Initiation of extended arc discharge in ICF reactor dense atmospheres

Reduced density plasma channels are essential for LIB transport from external diodes to an ICF pellet centered in the 2-4 MPa superheated steamfilled cavity of the Heavy Water ICF Reactor. Forming such channels by ohmic heating requires the initiation of straight arc discharges along each beamline. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the threshold beamline preionization and applied electric field for arc initiation. The capability of several preionizers to produce a straight preionized trail is evaluated through a ten-group Boltzmann equation solver. Electron densities around 1017 m-3 could be maintained in the trail by monojoule output external preionizers. Trail preionization through the co-application of UV and CO2 lasers appears to be the most promising technique. UV laser preionization of NO(a4π) formed in the fireball shows also good prospective. The large divergence of soft x-ray sources reduces their attractivity. The E/N dependent electron transport properties are used to construct the first streamer model capable of evaluating the steady state streamer wave shape. The streamers-induced highly ionized filament transition into a multi-kA carrying plasma channel is simulated by a modified radiation-MHD one-dimensional code