Diagnosing Large Simulations of Laser-Plasma Interaction for NIF ignition targets.

POSTER

Abstract

We have deployed a variety of diagnostics for the pF3d laser-plasma interaction (LPI) simulation code, which includes paraxial wave optics, multi-species hydrodynamics, and models for stimulated scattering. We present a survey of the diagnostics we use to process the data from the simulations and the directions of their development for very large massively-parallel simulations in support of upcoming 96 beam experiments at NIF next year and ignition. Two examples: Now that we can simulate over the entire beam path in the complex interior of an indirect-drive ignition target, we need to be able to form the spatial distribution of the power absorption of the laser and backscattered light. Such post-processing is itself a parallel processing endeavor due to the large number of spatial cells involved. To compare with experimental near-field streak spectra of backscattered and transmitted light, obtained at the ``full aperture backscatter stations'', we form synthetic near field streak spectra. For forensic purposes we can also calculate spectra inside the target, which are experimentally inaccessible.

*This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Authors

  • A. Bruce Langdon

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore National Lab
  • Denise Hinkel

    • University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore National Lab
  • Steve Langer

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Bert Still

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Ed Williams

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory