Analysis of the effects of atomic mass, jet velocity, and radiative cooling on the dimensionless parameters of counter-propagating, weakly collisional plasma flows

We have studied the collision of counter-propagating plasma flows using opposing conical wire arrays driven by the 200kA, 150ns rise-time 'GenASIS' driver. These plasma flows produced weakly collisional, well-defined bow-shock structures*. Varying initial parameters such as the opening angle of the array and the atomic mass of the wires allowed us to modify quantities such as the density contrast between jets, intra-jet mean free path ($\lambda_{\mathrm{mfp}}$, scales with v, atomic mass A, and ionization state Z$_{\mathrm{i}}^{\mathrm{-4}})$, Reynolds number (Re, scales with AZ), and the Peclet number (Pe, scales with Z). We calculate these dimensionless quantities using schlieren imagery, interferometry, and emission data, and determine whether they meet the scaling criteria necessary for the comparison to and subsequent study of astrophysical plasmas. *J.C. Valenzuela-Ahumada \textit{et al.}, \textit{High Energy Density Physics}, (2015).