Direct-drive cylindrical implosion experiments: Simulations and data

Abstract

We have studied a suite of cylindrical, polystyrene targets, both unperturbed and with mode-28, 1.5 μm initial-amplitude sinusoidal perturbations imposed azimuthally along the target length. All targets are driven by direct laser illumination at 3ω using the University of Rochester OMEGA laser facility. Our numerical simulation and experimental data demonstrate the proof of principle for direct-drive studies of complex hydrodynamic phenomena in convergent geometry. We obtain high-quality, time-dependent data, that demonstrate good implosion symmetry and against which numerical simulations show promising agreement within currently assessed error bars. Our results identify operational space for continuing experiments.