Electron Transport and Related Nonequilibrium Distribution Functions in Large Scale Inertial Confinement Fusion Plasmas

In this talk we will first describe the ignition scale hot plasmas of the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments highlighting key features of the indirect drive approach to the controlled thermonuclear fusion. In such plasmas temperature gradients and thermal transport modify electron distributions in a velocity range resonant with Langmuir waves typical of those produced by stimulated Raman scattering. We examine the resultant changes to the Landau damping experienced by these Langmuir waves and the levels of thermal plasma fluctuations.  A theoretical model and high-order Vlasov-Fokker-Planck simulations are used in our analysis.

In high-Z plasmas of the ICF hohlraum target temperature gradients can lead to the instability of ion-acoustic waves and growth of ion-acoustic turbulence. We will describe effect of ion-acoustic turbulence on the laser light absorption and thermal transport. These kinetic effects will be discussed in the context of large scale modeling of the ICF targets.

All interested persons are invited.
M. Kowal, W. Piechocki, L. Roszkowski, J. Skalski