High Energy Density Laboratory Plasma Research Articles

A nuclear-reaction-based method for probing the nonthermal ion energy spectrum in high energy density laboratory plasmas

The nuclear reactions in a plasma system with particle distributions deviated from the Maxwellian are proved to have some unique characteristics, in particular, in their reaction product energy spectra. Based on this, a new nuclear-reaction-based method for probing the nonthermal ion energy spectrum in high-energy-density (HED) laboratory plasmas is proposed, where the energy spectrum of the nonthermal ion high-energy tails can be accurately evaluated through analysis from the spread and peak of the product energy spectrum. The principle of this diagnostic method is theoretically derived and verified by two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that self-consistently includes the nuclear reaction calculations. As an example, our simulations demonstrate clearly how this method is applied for probing the nonthermal high-energy protons produced in the HED magnetic reconnection experiment, where a small ratio of boron element is dopped in the laser-ablated hydrocarbon target and the proton-boron (pB) reaction is chosen as the referenced nuclear reaction. The simulations also show that the pB reaction rate is increased by four orders of magnitude and the peak of the energy spectrum of the generated alpha particles shift significantly towards the high-energy range due to the nonthermal protons accelerated from the reconnections.

Amplification due to two-stream instability of self-electric and magnetic fields of an ion beam propagating in background plasma

Propagation of charged particle beams in background plasma as a method of space charge neutralization has been shown to achieve a high degree of charge and current neutralization and therefore enables nearly ballistic propagation and focusing of charged particle beams. Correspondingly, the use of plasmas for propagation of charged particle beams has important applications for transport and focusing of intense particle beams in inertial fusion and high energy density laboratory plasma physics. However, the streaming of beam ions through a background plasma can lead to the development of two-stream instability between the beam ions and the plasma electrons. The beam electric and magnetic fields enhanced by the two-stream instability can lead to defocusing of the ion beam. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we study the scaling of the instability-driven self-electromagnetic fields and consequent defocusing forces with the background plasma density and beam ion mass. We identify plasma parameters where the defocusing forces can be reduced.

Investigating Turbulent Mix in HEDLP Experiments

Mix is an important issue in High Energy Density Laboratory Plasmas (HEDLP), specifically Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) implosions. In ICF, shock waves traverse fuel capsule defects and material interfaces, and due to hydrodynamic instabilities transitioning into turbulence, these shocks can initiate mix between shell and fuel, degrading yield. To this end, a series of laser-driven mix experiments has been designed for the OMEGA and NIF laser facilities to investigate the turbulent mixing of materials proceeded by reshock and shear, which initiates Richtmyer-Meshkov and\\or Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities on a tracer layer. The experiments are designed to understand if the Besnard-Harlow-Rauenzahn (BHR) mix model that has been implemented in LANL's RAGE hydrodynamics code has coefficients that are properly determined for an HEDLP environment.

Addressing Short Trapped-Flux Lifetime in High-Density Field-Reversed Configuration Plasmas in FRCHX

The objective of the field-reversed configuration heating experiment (FRCHX) is to obtain a better understanding of the fundamental scientific issues associated with high-energy density laboratory plasmas (HEDLPs) in strong, closed-field-line magnetic fields. These issues have relevance to such topics as magneto-inertial fusion, laboratory astrophysical research, and intense radiation sources, among others. To create HEDLP conditions, a field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma of moderate density is first formed via reversed-field theta pinch. It is then translated into a cylindrical aluminum flux conserver (solid liner), where it is trapped between two magnetic mirrors and then compressed by the magnetically driven implosion of the solid liner. A requirement is that, once the FRC is stopped within the solid liner, the trapped flux inside the FRC must persist while the compression process is completed. With the present liner dimensions and implosion drive bank parameters, the total time required for implosion is ${\sim}{\rm 25}~\mu{\rm s}$ . Lifetime measurements of recent FRCHX FRCs indicate that trapped lifetimes following capture are now approaching ${\sim}{\rm 14}~\mu{\rm s}$ (and therefore, total lifetimes after formation are now approaching ${\sim}{\rm 19}~\mu{\rm s}$ ). By separating the mirror and translation coil banks into two so that the mirror fields can be set lower initially, the liner compression can now be initiated 7–9 $\mu{\rm s}$ before the FRC is formed. A discussion of FRC lifetime-limiting mechanisms and various experimental approaches to extending the FRC lifetime will be presented.

