Effect of Laser-Plasma Interactions on Inertial Fusion Hydrodynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new modeling approach that self-consistently integrates laser-plasma interactions into radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, revealing their significant impact on inertial fusion target dynamics and improving agreement with experimental data.

Contribution

A novel self-consistent coupling of reduced laser-plasma interaction models into radiation-hydrodynamics codes for inertial fusion simulations.

Findings

Reduced crossed-beam energy transfer (CBET) observed.

Significant laser energy depletion by Langmuir waves.

Improved match with experimental x-ray emission and implosion data.

Abstract

The effects of laser-plasma interactions (LPI) on the dynamics of inertial confinement fusion hohlraums is investigated via a new approach that self-consistently couples reduced LPI models into radiation-hydrodynamics numerical codes. The interplay between hydrodynamics and LPI -- specifically stimulated Raman scatter (SRS) and crossed-beam energy transfer (CBET) -- mostly occurs via momentum and energy deposition into Langmuir and ion acoustic waves. This spatially redistributes energy coupling to the target, which affects the background plasma conditions and thus modifies laser propagation. This model shows reduced CBET, and significant laser energy depletion by Langmuir waves, which reduce the discrepancy between modeling and data from hohlraum experiments on wall x-ray emission and capsule implosion shape.