Nuclear reactions, similar to found in explosions, stars measured in US

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers have, for the first time, experimentally measured nuclear reactions in high-energy-density plasma environments that mimic conditions found in stars and thermonuclear explosions. Utilizing the world’s highest-energy laser system at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF), the team heated capsules to extreme temperatures, inducing thermonuclear reactions that produced neutrons. By analyzing the resulting debris with advanced diagnostic tools, including LLNL’s Nuclear Counting Facility, they successfully gathered data to calculate nuclear cross-sections for long-lived radioisotopes in plasma, a significant breakthrough for both astrophysics and national stockpile modernization. The research team developed specialized radiochemical techniques to prepare and purify target materials, using vacuum or micro-injection methods to introduce minute quantities of doped material into the capsules. Collaborations with the NIF target fabrication team ensured the delicate assemblies were suitable for these precise experiments. Moving forward, the team plans to apply this measurement approach to other radionucl