Electron–positron pair creation in burning thermonuclear plasmas

Estimates are provided of the formation of electron–positron pairs from γ–γ annihilation in a plasma under conditions of thermonuclear burn in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Based on values of density, temperature and plasma size that are representative of both burning DT and D plasmas in current and potential future ICF schemes, we estimate the radiation field present and from that calculate the electron–positron generation. In the most extreme conditions considered here, positron number densities of over 1023 cm−3 are predicted.