title: Structural evolution and formation of high-pressure plasmas in X pinches.
abstract: Two- and three-dimensional MHD simulations are used to provide a theoretical description of 2 wire molybdenum X-pinch experiments. The initial evolution from solid wires to the formation of supersonic jets and a central micro-Z pinch is found to result from the slow rate of wire ablation and from the distribution of the Lorentz force. The growth of m=0 instabilities triggers the formation of micron sized regions of intense x-ray emission with plasma pressures in the Gbar range. A simple analytical model is used to predict how the maximum density and temperature scale with material and current.
authors.affiliation: Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London SW7 2BW, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chittenden
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciardi
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jennings
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Lebedev
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pikuz
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Shelkovenko