Computational and experimental results of a wall-supported dense Z-pinch experiment

Abstract

Summary form only given. In Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF) experiments, a preheated and magnetized target plasma is hydrodynamically compressed to fusion conditions by a magnetically driven liner. MTF requires initial target plasma conditions of order 10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/, 100 eV, and 100 KGauss. A deuterium-fiber-initiated dense Z-pinch experiment to reach target plasma conditions has been designed, modelled, and built at Los Alamos National Laboratory (1). This experiment is unique in that it utilizes m=0 instability to fill the 2-cm-radius plasma chamber, after which computations predict a relatively stable wall-supported condition may be found. An important issue to be addressed is whether or not heat loading on the walls, and high current density loading on the electrodes of such a pinch, will result in undesirable contamination of the plasma with high-Z material. Additions to the computational model and experimental diagnostics are being prepared to answer such questions. Detailed comparison of the modelling results with experiment will be presented.