Numerical simulation of laser-initiated fusion

Abstract

The LASNEX code has been developed to study the many physical processes important in the effort to achieve laser-initiated fusion. It has been used to calculate the results of many laser plasma experiments and to design targets and determine the desirable laser-pulse characteristics for future experiments. Unfortunately some of the important physical processes, such as collective plasma effects, are not yet adequately understood. In these situations LASNEX is used to determine the effects of various assumptions on experimentally measured quantities and to design laser-fusion pellets that are insensitive to the uncertainties. Here the authors first give a brief review of the physical processes and models incorporated in this computer code and then discuss a few examples of its use in interpreting experiments