Search

Magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) is a fusion concept that uses magnetized, preheated fuel to reduce the implosion velocities and convergence ratios required for ignition. A scaled, laser-driven experimental platform to study MagLIF has been demonstrated on the OMEGA laser system, providing comprehensive experimental data on MagLIF scaling, utilizing the higher shot rate on OMEGA compared to the Z machine. Using this platform, a broader experimental space for MagLIF has been studied. Presented in this article are experimental results that demonstrate that the combination of preheat and magnetization enhances the neutron yield by 470% compared to a reference implosion, significantly more than the yield enhancement by the field or preheat alone. These results are achieved while maintaining a relatively low convergence ratio (<20). The experiments were supported by one-, two-, and three-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, all of which suggest that multiple sources of mix play different key roles depending on the scale of the MagLIF experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryogenic deuterium–tritium ice target implosions on OMEGA with new small-spot (SG5-650) distributed phase plates (DPPs) achieved an (11 ± 4) % increase in energy coupling compared to implosions with larger-spot SG5-850 DPPs by decreasing the ratio of the laser spot diameter to the target diameter from 0.93 to 0.75. The SG5-650 DPPs provide a focus spot size of 674 μm, which is defined as the diameter that encircles 95% of the measured beam energy compared to 834 μm for the SG5-850, which are the standard DPPs in cryogenic target implosions on OMEGA. The hydrodynamic efficiency, defined as the ratio of the kinetic energy in the imploding shell to the laser energy, increased from 4.5% to 5.0% based on radiation-hydrodynamic calculations benchmarked to shell trajectory and bang-time measurements. The higher coupling came with a trade-off of an increased hot-electron production as well as increased hydrodynamic instabilities seeded by a larger mode-10 amplitude from the beam port geometry, both of which may have reduced the fusion neutron production and areal density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser heating of a gas in a cylindrical liner held in by a thin foil window is a critical process in the MagLIF (magnetized liner inertial fusion) concept [S. A. Slutz and R. A. Vesey, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 025003 (2012)]. Window burnthrough and gas heating for OMEGA scale MagLIF cylinders as a function of time have been determined using spectrally integrated soft x-ray diagnostics. Window laser absorption is classified in terms of the emitted x-rays from the window plasma as a function of laser energy and shows that the laser energy absorbed is weakly dependent on incident intensity. Radiation–hydrodynamic simulations overestimate the amount of laser energy absorbed by the window as evidenced by the increase in x-ray radiation across several photon energy bands compared to experiments. Gas temperatures inferred from soft x-ray emission from the front 1mm of the liner are shown to evolve in time in a similar manner to simulation predictions. Soft x-ray emission from the gas within the region of the liner that is normally imploded is shown to meet the 100 eV requirements set by the initial point design for laser-driven MagLIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a laser-driven coil, a laser is used to eject electrons from a plate, which then draws a current through a loop. Diagnosing the field strength, geometry, and conditions within these loops has been one of the primary difficulties in fielding this type of target. In this paper, the diagnostic technique of axial proton probing with a mesh fiducial of a laser-driven coil is demonstrated. Multiple coil types were driven by a 1 ns, 1.25 kJ long pulse beam and probed several times. This technique provides significantly more information than transverse probing on electric- and magnetic-field strength in the region of interest and shows in our experiment complex, non-uniform current path structures and charge distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Laparoscopic lavage was proposed in the 1990s to treat purulent peritonitis in patients with perforated acute diverticulitis. Prospective randomized trials had mixed results. The aim of this study was to determine the success rate of laparoscopic lavage in sepsis control and to identify a group of patients that could potentially benefit from this treatment. Methods: This retrospective multicentre international study included consecutive patients from 24 centres who underwent laparoscopic lavage from 2005 to 2015. Results: A total of 404 patients were included, 231 of whom had Hinchey III acute diverticulitis. Sepsis control was achieved in 172 patients (74·5 per cent), and was associated with lower Mannheim Peritonitis Index score and ASA grade, no evidence of free perforation, absence of extensive adhesiolysis and previous episodes of diverticulitis. The operation was immediately converted to open surgery in 19 patients. Among 212 patients who underwent laparoscopic lavage, the morbidity rate was 33·0 per cent; the reoperation rate was 13·7 per cent and the 30‐day mortality rate 1·9 per cent. Twenty‐one patients required readmission for early complications, of whom 11 underwent further surgery and one died. Of the 172 patients