Deciphering the kinetic structure of multi-ion plasma shocks

Brett D. Keenan, Andrei N. Simakov, Luis Chacón, William T. Taitano
2017 Physical review. E  
Strong collisional shocks in multi-ion plasmas are featured in many high-energy-density environments, including Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) implosions. However, their basic structure and its dependence on key parameters (e.g., the Mach number and the plasma ion composition) are poorly understood, and controversies in that regard remain in the literature. Using a high-fidelity Vlasov-Fokker-Planck code, iFP, and direct comparisons to multi-ion hydrodynamic simulations and semi-analytic
more » ... ictions, we critically examine steady-state planar shocks in D-3He plasmas and put forward a resolution to these controversies.
doi:10.1103/physreve.96.053203 pmid:29347662 fatcat:hicjnpec4ze35coxgkarn6mqou