Addition and Validation of a 2-D Nonlocal Electron Flux Module in DRACO

A nonlocal thermal heat flux module is being implemented in 2-D in the DRACO radiation hydrodynamics code to provide a more accurate representation of the effects of hot electron transport on Inertial Confinement Fusion target implosions. The basic theory, developed in 1-D by Manheimer, Colombant, and Goncharov,\footnote{W. Manheimer, D. Colombant, and V. Goncharov, \emph{Phys. Plasmas} \textbf{15}, 083103 (2008).} has been extended for use in $x-y$ and $r-z$ geometries. A Krook model is used for the collision operator, and a perturbative approach is followed to compute the anisotropic component of the distribution function for each electron energy. Taking the $v^3$ moment of the distribution function allows the electron thermal heat flux to be computed. The code is being validated through comparison with results obtained using traditional Spitzer-Harm heat conduction.