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(IF/P-08) Analysis of Core Plasma Heating and Ignition by Relativistic Electrons

Y. Nakao¹⁾, T. Yokota¹⁾, H. Sumita¹⁾, T. Johzaki²⁾, K. Mima^2)
 
1) Department of Applied Quantum Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
²⁾ Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan

Abstract.  Clarification of the pre-compressed plasma heating by fast electrons produced by relativistic laser-plasma interaction is one of the most important issues of the fast ignition scheme in ICF. On the basis of overall calculations including the heating process, both by relativistic hot electrons and alpha-particles, and the hydrodynamic evolution of bulk plasma, we examine the feature of core plasma heating and the possibility of ignition. The deposition of the electron energy via long-range collective mode, i.e. Langmuir wave excitation, is shown to be comparable to that through binary electron-electron collisions; the calculation neglecting the wave excitation considerably underestimates the core plasma heating. The ignition condition is also shown in terms of the intensity I(h) and temperature T(h) of hot electrons. It is found that I(h) required for ignition increases in proportion to T(h). For efficiently achieving the fast ignition, electron beams with relatively ``low'' energy (e.g.T(h) below 1 MeV) are desirable.

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