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Fast electron transport dynamics and energy deposition in magnetized, imploded cylindrical plasma
- Source :
- Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, vol 379, iss 2189, Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
- Publication Year :
- 2020
- Publisher :
- The Royal Society, 2020.
-
Abstract
- Inertial confinement fusion approaches involve the creation of high-energy-density states through compression. High gain scenarios may be enabled by the beneficial heating from fast electrons produced with an intense laser and by energy containment with a high-strength magnetic field. Here, we report experimental measurements from a configuration integrating a magnetized, imploded cylindrical plasma and intense laser-driven electrons as well as multi-stage simulations that show fast electrons transport pathways at different times during the implosion and quantify their energy deposition contribution. The experiment consisted of a CH foam cylinder, inside an external coaxial magnetic field of 5 T, that was imploded using 36 OMEGA laser beams. Two-dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic modelling predicts the CH density reaches 9.0 g cm − 3 , the temperature reaches 920 eV and the external B-field is amplified at maximum compression to 580 T. At pre-determined times during the compression, the intense OMEGA EP laser irradiated one end of the cylinder to accelerate relativistic electrons into the dense imploded plasma providing additional heating. The relativistic electron beam generation was simulated using a 2D particle-in-cell (PIC) code. Finally, three-dimensional hybrid-PIC simulations calculated the electron propagation and energy deposition inside the target and revealed the roles the compressed and self-generated B-fields play in transport. During a time window before the maximum compression time, the self-generated B-field on the compression front confines the injected electrons inside the target, increasing the temperature through Joule heating. For a stronger B-field seed of 20 T, the electrons are predicted to be guided into the compressed target and provide additional collisional heating. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)’.
- Subjects :
- General Science & Technology
General Mathematics
General Physics and Astronomy
Implosion
Electron
01 natural sciences
010305 fluids & plasmas
Affordable and Clean Energy
0103 physical sciences
fast electrons
Relativistic electron beam
010306 general physics
Inertial confinement fusion
Physics
ICF
General Engineering
Articles
Plasma
Fusion power
compression
Magnetic field
Atomic physics
Joule heating
Research Article
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 14712962 and 1364503X
- Volume :
- 379
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....98a89eb2763151067be798154e25bfe5