TheTRIDENTlaser at LANL: New “dial-a-contrast” and high-contrast experimental capabilities

The Trident laser facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has served for more than 20 years as an important tool in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and Material Dynamics research. An energy and power upgrade of the short-pulse beam line to 100J / 200 TW was made in 2007 and contrast improvements have been made continually since. The combination of this powerful new short-pulse beamline with the two flexible long pulse beamlines, and a total of three different target areas, makes Trident a highly flexible and versatile research tool for high energy density laboratory plasma (HEDLP) research. The newest “Dial-a-Contrast” (DaC) features are described, along with nominal performance of the laser at the presently available highest contrast.

Numerical simulations of Z-pinch experiments to create supersonic differentially-rotating plasma flows

The aim of this work is to produce and study a high energy density laboratory plasma relevant to astrophysical accretion disks. To this end, an experimental setup based on a modified cylindrical wire array was devised, which employs a cusp magnetic field to introduce angular momentum into the system. The setup was studied numerically with the three-dimensional, resistive magneto-hydrodynamic code GORGON. Simulations show that a differentially-rotating flow is formed, with typical rotation velocity and Mach number values of 60 km/s and Mφ ∼ 5 respectively. The plasma is radiatively cooled and presents a Reynolds number higher than 107. In addition, the magnetic Reynolds number and the plasma β are >1. Such a plasma is of interest for the study of hydrodynamic and magneto-hydrodynamic instabilities, and turbulence generation in differentially-rotating plasma flows.

Spherically Imploding Plasma Liners as a Standoff Driver for Magnetoinertial Fusion

Spherically imploding plasma liners formed by merging an array of high Mach number plasma jets are a proposed standoff driver for magnetoinertial fusion (MIF). This paper gives an updated concept-level overview of plasma liner MIF, including advanced notions such as standoff methods for forming and magnetizing the fuel target and liner shaping to optimize dwell time. Results from related 1-D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of targetless plasma liner implosions are summarized along with new analysis on the efficiency of conversion of the initial liner kinetic energy to stagnation thermal energy. The plasma liner experiment (PLX), a multi-institutional collaboration led by the Los Alamos National Laboratory, plans to explore the feasibility of forming spherically imploding plasma liners via 30 merging plasma jets. In the near term, with modest pulsed power stored energy of ≲1.5 MJ, PLX is focusing on the generation of centimeter-, microsecond-, and megabar-scale plasmas for the fundamental study of high energy density laboratory plasmas. In the longer term, PLX can enable a research and development path to plasma liner MIF ultimately requiring compressing magnetized fusion fuel to ≳100 Mbar.

Atomic physics and ionization balance of high-Z Ions: Critical ingredients for characterizing and understanding high-temperature plasmas

A correct description of the ionization balance of high-Z ions, i.e., the fractional abundance of different charge states of a particular element, is critical for interpreting diagnostic line ratios, for describing radiation flow within and out of the plasma, and for assessing the energy balance of high-temperature plasmas. Despite the fundamental nature of this atomic physics parameter, the ionization balance as a function of plasma electron density and electron temperature is generally rather poorly known both experimentally and theoretically. This is the case irregardless of the type of plasma, i.e., low-density astrophysical and coronal plasmas, intermediate density magnetically confined fusion plasmas, or high energy density (HED) laboratory plasmas. We illustrate these points by reviewing existing measurements of the ionization balance of high-Z elements in high-temperature plasmas and discussing the difficulties associated with ionization balance calculations. We focus on the two high-Z elements tungsten (Z=74) and gold (Z=79), which play important roles in magnetic fusion and HED plasmas and for which we present calculations of the ionization energies for each charge state. We show that the accuracy of the treatment of dielectronic recombination is currently a limiting factor in proper modeling of the ionization balance and propose “differential” measurements that determine the amount of dielectronic recombination concurrently with the ionization balance as the next step for advancing ionization balance modeling. As an example of the differential measurement approach, we present recent experiments carried out at the Livermore electron beam ion trap, which investigated the ionization balance of gold in the presence of beam-resonant dielectronic recombination. These plasmas limit the immense complexity of dielectronic recombination resonances so that both approximate and reasonably complete detailed calculations can be compared to the measurements. This represents a path forward for constructing and selecting those approximations that produce the most reliable ionization balance models.

