Hybrid kinetic modeling techniques for inertial confinement fusion targets*

Experiments in direct magnetically-driven inertial confinement fusion are being conducted at Sandia National Laboratories' Z Facility using imploding liner targets.  Typically target design is performed using Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes. Kinetic particle-in-cell (PIC) models may evaluate post-shot performance and elucidate the dynamics of Z-pinch plasmas and neutron production.  PIC models non-thermal or non-Maxwellian particle distributions, finite mean-free-paths, and charge distributions.  A hybrid PIC scheme in the Chicago code allows particles to be described with quasi-neutral, multi-fluid, or fully kinetic equations of motion.  These treatments are applied simultaneously to model solid-density liners and a compressed gas fuel.  Preliminary results are presented for a generic imploding liner using Z-machine conditions.