title: Development of instabilities in wire-array Z pinches.
abstract: 3D resistive MHD simulations are used to show how the properties of the "fundamental" mode of modulated ablation in wire-array Z pinches, are consistent with the growth of a modified m=0-like instability. The modulation wavelength, structure, and evolution is found to be governed by the magnetic topology and is largely independent of the initial conditions. The perturbation amplitude as a function of wire number is shown to be consistent with experimental x-ray power scaling. Simulations of an array of helical wires show a substantial reduction in the amplitude of the instability.
authors.affiliation: Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Chittenden
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jennings