High Energy Density Physics for Inertial Confinement

# High Energy Density Physics for Inertial Confinement Fusion

## Core Concepts
High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) studies matter under extreme pressure (>1 Mbar) and energy density (>10^5 J/cm^3), conditions relevant to stellar interiors and Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). Inertial confinement uses rapid energy deposition to compress fusion fuel to densities ~1000× solid and temperatures ~10 keV, enabling thermonuclear burn.

## Key Physics Regimes
- **Ablation Dynamics**: Laser or X-ray driven plasma blowoff creates rocket-like compression
- **PdV Work**: Convergent hydrodynamic work converts kinetic energy to internal energy
- **Capsule Implosion**: Spherical convergence ratios of 30-40× amplify density/temperature
- **Deceleration Phase**: Final stagnation at peak compression with ρR > 0.3 g/cm²