PHYS 483/683 Introduction to High Energy Density Physics

Course description

Topics of current interests which are not incorporated in regular offerings.

This course designed for upper division undergraduate and graduate students covers a broad range of topics related to High Energy Density (HED) physics, Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and laser plasma interactions in lectures. HED physics, subfield of plasma physics at extremely high densities and temperatures, has been advanced mainly by pursuing a quest for controlled thermonuclear fusion as a clean energy source and reproducing astrophysical phenomena in laboratory for validation of astrophysical theory and numerical modeling. The physics of the HED plasmas includes descriptions of fluid plasmas, hydrodynamics and shock wave physics, equation of state under the extreme conditions, hydrodynamic and parametric instabilities, relativistic high-energy-density plasmas and most up-to-date laser fusion research. The topics of relativistic laser plasma interaction, pulsed power-produced plasma and X-ray Free electron laser will also be covered.

This course offers students hands-on experience necessary to conduct research in high energy density physics and related fields. While students will learn subjects of the basic HED plasma physics in lectures, project assignments will include practical examples such as analyses of experimental data and numerical simulations. For data analyses, students will learn how to use an image analysis software, ImageJ, and coding with a math software (Matlab) for post-processing. In a numerical project, students will install, compile and run a numerical code (Athena) to simulate hydrodynamic instabilities and post-process the calculated results for visualization (Matlab or other codes). Students will also experience to give a conference-style presentation and engage writing and revising a term paper in a research paper format.

Student learning outcomes

After successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the selected special topic.
• Address research questions in the selected special topic.
• Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the state of high energy density plasmas and identify special terms used in the HED physics and related research areas
• Describe the formation of the HED plasmas by shock waves with a set of basic fluid equations
• Explain the Lawson criterion for the fusion ignition threshold and the steps of inertial confinement fusion scheme.
• Perform numerical simulations and display the simulation results
• Give a conference-style presentation and write a short paper in HED topics.