Numerical modeling of the effect of powerful laser radiation on plasma

An increase of the scale and cost of experimental works on nuclear fusion requires the development of adequate methods for numerical modeling of the relevant physical processes. As applied to laser fusion, this corresponds to the development of numerical models describing simultaneously both the propagation, absorption, and scattering of laser radiation in plasma and the dynamics of the plasma of the target under the effect of laser radiation. Such a self-consistent (electrodynamics + hydrodynamics) program as applied to laser fusion has not been fully realized at present due to the difficulties related to the large difference of scales of electromagnetic and hydrodynamic processes. A set of programs for numerical modeling of the effect of powerful laser radiation on plasma, including calculation of the hydrodynamic flow of plasma in a given laser radiation field and calculation of the laser radiation field in plasma with given hydrodynamic parameters, is described. The results of the calculations and their comparison with the data of experiments on interaction of laser-radiation with thin aluminum targets are given