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DOE OSTI2011

Fast Magnetic Reconnection in Laser-Produced Plasma Bubbles

Recent experiments have observed magnetic reconnection in high-energy-density, laser-produced plasma bubbles, with reconnection rates observed to be much higher than can be explained by classical theory. Based on fully kinetic particle simulations we find that fast reconnection in these strongly driven systems can be explained by magnetic flux pileup at the shoulder of the current sheet and subsequent fast reconnection via two-fluid, collisionless mechanisms. In the strong drive regime with two-fluid effects, we find that the ultimate reconnection time is insensitive to the nominal system Alfven time.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2012

Utilizing upper hybrid resonance for high density plasma production and negative ion generation in a downstream region

Localized wave-induced resonances are created by microwaves launched directly into a multicusp (MC) plasma device in the k Up-Tack B mode, where k is the wave vector and B is the static magnetic field. The resonance zone is identified as upper hybrid resonance (UHR), and lies r = {approx}22 mm away from the MC boundary. Measurement of radial wave electric field intensity confirms the right hand cutoff of the wave (r = 22.5-32.1 mm) located near the UHR zone. A sharp rise in the corresponding electron temperature in the resonance region by {approx}13 eV from its value away from resonance at r = 0, is favorable for the generation of vibrationally excited molecules of hydrogen. A transverse magnetic filter allows cold electrons ({approx}1-2 eV) to pass into the downstream region where they generate negative ions by dissociative attachment. Measurements of electron energy distribution function (EEDF) support the viewpoint. H{sup -} current density of {approx}0.26 mA/cm{sup 2} is obtained at a wave power density of {approx}3 W/cm{sup 2} at 2.0 mTorr pressure, which agrees reasonably well with results obtained from a steady state model using particle balance equations.

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DOE OSTI2012

Shock waves in a Z-pinch and the formation of high energy density plasma

A Z-pinch liner, imploding onto a target plasma, evolves in a step-wise manner, producing a stable, magneto-inertial, high-energy-density plasma compression. The typical configuration is a cylindrical, high-atomic-number liner imploding onto a low-atomic-number target. The parameters for a terawatt-class machine (e.g., Zebra at the University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada Terawatt Facility) have been simulated. The 2-1/2 D MHD code, MACH2, was used to study this configuration. The requirements are for an initial radius of a few mm for stable implosion; the material densities properly distributed, so that the target is effectively heated initially by shock heating and finally by adiabatic compression; and the liner's thickness adjusted to promote radial current transport and subsequent current amplification in the target. Since the shock velocity is smaller in the liner, than in the target, a stable-shock forms at the interface, allowing the central load to accelerate magnetically and inertially, producing a magneto-inertial implosion and high-energy density plasma. Comparing the implosion dynamics of a low-Z target with those of a high-Z target demonstrates the role of shock waves in terms of compression and heating. In the case of a high-Z target, the shock wave does not play a significant heating role. The shock waves carry current and transport the magnetic field, producing a high density on-axis, at relatively low temperature. Whereas, in the case of a low-Z target, the fast moving shock wave preheats the target during the initial implosion phase, and the later adiabatic compression further heats the target to very high energy density. As a result, the compression ratio required for heating the low-Z plasma to very high energy densities is greatly reduced.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2013

Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma

An apparatus and method for containing plasma and forming a Field Reversed Configuration (FRC) magnetic topology are described in which plasma ions are contained magnetically in stable, non-adiabatic orbits in the FRC. Further, the electrons are contained electrostatically in a deep energy well, created by tuning an externally applied magnetic field. The simultaneous electrostatic confinement of electrons and magnetic confinement of ions avoids anomalous transport and facilitates classical containment of both electrons and ions. In this configuration, ions and electrons may have adequate density and temperature so that upon collisions ions are fused together by nuclear force, thus releasing fusion energy. Moreover, the fusion fuel plasmas that can be used with the present confinement system and method are not limited to neutronic fuels only, but also advantageously include advanced fuels.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2016

Apparatus for magnetic and electrostatic confinement of plasma

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2016

Deuterium z-pinch as a powerful source of multi-MeV ions and neutrons for advanced applications

