Neutron spectra from beam-target reactions in dense Z-pinches
File(s)AppelbeZpinchBeamTarget.pdf (3.16 MB)
Published version
Author(s)
Appelbe, B
Chittenden, J
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The energy spectrum of neutrons emitted by a range of deuterium and deuterium-tritium Z-pinch devices is investigated computationally using a hybrid kinetic-MHD model. 3D MHD simulations are used to model the implosion, stagnation, and break-up of dense plasma focus devices at currents of 70 kA, 500 kA, and 2 MA and also a 15 MA gas puff. Instabilities in the MHD simulations generate large electric and magnetic fields, which accelerate ions during the stagnation and break-up phases. A kinetic model is used to calculate the trajectories of these ions and the neutron spectra produced due to the interaction of these ions with the background plasma. It is found that these beam-target neutron spectra are sensitive to the electric and magnetic fields at stagnation resulting in significant differences in the spectra emitted by each device. Most notably, magnetization of the accelerated ions causes the beam-target spectra to be isotropic for the gas puff simulations. It is also shown that beam-target spectra can have a peak intensity located at a lower energy than the peak intensity of a thermonuclear spectrum. A number of other differences in the shapes of beam-target and thermonuclear spectra are also observed for each device. Finally, significant differences between the shapes of beam-target DD and DT neutron spectra, due to differences in the reaction cross-sections, are illustrated.
Date Issued
2015-10-13
Date Acceptance
2015-09-29
Citation
Physics of Plasmas, 2015, 22 (10)
ISSN
1089-7674
Publisher
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Journal / Book Title
Physics of Plasmas
Volume
22
Issue
10
Copyright Statement
© 2015 AIP Publishing LLC. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Physics of Plasmas and may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4933117
Sponsor
AWE Plc
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)
Grant Number
300115146/1
EP/K028464/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Physics
PLASMA-FOCUS
GENERATION
ACCELERATION
Fluids & Plasmas
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle And Plasma Physics
0201 Astronomical And Space Sciences
0203 Classical Physics
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
102703