Kinetic corrections to heat-flow and Nernst advection for laser heated plasmas

Abstract

Reduced models for approximating the impact of kinetic electron behavior on the transport of thermal energy and magnetic field are investigated. The thermal flux limiter has improved agreement with Vlasov–Fokker–Planck data when a harmonic form is used that adjusts the electron mean free path to account for electron–electron collisions; these results apply to both unmagnetized and magnetized plasmas. Once a magnetic field is incorporated, the mean free path should also be modified using the electron gyroradius. A flux limiter on Nernst advection of magnetic fields is also required; a form that limits Nernst by the same fraction as the thermal heat-flow best reproduces kinetic simulations. A flux limiter form for the cross terms (Righi–Leduc and cross-gradient-Nernst) is also suggested. Hohlraum simulations relevant to fusion experiments on the National Ignition Facility are found to be sensitive to all of these details.