Two-dimensional direct simulation of deuterium-fiber-initiated Z pinches with detailed comparison to experiment

Abstract

Deuterium-fiber-initiated Z-pinch experiments have been simulated using a two-dimensional resistive magnetohydrodynamic model, which includes many important experimental details, such as ‘‘cold-start’’ initial conditions, thermal conduction, radiation, actual discharge current versus time, and grids of sufficient size and resolution to allow realistic development of the plasma. When the fiber becomes fully ionized (at a time depending on current ramp and fiber thickness), the simulations show rapidly developing m=0 instabilities, which originated in the corona surrounding the fiber, drive intense nonuniform heating and rapid expansion of the plasma column. Diagnostics generated from the simulation results, such as shadowgrams and interferograms, are in good agreement with experiment.