Pressure Ionization in Ultra-High Density Plasmas

Tilo Doeppner | 18-ERD-033

Executive Summary

We are establishing a physical understanding of recent recordings of plasma ionization under extreme conditions that contradict current models, and we are studying their implications for inertial confinement fusion implosions. If successful, this research will lead to improved fusion models and capsule dopant design in support of nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship.

Publications, Presentations, Etc.

Allen, C., et al. 2019. "Collective X-ray Thomson Scattering Measurements from Beryllium Capsule Implosions at the National Ignition Facility." Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory summer student poster session. LLNL-PRES-787652.

Doeppner, T., et al. 2019. "X-ray Scattering Measurements from 30-Fold Compressed, Near-Degenerate Plasmas at the National Ignition Facility." Workshop for High-Energy-Density Physics, Rostock, Germany. LLNL-PRES-781240.

Hartley, N. and T. Doeppner, 2019. "Evidence for Crystalline Structure in Dynamically-Compressed Polyethylene up to 200 GPa." Scientific Reports 9: 4196. LLNL-JRNL-755058.

Hartley, N., et al. 2018. "Liquid Structure of Shock-Compressed Hydrocarbons at Megabar Pressures." Physical Review Letters 121: 245501. LLNL-JRNL-747860.

Helfrich, J., et al. 2019. "Investigation of the Temperature in Dense Carbon Near the Solid–Liquid Phase Transition Between 100 GPa and 200 GPa with Spectrally Resolved X-ray scattering." High Energy Density Physics 32: 56–62. LLNL-JRNL-739439.

Kraus, D. and T. Doeppner, 2019. "Characterizing the Ionization Potential Depression in Dense Carbon Plasmas with High-Precision Spectrally Resolved X-ray Scattering." Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 61(1): 014015. LLNL-JRNL-757664.

MacDonald, M., et al. 2019. "Developing a Robust Temperature Diagnostic for HED Hydrodynamics Experiments." First Community Workshop for High Energy Density Physics, Washington, DC. LLNL-PRES-782057.

––– . 2019. "Using X-ray Fluorescence to Measure Temperature in High-Energy-Density Hydrodynamics Experiments." International Conference on High Energy Density, Oxford, UK. LLNL-PRES-769636.

Roepke, G., et al. 2019. "Ionization Potential Depression and Pauli Blocking in Degenerate Plasmas at Extreme Densities." Physical Review E 99: 033201. LLNL-JRNL-763468.

Saunders, A. M., et al., 2018. "X-ray Thomson Scattering from Shock-Compressed Diamond Spheres on the OMEGA Laser." 60th APS-DPP Meeting, Portland OR. LLNL-PRES-760099.

––– . 2018. "Plasma Conditions in Radiatively-Heated Warm Dense Matter Measured by X-Ray Thomson Scattering." Physical Review E. 98. 063206. LLNL-JRNL-758623.