Hot Electrons in Shock Ignition*

With Shock Ignition [1] a series semi-adiabatic pulses compress pellet fuel to high densities but relatively low temperatures, while an intense final $\sim $0.1 ns scale $\sim $5 x 10$^{15}$ W/cm$^{2}$ pulse is subsequently used to heat the fuel to burn conditions. Hot, 35-50 keV electrons can be generated by this final spike. We will discuss the coupling of such hot electrons to the fuel with the ePLAS implicit/hybrid simulation code. This model calculates self-consistent \textit{E{\&}B-}Fields by the Implicit Moment Method [2], and drags and scatters the hot electrons against the background plasma at Spitzer rates. It tracks laser light to the critical density where it launches hot electrons at a prescribed temperature. We will discuss the hot electron transport in the compressed fuel, and possible shock generation and fuel heating as a function of the hot electron emission conditions.\\[4pt] [1] R. Betti et al., PRL \textbf{98,} 155001 (2007)\\[0pt] [2] R. J. Mason, J. Comp. Phys. \textbf{71,} 429 (1987).