Drive-Symmetry Studies of NIF Exploding-Pusher Experiments

ORAL

Abstract

Polar-drive (PD)\footnote{A. M. Cok, R. S. Craxton, and P. W. McKenty, Phys. Plasmas \textbf{15}, 082705 (2008).} target implosions using DT fuel have been designed and fielded for neutron diagnostic development on the NIF. These implosions are modeled with three separate hydrodynamics codes: \textit{LILAC}, to optimize the 1-D design; \textit{SAGE}, to optimize the pointing uniformity; and \textit{DRACO}, to predict the drive symmetry, neutron yield, and residual fuel motion from 2-D implosion simulations. Recent experimental results, evaluating the overall hydrodynamic assembly, have indicated a significant discrepancy with \textit{DRACO} predictions of the in-flight shell evolution. Several scenarios will be presented in an attempt to understand the source of this discrepancy, therefore providing a clear mitigation strategy for future PD experiments on the NIF. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-08NA28302.

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Authors

  • P.W. McKenty

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R.S. Craxton

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • A. Shvydky

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D.H. Froula

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D.T. Michel

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • J.A. Marozas

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • T.C. Sangster

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D.D. Meyerhofer

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R.L. McCrory

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • J.D. Kilkenny

    • General Atomics

  • A. Nikroo

    • General Atomics

  • M.L. Hoppe

    • General Atomics

  • S. LePape

    • LLNL

  • A.J. MacKinnon

    • LLNL

  • D.H. Munro

    • LLNL