Numerical modeling of heavy ion induced stress waves in solid targets

This paper presents numerical simulations of thermodynamic and hydrodynamic response for solid targets that are irradiated with strongly bunched, highly focused, intense beams of energetic uranium ions. The main purpose of this work is to study the behavior of thermal stress waves induced in such targets by the incident ion beam. These theoretical studies will complement the experimental investigations that will be carried out in the near future at theGesellschaft fr Schwerionenforschung (GSI) plasma physics experimental area. These experiments will be performed using the existing heavy ion synchrotron, SIS18, which delivers 410⁹ uranium ions in a single bunch with a length of about 125ns. Other time structures, for example, a pulse that consists of a series of bunches, are also possible. The particle energy is on the order of 400MeV/u and the beam can be focused to sub millimeter radius. This information concerning material response under intense beam loading will have important implications on designing a viable production target for the superconducting fragment separator, Super-FRS, which is going to be constructed at the future facility for antiproton and ion research (FAIR), Darmstadt,Germany, for the production and separation of exotic nuclei.