Nuclear and x-ray burn widths in recent high-yield implosions on the National Ignition Facility

ORAL

Abstract

Cryogenic implosions on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) are primarily used to produce high neutron yields in the effort to achieve the goal of ignition. Two campaigns using high-density carbon ablator designs are leading this effort using low- and high-adiabat implosions that have achieved yields of more than 50 kJ, the highest to date on NIF. The time-history of the DT neutrons and x-rays emitted during the implosion with ~10-20 ps temporal resolution in the form of MeV photons (gammas) released from fusion events and 10s of keV x-ray photons from the hot dense core. These burn durations are typically longer than predicted by simulations and could be a signature of degradation mechanisms like preheat, fuel-ablator mix, or 3D effects. We also observe a second x-ray peak post-stagnation at lower photon energies, which we attribute to the outgoing shock propagating through the ablator. We discuss how this signature can provide insight into the conditions of the shell at late time.

*This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. DOE by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344. LLNL-ABS-753495

Presenters

  • Gerald J Williams

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Authors

  • Gerald J Williams

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Tammy Yee Wing Ma

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Pravesh K Patel

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Shahab Khan

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Michael K Kruse

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • H. W. Herrmann

    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Kevin Meaney

    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • H. Geppert-Kleinrath

    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
  • Y. H. Kim

    • Los Alamos National Lab
    • Los Alamos National Laboratory
    • Los Alamos Natl Lab
  • Daniel T Casey

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • C. A Thomas

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Kevin L Baker

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Brian K. Spears

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Matthias Hohenberger

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • C. R. Weber

    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Ryan Nora

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Sebastien Le Pape

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Laura F. Berzak Hopkins

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Laurent Divol

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Arthur E. Pak

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
  • Eduard L. Dewald

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Laura Robin Benedetti

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
  • Daniel S. Clark

    • Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab
    • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory