A partly stabilized dynamic pinch

Abstract

The standard dynamic pinch is subject to sausage (or m = 0) instabilities which grow nonlinearly and effect the rapid self-destruction of this pinch configuration. The stabilizing axial field is applied externally to the plasma column. Preliminery experiments conducted with a 20,000 joule source show the expected hydrodynamics and instability pattern. First bounce time in 100 microns deuterium was reached at 0.7 mu sec, and m = 1 instability breakup was observed at 1.5 mu sec. Neutron pulses of about 10/sup 5/ were recorded coincident with the m= 1 instability rather than with the applied voltage. The neutron yield was unaffected by the presence of substantial fractions of helium, but disappeared totally at 300 microns starting pressure. The mechanism of production is nct completely understood, but it is thought that Fermi-type acceleration of fast deuterons rather than bulk heating of the plasma might account for the yield observed. A larger energy source is being applied to the further study of this configuration. (auth)