Astrophysically relevant radiation hydrodynamics experiment at the National Ignition Facility

• Published in: Astrophysics and space science 2011-11, Vol.336 (1), p.207-211
• Main Authors: Kuranz, C. C., Park, H.-S., Remington, B. A., Drake, R. P., Miles, A. R., Robey, H. F., Kilkenny, J. D., Keane, C. J., Kalantar, D. H., Huntington, C. M., Krauland, C. M., Harding, E. C., Grosskopf, M. J., Marion, D. C., Doss, F. W., Myra, E., Maddox, B., Young, B., Kline, J. L., Kyrala, G., Plewa, T., Wheeler, J. C., Arnett, W. D., Wallace, R. J., Giraldez, E., Nikroo, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Astrobiology; Astronomy; Astrophysics; Astrophysics and Astroparticles; Cosmology; Experiments; Fluid mechanics; Hydrodynamics; Laboratories; Observations and Techniques; Original Article; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radiation; Radiography; Space Exploration and Astronautics; Space Sciences (including Extraterrestrial Physics
• ISSN: 0004-640X; 1572-946X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10509-011-0679-9

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is capable of creating new and novel high-energy-density (HED) systems relevant to astrophysics. Specifically, a system could be created that studies the effects of a radiative shock on a hydrodynamically unstable interface. These dynamics would be relevant to the early evolution after a core-collapse supernova of a red supergiant star. Prior to NIF, no HED facility had enough energy to perform this kind of experiment. The experimental target will include a 340 μm predominantly plastic ablator followed by a low-density SiO 2 foam. The interface will have a specific, machined pattern that will seed hydrodynamic instabilities. The growth of the instabilities in a radiation-dominated environment will be observed. This experiment requires a ≥300 eV hohlraum drive and will be diagnosed using point projection pinhole radiography, which have both been recently demonstrated on NIF.