Frontiers in High Energy Density Physics The X-Games of Contemporary Science (2003) / Chapter Skim
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1. Exordium and Principal Findings and Recommendations
1. Exordium and Principal Findings and Recommendations
Pages 9-33
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From page 9... ...
Furthermore, learning to control and manipulate high energy density plasmas in the laboratory will benefit national programs, such as inertial confinement fusion and the stockpile stewardship program, through the development of new ideas and the training of a new generation of scientists and engineers. Elucidating the physics of high energy density plasmas through experiment, theory, and numerical simulation is of considerable scientific importance in order to 9
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From page 10... ...
is to investigate technical issues related to stockpile stewardship and inertial confinement fusion, there are increasing opportunities on these facilities to explore the basic aspects of high energy density physics. Although a sizable fraction of high energy density physics research is carried out at national laboratories engaged in inertial confinement fusion and nuclear weapons research, university involvement in physics investigations of high energy density plasmas is growing.
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From page 11... ...
Taking advantage of the synergies that can be developed among different areas of research has the potential to greatly increase the fundamental understanding of high energy density physics and to enhance the identification of compelling research opportunities. The energy density of common, room-temperature materials provides a starting point for a definition of high energy density conditions.
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· Nonlinear and collective responses. One of the defining characteristics of high energy density conditions is their collective response to external stimuli.
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regime. The rectangular boundaries in the center enclose the high energy density regimes now accessible on experimental facilities such as OMEGA and Z (smaller, tan box)
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The high energy density interactions with individual atoms are discussed in the National Research Council (NRC) report entitled Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Science- An Investment in the Future.1 PHYSICAL PROCESSES AND AREAS OF RESEARCH By way of introduction, this section outlines some, but certainly not all, of the physical processes that are normally included under the descriptor "high energy density physics." This section briefly gives a sense of the field, and subsequent chapters provide considerably more detail, as well as identifying research opportun ities of h igh i ntel lectual chal lenge.
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The experiments sample the region now being explored by direct numerical simulation and are relevant to understanding the tools that will be used to explore more extreme conditions. High Energy Density Astrophysics During the past decade, a new subfield of laboratory astrophysics has emerged, made possible by current and planned high energy density experimental facilities, such as large laser facilities and Z-pinch generators.
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High-power charged-particle beam interactions with plasmas produce a wealth of high energy density physics and are of longstanding interest in inertial fusion energy. In addition to external beams interacting with plasmas, interesting electron and ion beams can be generated from within the plasma itself.
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This research also plays an important role in stockpi le stewardship and inertial confinement fusion.
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Theory and Advanced Computations High energy density physics phenomena are difficult problems to analyze theoretically. The high degree of nonlinearity and complexity of multiple scales make many traditional approaches difficult at best.
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The questions deal with the properties of matter under extreme high energy density conditions, including matter in stars, at the beginning of the universe, and in inertial confinement fusion experiments. During the course of this assessment of research opportunities and national capabilities in high energy density physics, the Committee on High Energy Density Plasma Physics reached a number of important conclusions that are included here as the principal findings and recommendations of the report.
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It spans a wide range of physics areas, including plasma physics, laser and particle beam physics, materials science and condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, atomic and molecular physics, fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics, and astrophysics. Over the past decade, a new class of experimental facilities dedicated to high energy density physics studies has emerged; in these facilities macroscopic collections of matter can be prepared under extreme conditions of density and temperature.
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These facilities permit the detailed laboratory exploration of physics phenomena under conditions of considerable interest for basic high energy density physics studies, materials research, understanding astrophysical processes, commercial applications (e.g., extreme ultraviolet lithography) , inertial confinement fusion, and nuclear weapons research.
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, is reaching fruition with remarkable achievements, and there is a unique opportunity at this time to integrate theory, experimentation, and advanced computations to significantly advance the fundamental understanding of high energy density plasmas. A revolution in computational capabilities has brought physical phenomena within the scope of numerical simulation that were out of reach only a few years ago.
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e. Finding on National Nuclear Security Administration support of university research The National Nuclear Security Administration recently established a Stewardship Science Academic Alliances program to fund research projects at universities in areas of fundamental high energy density science and technology relevant to stockpile stewardship.
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Following presentations at its meetings on the science opportunities in the field of high energy density physics, and from numerous contacts with the research community on an individual basis, through a town meeting, and through a public solicitation effort for input to the study, the committee concluded that a consensus is emerging in the plasma physics and astrophysics communities that many opportunities exist for significant advances in understanding the physics of high energy density plasmas th rough an i ntegrated approach to i nvestigati ng the scientific issues i n related subfields. Students and postdoctoral associates have a unique opportunity to be trained on a wide range of new sophisticated laboratory systems, existing and planned, that produce extreme high energy density conditions in matter.
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A broad federal support base for research in high energy density physics, including plasma science, and the encouragement of interdepartmental research initiatives in this very interdisciplinary field would greatly strengthen the ability of the nation's universities to have a significant impact on this exciting field of physics. The astrophysics, plasma physics, and other scientific communities contributing to high energy density physics are highly international, and mechanisms for encouraging open scientific collaborations in high energy density physics on National Nuclear Security Administration facilities should be encouraged to the maximum extent possible, consistent with national security priorities.
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From page 26... ...
Significant high energy density experiments could be carried out with this "one of a kind" national laser facility in a number of areas. Examples include fast ignition for inertial confinement fusion research, simulation of properties of black holes, and ultrahigh-gradient acceleration of electrons and protons.
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From page 27... ...
Recommendations a. Recommendation on external user experiments at major facilities It is recommended that the National Nuclear Security Administration continue to strengthen its support for external user experiments on its major high energy density facilities, with a goal of about 15 percent of facility operating time dedicated to basic physics studies.
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The value to major programmatic missions within the NNSA, both near term and far term, is significant and clear. The committee commends the National Nuclear Security Administration for its engagement of the academic community over the past decade on frontier scientific phenomena accessible on its high energy density physics facilities, and it recommends an expansion of this program for the coming decade to include both existing and future Department of Energy facilities.
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c. Recommendation on maximizing the capabilities of facilities A significant investment is recommended in advanced infrastructure at major high energy density facilities for the express purpose of exploring research opportunities for new high energy density physics.
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Imaginative research and diagnostic development on university-scale facilities can lead to new concepts and instrumentation techniques that significantly advance our understanding of high energy density physics phenomena and in turn are implemented on state-of-the-art facilities. The primary source of new scientists in high energy density physics is the universities.
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Imaginative research in these areas leads to important insights that significantly advance our understanding of high energy density physics phenomena.
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The committee applauds these efforts and encourages both the strengthening of existing programs and the initiating of new interagency collaborations. Examples of exciting research opportunities exist especially in astrophysics, where the high energy density physics explored in the Department of Energy's programs have immediate applications to key astrophysics problems.
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Exorclium and Principal Finclings and Recommenclations To summarize, the committee believes that now is a very opportune time to make major advances in the physics understanding of matter under extreme high energy density conditions. A sustained commitment by the federal government, the national laboratories, and the university community to answer the questions of high intellectual value identified by the committee and to implement the recommendations of this report will contribute significantly to the timely realization of these exciting research opportunities and the advancement of this important field of physics.
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