The possibilities for experiments of interest to astrophysics on the National Ignition Facility

• Main Authors: Castor, J.I., Dearborn, D.S., Matthews, G.J.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrophysics; Atom lasers; Electromagnetic coupling; Equations; Instruments; Optical coupling; Physics; Plasma density; Plasma temperature; Plasma transport processes
• ISSN: 0730-9244; 2576-7208
• DOI: 10.1109/PLASMA.1995.532832

Summary form only given. Astrophysics is built on a base of observational data obtained over many years using a variety of Earth- and space-based instruments. But the interpretation of the observations relies on detailed knowledge of the physical processes in the astronomical object not infrequently new physics is discovered in this way. A large laboratory such as the NIF can further our understanding of these processes by allowing us to recreate the astrophysical conditions, so that we can study the processes in detail in a well-characterized environment. Some of the particular microphysics processes that are well worth studying using a laser-produced plasma are the following: radiative opacity; the dense plasma equation of state; thermonuclear reaction rates; turbulence; and radiation transport coupled with atomic kinetics. The astrophysical environment-for example, in a stellar interior-is characterized by electron temperatures and particle densities that overlap well with what can be obtained with NIF, either with the laser drive alone, or if ignition is achieved. The previous work using NOVA has shown how an opacity experiment on a sample (e.g., Fe) placed in a laser hohlraum can be used to test and perhaps corroborate the codes that have always been used to compute astrophysical opacities. LLNL's newest such code, OPAL, has been a great success in resolving long standing has problems in the theory of stellar structure and pulsation, one of the cornerstones of the study of the cosmic distance scale. The dense plasma equation of state is a concern for studies of certain collapsed stars: white dwarfs are the remnants of stellar evolution for the stars that avoid being supernovae.