skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract)

Abstract

Two diagnostics, capable of imaging fast, high temperature, plasmas were used on exploding wire experiments at UC Irvine. An atmospheric pressure nitrogen laser ({lambda}=337.1 nm) was used to generate simultaneous shadow and shearing interferogram images with a temporal resolution of {approximately}1 ns and a spatial resolution of 10 {mu}m. An x-ray backlighter imaged the exploding wire 90{degree} with respect to the laser and at approximately the same instant in time. The backlighter spatial resolution as determined by geometry and film resolution was 25 {mu}m. Copper wires of diameters (25, 50, and 100 {mu}m) and steel wire {ital d}=25 {mu}m were exploded in vacuum (10{sup {minus}5} Torr) at a maximum current level of 12 kA, by a rectified marx bank at a voltage of 50 kV and a current rise time (quarter period) of 900 ns. Copper wires which were cleaned and then resistively heated under vacuum to incandescence for several hours prior to high current initiation, exhibited greater expansion velocities at peak current than wires which had not been heated prior to discharge. Axial variations on the surface of the wire observed with the laser were found to correlate with bulk axial mass differences from x-ray backlighting. High electron density,more » measured near the opaque surface of the exploding wire, suggests that much of the current is shunted outward away from the bulk of the wire. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Authors:
 [1]; ; ;  [2]
  1. Pulsed Power Physics Branch, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375-5320 (United States)
  2. University of California, Irvine, California (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
295644
Report Number(s):
CONF-980605-
Journal ID: RSINAK; ISSN 0034-6748; TRN: 99:001830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Review of Scientific Instruments
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 70; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: 12. topical conference on high-temperature plasma diagnostics, Princeton, NJ (United States), 7-11 Jun 1998; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION; GAS LASERS; PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS; EXPLODING WIRES; IMAGES; NITROGEN; LASER RADIATION; COPPER

Citation Formats

Moosman, B, Bystritskii, V, Wessel, F J, and Van Drie, A. Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract). United States: N. p., 1999. Web. doi:10.1063/1.1149363.
Moosman, B, Bystritskii, V, Wessel, F J, & Van Drie, A. Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract). United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1149363
Moosman, B, Bystritskii, V, Wessel, F J, and Van Drie, A. 1999. "Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract)". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1149363.
@article{osti_295644,
title = {Diagnostics for exploding wires (abstract)},
author = {Moosman, B and Bystritskii, V and Wessel, F J and Van Drie, A},
abstractNote = {Two diagnostics, capable of imaging fast, high temperature, plasmas were used on exploding wire experiments at UC Irvine. An atmospheric pressure nitrogen laser ({lambda}=337.1 nm) was used to generate simultaneous shadow and shearing interferogram images with a temporal resolution of {approximately}1 ns and a spatial resolution of 10 {mu}m. An x-ray backlighter imaged the exploding wire 90{degree} with respect to the laser and at approximately the same instant in time. The backlighter spatial resolution as determined by geometry and film resolution was 25 {mu}m. Copper wires of diameters (25, 50, and 100 {mu}m) and steel wire {ital d}=25 {mu}m were exploded in vacuum (10{sup {minus}5} Torr) at a maximum current level of 12 kA, by a rectified marx bank at a voltage of 50 kV and a current rise time (quarter period) of 900 ns. Copper wires which were cleaned and then resistively heated under vacuum to incandescence for several hours prior to high current initiation, exhibited greater expansion velocities at peak current than wires which had not been heated prior to discharge. Axial variations on the surface of the wire observed with the laser were found to correlate with bulk axial mass differences from x-ray backlighting. High electron density, measured near the opaque surface of the exploding wire, suggests that much of the current is shunted outward away from the bulk of the wire. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}},
doi = {10.1063/1.1149363},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/295644}, journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},
number = 1,
volume = 70,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}