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Wire array Z-pinch dynamics are studied in experiments with 16-mm diameter arrays of between 8 and 64, 15-μm diameter aluminum wires, imploded in 200–260 ns by a 1.4-MA current pulse. Side-on laser probing shows early development of noncorrelated m=0-like instabilities with an axial wavelength ∼0.5 mm in individual wires. End-on interferometry (r-θ plane) shows azimuthal merging of the plasma with a density of 1017 cm−3 in 90–65 ns for 8–64 wires, respectively. At the same time low-density plasma reaches the array axis and forms a precursor pinch by 120–140 ns. At 0.7–0.85 of the implosion time a global m=0 instability with a wavelength of 1.7–2.3 mm was detected in soft x-ray gated images, laser probing, and optical streaks. The time when the instability reaches the observable level corresponds to the number of e-foldings for the growth of the classical Rayleigh–Taylor instability of ∫γ dt∼5.6–7. The scaling of this number with the number of wires is consistent with the instability growth from the seed l...

An experimental study of optical probing of a dense z-pinch plasma using the MAGPIE (mega-ampere generator for plasma implosion experiments) generator [I. H. Mitchell et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 67, 1533 (1996)] is reported. The generator was operated with a peak current of 1.1 MA rising in 150 ns (10%–90%). The loads were 33 μm diam carbon fibers. Faraday rotation was used to investigate the distribution of the current flowing in the plasma. A measurable Faraday rotation angle was observed only in a time window from 50 to 60 ns after the current start, due to the fact that this effect depends on a combination of the magnetic-field strength and electron number density. A new type of self-referencing cyclic radial shear interferometer was used to evaluate the plasma density profiles which are necessary for the reconstruction of the current distribution. It was calculated that ∼110 kA was flowing in the plasma at 52 ns after the current start. Shadowgraphy was used to study the dynamics of the plasma and to ...

Experimental observations of the plasma dynamics in a vacuum spark are presented which permit measurements of the electron density and temperature during a large part of the compression phase of the pinch. The vacuum spark is generated by a low-impedance pulse forming line with a maximum current in excess of 100 kA. The discharge is operated in the hybrid mode in a titanium plasma. A laser focused onto the cathode provides the preionizing source. Soft x-ray emission from the current sheath is observed with an x-ray framing camera well before maximum compression. These observations are compared with holographic interferograms, both showing the formation of an axisymmetric rhombic boundary to the plasma sheath. The temperature and density of both the sheath and the internal plasma are observed until the formation of hot spots at the time of maximum compression. The temperature evolution of the hot spots is presented, showing a repeatable behavior that depends on the axial position.

Results are presented from the diagnosis of the optical and x-ray emission from “bright-spots” in carbon fiber Z-pinch experiments using the MAGPIE (Mega-Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments) generator [I. H. Mitchell et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 67, 1533 (1996)]. Inhomogeneities evolve very rapidly within the plasma with bright-spots becoming detectable after 15–20 ns. After a short (∼4 ns) duration formation phase, these bright-spots exhibit highly dynamic behavior. Bifurcation of the bright-spots is observed giving rise to rapid axial motion at 1–3×105 ms−1. The post-bifurcation bright-spots persist for up to 40 ns. Analysis of cross-filtered, time integrated, x-ray pinhole images yield bright-spot parameters during the formation phase (diameter ∼80 μm, temperature 250–300 eV, ion number densities ∼2×1026 m−3). With a spatial resolution of 175 μm, the strong temperature and density gradients within the post-bifurcation spots can be resolved in gated x-ray images with 2 ns exposure times. Aft...

Experimental observations are presented of a vacuum spark driven by a low impedance pulse forming line delivering 100 kA to the load. A pulsed laser is used to form a preionizing plasma on the cathode. The combination of axial and radial optical streak camera observations, together with the time and space resolved soft x‐ray emission, permit the evolution of the plasma dynamics, density and temperature to be measured. Three kinds of behavior are observed according to axial position. A close correlation is found between the x‐ray and the optical emission, with the observation of micropinch formation. A discussion is presented in which the behavior of the vacuum spark under differing operating conditions is compared.

The emission of hard x rays with energies much greater than the applied anode-cathode voltage is a common feature of Z-pinch plasmas. Here time-resolved measurements of such emission from fiber Z pinches at the mega-ampere current level are reported. The x-ray spectrum measured by an array of detectors is used to calculate the energy of the electron beam producing the emission. Pulses of between 20 and 100 ns duration were observed and electron-beam energy measurements of around 2 MeV obtained. It is thought that these high-energy beams are generated by the plasma becoming resistive at the time of x-ray emission.