Formation of hot spots in the plasma of a Z-pinch produced from low-density deuterated polyethylene

• Published in: Plasma physics reports 2010-08, Vol.36 (8), p.699-708
• Main Authors: Akunets, A. A., Anan’ev, S. S., Bakshaev, Yu. L., Blinov, P. I., Bryzgunov, V. A., Vikhrev, V. V., Volobuev, I. V., Dan’ko, S. A., Zelenin, A. A., Kazakov, E. D., Korolev, V. D., Meshcherov, B. R., Nedoseev, S. L., Pimenov, V. G., Smirnova, E. A., Ustroev, G. I., Chernenko, A. S., Shchagin, V. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; AGAR; Atomic; CAMERAS; CARBOHYDRATES; COLLOIDS; DISPERSIONS; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; EMISSION; FLUID MECHANICS; HOT SPOTS; HYDRODYNAMICS; IONIZING RADIATIONS; LONGITUDINAL PINCH; MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS; MECHANICS; Molecular; NEUTRON EMISSION; Optical and Plasma Physics; ORGANIC COMPOUNDS; ORGANIC POLYMERS; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; PINCH EFFECT; PLASMA; Plasma Dynamics; POLYETHYLENES; POLYMERS; POLYOLEFINS; POLYSACCHARIDES; RADIATIONS; SACCHARIDES; SIMULATION; SOFT X RADIATION; STREAK CAMERAS; TIME-OF-FLIGHT METHOD; TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS; X RADIATION
• ISSN: 1063-780X; 1562-6938
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X10080064

Results are presented from experimental studies of the plasma formation dynamics in a Z-pinch produced from a cylindrical microporous agar-agar load. The experiments were performed on the S-300 facility at a current of 2 MA and current rise time of 100 ns. To enhance the energy concentration, a deuterated polyethylene neck with a mass density of 50–75 μg/cm 3 and diameter of 1–2 mm was made in the central part of the load. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the Z-pinch were studied using an optical streak camera and fast frame photography in the optical and soft X-ray spectral ranges. X-ray emission was detected using semiconductor and vacuum diodes, and neutron emission was studied by means of the time-of-flight method. It is found that, in the course of continuous plasma production, hot spots with a diameter of 100 μm form in the pinch plasma. The hot spots emit short soft X-ray pulses with a duration of 2–4 ns, as well as neutron pulses with an average neutron energy of about 2.45 MeV. The maximum neutron yield was found to be 4.5 × 10 9 neutrons per shot. The scenario of hot spot formation is adequately described by two-dimensional MHD simulations.