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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP) involves the multidisciplinary study of the most extreme states of matter produced in laboratories. Those states can produce the conditions required for thermonuclear fusion or mimic the conditions that exist in astrophysical phenomena, such as those in solar and giant planet interiors. The HEDP Division at the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center focuses on research and education in the area of HEDP, with cross-cutting connections to Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and laboratory astrophysics. These research activities primarily take place at the OMEGA laser facility, the National Ignition Facility (NIF), and the Z machine. On the experimental side, advanced nuclear and x-ray diagnostics and experimental platforms are have been developed for imaging, and for high-resolution spectral and temporal measurements for studies of implosion and burn physics; the role of kinetic and multi-ion fluid effects in burn, including mix; stopping power in weakly- to moderately-coupled plasmas relevant to alpha heating and burn; ion-electron (i-e) equilibration rates; energy transport in both unmagnetized and magnetized implosions; plasma-nuclear science relevant to stellar and big-bang nucleosynthesis; and evolution of plasma flows and fields in ICF and astrophysical phenomena. These diagnostics and platforms have also been used to guide the national ICF program toward achieving ignition and energy gain for the first time in the history of laboratory fusion research. On the computational side, the Division is using xRAGE, LILAC, HYADES, HYDRA, ARES, FLASH, and GORGON-MHD hydro codes; the OSIRIS and VPIC particle-in-cell codes; and the iFP Fokker-Planck-kinetic code to simulate the various experiments. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy under Grant No. DE-NA0003868 and Grant No. DE-NA0004029; the Laboratory for Laser Energetics under Grant No. 417532G/UR FAOGR510907; Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344; and the National Laser Users’ Facility under Grant No. DE-NA0003938.
Host: Hermann Geppert-Kleinrath (geppert@lanl.gov)