Double Shock Experiments on the Sandia Z Machine

The double shock layered high-velocity flyer plate is one new capability being developed on Sandia's Z machine. With this technique, dynamic material data at high energy densities can be obtained at points in phase space which lie neither on principal Hugoniots nor on quasi-isentropic ramp curves. For example, the hypothesized HCP to BCC phase transition in beryllium can be measured, as can the high pressure melt curve. Another example is a postulated refreeze of tantalum. We discuss the double shock experiments being performed on Z, including accessible conditions, design and experimental methods, and analysis of results. \newline \newline Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.