Indirect-drive Inertial Confinement Fusion Simulations at the Centre for Inertial Fusion Studies.

Results are presented from simulations of High-Foot and High Density Carbon capsule implosions on the National Ignition Facility, using the ‘Chimera’ 3D radiation hydrodynamics code. Novel synthetic diagnostic tools construct detailed neutron spectra and images of the primary and scattered neutrons and gamma rays to establish characteristic diagnostic signatures of both capsule engineering features and radiation drive asymmetries. Detailed 3D radiation hydrodynamics simulations explore the effect of drive asymmetry and the capsule support tent on fusion performance in High-Foot capsules as well as the effect of the fill tube in HDC capsules. Ignition and propagating burn in highly perturbed hotspots is examined using a 3D Monte-Carlo alpha particle model both for present day experiments and possible future experiments with higher laser energies. The contribution of self-generated magnetic fields to hotspot thermal insulation is explored using extended MHD models incorporating full Braginskii transport. The increase in fusion performance with externally applied fields is also explored. Preliminary results from magnetised alpha particle burn calculations are used to explore how applied fields can influence the laser energy required to progress along an ignition cliff.