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Hawreliak, J.

Publications and source records attributed to Hawreliak, J..

14 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Using neutrons and x rays to measure plasma conditions in a solid sphere of deuterated polyethylene compressed to densities of 35 g/cc at temperatures of 2 keV and pressures of 40 Gbar

This paper describes an experiment that shock compresses the center of a solid deuterated polyethylene sphere, CD 2 , to densities of 35 g/cc and temperatures of 2 keV with corresponding pressure of 40 Gbar. The design employs a strong spherically converging shock launched through a solid ball of material using a Hohlraum radiation drive. As the shock coalesces at the center it produces a hot spot that we characterize by measuring the x-ray self-emission and 2.45 MeV neutrons emitted. Two-dimensional images and time-resolved measurements of the x rays emitted determine the size and time duration of the hot spot, leading to an estimated 2k eV electron temperature. The neutron time of flight spectrometer measures an average ion temperature of 1.06 ± 0.15 keV and neutron yield of 7.0 (±0.5) × 10 9 DD neutrons. Our new distribution function tool enables us to create a forward model of the experimental data based on 1D radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, leading to a better understanding of the plasma conditions that produce the measured neutrons and x rays. Furthermore, our simulations indicate that the x rays are produced in a short-lived hot-dense core over tens of picoseconds, whereas the neutron emission continues for about 200 ps, as the hot core starts to expand, thereby leading to a lower mean temperature of the plasma during neutron production. This finding is in agreement with the experimental data, and we therefore conclude that the forward-modeling is a useful tool for inferring the conditions of the hot spot in a laser-driven implosion during burn.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Temperature dependence of dynamic deformation in FCC metals, aluminum and invar

Laser-driven shock experiments were performed on fcc metals, aluminum and invar, at a range of initial temperatures from approximately 120-800 K to explore the effect of initial temperature on dynamic strength properties at strain rates reaching up to 10 7 s -1 . In aluminum, velocimetry data demonstrated an increase of peak stress of the elastic wave, σ E , with initial temperature. Alternatively, for invar, σ E exhibits little-to-no decrease over the same initial temperature range. Aluminum’s unusual deformation behavior is found to primarily be due to anharmonic vibrational effects. Differences in the magnetic structure of aluminum and invar can account for discrepancies in high rate deformation behavior.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Using neutrons to measure keV temperatures in highly compressed plastic at multi-Gbar pressures

In this study, we have designed an experiment for the National Ignition Facility to measure the Hugoniot of materials such as plastic at extreme pressures. The design employs a strong spherically converging shock launched through a solid ball of material using a hohlraum radiation drive. The shock front conditions can be characterized using X-ray radiography until background from shock coalescence overtakes the backlit signal. Shock coalescence at the center is predicted to reach tens of Gbars and can be further characterized by measuring the X-ray self-emission and 2.45 MeV neutrons emitted from the shock flash region. In this simulation design work the standard plastic sphere is replaced with a deuterated polyethylene sphere, CD 2 , that reaches sufficiently high densities and temperatures in the central hot spot to produce neutrons from Deuterium-Deuterium (DD) fusion reactions that can be measured by a neutron time of flight spectrometer (nTOF) and act as a temperature diagnostic. This paper focuses on the design of these experiments, based on an extensive suite of radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, and the interpretation of the predicted DD neutron signals. The simulations predict mean temperatures of 1 keV in the central hot spot with mean densities of 33 g/cc and mean pressures of 25 Gbar. Lastly, a preliminary comparison with early experimental results looks promising with an average ion temperature of 1.06 ± 0.15 keV in the central hot spot estimated from the nTOF spectral width and measured neutron yield of 7.0 (±0.5) × 10 9 DD neutrons.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

The effect of temperature and microstructure on dynamic deformation of iron, tantalum, and titanium

Laser-driven shock loading was performed on thin samples of iron, tantalum, and titanium at strain-rates up to 10 7 s –1 , and over a range of temperatures extending from 120 through 800 K, to investigate the influence of temperature on the early stages of yielding and plastic flow in materials of distinct crystal structure and initial defect density. The onset of yielding was identified using time-resolved velocimetry of the target rear surface to reveal the peak elastic state in the precursor wave front. Measurements on as-received iron reveal a trend of decreasing peak elastic stress (σE) with increasing temperature and electron microscopy of the recovered material revealed evidence of mobile dislocations coalescing into subgrains. This is in contrast to the results for the annealed iron where theσEremains constant with increasing temperature and recovered samples showed indications of deformation twinning. For tantalum, the yield strength remains constant for the most part, but has a jump in yield strength at 815 K, indicative of a possible twinning to slip transition with increasing temperature. For titanium, the yield strength was generally constant with temperature. Here, these results provide insight into studying deformation mechanisms, such as slip and twinning, in high rate loading of materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Qualification of a high-efficiency, gated spectrometer for x-ray Thomson scattering on the National Ignition Facility

