Numerical modeling of ICF plasmas

Radiation transport hydrodynamics codes play an important role in the design and development of ignition-regime and high-gain direct drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) pellets. In this concept, laser light is used to symmetrically implode a spherical pellet to sufficiently high densities and temperatures to achieve thermonuclear fusion. This requires a very symmetric illumination and a stable hydrodynamic implosion. Simulations of the dynamics of both planar and spherical targets are being performed to provide better understanding of how to control the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability, using the 1-, 2- and 3-dimensional laser matter interaction (LMI) code FAST. To benchmark FAST, and the Super Transition Array material opacities used in the pellet design simulations, comparisons are being made with experimental data obtained in planar LMI experiments on the Naval Research Laboratory Nike KrF laser. One of the major efforts is to understand the behavior of the RT instability in planar laser-accelerated targets. Since this is one of the primary obstacles to successful ICF, experimental comparison is not only providing for code benchmarking, but will also lead to a better understanding of how to control this basic instability. Code benchmarking is also being performed using data from Nike opacity experiments, and from equation of state experiments in ICF-relevant regimes. In this talk we present an overview of FAST and a comparison of simulation results with data from ongoing laboratory experiments.