Energy Transport and Thermodynamics in Compressive Laser-Driven Implosion Experiments

In implosions of thick, gas-filled shells, such as those used in inertial confinement fusion experiments, the emitted radiation is determined by the thermodynamic states and energy transport properties of both the compressed gas and dense shell. Consequently, these implosions provide a platform for the study of these material properties at gigabar pressures through detailed measurement and integrated analysis of the emitted radiation. We present the results of laser-driven spherical implosions at the OMEGA Laser Facility of 860 µm outer-diameter, 20-35 µm thick plastic shells with 20-atm warm deuterium fill. A suite of measurements of x-ray self-emission and D-D neutron production, along with a parameterized reduced-physics model are used to constrain the thermodynamic states and energy transport in the implosion.