title: A comparison of planar, laser-induced fluorescence, and high-sensitivity interferometry techniques for gas-puff nozzle density measurements.
abstract: The distribution of argon gas injected by a 12-cm-diameter triple-shell nozzle was characterized using both planar, laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) and high-sensitivity interferometry. PLIF is used to measure the density distribution at a given time by detecting fluorescence from an acetone tracer added to the gas. Interferometry involves making time-dependent, line-integrated gas density measurements at a series of chordal locations that are then Abel inverted to obtain the gas density distribution. Measurements were made on nominally identical nozzles later used for gas-puff Z-pinch experiments on the Saturn pulsed-power generator. Significant differences in the mass distributions obtained by the two techniques are presented and discussed, along with the strengths and weaknesses of each method.
authors.affiliation: Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20375, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mosher
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Phipps
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Stephanakis
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Commisso
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Failor
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Coleman