title: Fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations of a deuterium gas puff z pinch.
abstract: We present the first fully kinetic, collisional, and electromagnetic simulations of the complete time evolution of a deuterium gas puff z pinch. Recent experiments with 15-MA current pinches have suggested that the dominant neutron-production mechanism is thermonuclear. We observe distinct differences between the kinetic and magnetohydrodynamic simulations in the pinch evolution with the kinetic simulations producing both thermonuclear and beam-target neutrons. The kinetic approach demonstrated in this Letter represents a viable alternative for performing future plasma physics calculations.
authors.affiliation: Voss Scientific, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Mostrom
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Stygar
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Leeper