Design of a high energy density experiment to measure the suppression of hydrodynamic instability in an applied magnetic field

A transverse magnetic field can suppress the hydrodynamic instability growth of an unstable plasma interface. This effect, of interest to inertial confinement fusion and astrophysics, has mostly been studied via simulation. Here, we present the design of an experiment at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to demonstrate this effect in a laboratory. Simulations indicate that the timescale for the diffusion of the magnetic field across the mixing region should be at least comparable to the timescale of the instability growth in order to have a measurable suppression effect. This motivates the use of lower density target materials than usual high energy density (HED) hydrodynamics experiments to permit faster hydrodynamics and higher plasma conductivities (through higher temperature), for a given laser drive and magnetic field. We discuss a target design for creating a Rayleigh-Taylor unstable HED plasma interface that uses 320 mg/cc iodine-doped carbon foam as the heavy material, 20 mg/cc carbon foam as the light material, and a 6 mu m amplitude, a 120 mu m wavelength ripple machined at the interface, which shows a measurable suppression effect with a nominal NIF drive and a 30 T magnetic field (the present facility limit). Models indicate lower density foams that may display even larger suppression effects, as the Hohlraum drive also radiatively preheats the foam to permit even higher temperatures and, hence, higher conductivities.

Automated summary

A transverse magnetic field can suppress the hydrodynamic instability growth of an unstable plasma interface. This effect has been studied via simulation and now, an experiment is designed to demonstrate this effect in a laboratory setting. The experiment uses lower density target materials to allow faster hydrodynamics and higher plasma conductivity.