Recent theoretical studies suggest that solenoidal turbulence can significantly enhance fusion reactivity, yet no standard diagnostic exists to directly measure these solenoidal flows in high-energy-density plasmas, nor to distinguish between solenoidal and compressional turbulence. We propose a method that directly diagnoses the energy and spatial structure of this rotational turbulence using the cross-polarization scattering of a probe laser. By coupling to the plasma vorticity, the scattering generates a cross-polarized signal proportional to the turbulent vorticity, effectively acting as a calorimeter for shear flows. We identify a diffractive scattering signature analogous to “Debye-Scherrer ring” that reveals the eddy size distribution. We show that this technique is applicable to National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion conditions and other high-energy-density scenarios.

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• Classical optics
• Inertial confinement fusion
• Laser-plasma interactions
• Mechanical effects of light on material media
• Plasma turbulence
• X-ray beams & optics