First Measurements of Hydrodynamic Instability Growth in Indirectly Driven Implosions at Ignition-Relevant Conditions on the National Ignition Facility

Ignition experiments have shown an anomalous susceptibility to hydrodynamic instability growth. To help understand these results, the first hydrodynamic instability growth measurements in indirectly driven implosions on the National Ignition Facility were performed at ignition conditions with peak radiation temperatures up to similar to 300 eV. Plastic capsules with two-dimensional preimposed, sinusoidal outer surface modulations of initial wavelengths of 240 (corresponding to a Legendre mode number of 30), 120 (mode 60), and 80 mu m (mode 90) were imploded by using actual low-adiabat ignition laser pulses. The measured growth was in excellent agreement, validating 2D HYDRA simulations for the most dangerous modes in the acceleration phase. These results reinforce confidence in the predictive capability of calculations that are paramount to illuminating the path toward ignition.