discharged uneventfully after laparoscopic lavage, a recurrent episode of acute diverticulitis was registered in 46 (26·7 per cent), at a mean of 11 (range 2–108) months. Relapse was associated with younger age, female sex and previous episodes of acute diverticulitis. Conclusion: Laparoscopic lavage showed a high rate of successful sepsis control in selected patients with perforated Hinchey III acute diverticulitis affected by peritonitis, with low rates of operative mortality, reoperation and stoma formation. Successful in the majority [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-density foams of low-/mid-Z materials have been previously proposed to mitigate laser imprint for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF). For foam densities above the critical density of the drive laser, the mechanism of laser-imprint mitigation relies on the reduced growth rate of Rayleigh–Taylor instability because of the increased ablation velocity and density scale length at the ablation surface. Experimental demonstration of this concept has been limited so far to planar-target geometry. The impact of foams on spherical implosions has not yet been explored in experiments. To examine the viability of using an above-critical-density foam layer to mitigate laser-imprint effects in direct-drive ICF implosions on OMEGA, we have performed a series of 2-D DRACO simulations with state-of-the-art physics models, including nonlocal thermal transport, cross-beam energy transfer, and first-principles equation-of-state tables. The simulation results indicate that a 40-μm-thick CH or SiO2 foam layer with a density of ρ = 40 mg/cm3 added to a D2-filled polystyrene (CH) capsule can significantly improve the moderate-adiabat (α ≈ 3) implosion performance. In comparison to the standard CH target implosion, an increase in neutron yield by a factor of 4 to 8 and the recovery of 1-D compression ρR are predicted by DRACO simulations for a foam-target surface roughness of σrms ≤ 0.5 μm. These encouraging results could readily facilitate experimental demonstrations of laser-imprint mitigation with an above-critical-density foam layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-driven magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) is being developed on the OMEGA Laser System to study scaling. MagLIF targets require a preheat laser entrance window that can hold the gas in the target yet allow sufficient laser energy to enter the gas. For OMEGA MagLIF targets, 1.8-μm-thick polyimide foils were found to be sufficient to hold a fuel pressure of up to 14 atm. Transmission and reflection of an OMEGA beam incident on such foils were measured with a calorimeter and time-resolved spectrometers for 2.5-ns square-shaped pulses, with energies from 60 to 200 J, focused to intensities from 0.65 to 2.2 × 1014 W/cm2. The laser energy transmitted in every case exceeded that required to achieve the goal of preheating the gas to 100 eV. The time-resolved measurements showed an initial period with very low, decreasing transmission, the duration of which decreased with increasing intensity, followed by a rapid transition to full transmission, accompanied by brief sidescattering of the transmitted light with a significant red shift. Reflection was always negligible. Two-dimensional radiation–hydrodynamic simulations, using 3-D ray tracing with inverse bremsstrahlung energy deposition, did not capture the rapid transition to full transmission, showing instead a slow increase in transmission, without significant sidescatter or red shift. We propose that full transmission is achieved by self-focusing followed by ponderomotive blowout of the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct-drive ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) requires single-beam smoothing to minimize imprinting of laser nonuniformities that can negatively affect implosion performance. One-dimensional, multi-FM smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD) has been proposed to provide the required smoothing [Marozas et al., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 55, 294 (2010)]. A prototype multi-FM SSD system has been integrated into the NIF-like beamline of the OMEGA EP Laser System. Experiments have been performed to verify the smoothing performance by measuring Rayleigh-Taylor growth rates in planar targets of laser-imprinted and preimposed surface modulations. Multi-FM 1-D SSD has been observed to reduce imprint levels by ~50% compared to the nominal OMEGA EP SSD system. The experimental results are in agreement with 2-D DRACO simulations using realistic, time-dependent far-field spot-intensity calculations that emulate the effect of SSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polar-driven direct-drive experiments recently performed on the OMEGA Laser System have demonstrated the efficacy of using a target with a contoured shell with varying thickness to improve the symmetry and fusion performance of the implosion. The polar-driven contoured-shell implosions have substantially reduced low mode perturbations compared to polar-driven spherical-shell implosions as diagnosed by x-ray radiographs up to shell stagnation. Fusion yields were increased by more than a factor of 2 without increasing the energy of the laser by the use of contoured shells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To support direct-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [G. H. Miller, E. I. Moses, and C. R. Wuest, Opt. Eng. 