Modeling of x-ray spectra from stainless steel x-pinches and wire arrays produced on the 1 MA pulsed power generator at UNR

Abstract

Summary form only given. Modeling of X-ray spectra from the implosion of stainless steel wire loads is very challenging because of the overlapping contribution of L-shell spectra from the Fe and Ni ions which are very rich with lines in this region. Spatially-resolved time integrated X-ray spectra accumulated from stainless steel X-pinch and wire array experiments on the 1 MA Zebra generator have been analyzed and compared. The L-shell spectra were recorded by a KAP crystal and cover the spectral range from 8 to 17 Aring. Non-LTE Ni and Fe kinetic models have been developed to account for the K- and L-shell radiation from the Ni and Fe ions. The resulting plasma parameters from modeling the stainless steel X-pinches and wire arrays will be discussed. Pinhole images of X-pinches as well as spatially integrated, harder X-ray spectra monitored by a LiF crystal have indicated the presence of strong electron beams, which implies that X-pinch plasmas are usually anisotropic and therefore suitable for X-ray line polarization studies. Polarization properties of L-shell Fe and Ni lines were theoretically studied and the most important lines for diagnostics of electron distribution function were identified