Comment on 'Evidence for Stratification of Deuterium-Tritium Fuel in Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions'

TL;DR

This paper challenges the fuel stratification explanation in inertial confinement fusion experiments, proposing that non-equilibrium ion acceleration during compression explains the observed fusion yield ratios.

Contribution

It introduces a non-equilibrium model where ions are uniformly accelerated, providing an alternative explanation for fusion yield ratios in ICF experiments.

Findings

Non-equilibrium ion acceleration explains yield ratios.

A 'Hubble' type model fits experimental data.

Implications for NIF experiments.

Abstract

Recent implosion experiments performed at the OMEGA laser facility reported by Casey et al.[1], displayed an anomalously low dd proton yield and a high tt neutron yield as compared to dt fusion reactions, explained as a stratification of the fuel in the implosion core. We suggest that in the com- pression stage the fuel is out of equilibrium. Ions are inward accelerated to a velocity v0 independent on the particle type. Yield ratios are simply given by the ratios of fusion cross-sections obtained at the same velocity. A 'Hubble' type model gives also a reasonable description of the data. These considerations might be relevant for implosion experiments at the National Ignition Facility as well.