Observation of >400-eV precursor plasmas from low-wire-number copper arrays at the 1-MA zebra facility.
Experiments with cylindrical copper wire arrays at the 1-MA Zebra facility show that high temperatures exist in the precursor plasmas formed when ablated wire array material accretes on the axis prior to the stagnation of a z pinch. In these experiments, the precursor radiated approximately 20% of the >1000 eV x-ray output, and time-resolved spectra show substantial emission from Cu L-shell lines. Modeling of the spectra shows an increase in temperature as the precursor forms, up to approximately 450 eV, after which the temperature decreases to approximately 220-320 eV until the main implosion.
Coverdale
C A
CA
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
Safronova
A S
AS
Kantsyrev
V L
VL
Ouart
N D
ND
Esaulov
A A
AA
Deeney
C
C
Williamson
K M
KM
Osborne
G C
GC
Shrestha
I
I
Ampleford
D J
DJ
Jones
B
B