Status of the US National Inertial Fusion Program SNL Z Facility UR/LLE OMEGA

Presentation to the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee Meeting

by:Dr. Allan A. Hauer

Director, Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion

March 1, 2006

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The US Inertial Fusion Program has 3 principal components

• The first ignition experiment on the National Ignition Facility in 2010

• Pulsed Power fusion experiments with the goal of high yield

• High energy density experiments related to the “Fast Ignition” concept for ICF

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NNSA has a vigorous program of Activity in ICF

• The next 10 years will offer major new opportunities for inertial fusion and high energy density physics

• NIF 81% complete, first ignition experiments planned for 2010• Ignition confidence increasing (direct and indirect drive)• Strong progress in pulsed power fusion- fuel and symmetry conditions• Petawatt lasers open new programmatic and scientific opportunities• Important new scientific capabilities coming in FY2007- OMEGA EP,

refurbished Z, Z-Beamlet PW

• High energy density physics is recognized as an important and emerging scientific field

• NAS, OSTP reports• Interagency working group

• University activities continue to play an important role• Recent SSAA solicitation- awards nearly complete• User group for high energy density physics (HEDSUP)

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The National Ignition Facility is 85 % complete

NIF concentrates 1.8 Mega Joules of energy into a mm3

size target through the use of advanced laser technology

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A tangible demonstration of progress is the insertion rate of modular units - LRUs

LRU Installation

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BCP05-001 production plan

Actual installations

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09

This is the box for a concluding statement — it needs to be flush left —keep horizontal within Title/Logo limits at the top

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NIF has executed over 400 experiments

(FY 2004)

Full single beam performancehas been demonstrated

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The “phase space” over which NIF targets are expected to ignite has expanded

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The revised NIF Project baseline completes in Q2FY2009 and supports Ignition 2010

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A national ignition plan has been signed by the sites and NNSA

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Direct drive (uniform and “polar”) is also being developed for NIF

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The plan for use of NIF calls for first ignition experiments in FY2010

(NIF Early Light)(MegaJoule)

Personnel & Environmental Protection Systems Integration

(MegaJoule)

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OMEGA continues to be the principal experimental laser facility in the

United States (World)

• 60 beams• >30 kJ UV on target• 1%-2% irradiation nonuniformity• Flexible pulse shaping• Short shot cycle (1 h)

OMEGA is being upgraded with“petawatt” capabilities

(OMEGA EP)

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The OMEGA EP laser beams will be located next to the existing OMEGA facility

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OMEGA EP construction

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ZR and Z Beamlet- petawatt are important additions to program capability

• The ZR and Z-Petawatt facilities will begin operations in 2007.

• The ZR project is upgrading the performance of Z

– 18 MA to 26 MA– 2x increase in diagnostic access– 2x shot rate capability

• The Z-Petawatt project is upgrading the capability of Z-Beamlet

– 2 TW to 1 PW– backlighter hv 9 - 25 keV– integrated FI experiments on ZR

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High resolution x-ray backlighting is an important new diagnostic now in routine use on Z

3.2 mm dia. capsule radiograph (Cr = 1.7)

X-ray backlighting using a bent crystal imaging detector system

Z-pinch implosionComplex hydrodynamics

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Recent National Academy of Sciences reports have stressed importance of high energy density physics

• “Frontiers in High Energy Density Physics” (R. Davidson et al.)

“..research opportunities in this crosscutting area of physics are of the highest intellectual caliber and are fully deserving of the consideration of support by the leading funding agencies of the physical sciences.”

• “Connecting Quarks with the Cosmos: Eleven Science Questions for the New Century” (M. Turner et al.)

“Discern the physical principles that govern extreme astrophysical environments through the laboratory study of high energy density physics. The Committee recommends that the agencies cooperate in bringing together the different scientific communities that can foster this rapidly developing field.”

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Interagency Working Group on the Physics of the Universe

“HEDP is an emerging field that provides crucial measurements that are relevant to interpreting astrophysical observations of the universe. The field has great promise that should be better coordinated across the various Federal agencies to capitalize on the emerging opportunities.”

(OSTP, DOE/SC, DOE/NNSA, NSF, NASA)

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Interagency group chartered a team to develop an HEDP “roadmap”

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U of Wisconsin

U of Colorado - Boulder

Polymath

U of CA - Berkeley

UCLA

San Diego State

Texas A&M

U of Alabama

Cornell RPI

MIT

Florida State U

U of CA - Davis

Colorado State U

Oregon State U

Ohio State UOhio U

NC State U

Duke UU of Tennessee

U of Illinois

U of Michigan

U NV-Las Vegas

U NV-Reno

Washington State

Rutgers U

U of TX - Austin

Carnegie Inst of Washington

U Rochester

SSAA Centers

SSAA Research Grants

National Laser User Facility

Other Science Campaign Prog

Omega Laser

U Richmond

U Arizona

Princeton

Academic Alliances

U Chicago

U Utah

Stanford

Caltech

ASCI Centers

U of CA – San Diego

Rice U

HEDP activities italicized

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Conclusions

• The next 10 years will offer major new opportunities for inertial fusion and high energy density physics

• NIF 81% complete, first ignition experiments planned for 2010• Increased confidence in ignition (direct and indirect drive)• Strong progress in pulsed power fusion- fuel and symmetry conditions• Petawatt lasers open new programmatic and scientific opportunities• Important new scientific capabilities coming in FY2007- OMEGA EP,

refurbished Z, Z-Beamlet PW l

• High energy density physics is recognized as an important and emerging scientific field

• NAS, OSTP reports• Interagency working group

• University activities continue to play an important role• Recent SSAA solicitation- awards nearly complete• User group for high energy density physics (HEDSUP)