Session CO1 - Compression and Burn.
ORAL session, Monday afternoon, November 15
Room 201/202, SCC
Simulations have been useful for improving the design of dynamic hohlraums for the purpose of imploding inertial fusion capsules [S. A. Slutz, J.E. Bailey, G.A. Chandler et al Phys. Plas. 10, 1875, 2003]. These design changes, which have resulted in capsule implosions with hot dense cores [J.E. Bailey, G.A.Chandler, S.A. Slutz et al PRL 92, 085002-1, 2004] and the production of thermonuclear neutrons [C.L. Ruiz, G. Cooper, S.A. Slutz, et al. PRL, 93, 015001-1], were based primarily on a series of 1D numerical simulations, which treated the dynamic hohlraum and the capsule implosion separately. This was appropriate for thin walled capsules, but is not suitable for higher performance capsules that are ablatively driven, since there can be a significant interaction between the z-pinch driven shock in the convertor material and the ablative blow off from the capsule. 2D simulations will be presented which include the implosion of wire arrays onto foam convertors, the capsule imbedded in the foam, and the absorption of radiation into the electrodes. These simulations are in good agreement with most of the quantities that have been measured experimentally. Simulations indicate that appropriately shaping the convertors, should improved radiation symmetry and produce larger neutron yields.