Collisionless shock acceleration in the corona of an inertial confinement fusion pellet with possible application to ion fast ignition

Boella, E. and Bingham, R. and Cairns, R. A. and Norreys, P. and Trines, R. and Scott, R. and Vranic, M. and Shukla, N. and Silva, L. O. (2021) Collisionless shock acceleration in the corona of an inertial confinement fusion pellet with possible application to ion fast ignition. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 379 (2189). 20200039. ISSN 1471-2962 (https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2020.0039)

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Abstract

Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are used to explore collisionless shock acceleration in the corona plasma surrounding the compressed core of an inertial confinement fusion pellet. We show that an intense laser pulse interacting with the long scale-length plasma corona is able to launch a collisionless shock around the critical density. The nonlinear wave travels up-ramp through the plasma reflecting and accelerating the background ions. Our results suggest that protons with characteristics suitable for ion fast ignition may be achieved in this way. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 2)'.

  • Item type:Article
    ID code:75153
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    25 January 2021
    Published
    7 December 2020
    Published Online
    19 October 2020
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:26 Jan 2021 13:14
    Last modified:17 Apr 2024 00:42
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/75153
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