Talbot-Lau x-ray interferometry for high energy density plasma diagnostic

High resolution density diagnostics are difficult in high energy density laboratory plasmas (HEDLP) experiments due to the scarcity of probes that can penetrate above solid density plasmas. Hard x-rays are one possible probe for such dense plasmas. We study the possibility of applying an x-ray method recently developed for medical imaging, differential phase-contrast with Talbot-Lau interferometers, for the diagnostic of electron density and small-scale hydrodynamic instabilities in HEDLP experiments. The Talbot method uses micro-periodic gratings to measure the refraction and ultra-small angle scatter of x-rays through an object and is attractive for HEDLP diagnostic due to its capability to work with incoherent and polychromatic x-ray sources such as the laser driven backlighters used for HEDLP radiography. Our paper studies the potential of the Talbot method for HEDLP diagnostic, its adaptation to the HEDLP environment, and its extension of high x-ray energy using micro-periodic mirrors. The analysis is illustrated with experimental results obtained using a laboratory Talbot interferometer.

Field Reversed Configuration Translation and the Magnetized Target Fusion Collaboration

After considerable design and construction, we describe the status of a physics exploration of magnetized target fusion (MTF) that will be carried out with the first flux conserving compression of a high pressure field-reversed configuration (FRC). The upgraded Los Alamos (LANL) high density FRC experiment FRXL has demonstrated that an appropriate FRC plasma target can be created and translated on a time scale fast enough to be useful for MTF. Compression to kilovolt temperature is expected to form a Mbar pressure, high energy density laboratory plasma (HEDLP). Integrated hardware on the new Field Reversed Compression and Heating Experiment (FRCHX) at the Air Force Research Laboratory Shiva Star facility, has formed initial FRC’s and will radially compress them within a cylindrically symmetric aluminum “liner”. FRXL has shown that time scales for FRC translation to the target region are significantly shorter than the typical FRC lifetime. The hardware, diagnostics, and design rationales are presented. Pre-compression plasma formation and trapping experimental data from FRXL and FRCHX are shown.

C60-Fullerene Hyper-Velocity High-Density Plasma Jets for MIF and Disruption Mitigation

We present an innovative idea to use hyper-velocity (>30 km/s) high-density (>1017 cm−3) plasma jets of D-T/H and C60-fullerene for magneto-inertial fusion (MIF), high energy density laboratory plasma (HEDLP), and disruption mitigation in magnetic fusion plasma devices. The mass (~1–2 g) of sublimated C60 and hydrogen (or D-T fuel) produced in a pulsed power source is ionized and accelerated as a plasma slug in a coaxial plasma accelerator. For MIF/HEDLP we propose to create a magnetized plasma target by injecting two high-Mach number high-density jets with fuel (D-T) and liner (C60/C) structure along the axis of a pulsed magnetic mirror. The magnetized target fusion (MTF) plasma created by head-on collision and stagnation of jets is compressed radially by a metallic liner (Z-pinch) and axially by the C60/C liner. For disruption mitigation, the C60 plasma jets were shown to be able to provide the required impurity mass (J Fusion Energy 27:6, 2008).

