Recent ``tandem puff-on-wire`` experiments on ACE-4
- Maxwell Labs., San Diego, CA (United States)
- Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States). Dept. of Physics
The tandem-puff configuration is a variant on a plasma opening switch z-pinch, driven by a microsecond timescale Marx bank. Current flows in an annular-plasma column for about a microsecond and is then commutated to a central, annular-gas puff. The gas puff subsequently implodes near maximum generator current. Previously reported tandem puff experiments were configured with a single, co-axial, 25--50 micron diameter copper wire on the pinch axis. The data showed enhanced yield in the soft x-ray energy range of {approximately}1 keV which included significant Cu L-shell thermal emission. This paper will present recent results using neon gas injected by a fast valve and 11-centimeter diameter annular nozzle, imploded onto one or more central aluminum wires using load currents of over 2 megamps and implosion times in the range of 300--400 nanoseconds. The radiated spectrum is predominantly thermal K-shell radiation from both atomic species. The authors will attempt to characterize the energy transfer mechanisms relative to existing data.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Defense Nuclear Agency, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 419797
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-960634-; TRN: 97:002094
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1996 IEEE international conference on plasma science, Boston, MA (United States), 3-5 Jun 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1996; Related Information: Is Part Of IEEE conference record -- Abstracts: 1996 IEEE international conference on plasma science; PB: 324 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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