Abstract
The effect of an axial magnetic field Bz on an imploding metallic gas-puff Z-pinch was studied using 2D time-gated visible self-emission imaging. Experiments were performed on the IMRI-5 generator (450 kA, 450 ns). The ambient field Bz was varied from 0.15 to 1.35 T. It was found that the initial density profile of a metallic gas-puff Z-pinch can be approximated by a power law. Time-gated images showed that the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities were suppressed during the run-in phase both without axial magnetic field and with axial magnetic field. Helical instability structures were detected during the stagnation phase for Bz < 1.1 T. For Bz = 1.35 T, the pinch plasma boundary was observed to be stable in both run-in and stagnation phases. When a magnetic field of 0.3 T was applied to the pinch, the soft x-ray energy was about twice that generated without axial magnetic field, mostly due to longer dwell time at stagnation.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 063502 |
Journal | Physics of Plasmas |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2016 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Condensed Matter Physics