Observation of >400-eV Precursor Plasmas from Low-Wire-Number Copper Arrays at the 1-MA Zebra Facility

Journal Article · Fri Apr 17 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.102.155006· OSTI ID:21180389

Coverdale, C A; Ampleford, D J; Jones, B ^[1]; Safronova, A S; Kantsyrev, V L; Ouart, N D; Esaulov, A A; Williamson, K M; Osborne, G C; Shrestha, I ^[2]; Deeney, C ^[3]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
2. University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557 (United States)
3. National Nuclear Security Administration, Washington, D.C. (United States)

Experiments with cylindrical copper wire arrays at the 1-MA Zebra facility show that high temperatures exist in the precursor plasmas formed when ablated wire array material accretes on the axis prior to the stagnation of a z pinch. In these experiments, the precursor radiated approximately 20% of the >1000 eV x-ray output, and time-resolved spectra show substantial emission from Cu L-shell lines. Modeling of the spectra shows an increase in temperature as the precursor forms, up to {approx}450 eV, after which the temperature decreases to {approx}220-320 eV until the main implosion.

• OSTI ID: 21180389
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 15 Vol. 102; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COPPER
EV RANGE 100-1000
IMPLOSIONS
L SHELL
PLASMA
SIMULATION
TIME RESOLUTION
WIRES
X RADIATION