Instability heating of a solid fiber Z-pinch

Abstract

A dense Z-pinch formed by the electrical breakdown of solid CD2 fibers in an 800 kA, 100 ns risetime pulse generator has been studied with optical and radiation diagnostics. It has been found that, contrary to calculations based on classical joule heating of the plasma that predict approximate dynamic equilibrium, the pinch always expands explosively while displaying intense m=0 hydromagnetic instability activity. Excellent agreement with the observed expansion rate as well as with measured electron temperatures and neutron yield has been obtained by including in a simulation code the direct heating of ions by turbulence arising from instability growth.