Neural network denoising of x-ray images from high-energy-density experiments.

Noise is a consistent problem for x-ray transmission images of High-Energy-Density (HED) experiments because it can significantly affect the accuracy of inferring quantitative physical properties from these images. We consider experiments that use x-ray area backlighting to image a thin layer of opaque material within a physics package to observe its hydrodynamic evolution. The spatial variance of the x-ray transmission across the system due to changing opacity serves as an analog for measuring density in this evolving layer. The noise in these images adds nonphysical variations in measured intensity, which can significantly reduce the accuracy of our inferred densities, particularly at small spatial scales. Denoising these images is thus necessary to improve our quantitative analysis, but any denoising method also affects the underlying information in the image. In this paper, we present a method for denoising HED x-ray images via a deep convolutional neural network model with a modified DenseNet architecture. In our denoising framework, we estimate the noise present in the real (data) images of interest and apply the inferred noise distribution to a set of natural images. These synthetic noisy images are then used to train a neural network model to recognize and remove noise of that character. We show that our trained denoiser network significantly reduces the noise in our experimental images while retaining important physical features.

Magnetic field generation from composition gradients in inertial confinement fusion fuel.

Experimental asymmetries in fusion implosions can lead to magnetic field generation in the hot plasma core. For typical parameters, previous studies found that the magnetization Hall parameter, given by the product of the electron gyro-frequency and Coulomb collision time, can exceed one. This will affect the hydrodynamics through inhibition and deflection of the electron heat flux. The magnetic field source is the collisionless Biermann term, which arises from the Debye shielding potential in electron pressure gradients. We show that there is an additional source term due to the Z dependence of the Coulomb collision operator. If there are ion composition gradients, such as jets of carbon ablator mix entering the hot-spot, this source term can rapidly exceed the Biermann fields. In addition, the Biermann fields are enhanced due to the increased temperature gradients from carbon radiative cooling. With even stronger self-generated fields, heat loss to the carbon regions will be reduced, potentially reducing the negative effect of carbon mix. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 1)'.

Kinetic simulations of fusion ignition with hot-spot ablator mix.

Inertial confinement fusion fuel suffers increased x-ray radiation losses when carbon from the capsule ablator mixes into the hot-spot. Here, we present one- and two-dimensional ion Vlasov-Fokker-Planck simulations that resolve hot-spot self-heating in the presence of a localized spike of carbon mix, totalling 1.9% of the hot-spot mass. The mix region cools and contracts over tens of picoseconds, increasing its α particle stopping power and radiative losses. This makes a localized mix region more severe than an equal amount of uniformly distributed mix. There is also a purely kinetic effect that reduces fusion reactivity by several percent, since faster ions in the tail of the distribution are absorbed by the mix region. Radiative cooling and contraction of the spike induces fluid motion, causing neutron spectrum broadening. This artificially increases the inferred experimental ion temperatures and gives line of sight variations.

MPRAD: A Monte Carlo and ray-tracing code for the proton radiography in high-energy-density plasma experiments.

Proton radiography is used in various high-energy-density (HED) plasma experiments. In this paper, we describe a Monte Carlo and ray-tracing simulation tool called multimegaelectronvolt proton radiography (MPRAD) that can be used for modeling the deflection of proton beams in arbitrary three dimensional electromagnetic fields as well as the diffusion of the proton beams by Coulomb scattering and stopping power. The Coulomb scattering and stopping power models in cold matter and fully ionized plasma are combined using interpolation. We discuss the application of MPRAD in a few setups relevant to HED plasma experiments where the plasma density can play a role in diffusing the proton beams and affecting the prediction and interpretation of the proton images. It is shown how the diffusion due to plasma density can affect the resolution and dynamical range of the proton radiography.

High-temporal contrast using low-gain optical parametric amplification.

We demonstrate the use of low-gain optical parametric amplification (OPA) as a means of improving temporal contrast to a detection-limited level 10(-10). 250 microJ, 500 fs pulses of 1053 nm are frequency doubled and subsequently restored to the original wavelength by OPA with >10% efficiency.

Characterization of radiochromic film scanning techniques used in short-pulse-laser ion acceleration.

Radiochromic film (RCF) is increasingly being used as a detector for proton beams from short-pulse laser-matter interaction experiments using the RCF imaging spectroscope technique. The community has traditionally used inexpensive flatbed scanners to digitize and analyze the data, as opposed to more expensive and time-consuming microdensitometers (MicroDs). Often, the RCF densities in some regions exceed an optical density (OD) of 3. Flatbed scanners are generally limited to a maximum OD of approximately 3. Because of the high exposure density, flatbed scanners may yield data that are not reliable due to light scatter and light diffusion from areas of low density to areas of high density. This happens even when the OD is slightly above 1. We will demonstrate the limitations of using flatbed scanners for this type of radiographic media and characterize them compared to measurements made using a MicroD. A technique for cross characterizing both systems using a diffuse densitometer with a NIST wedge will also be presented.