title: Influence of induced axial magnetic field on plasma dynamics and radiative characteristics of Z pinches.
abstract: The influence of an induced axial magnetic field on plasma dynamics and radiative characteristics of Z pinches is investigated. An axial magnetic field was induced in a novel Z-pinch load: a double planar wire array with skewed wires (DPWAsk), which represents a planar wire array in an open magnetic configuration. The induced axial magnetic field suppressed magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities (with m = 0 and m = 1 instability modes) in the Z-pinch plasma. The influence of the initial axial magnetic field on the structure of the plasma column at stagnation was manifested through the formation of a more uniform plasma column compared to a standard double planar wire array (DPWA) load [V. L. Kantsyrev et al., Phys. Plasmas 15, 030704 (2008)]. The DPWAsk load is characterized by suppression of MRT instabilities and by the formation of the sub-keV radiation pulse that occurs before the main x-ray peak. Gradients in plasma parameters along the cathode-anode gap were observed and analyzed for DPWAsk loads made from low atomic number Z (Al) and mid-Z (brass) wires.
authors.affiliation: Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Kantsyrev
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Esaulov
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Safronova
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Velikovich
authors.forename: L I
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Rudakov
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Osborne
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Weller
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stafford
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Shlyaptseva