Two-dimensional simulations of thermonuclear burn in ignition-scale inertial confinement fusion targets under compressed axial magnetic fields

• Published in: Physics of plasmas 2013-07, Vol.20 (7)
• Main Authors: Perkins, L. J., Logan, B. G., Zimmerman, G. B., Werner, C. J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ALPHA PARTICLES; CAPSULES; ELECTRON BEAM TARGETS; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; ION BEAM TARGETS; LASER TARGETS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; PLASMA DENSITY; PLASMA INSTABILITY; PLASMA PRESSURE; PLASMA SIMULATION; THERMAL CONDUCTION; THERMODYNAMICS; THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION; THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4816813

We report for the first time on full 2-D radiation-hydrodynamic implosion simulations that explore the impact of highly compressed imposed magnetic fields on the ignition and burn of perturbed spherical implosions of ignition-scale cryogenic capsules. Using perturbations that highly convolute the cold fuel boundary of the hotspot and prevent ignition without applied fields, we impose initial axial seed fields of 20–100 T (potentially attainable using present experimental methods) that compress to greater than 4 × 104 T (400 MG) under implosion, thereby relaxing hotspot areal densities and pressures required for ignition and propagating burn by ∼50%. The compressed field is high enough to suppress transverse electron heat conduction, and to allow alphas to couple energy into the hotspot even when highly deformed by large low-mode amplitudes. This might permit the recovery of ignition, or at least significant alpha particle heating, in submarginal capsules that would otherwise fail because of adverse hydrodynamic instabilities.