Energy transfer by α particles in a laser plasma subjected to a magnetic field

An investigation is made of the influence of a static magnetic field on the transfer of energy by thermonuclear α particles in a laser plasma. A general solution and a number of particular analytical solutions of the transport equation for α particles in a bounded plasma with a magnetic field are constructed. It is shown that the compression of laser targets in a magnetic field of several tens of kilogauss leads to a considerable increase (by a factor of 1.5–2) in the energy transferred to the plasma by the α particles, and consequently to a reduction (by 20–40%) of the product of the density and plasma radius necessary to achieve the physical threshold of a thermonuclear reaction.