Particle simulation code for fusion ignition

Inertial fusion ignition phenomena including effects of non-Maxwellian ion velocity distributions are studied by molecular dynamics particle simulation. 10,000 DT ions at a density 100 g/cm3 and temperature ∼10 keV are followed for 10 to 20 ps. The simulations include ion collisions, electron–ion coupling and radiation emission and absorption. Fusion reactions produce energetic alphas and the plasma self-heats to 20–30 keV. It is found that calculations starting from a variety of initial conditions evolve to approach a unique self-heating trajectory which can be called an ignition attractor. A calculation starting with 3 keV DT ignites within a few ps after 2 MeV alpha particles are injected and deposit ∼300 MJ/g; this demonstrates that fast ions are highly effective for fast ignition of precompressed DT.