Self-Consistent Reduction of the Spitzer-Härm Electron Thermal Heat Flux in Steep Temperature Gradients in Laser-Produced Plasmas

A simple self-consistent limitation of the anisotropic portion of the local electron distribution function results in an order-of-magnitude reduction from the Spitzer-H\"arm thermal heat flux in steep temperature gradients, in agreement with recent Fokker-Planck simulations. A new upper bound derived for the local heat flux, substantially lower than that given by a "free-streaming" limit, accounts for most of the "inhibition" previously required in the interpretation of many experiments with high-power-laser-produced plasma.