Two-dimensional modeling of the x-radiation output from perturbed Z pinches

Abstract

Two-dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations are presented that demonstrate the effects of magnetically driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities on the soft x-ray output from Z pinches. Instability models, which reproduce the current drive wave form and match visible framing camera data for instability wavelength and amplitude for implosions on capacitively driven inductive store systems, are used to study the structure of the x-ray output and the spectrum of radiation emitted from the pinch. The results indicate that standard magnetohydrodynamics is capable of reproducing much of the observed data when two-dimensional effects associated with Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities are included.