Publications

Investigation of regimes of wire array implosion on the 1 MA Zebra accelerator

Ivanov, V.V.; Kantsyrev, V.L.; Sotnikov, V.I.; Fedin, D.A.; Astanovitskiy, A.L.; Le Galloudec, B.; Nalajala, V.; Shrestha, I.; Cowan, T.E.; Jones, Brent M.; Coverdale, Christine A.; Deeney, C.; LePell, P.D.

Implosion of wire arrays was investigated at the 1 MA Zebra accelerator by multiframe laser probing and gated x-ray self-emission diagnostics. Different regimes of implosion were observed in Al and Cu wire arrays. Implosion of Al loads with masses of 33-37 μgcm produces a dense pinch 1-1.5 mm in diameter. Strong instabilities are observed in the Z pinch at the time of stagnation. Implosion of "overmassed" loads produces a plasma column 3-4 mm in diameter with a core. The plasma column does not collapse during the x-ray pulse. The core of the plasma column is not subjected to the kink instability and transforms to a chain of dense spots in the later stage. Different regimes of implosion were observed in Al 8×15 μm loads presumably due to variations in the current pulse and load conditions. Observed regimes are compared to three-dimensional hybrid simulation of ideal and nonideal magnetohydrodynamics modes of implosion. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.