Multi-Planar Wire Array Precursor Formation on the 1MA Zebra Generator*

The double-planar wire array (DPWA) is the most promising z-pinch load studied on the 1MA Zebra generator for application to radiation physics and ICF studies. Initial investigation of this load revealed unique implosion dynamics: each plane implodes independently into two off-axis columns before coalescing into the final pinch.\footnote{V. L. Kantsyrev, et. al., PoP, \textbf{15}, 030704 (2008)} New results are presented exploring the formation of these off-axis plasma columns with laser shadowgraphy and time-gated x-ray imaging, each fielded parallel to wire planes 6mm apart. Simulated radial current distribution and ablation effects\footnote{A. A. Esaulov, et. al., HEDP, \textbf{5} (2009), in press} along with simple 3-D calculations were used to establish the processes that created the observed structures. These dynamics are then compared with triple-planar wire array (TPWA) loads.