Investigating heat transport properties of turbulent, magnetised plasmas via Thomson scattering and X-ray emission

ORAL

Abstract

Experiments at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's National Ignition Facility (NIF) have replicated the micro-physics of galaxy clusters, revealing a breakdown of Spitzer's heat conduction theory in highly magnetized, turbulent, and weakly collisional plasmas [1]. Line-integrated X-ray emission analysis provided compelling evidence that turbulent-dynamo-amplified magnetic fields significantly suppress heat conduction, a phenomenon not accounted for by Spitzer's theory. To further investigate the mechanisms behind this strong heat conduction suppression, the experimental platform from NIF was replicated at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics' (LLE) OMEGA facility [2] by the introduction of a heater beam. By leveraging multiple in situ diagnostics such as probing Thomson scattering, X-ray emission, and proton radiography to characterize the heat front propagation, heat suppression at OMEGA is demonstrated for the first time.

[1] Meinecke, Sci. Adv., 8, eabj6799 (2022)

[2] Tzeferacos, Nature Comm., 9, 591 (2018)

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Presenters

  • Hannah Poole

    University of Oxford

Authors

  • Hannah Poole

    University of Oxford

  • Archie F.A. Bott

    University of Oxford

  • Petros Tzeferacos

    University of Rochester

  • Charlotte A Palmer

    Queen's University Belfast

  • Kassie Moczulski

    University of Rochester

  • Dustin H Froula

    University of Rochester, University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Joseph D Katz

    University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Timothy Filkins

    LLE

  • James S Ross

    Livermore, Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Hye-Sook Park

    LLNL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Adam Reyes

    University of Rochester

  • George F Swadling

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, Lawrence Livermore Natl Laboratory

  • Colin Bruulsema

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Alexander A Schekochihin

    University of Oxford

  • Don Q Lamb

    University of Chicago

  • Sean P Regan

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Gianluca Gregori

    University of Oxford