43, 2841 (2004)] in its indirect-drive beam configuration, the polar-direct-drive (PDD) concept [S. Skupsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 2763 (2004)] has been proposed. Ignition in PDD geometry requires direct-drive-specific beam smoothing, phase plates, and repointing the NIF beams toward the equator to ensure symmetric target irradiation. First experiments to study the energetics and preheat in PDD implosions at the NIF have been performed. These experiments utilize the NIF in its current configuration, including beam geometry, phase plates, and beam smoothing. Room-temperature, 2.2-mm-diam plastic shells filled with D2 gas were imploded with total drive energies ranging from ~500 to 750 kJ with peak powers of 120 to 180 TW and peak on-target irradiances at the initial target radius from 8 × 1014 to 1.2 × 1015 W/cm². Results from these initial experiments are presented, including measurements of shell trajectory, implosion symmetry, and the level of hot-electron preheat in plastic and Si ablators. Experiments are simulated with the 2-D hydrodynamics code DRACO including a full 3-D ray-trace to model oblique beams, and models for nonlocal electron transport and cross-beam energy transport (CBET). These simulations indicate that CBET affects the shell symmetry and leads to a loss of energy imparted onto the shell, consistent with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body size ( BS) varies in response to several selective pressures. In ectotherms, thermal inertia may affect thermoregulation, since larger BSs increase heat conservation as Bergmann originally stipulated for endotherms. However, Bergmann's rule is controversial in ectotherms. The heat balance hypothesis states that ectotherms' thermoregulatory capability is relevant for trends in BS. In cold climates, larger BSs would be advantageous for small thermoregulating ectotherms, by increasing heat conservation. However, BS implies a delaying effect on heating too; therefore, ectotherms may need another trait to compensate the later effect. Thermal melanism hypothesis posits that melanism increases heat gain, and may be adaptive for animals inhabiting cold climates. We propose that the higher solar radiation absorption from increased melanism may be such a compensatory trait. We expect BS and melanism to increase with latitude in response to seasonal temperatures and solar radiation. To test this, we studied the monophyletic L iolaemus goetschi group of lizard species across its 2200 km (32-48° S latitude) range. We used phylogenetically informed analyses to study geographic variation of BS and melanism (dorsal, ventral and total) in relation to temperatures, thermal amplitude, cloudiness and net solar radiation. Our results show that lizards' BS increases latitudinally in relation to thermal amplitude and temperature. Only ventral melanism varied latitudinally, but all melanism variables varied in response to cloudiness and net radiation. The relationship between BS and melanism was significant and positive in all cases. We suggest thermal inertia may be a fair candidate mechanism explaining geographic variation in BS (heat balance hypothesis), while melanism may influence heat gain according to the thermal melanism hypothesis. However, it remains unclear why latitudinal variation is related to ventral instead of dorsal melanism, and further investigation is needed to clarify the relationship between BS and melanism in light of cold climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaching ignition in direct-drive (DD) inertial confinement fusion implosions requires achieving central pressures in excess of 100 Gbar. The OMEGA laser system [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] is used to study the physics of implosions that are hydrodynamically equivalent to the ignition designs on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [J. A. Paisner et al., Laser Focus World 30, 75 (1994)]. It is shown that the highest hot-spot pressures (up to 40 Gbar) are achieved in target designs with a fuel adiabat of α~- 4, an implosion velocity of 3.8 × 107 cm/s, and a laser intensity of ~1015 W/cm2. These moderate-adiabat implosions are well understood using two-dimensional hydrocode simulations. The performance of lower-adiabat implosions is significantly degraded relative to code predictions, a common feature between DD implosions on OMEGA and indirect-drive cryogenic implosions on the NIF. Simplified theoretical models are developed to gain physical understanding of the implosion dynamics that dictate the target performance. These models indicate that degradations in the shell density and integrity (caused by hydrodynamic instabilities during the target acceleration) coupled with hydrodynamics at stagnation are the main failure mechanisms in low-adiabat designs. To demonstrate ignition hydrodynamic equivalence in cryogenic implosions on OMEGA, the target-design robustness to hydrodynamic instability growth must be improved by reducing laser-coupling losses caused by cross beam energy transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of medium-Z doping of plastic ablators on laser imprinting and Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability growth was studied using spherical direct-drive implosions on the OMEGA Laser System [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1977)]. The targets were spherical plastic (CH) shells, with an outer diameter of 860 μm and a thickness of 22 