The course will provide an overview of the key plasma physics issues associated with inertial fusion research. It will enable students to make an informed decision on an appropriate research degree project, while at the same time providing the essential foundations necessary to pursue a research degree in the field. It will provide the necessary background for students to appreciate seminars in this research field. Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) is one of two major routes that are being pursued for fusion energy applications. It relies upon the extreme compression and heating of a tiny fuel capsule by the action of intense laser, ion or soft x-ray radiation. Students will learn about key aspects of ICF including the physics of ignition and burn, implosion physics, laser plasma interactions and hydrodynamic instabilities as well as being introduced to the latest developments in the field such as Fast Ignition.
Module learning outcomes
At the end of this module successful students will be able to:
Explain the advantages and features of various approaches to ICF including indirect drive ICF, direct drive ICF, laser driven ICF, ion beam and pulse power driven ICF and fast ignition and variants.
Describe the following physical processes: ignition in dense fuel, shock wave propagation, laser interaction with plasmas, laser interaction with a fuel capsule, laser interaction in hohlraums, fluid instabilities and laser interaction at high intensities and energetic particle generation.
Assessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Essay/coursework Coursework
N/A
14
Online Exam Fusion ¿ Inertial Confinement
N/A
86
Special assessment rules
None
Reassessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Online Exam Fusion ¿ Inertial Confinement
N/A
86
Module feedback
Our policy on how you receive feedback for formative and summative purposes is contained in our Department Handbook.
Indicative reading
Lindl, The Quest for Ignition and Energy Gain Using Indirect Drive, Springer-Verlag,1998 (also available as a journal article Phys. Plasmas 2 (11), pp. 3933-4024,1995)
Atzeni and Meyer-ter-vehn, The Physics of Inertial Fusion, Oxford, 2004
Zel'dovich and Raizer, Physics of Shock Waves and High-Temperature Hydrodynamic Phenomena, Dover, 2002.