A novel configuration of a deuterium z-pinch has been used to generate a nanosecond pulse of fast ions and neutrons. At a 3 MA current, the peak neutron yield of (3.6 ± 0.5) × 10{sup 12} was emitted within 20 ns implying the production rate of 10{sup 20} neutrons/s. High neutron yields resulted from the magnetization of MeV deuterons inside plasmas. Whereas deuterons were trapped in the radial direction, a lot of fast ions escaped the z-pinch along the z-axis. A large number of >25 MeV ions were emitted into a 250 mrad cone. The cut-off energy of broad energy spectra of hydrogen ions approached 40 MeV. The total number of >1 MeV and >25 MeV deuterons were 10{sup 16} and 10{sup 13}, respectively. Utilizing these ions offers a real possibility of various applications, including the increase of neutron yields or the production of short-lived isotopes in samples placed in ion paths. On the basis of our experiments with various samples, we concluded that a single shot would have been sufficient to obtain GBq positron activity of {sup 13}N isotopes via the {sup 12}C(d,n){sup 13}N reaction. Furthermore, the first z-pinch generated neutron radiograph produced by ≈20 ns pulses is presented in this paper.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

Systematic calculations of energy levels and transition rates of BE-like ions with Z = 10–30 using a combined configuration interaction and many-body perturbation theory approach

We report calculations of energy levels and radiative rates for transitions among the lowest 116 fine-structure levels arising from the n⩽5 configurations in Be-like ions with Z = 10–30. The wavelengths, oscillator strengths, line strengths, and radiative rates for all possible electric dipole, magnetic dipole, electric quadrupole, and magnetic quadrupole transitions among the 116 levels have been calculated using the combined configuration interaction and many-body perturbation method. The accuracy of the results is determined through extensive comparisons with existing laboratory measurements and theoretical results. The present complete set of results should be of great help in line identification and the interpretation of spectra, as well as in the modeling and diagnostics of astrophysical and fusion plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

A zero-equation turbulence model for two-dimensional hybrid Hall thruster simulations

We present a model for electron transport across the magnetic field of a Hall thruster and integrate this model into 2-D hybrid particle-in-cell simulations. The model is based on a simple scaling of the turbulent electron energy dissipation rate and the assumption that this dissipation results in Ohmic heating. Implementing the model into 2-D hybrid simulations is straightforward and leverages the existing framework for solving the electron fluid equations. The model recovers the axial variation in the mobility seen in experiments, predicting the generation of a transport barrier which anchors the region of plasma acceleration. The predicted xenon neutral and ion velocities are found to be in good agreement with laser-induced fluorescence measurements.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2014

Atomic data and theoretical X-ray spectra of Ge-like through V-like W ions

The atomic structure and spectra of ten tungsten ions have been calculated using the Flexible Atomic Code. The calculations yield energy levels, radiative lifetimes, spectral line positions, transition probability rates, and oscillator strengths for the tungsten ions isoelectronic to germanium, W{sup 42+}, through vanadium, W{sup 51+}. Collisional–radiative models for high-temperature, low-density plasmas have been implemented to produce line emissivities for X-ray transitions in the 1–4 keV (3–12 Å) spectral interval. The Ge-like through V-like W ions are important in nuclear fusion research where their spectra may provide diagnostic information on magnetically confined plasmas.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Achieving stationary high performance plasmas at Wendelstein 7-X

This work reports on recent results on the search for high performance plasma scenarios at the magnetically confined stellarator fusion device Wendelstein 7-X. In four new designed scenarios, the development from transient toward stationary plasmas of improved performance has been realized. In particular, a high performance duration of up to 5 s, an energy confinement time of 0.3 s, a diamagnetic energy of 1.1 MJ, a central ion temperature of 2.2 keV, and a fusion triple product of 3.4 x 10 19 m -3 ∙ keV ∙ s have been achieved, and previously observed limitations of the machine have been overcome, regarding both the performance and its duration. The two main experimental techniques for stationary high performance are neutral beam injection core fueling on the one hand and the use of a magnetic field configuration with internal islands on the other hand. Two of the developed scenarios are expected to be extendable straightforward toward a duration of several tens of seconds, making use of the long pulse operation capabilities of W7-X.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Spatially and temporally resolved plasma parameter estimations of laser heated MagLIF relevant gas pipes at NIF

The ability to control laser pre-heat is an integral part of the inertial confinement fusion concept known as Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion. This process is studied at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) where 4 of the 192 laser beams are propagated through a 1-cm long gas cell where they deposit >20 kJ of energy into the gaseous fuel via inverse bremsstrahlung absorption. This process ionizes the gas, producing a plasma that follows behind the laser front and expands over the radius of the cell. Emission from this plasma, as viewed by a gated x-ray detector, can be used to build spatially and temporally resolved estimations of the pre-heat plasma's density and temperature profiles. This can then be used to estimate the plasma pressure, internal energy, and radiation losses. Estimations show the evolution of the plasma in magnetized and unmagnetized gas cells filled with ambient temperature neopentane (C5H12) +1% Ar, as well as unmagnetized cryogenically cooled (32 K) deuterium +1% Ne filled targets. This analysis shows the effects of initial gas-fill density, composition, and axial magnetization on the time-dependent plasma parameters. Previously, these parameters at the NIF had not been experimentally characterized, and these estimations provided a potential new means of testing radiation magneto-hydrodynamic predictive capability models. Results in unmagnetized targets have strong agreement with simulations. However, in targets with a 19 T applied axial magnetic field, this method yields electron temperatures up to 100% hotter than those predicted by HYDRA codes.

Bremsstrahlung↗

DOE OSTI2022

A sustained high-temperature fusion plasma regime facilitated by fast ions

Nuclear fusion is one of the most attractive alternatives to carbon-dependent energy sources. Harnessing energy from nuclear fusion in a large reactor scale, however, still presents many scientific challenges despite the many years of research and steady advances in magnetic confinement approaches. State-of-the-art magnetic fusion devices cannot yet achieve a sustainable fusion performance, which requires a high temperature above 100 million kelvin and sufficient control of instabilities to ensure steady-state operation on the order of tens of seconds. Here, in this study, we report experiments at the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research device producing a plasma fusion regime that satisfies most of the above requirements: thanks to abundant fast ions stabilizing the core plasma turbulence, we generate plasmas at a temperature of 100 million kelvin lasting up to 20 seconds without plasma edge instabilities or impurity accumulation. A low plasma density combined with a moderate input power for operation is key to establishing this regime by preserving a high fraction of fast ions. This regime is rarely subject to disruption and can be sustained reliably even without a sophisticated control, and thus represents a promising path towards commercial fusion reactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

Energy in density gradient

Inhomogeneous plasmas and fluids contain energy stored in inhomogeneity and they naturally tend to relax into lower energy states by developing instabilities or by diffusion. But the actual amount of energy in such inhomogeneities has remained unknown. In the present work, the amount of energy stored in a density gradient is calculated for several specific density profiles in a cylindrical configuration. This is of practical importance for drift wave instability in various plasmas, and, in particular, in its application in models dealing with the heating of solar corona because the instability is accompanied with stochastic heating, so the energy contained in inhomogeneity is effectively transformed into heat. It is shown that even for a rather moderate increase of the density at the axis in magnetic structures in the corona by a factor 1.5 or 3, the amount of excess energy per unit volume stored in such a density gradient becomes several orders of magnitude greater than the amount of total energy losses per unit volume (per second) in quiet regions in the corona. Consequently, within the life-time of a magnetic structure such energy losses can easily be compensated by the stochastic drift wave heating.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

On the nonlinear stability of a quasi-two-dimensional drift kinetic model for ion temperature gradient turbulence

We study a quasi-two-dimensional electrostatic drift kinetic system as a model for near-marginal ion temperature gradient driven turbulence. A proof is given for the nonlinear stability of this system under conditions of linear stability. This proof is achieved using a transformation that diagonalizes the linear dynamics and also commutes with nonlinear E × B advection. For the case when linear instability is present, a corollary is found that forbids nonlinear energy transfer between appropriately defined sets of stable and unstable modes. It is speculated that this may explain the preservation of linear eigenmodes in nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations. Based on this property, a dimensionally reduced (∞×∞→1) system is derived that may be useful for understanding dynamics around the critical gradient of Dimits.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic reconnection and thermal equilibration

