X-ray line spectra from exploded-wire arrays

Abstract

Temperatures and densities were determined from the plasma formed by implosion at the center of symmetrical exploded-wire arrays. Temperatures of 500–725 eV were found from line ratios in Al and Si spectra using various plasma models. The recombination temperatures for these elements were 500–550 eV. Higher implosion plasma temperatures of 1.5–2 keV were found in Ti and Fe data. The densities were ∼1×1020 electrons/cm3 for the spatially integrated implosion region. Intense emitting regions of ∼500 μm to ∼1.5 mm in size were observed in densitometer contours of Al-plasma pinhole camera x-ray images.