Effects of self-generated magnetic fields and nonlocal electron transport in laser produced plasmas

Experiments using planar gold targets were performed at the Phebus facility [G. Thiell, Laser Part. Beams 16, 253 (1998)] in order to characterize the deposition of laser energy. These experiments have been simulated with a two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic code. Using flux limited Spitzer-Harm transport [L. Spitzer and R. Harm, Phys. Rev. 89, 977 (1953)], no agreement was obtained between simulations and experiments. Soft x-ray streak camera and two-dimensional time-resolved radiography data cannot be reproduced. For the first time, self-generated magnetic fields and nonlocal heat fluxes have been taken into account in a two-dimensional code. Both effects are simultaneously computed. The artificially limited Spitzer-Harm fluxes are not needed anymore with this treatment of the heat conduction. The simulations obtained with the latter are in good agreement with all the experimental results. Based on the numerical results, effects of the magnetic fields and nonlocal fluxes on electron temperature and x-ray conversion of the plasma are also presented. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S1070-664X(00)03310-3].