Apparent and Real Thermal Inhibition in Laser-Produced Plasmas

Laser-driven thermal-electron-transport inhibition is studied with use of a self-consistent Monte Carlo model for all the electrons. Comparison is made with the results of flux-limited single-group-diffusion calculations. The need for severe flux limiters is traced to deficiencies in the classical diffusion modeling that can excessively heat the overdense surface matter of a pellet, ignore coronal decoupling of the thermals electrons, and neglect the effects of electric-fields for a return current through density gradients.