First X-Pinch-Driven Proton Radiography Applied to Exploding Wire Plasmas

Exploding wires are among the most extensively studied high-energy density plasmas. Measuring their current distribution is essential for understanding ionization, energy transport, magnetohydrodynamics, and phase transitions from the solid state. Proton radiography, a diagnostic technique widely used in laser-plasma experiments, is now being developed for pulsed-power systems. This method enables detailed measurements of currents and magnetic fields, even in low-density environments. In experiments on the XP and MAIZE devices, MeV protons accelerated from a hybrid X-pinch were used to probe aluminum wire plasmas carrying currents of approximately 50 kA. The first-ever proton radiographs of an exploding wire revealed absorption-resolved structures of both the dense core and the surrounding coronal plasma. Analysis of selected proton radiographs enabled measurements of the radial distribution of currents and local magnetic fields.