RADIATION DRIVE IN LASER-HEATED HOHLRAUMS

Nearly 10 years of Nova [E. M. Campbell, Laser Part. Beams 9, 209 (199 1)] experiments and analysis have lead to a relatively detailed quanti tative and qualitative understanding of radiation drive in laser-heate d hohlraums. Our most successful quantitative modeling tool is two-dim ensional (2-D) LASNEX numerical simulations [G. B. Zimmerman and W. L. Kruer, Comments Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 2, 51 (1975)]. Analysi s of the simulations provides us with insight into the physics of hohl raum drive. In particular we find hohlraum radiation conversion effici ency becomes quite high with longer pulses as the accumulated, high-Z blow-off plasma begins to radiate. Extensive Nova experiments corrobor ate our quantitative and qualitative understanding. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.