Simulations Explain High-Energy-Density Experiments

摘要

A Computing Grand Challenge project on Livermore's Atlas supercomputer simulated results from two sets of laser-driven high-energy-density (HED) experiments. In one set of experiments, researchers zapped very small reduced-mass targets with ultrahigh-intensity lasers to get the dense targets as hot as possible. Such targets, which produce high-energy electrons, protons, and x rays, are being considered as backlighters for radiography diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility.