Vlasov-Fokker-Planck validation studies with ICF-relevant plasmas

The state-of-the-art for simulating high-energy-density (HED) plasma systems, including inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments, has been radiation hydrodynamics. Recently, it has become apparent that kinetic (long-mean-free-path) effects – both due to ions and electrons – may significantly impact the evolution of plasmas in HED and ICF contexts. Kinetic simulations of such systems are challenging due to their highly multiscale nature (in space and time), as well as their high dimensionality. The fully kinetic Vlasov-Fokker-Planck code iFP overcomes these challenges with a range of sophisticated numerical strategies [1,2] that make studying such systems tractable. In this work, we present a brief overview of the iFP code, and present several recent validation studies HED applications. In particular, we present comparisons with recent ICF-relevant experiments investigating plasma interpenetration in a hohlraum surrogates [3] and nonlocal electron heat conduction in laser-produced coronae [4].



References:

[1] S. E. Anderson, et. al, J. Comp. Phys., 419, 109686, (2020).

[2] W. T. Taitano, et. al, Comp. Phys. Comm., 263, 107861 (2021).

[3] S. Le Pape, et. al, Phys. Rev. Lett., 124, 025003 (2020).

[4] R. J. Henchen, et. al, Phys. Rev. Lett., 121, 125001 (2018).