Simulations of shocks in wetted foams irradiated by intense lasers using FLASH code

Plastic foams saturated with liquid DT (wetted foams) have been proposed for use in many inertial confinement fusion and energy (ICF, IFE) target designs primarily for obviating layering challenges but also for advantages in stability and absorption. We present 2D and 3D simulations of laser interaction with planar wetted foam targets using the FLASH code, a highly versatile, parallel, adaptive mesh refinement, finite-volume Eulerian radiation-magnetohydrodynamics code with extended physics capabilities. These simulations address the impact of foam microstructure on the propagation of the laser-generated shock, post-shock plasma turbulence, and homogenization. Systematic studies are being conducted as functions of foam density, pore size, and simulation dimensionality. Simulations demonstrate expansion of the plastic material into the surrounding DT ahead of the shock by the radiative preheat from the plasma corona, shock speed similar to that in a fully-homogenized plasma, and difference in the turbulence regimes in two and three dimensions. We are particularly examining the impact of the foam structure on seeding of hydrodynamic instabilities and development of turbulence in the ICF and IFE contexts.