Relating Metrology to Performance in Recent High Yield Implosions on the National Ignition Facility

High yield capsule implosions on the NIF are sensitive to drive asymmetry, fill tube geometry, and capsule quality[1,2]. The prediction of how metrology impacts performance remains a challenge due to the small size of these features and 3D interactions between asymmetries[3,4]. We have utilized xRAGE[5,6] to predict the performance of high yield implosions[7,8] on the NIF and analyze their performance. We accurately model the fill tube and capsule non-concentricity based on metrology. In post-shot calculations, we include flux asymmetry to account for available shape information. Finally, in post-shots, we vary capsule quality to match the yield. When combined, the resulting simulation exhibit reasonable agreement with all experimental observables. We have compared the yield impact of quality from post-shot simulations and correlated them with available metrology data. We have used these correlations to generate a model for the impact of metrology on capsule performance and are now using it to predict the performance of individual capsules. Experimental yields were within our predicted range for 64% of the experiments we predicted.





[1] Divol et al, Phys. Plasmas 31:102703 2024

[2] Haines et al, Phys. Plasmas 29:042704 2022

[3] Haines et al, Phys. Plasmas 31:042705 2024

[4] Haines et al, Phys. Plasmas 26:012707 2019

[3] Gittings et al, Comput. Sci. Discov. 1:015005, 2008

[4] Haines et al, Phys. Plasmas 24:052701 2017

[5] Kritcher et al, Phys. Rev. E 109:025204 2024

[6] Clark et al, Phys. Plasmas 29:052710 2022