Recent improvements to HYDRA simulation capabilities

A newly developed model for inverse Bremsstrahlung laser absorption has been implemented as an option in HYDRA. This model yields significantly different absorption coefficients than the existing model and impacts conditions in hohlraum simulations. We have also implemented a new harmonic electron flux limiter. It is motivated by comparisons between theoretical flux limiter formulations with unmagnetized 1D Vlasov-Fokker-Planck simulation results. We examine its impact upon coronal plasma temperatures in hohlraum simulations. We also show hohlraum simulations performed in HYDRA using the linear response matrix (LRM) method for non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) tabular opacities and equation of state. This allows hohlraum simulations to complete substantially faster. HYDRA’s laser raytrace package now includes an inline method for cross beam energy transfer (CBET) useful for direct drive 3D full sphere simulations of Omega capsules. HYDRA’s MHD package can now treat consistently regions where multi-resolution advection is used, yielding greater accuracy.