Electrical explosion of metals in fast-rising megagauss magnetic fields

Abstract

A criterion for the surface explosion of metal conductors in strong magnetic fields with the magnetic induction rising at rates over 4×1013 G/s has been obtained for a current skinning mode: the explosion occurs as the magnetic energy density at the metal surface becomes as high as a factor of 1.5–2 of the sublimation energy density for the metal under normal conditions.