Measurements of the Axial Magnetic Field during the Implosion of Wire Arrays in the Angara-5-1 Facility

Abstract

Results are presented from measurements of the axial magnetic field during the implosion of tungsten wire arrays in the Angara-5-1 facility at currents of 2.5–4.5 MA. The azimuthal structure of the plasma produced from the wires is examined using the effect of the compression of the axial magnetic flux by this plasma. It is shown that the plasma starts to penetrate into the axial region of the wire array at the very beginning of implosion. A mechanism other than the formation of a closed current-carrying shell is proposed for describing the transfer of the external axial magnetic field to the central region of the array.