Comparison of Radiative Properties of Wire Arrays and X-Pinches on the 1.7 MA Zebra Generator

ORAL

Abstract

The Zebra generator, a pulse power device, of 1 MA and 100 ns rise time was upgraded with a Load Current Multiplier (LCM) to implode wire loads at higher current of 1.7 MA. Radiative properties of two different wire load configurations, Cylindrical Wire Arrays (CWA) and X-Pinches, are considered and compared. The CWA is 6 Ni-60 wires, mostly Cu, arranged in a cylindrical pattern. The CWA has a total radiation yield of 16 kJ from a column like source including a precursor plasma column prior to the implosion of the wires. The X-pinch was composed of a Ti alloy (6{\%} Al, 4{\%} V). The total radiation yield was 19 kJ and was primarily a point like source with a higher density than the CWAs. Additionally K-shell Al radiated unexpectedly strong in X-pinches for its low percentage of the material. Plasma properties will be described using pinhole images to display the structure and spectra to estimate electron temperatures and densities.

–

Authors

  • A. Stafford

    University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA

  • Alla Safronova

    University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA, University of Nevada, Reno

  • V.L. Kantsyrev

    University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA

  • M.E. Weller

    University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA

  • I. Shrestha

    University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA

  • V.V. Shlyaptseva

    California State University, Dominguez Hills, Univ of California - Irvine, University of Chicago, UC Merced, NINT, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland, MIT, NASA/GSFC, CRESST/UMBC \& NASA/GSFC, LLNL, MPI for Plasma Physics, Remeis-Sternwarte/ECAP/FAU, Humboldt State University, University of Nevada Reno, The University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Nevada, Reno - Physics Department, Jilin University, China, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Department of Physics \& Astronomy, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840, UC Santa Barbara, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, University of California at Merced, Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (CNRS/Ecole Polytechnique/UPMC/Universit\'e Paris Sud), Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA, University of Nevada-Reno

  • V.V. Shlyaptseva

    California State University, Dominguez Hills, Univ of California - Irvine, University of Chicago, UC Merced, NINT, Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland, MIT, NASA/GSFC, CRESST/UMBC \& NASA/GSFC, LLNL, MPI for Plasma Physics, Remeis-Sternwarte/ECAP/FAU, Humboldt State University, University of Nevada Reno, The University of Michigan, University of Nevada, Reno, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Univ of Nevada - Reno, University of Nevada, Reno - Physics Department, Jilin University, China, Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Institute of Physics, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Department of Physics \& Astronomy, California State University, Long Beach, CA 90840, UC Santa Barbara, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, University of California at Merced, Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas (CNRS/Ecole Polytechnique/UPMC/Universit\'e Paris Sud), Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557, USA, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557 USA, University of Nevada-Reno