μm, volume doped with a varied concentration of Si (4.3% and 7.4%) and Ge (3.9%). The targets were imploded with 48 beams with a low-adiabat, triple-picket laser shape pulse with a peak intensity of 4×1014W/cm2, and a pulse duration of 2.5 ns. The shells were x-ray radiographed through a 400 -μm opening in the side of the target. The results show that volumetric impurity doping strongly reduces the shell density modulation and the instability growth rate. The amplitude of the initial imprint is reduced by a factor of 2.5 ± 0.5 for CH[4.3% Si] targets and by a factor of 3 ± 0.5 for CH[7.4% Si] and CH[3.9% Ge] targets. At the end of the acceleration phase, the reduction factor becomes 3 ± 0.5 and 5 ± 0.5, correspondingly. The RT instability growth rate in doped targets is reduced by a factor of 1.5 compared to undoped ones. Simulations using the two-dimensional, radiation-hydrodynamics code draco show good agreement with the measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many laser beams directly illuminate a spherical target in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments, ionizing the outer surface and surrounding the target with a plasma containing an opaque critical surface. In the earliest stages of irradiation, before the plasma forms a critical-density surface, laser light can penetrate into the target. This “shinethrough” light can be sufficiently intense to undergo filamentation and damage the inside of the target, thereby seeding hydrodynamic instabilities. Laser shinethrough can be blocked by a thin coating of opaque material, such as, aluminum (Al). For cryogenic direct-drive targets, the shinethrough barrier material must also be compatible with cryogenic target fabrication procedures, which rules out Al layers since they would interfere with permeation filling and optical characterization of cryogenic targets. Silicon (Si) has been found to be a promising candidate for a direct-drive cryogenic target shinethrough barrier material. Several cryogenic targets have been coated with Si, successfully permeation filled with either deuterium (D2) or deuterium-tritium (DT), and subsequently layered and optically characterized. Various thicknesses of Si coatings have been applied to planar targets and tested under relevant irradiation conditions. Experiments have shown that 200 Å of Si is sufficient to protect targets from laser shinethrough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polar direct drive (PDD) [S. Skupsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 2763 (2004)] will allow direct-drive ignition experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [J. Paisner et al., Laser Focus World 30, 75 (1994)] as it is configured for x-ray drive. Optimal drive uniformity is obtained via a combination of beam repointing, pulse shapes, spot shapes, and/or target design. This article describes progress in the development of standard and “Saturn” [R. S. Craxton and D. W. Jacobs-Perkins, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94, 0952002 (2005)] PDD target designs. Initial evaluation of experiments on the OMEGA Laser System [T. R. Boehly et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 66, 508 (1995)] and simulations were carried out with the two-dimensional hydrodynamics code SAGE [R. S. Craxton et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 056304 (2005)]. This article adds to this body of work by including fusion particle production and transport as well as radiation transport within the two-dimensional DRACO [P. B. Radha et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 032702 (2005)] hydrodynamics simulations used to model experiments. Forty OMEGA beams arranged in six rings to emulate the NIF x-ray-drive configuration are used to perform direct-drive implosions of CH shells filled with D2 gas. Target performance was diagnosed with framed x-ray backlighting and by the measured fusion yield. Saturn target experiments have resulted in ∼75% of the yield from energy-equivalent, symmetrically irradiated implosions. The results of the two-dimensional PDD simulations performed with DRACO are in good agreement with experimental x-ray radiographs. DRACO is being used to further optimize standard PDD designs. In addition, DRACO simulations of NIF-scale PDD designs show ignition with a gain of 20 and the development of a 40 μm radius, 10 keV region with a neutron-averaged ρr of 1270 mg/cm2 near stagnation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 100 spherical deuterium ice layers have been formed to make cryogenic targets for direct-drive ICF implosion experiments on OMEGA. These ice layers have an inner surface roughness that ranges from 1.3 to 6μm root-mean-square (rms), with the best layers having a value less than 2 μm rms. These surface roughness values are averaged two-dimensional roughness measurements that cover the entire surface and includes all of the Fourier cosine modes. The ice thickness variation within the layer is predominately in the low spectral modes (mode 5 and lower) and is caused by the support used to hold the target. Changing the design of this support to minimize the thermal effect is constrained by the necessity of having a dynamically stable target for the implosion. We have demonstrated that it is possible to form crystalline ice layers that are facet-free and transparent by slowing the solidification rate of the liquid. Faster freezing rates form layers comprised of polycrystalline ice with a greater roughness (1 to 2 μm greater). Cooling an ice layer 0.5 K below the triple point temperature does not affect the roughness of the layer. Cooling the layer a further 1 K to achieve the desired internal gas pressure sometimes induces additional ice roughness; this roughness is manifest over low- to mid-spectral modes. Removing the thermal shrouds from around the target causes the ice to melt and the internal gas pressure to increase. Using the behavior of a cryogenic deuterium target as a reference, calculations of the response of the more interesting National Ignition Facility-scale deuterium and tritium targets show that exposing the target for 0.8 s to ambient radiation will cause ∼10% of the ice to melt and partially slump whereas the gas pressure will increase by 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polar direct drive (PDD) [S. Skupsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 11 2763 (2004)] shows promise for achieving direct-drive ignition while the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [E. M. Campbell and W. J. Hogan, Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 41 B39 (1999)] is initially configured for indirect drive. Experiments have been carried out using 40 repointed beams of the 60-beam OMEGA laser system [T. R. Boehly et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 66 508 (1995)] to approximate the NIF PDD configuration. Backlit x-ray framing-camera images of D2-filled spherical CH capsules show a characteristic nonuniformity pattern that is in close agreement with predictions. Saturn targets (similar capsules surrounded by a plastic ring) increase the drive on the equator, suggesting that highly symmetric PDD implosions may be possible with appropriate tuning. Two-dimensional (2D) simulations reproduced the approximately threefold reduction in yield found for the non-Saturn PDD capsules. Preliminary simulations for a NIF Saturn design predict a high gain close to the 1D prediction. These results increase the prospects of obtaining direct-drive ignition with the initial NIF configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fast ignition (FI) concept requires the generation of a compact, dense, pure fuel mass accessible to an external ignition source. The current base line FI target is a shell fitted with a reentrant cone extending to near its center. Conventional direct- or indirect-drive collapses the shell near the tip of the cone and then an ultraintense laser pulse focused to the inside cone tip generates high-energy electrons to ignite the dense fuel. A theoretical and experimental investigation was undertaken of the collapse of such targets, validating modeling, and exploring the trade-offs available, in such an asymmetric geometry, to optimize compaction of the fuel and maintain the integrity of the cone. The collapse is complex. Away from the cone, the shell collapses much as does a conventional implosion, generating a hot, low-density inner core. But because of the open side, hot plasma exhausts out toward the tip of the cone. This hot plasma is advantageous for implosion diagnostics; it can provide protons for angular dependent measurements of the shell wall, neutrons for temperature measurements, and self-emission for contamination measurements. But for FI it is a liability; the hot, low-density inner core impedes the compaction of the cold fuel, lowering the implosion/burn efficiency and the gain. Approaches to optimizing this shell design are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Headspace solid phase micro extraction (HS–SPME) was used for extraction of aroma compounds characterizing a Piedmont wine (Ruche´) derived from a non aromatic vine. Extracted compounds were identified by ion trap mass spectrometry (ITMS) after gas-chromatographic analysis. In this way a selection of 59 identified primary aromatic compounds, related to the typical flavour of Ruche´ was made possible. The SPME technique showed peculiar behaviour in that 23 of the 59 compounds identified were not detected by liquid-liquid solvent extraction of the same samples. Subsequent comparison with the aromatic profiles of different wine samples obtained by microvinification from different grape varieties showed similarities between Ruche´ and the wines, Brachetto and Malvasia, originating from aromatic vines. SPME analysis proved to be useful in understanding aroma compositions of all samples examined, establishing bases for further investigations on the chemical and biochemical mechanisms underlying wine aroma development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The therapeutic efficacy of a preparation containing 2.5% bifonazole was investigated by comparing three different treatment modalities—A, B, and C. Group A used bifonazole only a ay 1, Group B applied the cream on Days 1, 2 and 3, and the Group C on Days 1, 3 and 5. Of the patients in Group A 56% had a negative mycological examination at the end of the study. The results obtained in Groups B and C were not significantly different: 92% of the patients had a negative mycological examination at the end of the study. Electron microscope (EM) studies showed morphological alterations such as loss of cytoplasmic organization with shrinkage and folding of the cell membranes after 1 week of treatment only in Groups B and C. We conclude that 2.5% bifonazole is highly effective treatment for Pityrosporum ovale infection when applied using a 3-day schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]