When a magnetic field is forced to evolve on a time scale sev, as by footpoint motions driving the solar corona or non-axisymmetric instabilities in tokamaks, the magnetic field lines undergo large-scale changes in topology on a time scale approximately an order of magnitude longer than $\tau$ ev . But the physics that allows such changes operates on a time scale eight or more orders of magnitude slower. An analogous phenomenon occurs in air. Temperature equilibration occurs on a time scale approximately an order of magnitude longer than it takes air to cross a room, $\tau$ ev , although the physical mechanism that allows temperature equilibration is approximately four orders of magnitude slower than $\tau$ ev . The use of Lagrangian coordinates allows the fundamental equations to be solved and both phenomena explained. The theories of thermal equilibration and magnetic reconnection are developed in parallel to help readers obtain an understanding of the importance and implications of analyses using Lagrangian coordinates.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Spectral-partitioned Kohn-Sham density functional theory

Here we introduce a general, variational scheme for systematic approximation of a given Kohn-Sham free-energy functional by partitioning the density matrix into distinct spectral domains, each of which may be spanned by an independent diagonal representation without requirement of mutual orthogonality. It is shown that by generalizing the entropic contribution to the free energy to allow for independent representations in each spectral domain, the free energy becomes an upper bound to the exact (unpartitioned) Kohn-Sham free energy, attaining this limit as the representations approach Kohn-Sham eigenfunctions. A numerical procedure is devised for calculation of the generalized entropy associated with spectral partitioning of the density matrix. The result is a powerful framework for Kohn-Sham calculations of systems whose occupied subspaces span multiple energy regimes. As a case in point, we apply the proposed framework to warm- and hot-dense matter described by finite-temperature density functional theory, where at high energies the density matrix is represented by that of the free-electron gas, while at low energies it is variationally optimized. We derive expressions for the spectral-partitioned Kohn-Sham Hamiltonian, atomic forces, and macroscopic stresses within the projector-augmented wave (PAW) and the norm-conserving pseudopotential methods. It is demonstrated that at high temperatures, spectral partitioning facilitates accurate calculations at dramatically reduced computational cost. Moreover, as temperature is increased, fewer exact Kohn-Sham states are required for a given accuracy, leading to further reductions in computational cost. Finally, it is shown that standard multiprojector expansions of electronic orbitals within atomic spheres in the PAW method lack sufficient completeness at high temperatures. Spectral partitioning provides a systematic solution for this fundamental problem.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

Terahertz electron cyclotron maser interactions with an axis-encircling electron beam

To generate terahertz radiation via the electron cyclotron maser instability, harmonic interactions are essential in order to reduce the required magnetic field to a practical value. Also, high-order mode operation is required to avoid excessive Ohmic losses. The weaker harmonic interaction and mode competition associated with an over-moded structure present challenging problems to overcome. The axis-encircling electron beam is a well-known recipe for both problems. It strengthens the harmonic interaction, as well as minimizing the competing modes. Here, we examine these advantages through a broad data base obtained for a low-power, step-tunable, gyrotron oscillator. Linear results indicate far more higher-harmonic modes can be excited with an axis-encircling electron beam than with an off-axis electron beam. However, multi-mode, time-dependent simulations reveal an intrinsic tendency for a higher-harmonic mode to switch over to a lower-harmonic mode at a high beam current or upon a rapid current rise. Methods are presented to identify the narrow windows in the parameter space for stable harmonic interactions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Aligning thermal and current quenches with a high density low-Z injection

The conventional approach for thermal quench (TQ) mitigation in a tokamak disruption is through a high- Z impurity injection that radiates away the plasma’s thermal energy before it reaches the wall. The downside is a robust Ohmic-to-runaway current conversion due to the radiatively clamped low post-thermal-quench electron temperature. An alternative approach is to deploy a low- Z (either deuterium or hydrogen) injection that aims to slow down the TQ, and ideally aligns it with the current quench (CQ). This approach has been investigated here via 3D MHD simulations using the PIXIE3D code. By boosting the hydrogen density, a fusion-grade plasma is dilutionally cooled at approximately the original pressure. Energy loss to the wall is controlled by a Bohm outflow condition at the boundary where the magnetic field intercepts a thin plasma sheath at the wall, in addition to Bremsstrahlung bulk losses. Robust MHD instabilities proceed as usual, while the collisionality of the plasma has been greatly increased and parallel transport is now in the Braginskii regime. The main conclusion of this study is that the decreased transport loss along open field lines due to a sufficient low- Z injection slows down the TQ rate to the order of 20 ms, aligned with the CQ timescale for a 15 MA ITER plasma.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