[en] We propose a model for the explosion of a supernova and the expansion of its ejecta in the presence of a strong initial asymmetry (at the explosion time) in the central part of the star (core) and a possible smallscale asymmetry in the peripheral regions. The Chandra and NuSTAR observations of ejecta in the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant are analyzed. Based on our 1D and 2D numerical simulations performed using the DIANA and NUTCY codes, we propose a model for the explosion and expansion of ejecta that explains the observed experimental data where the materials initially located in the central region of the star end up on the periphery of the cloud of ejecta.

[en] The possibility of efficient and symmetric compression of a target with a low-density structured absorber by a few laser beams is considered. An equation of state is proposed for a porous medium, which takes into account the special features of the absorption of high-power nanosecond laser pulses. The open version of this target is shown to allow the use of ordinary Gaussian beams, requiring no special profiling of the absorber surface. The conditions are defined under which such targets can be compressed efficiently by only two laser beams (or beam clusters). Simulations show that for a 2.1-MJ laser pulse, a seven-fold gain for the target under study is achieved. (special issue devoted to the 80th anniversary of academician n g basov's birth)

[en] The class of direct-drive targets for the laser pulse of a megajoule scale is considered in the work. A distinctive feature of the design of these targets is a relatively low aspect ratio (outer DT-shell radius/shell thickness, A ∼ 10) to provide greater compression stability. The irradiation of the target surface is carried out by the shaped laser pulse on 2ω of Nd-laser. The influence of laser energy absorption inhomogeneity on the parameters of compression and burning of thermonuclear fuel on the final stage of implosion is studied in the work based on 1D and 2D numerical calculations. The results of 2D modeling show that in the case of target's offset from the point of beams crossing significantly greater reduction in the neutron yield is observed than in the case when only irregularities caused by the geometry of irradiation by the finite number of beams are taken into account. (paper)

[en] The article presents calculation results, which were received for the implosion of the typical cryogenic thermonuclear direct-drive targets that are intended for use at the OMEGA facility, NIF and Russian laser facility. The compression and burning characteristics, which were obtained using various numerical codes of different scientific groups, are compared. The data indicate good agreement between the numerical results. Various sources of target irradiation inhomogeneity and their influence on the implosion parameters are considered. The nominal scales of these disturbances for various facilities are close to each other. The main negative effect on the efficiency of compression and burning is due to the accidental offset of the target from the center of the chamber. (paper)

[en] Development of direct drive target schemes for the megajoule facility is a topical problem of up-to-date inertial fusion physics. The choice of possible schemes and solutions depends essentially on the irradiation conditions. The installations both running (NIF) and under construction (LMJ) are destined to the 3ω irradiation in PDD (polar direct drive) configuration. The UFL-2M installation that is under construction is based on 2ω irradiation and a symmetrical scheme of direct drive target irradiation. Under these conditions possible schemes for direct drive targets demonstrating the ignition and the achievement of gain G=10÷20 are considered in this report. At the same time, the possibilities are analyzed for the target compression and ignition with a reliability reserve at the conditions that can deviate from the standard ones, and if our understanding of the physics of the processes is not completely adequate to the physics of the real processes. (paper)

[en] The compression conditions are analyzed and the capsules are discussed for the energy of ∼2 kJ and pulse duration of ∼0.5 ns at the second harmonic of an iodine laser (λ = 0.66 μm) under irradiation by a small number of beams at Iskra V facility (the facility has 12 beams, which are focused in a certain way onto the capsule). The authors consider different capsules filled with DT gas: the glass capsules (the inner radius is 260 μm; the thickness, 1.2-1.3 μm; the aspect ratio A = 200) experimentally examined with Iskra V; the capsules made of polystyrene (R = 140-170 μm; δ = 5-10 μm; A = 14-34), and the capsules made of polystyrene and covered by a foam absorber (R = 140-170 μm; δ = 5-10 μm; A = 14-34, foam absorber δ = 150 μm) - 'Laser Greenhouse'

[en] The paper is devoted to the numerical and theoretical study of compression and burning of a thermonuclear target under the conditions of inhomogeneous heating due to direct irradiation with a multi-beam megajoule laser facility. The two-dimensional distribution of absorbed laser energy has been numerically calculated taking into account refraction and various known factors of the violation of irradiation homogeneity. The limits of the violation of irradiation uniformity caused by these factors, which are acceptable for spark ignition of the target irradiated with 192 laser beams of the modern megajoule facilities, are determined. The target offset relative to the aiming point of the laser beams should not exceed 2% of the target radius, mispointing of the beams (5% of the target radius), mistiming of the laser pulses (3% of the pulse duration) and energy imbalance among the laser clusters (12%). These values exceed the permissible deviations for the laser facility being developed within the frameworks of the project. (paper)

[en] We have studied the dependence of the compression and burning of a spherical direct-drive fusion target on the nonuniformity of its heating caused by the asynchronous arrival of laser beams under conditions of irradiation by a modern laser system with a total energy of 2 MJ intended for the fuel ignition and fusion energy evolution equal to the absorbed laser energy. The investigation is performed by numerical simulation based on 2D hydrodynamic codes. It is established that the limiting permissible spread of the moments of laser pulse action on the target for ignition significantly exceeds the level that can be ensured using modern methods of controlled temporal synchronization of laser beams.

[en] Direct-drive fusion targets are considered at present as an alternative to targets of indirect compression at a laser energy level of about 2 MJ. In this approach, the symmetry of compression and ignition of thermonuclear fuel play the major role. We report on the results of theoretical investigation of compression and burning of spherical direct-drive targets in the conditions of spatial nonuniformity of heating associated with a shift of the target from the beam center of focusing and possible laser radiation energy disbalance in the beams. The investigation involves numerous calculations based on a complex of 1D and 2D codes RAPID, SEND (for determining the target illumination and the dynamics of absorption), DIANA, and NUT (1D and multidimensional hydrodynamics of compression and burning of targets). The target under investigation had the form of a two-layer shell (ablator made of inertial material CH and DT ice) filled with DT gas. We have determined the range of admissible variation of compression and combustion parameters of the target depending on the variation of the spatial nonuniformity of its heating by a multibeam laser system. It has been shown that low-mode (long-wavelength) perturbations deteriorate the characteristics of the central region due to less effective conversion of the kinetic energy of the target shell into the internal energy of the center. Local initiation of burning is also observed in off-center regions of the target in the case of substantial asymmetry of irradiation. In this case, burning is not spread over the entire volume of the DT fuel as a rule, which considerably reduces the thermonuclear yield as compared to that in the case of spherical symmetry and central ignition.

[en] We have analyzed and numerically simulated our experiments on the compression of DT-gas-filled glass capsules under irradiation by a small number of beams on the Iskra-5 facility (12 beams) at the second harmonic of an iodine laser (λ = 0.66 μm) for a laser pulse energy of 2 kJ and duration of 0.5 ns in the case of asymmetric irradiation and compression. Our simulations include the construction of a target illumination map and a histogram of the target surface illumination distribution; 1D capsule compression simulations based on the DIANA code corresponding to various target surface regions; and 2D compression simulations based on the NUTCY code corresponding to the illumination conditions. We have succeeded in reproducing the shape of the compressed region at the time of maximum compression and the reduction in neutron yield (compared to the 1D simulations) to the experimentally observed values. For the Iskra-5 conditions, we have considered targets that can provide a more symmetric compression and a higher neutron yield.