A comparison of hydrodynamic code simulations with experimental data for short pulse laser driven shocks in aluminum*

In order to better understand the impact of the laser absorption physics and equation of state tables used in hydrodynamic simulations on the maximum simulated pressures at the ultrafast (100ps) time scale, we conducted a joint theoretical and experimental campaign. Using a 500$mu$m aluminum ablator and a 1mm sapphire tamper, we conducted a series of experiments on an ultrafast table top laser system to determine how pressure generation varied with laser intensity. The samples were shocked to a maximum pressure randing from 20-40 GPa, corresponding to laser energies ranging from 10$mu$J to 40$mu$J. We then used this experimental data to compare it to two different hydrodynamic codes: DRACO and FLASH. These codes were chosen to compare an inverse bremstralung code (FLASH) to a code that includes more laser absorption and initial plasma formation physics (DRACO).