Multi frame synchrotron radiography of pulsed power driven wire explosions*

We present synchrotron based phase contrast radiography to study pulsed power driven high energy density physics experiments. Over the past decade underwater electrical wire explosions have become of interest due to their ability to efficiently couple stored electrical energy into intense shock waves in the water. These can subsequently be shaped to provide convergent implosions, resulting in very high pressures (1-10 Mbar) being produced on relatively small pulsed power facilities (100s of kA-MA). Multiple experiments have explored how a single wire explodes in water, hoping to understand the underlying physics and better optimise this process; however, diagnostics can be limited.

Utilising the phase contrast imaging capabilities of the ID19 beamline at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, we have been able to image both the exploding wire and the shock wave launch in multiple frames. Probing radiation of 20-30 keV radiographed 200 µm tungsten and copper wires, in ~2 cm diameter water cylinders with resolutions of up to 8µm.