Experimental and theoretical works performed by the Institute of Physics and Power Engineering on the physics of nuclear-induced plasmas

Abstract

In review, general results obtained by Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE) during 1981-1992 are presented in the field of physics of nuclear-induced plasmas in the following directions: processes of primary ionization of different media by nuclear reaction products; function of electron distribution in nuclear-induced plasmas; processes of excitation and relaxation; track structure of nuclear-induced plasmas. Prospects of study progress are discussed with a view to improve the current concepts of physics of elementary processes occurring in nuclear-induced plasmas and obtain experimental and theoretical data on process constants needed to calculate the nuclear-pumped lasers.

SCENA: A simulation tool for radiation-induced gas scintillation

“…In spite of the use of an average-like ssion fragment as proposed by Rykov [4], the HKS-computed SDCS has exhibited no further improvement, especially at energies below 30 eV and above 80 eV. Dyachenko came to the same result when comparing these experimental data with a Gryzinski model for SDSC [41]: a discrepancy up to an order of magnitude was observed.…”

“…The HKS-computed data obtained with SCENA are denoted with lines. The experimental data references are: 1 MeV proton in argon from Rudd et al [27], 72 MeV bare carbon ion in water vapor from Champion [40], 48 MeV oxygen ion in water vapor from Bhattacharjee et al [44], and ssion fragments in helium from Dyachenko [41]. For that combination, an average-like ssion fragment is used.…”

“…In Ref. [41], Dyachenko measured the SDCS obtained from the slowing-down of 252 Cf-spontaneous-ssion fragments in helium. The comparison with a simulation is made much more intricate since this is not only one projectile that causes the gas ionization.…”

Nuclear-Induced Plasmas of Gas Mixtures and Nuclear-Pumped Lasers

“…Pulsed nuclear reactors were used as a source of neutron radiation for NPLs research [3,27,[44][45][46][47] . Relatively recent reports were issued about experimental NPL investigations in China on the CFBR-II [48].…”

“…Usually, the calculation and analysis of parameters of nuclear-induced plasmas, development of laser action and NPLs radiation, ionization of gas medium are assumed to be homogeneous. One of the features of nuclear-induced plasma is associated with the formation of tracks when passing through dense gas of heavy charged particles [26,27]. Depending on parameters of gas media, transverse dimensions of the tracks are 1-10 µm, and the track lifetime or the time to establish uniform ionization through diffusion is 0.1-1 µs [28].…”