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Nonlinear stage of a Z-pinch instability

Journal Article · · Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)
OSTI ID:5398942

The nonlinear evolution of the sausage instability is analyzed for a Z-pinch with a fully developed skin effect in the current. Two-dimensional numerical calculations carried out on the sausage instability show that its occurrence leads to a stage describable by a self-similar solution when the length of the neck is fixed and the plasma compression is isentropic. At a perturbation wavelength small in comparison with the pinch radius, this stage is preceded by a stage which reduces to a nonlinear Rayleigh--Taylor instability. The dynamics of the motion of magnetic field ''bubbles'' and of plasma ''jets'' is analyzed in this case. The plasma jets emerging from the pinch do not block the pinch from the current source.

Research Organization:
Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics
OSTI ID:
5398942
Journal Information:
Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 13:8; ISSN SJPPD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English