We have designed, built, and successfully fielded a highly efficient and gated Bragg crystal spectrometer for x-ray Thomson scattering measurements on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). It utilizes a cylindrically curved Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite crystal. Its spectral range of 7.4–10 keV is optimized for scattering experiments using a Zn He-α x-ray probe at 9.0 keV or Mo K-shell line emission around 18 keV in second diffraction order. The spectrometer has been designed as a diagnostic instrument manipulator-based instrument for the NIF target chamber at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, USA. Here, we report on details of the spectrometer snout, its novel debris shield configuration and an in situ spectral calibration experiment with a Brass foil target, which demonstrated a spectral resolution of E/ΔE = 220 at 9.8 keV.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Using penumbral imaging to measure micrometer size plasma hot spots in Gbar equation of state experiments on the National Ignition Facility

We have developed an experimental platform for absolute equation of state measurements up to Gbar pressures on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) within the Fundamental Science Program. We use a symmetry-tuned hohlraum drive to launch a spherical shock wave into a solid CH sphere. Streaked radiography is the primary diagnostic to measure the density change at the shock front as the pressure increases towards smaller radii. At shock stagnation in the center of the capsule, we observe a short and bright x-ray self emission from high density (∼50 g/cm{sup 3}) plasma at ∼1 keV. Here, we present results obtained with penumbral imaging which has been carried out to characterize the size of the hot spot emission. This allows extending existing NIF diagnostic capabilities for spatial resolution (currently ∼10 μm) at higher sensitivity. At peak emission we find the hot spot radius to be as small as 5.8 +/− 1 μm, corresponding to a convergence ratio of 200.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

K{sub α} and bremsstrahlung x-ray radiation backlighter sources from short pulse laser driven silver targets as a function of laser pre-pulse energy

Measurements of silver K-shell and bremsstrahlung emission from thin-foil laser targets as a function of laser prepulse energy are presented. The silver targets were chosen as a potential 22 keV backlighter source for the National Ignition Facility Experiments. The targets were irradiated by the Titan laser with an intensity of 8 × 10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2} with 40 ps pulse length. A secondary nanosecond timescale laser pulse with controlled, variable energy was used to emulate the laser prepulse. Results show a decrease in both K{sub α} and bremsstrahlung yield with increasing artificial prepulse. Radiation hydrodynamic modeling of the prepulse interaction determined that the preplasma and intact target fraction were different in the three prepulse energies investigated. Interaction of the short pulse laser with the resulting preplasma and target was then modeled using a particle-in-cell code PSC which explained the experimental results. The relevance of this work to future Advanced Radiographic Capability laser x-ray backlighter sources is discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Probing matter at Gbar pressures at the NIF

Here, we describe a platform to measure the material properties, specifically the equation of state and electron temperature, at pressures of 100 Mbar to a Gbar at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). In these experi- ments we launch spherically convergent shock waves into solid CH, CD, or diamond samples using a hohlraum radiation drive, in an indirect drive laser geometry. X-ray radiography is applied to measure the shock speed and infer the mass density profile, enabling determination of the material pressure and Hugoniot equation of state. X-ray scattering is applied to measure the electron temperature through probing of the electron velocity distribution via Doppler broadening.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

FY13 LLNL OMEGA Experimental Programs

In FY13, LLNL’s High-Energy-Density Physics (HED) and Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF-ID) programs conducted several campaigns on the OMEGA laser system and on the EP laser system, as well as campaigns that used the OMEGA and EP beams jointly. Overall LLNL led 290 target shots involving the OMEGA laser system and 158 target shots involving the EP laser system. Approximately 34% of the total number of shots (93 OMEGA shots, 58 EP shots) shots supported the Indirect Drive Inertial Confinement Fusion Campaign (ICF-ID). The remaining 66% (197 OMEGA shots and 100 EP shots) were dedicated to experiments for High-Energy-Density Physics (HED).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

In situ lattice measurement of the bcc phase boundary in Mg on the principal shock Hugoniot

Here, we report on nanosecond resolution lattice measurements of shock-compressed Mg in the hcp and bcc phases between 12 and 45 GPa. X-ray diffraction signals consistent with a compressed bcc lattice were captured above a shock pressure of 26.2 ± 1.3 GPa. Our results are in agreement with the phase boundary calculated by Moriarty and Althoff using the generalized pseudopotential theory in the pressure and temperature region intersected by the principal shock Hugoniot.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