Macroscopic Behavior and X-ray Radiation Characteristics of SHOTGUN Z-Pinch Plasma

Gas‐puff z‐pinch plasmas were produced using Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe as pinch materials in the SHOTGUN device. The hardening of x‐ray radiation with atomic number Z of the operating gas was confirmed. It results from higher energy input into the higher Z plasma due to stronger compression, which is attributed to radiation cooling in the contraction phase.The contracting plasma showed nonuniformity along the axis, which results from m = 0 unstable mode. As the nonuniformity develops, the plasma column is divided into several sections, and each of them collapses by turns from the anode. The x‐ray is emitted at several localized spots which corresponds to the nodes of the rippling.