fused with an anti-Flt1 peptide, forming anti-Flt1-EBPs, and the effect of EBP block length on their physicochemical properties was examined. While the anti-Flt1 peptide decreased phase-transition temperatures of anti-Flt1-EBPs, compared with EBP blocks, anti-Flt1-EBPs were soluble under physiological conditions. The anti-Flt1-EBPs dose dependently inhibited the binding of VEGFR1 against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as well as tube-like network formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells under VEGF-triggered angiogenesis in vitro because of the specific binding between anti-Flt1-EBPs and VEGFR1. Furthermore, the anti-Flt1-EBPs suppressed laser-induced choroidal neovascularization in a wet age-related macular degeneration mouse model in vivo. Our results indicate that anti-Flt1-EBPs as VEGFR1-targeting fusion polypeptides have great potential for efficacious anti-angiogenesis to treat retinal-, corneal-, and choroidal neovascularization.

Study of thedouble-layerr high-density carbon-polystyrene ablator in the ignition of inertial fusion targets

لایه کَندگی کربن‌­چگالی‌­بالا یکی از گزینه‌­های امیدبخش در افروزش گرماهسته­‌ای در هدف­‌های گداخت محصورشدگی لختی است. به منظور کاهش ناپایداری‌­های هیدرودینامیکی و هم‌­چنین حفظ سوخت از پدیده پیش‌­گرمایش، از طراحی لایه کَندگی دوتایی با لایه بیرونی کربن­‌چگالی­‌بالا که اخیراً توسط محققین مورد توجه قرار گرفته است، استفاده شده است. از این‌­رو در این پژوهش، بهینه‌­سازی لایه کَندگی دوتایی یک هدف کروی دلخواه با تک لایه کَندگی پلی‌­استایرن را با استفاده از کد هیدرودینامیکی MULTI-IFE مورد بررسی قرار دادیم. این هدف، تحت تابش باریکه‌­های متقارن لیزر با طول پالس ns۷/۲۲، طول موج µm۲۵/۰ و انرژی کل MJ 7/1 قرار گرفت. محاسبات ما نشان می‌­دهد که ضخامت بهینه کربن­‌چگالی‌­بالا حدود mm ۶/۵ است. استفاده از لایه کَندگی دوتایی سبب می‌­شود که انرژی لیزر جذب شده در سطح هدف حدود %­۸ افزایش یابد. افزایش انرژی جذب شده منجر به افزایش حدود %­5 توان آلفای تولیدی شده و در نتیجه کسر مصرف سوخت حدود %­۵/۱ افزایش می‌­یابد. در نهایت بهره سوخت حدود %­۱۲ افزایش یافت.

Advances in Electroplating Gradients and Thick Metallic Coatings on Microspherical Targets for Inertial Confinement Fusion

Electroplating remains an attractive deposition approach for fabricating metal microspherical targets for inertial confinement fusion because of its relatively fast deposition rates and ability to produce full-density small grain coatings. Here, we discuss recent advances that allow for coating thick (>60 µm) leak-free gold capsules and capsules with gradients of gold and silver. We present a new apparatus used for electroplating hollow microspherical (typically 2-mm diameter) mandrels and discuss the resulting surface roughness and sphericity obtained using this plating method.