Effect of NLTE emissivity models on NIF ignition hohlraum power requirements

NLTE atomic physics model can significantly affect the power requirements and plasma conditions in ignition hohlraums. This is because the emissivity is a significant factor in determining the time dependent coronal temperature of the hot blow‐off plasma filling ignition hohlraums, which, in turn, determines the total energy stored in that coronal plasma at any instant. Here we present best estimates of NLTE emissivity using the SCRAM model, including the range of uncertainty, and compare them with the emissivity of the model used to design NIF ignition hohlraums and set the NIF pulse shape, XSN NLTE. We then present pulse shapes derived from hohlraum simulations using an atomic physics model that approximates the SCRAM emissivities. We discuss the differences in coronal energetics and show how this affects the pulse shape and, in particular, the peak power requirement.