Supernova hydrodynamics experiments on the Nova laser

Session 39 - Supernovae.
Display session, Thursday, January 08
Exhibit Hall,

[39.11] Supernova hydrodynamics experiments on the Nova laser

J. Kane (U. AZ, LLNL), D. Arnett (U. AZ), B. A. Remington, S. G. Glendinning, A. Rubenchik (LLNL), R. P. Drake (U. Mich.), B. A. Fryxell (NASA GFC/George Mason U.), E. Müller (MPI f. Astrophysik, Garching)

The critical roles of hydrodynamic instabilities in SN 1987A and in ICF are well known; 2D-3D differences are important in both areas. In a continuing project at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), the Nova Laser is being used in scaled laboratory experiments of hydrodynamic mixing under supernova-relevant conditions. Numerical simulations of the experiments are being done, using LLNL hydro codes, and astrophysics codes used to model supernovae. Initial investigations with two-layer planar packages having 2D sinusoidal interface perturbations are described in Ap.J. 478, L75 (1997). Early-time simulations done with the LLNL 1D radiation transport code HYADES are mapped into the 2D LLNL code CALE and into the multi-D supernova code PROMETHEUS. Work is underway on experiments comparing interface instability growth produced by 2D sinusoidal versus 3D cross-hatch and axisymmetric cylindrical perturbations. Results of the simulations will be presented and compared with experiment. Implications for interpreting supernova observations and for supernova modelling will be discussed.

* Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract number W-7405-ENG-48.

Program listing for Thursday