OZSPEC-2: An improved broadband high-resolution elliptical crystal x-ray spectrometer for high-energy density physics experiments (invited)

A novel time, space, and energy-resolved x-ray spectrometer has been developed which produces, in a single snapshot, a broadband and relatively calibrated spectrum of the x-ray emission from a high-energy density laboratory plasma. The opacity zipper spectrometer (OZSPEC-1) records a nearly continuous spectrum for x-ray energies from 240 to 5800 eV in a single shot. The second-generation OZSPEC-2, detailed in this work, records fully continuous spectra on a single shot from any two of these three bands: 270-650, 660-1580, and 1960-4720 eV. These instruments thus record thermal and line radiation from a wide range of plasmas. These instruments' single-shot bandwidth is unmatched in a time-gated spectrometer; conversely, other broadband instruments are either time-integrated (using crystals or gratings), lack spectral resolution (diode arrays), or cover a lower energy band (gratings). The OZSPECs are based on the zipper detector, a large-format (100x35 mm) gated microchannel plate detector, with spectra dispersed along the 100 mm dimension. OZSPEC-1 and -2 both use elliptically bent crystals of OHM, RAP, and/or PET. Individual spectra are gated in 100 ps. OZSPEC-2 provides one-dimensional spatial imaging with 30-50 microm resolution over a 1500 microm field of view at the source. The elliptical crystal design yields broad spectral coverage with resolution E/DeltaE>500, strong rejection of hard x-ray backgrounds, and negligible source broadening for extended sources. Near-term applications include plasma opacity measurements, detailed spectra of inertial fusion Hohlraums, and laboratory astrophysics experiments.

Status of the US program in magneto-inertial fusion

A status report of the current U.S. program in magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) conducted by the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (OFES) of the U.S. Department of Energy is given. Magneto-inertial fusion is an emerging concept for inertial fusion and a pathway to the study of dense plasmas in ultrahigh magnetic fields (magnetic fields in excess of 500 T). The presence of magnetic field in an inertial fusion target suppresses cross-field thermal transport and potentially could enable more attractive inertial fusion energy systems. The program is part of the OFES program in high energy density laboratory plasmas (HED-LP).

Metastatic breast cancer (19 years later) mimicking obstructing primary colon cancer

A correct description of the ionization balance of high-Z ions, i.e., the fractional abundance of different charge states of a particular element, is critical for interpreting diagnostic line ratios, for describing radiation flow within and out of the plasma, and for assessing the energy balance of high-temperature plasmas. Despite the fundamental nature of this atomic physics parameter, the ionization balance as a function of plasma electron density and electron temperature is generally rather poorly known both experimentally and theoretically. This is the case irregardless of the type of plasma, i.e., low-density astrophysical and coronal plasmas, intermediate density magnetically confined fusion plasmas, or high energy density (HED) laboratory plasmas. We illustrate these points by reviewing existing measurements of the ionization balance of high-Z elements in high-temperature plasmas and discussing the difficulties associated with ionization balance calculations. We focus on the two high-Z elements tungsten (Z = 74) and gold (Z = 79), which play important roles in magnetic fusion and HED plasmas and for which we present calculations of the ionization energies for each charge state. We show that the accuracy of the treatment of dielectronic recombination is currently a limiting factor in proper modeling of the ionization balance and propose “differential” measurements that determine the amount of dielectronic recombination concurrently with the ionization balance as the next step for advancing ionization balance modeling. As an example of the differential measurement approach, we present recent experiments carried out at the Livermore electron beam ion trap, which investigated the ionization balance of gold in the presence of beam-resonant dielectronic recombination. These plasmas limit the immense complexity of dielectronic recombination resonances so that both approximate and reasonably complete detailed calculations can be compared to the measurements. This represents a path forward for constructing and selecting those approximations that produce the most reliable ionization balance models.

Time-resolved doubly bent crystal x-ray spectrometer

X-ray spectroscopy is an essential tool in high-temperature plasma research. We describe a time-resolved x-ray spectrometer suitable for measuring spectra in harsh environments common to many very high-energy density laboratory plasma sources. The spectrometer consisted of a doubly curved Si(111) crystal diffraction element, a WL-1201 (ZnO:Ga) phosphor, a coherent fiber-optic array, and two visible streak cameras. The spectrometer design described here has a minimum time resolution of 1.3 ns with 2.8-eV spectral resolution over a 200-eV-wide bandpass in the 6–7-keV region of the spectrum. Complete system spectral throughput calibrations were done at the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron (CHESS). Details of the design and calibration results are presented.