Effect of an axial magnetic field on stabilization of magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in gas-puff Z-pinches*

In imploding Z-pinches, the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability is potentially disruptive to the pinch stability. It has been demonstrated that multi-shell Z-pinch loads or an externally-applied axial magnetic field can mitigate MRT instability¹. We present an analysis on the stability of Staged Z-pinch (SZP) ² implosions, where high Z liner (Argon or Krypton gas) is used on a target (deuterium gas).Experiments were carried out on the Zebra generator (1 MA, 100 ns) at the University of Nevada, Reno.The data shows that an external axial magnetic field B_z of the order of 0.15 T does not noticeably affect the implosion trajectories, however it significantly reduces the average instability amplitude. Spectral analysis of the XUV images indicate that MRT modes with wavelength λ = 0.7–1.2 mm, dominant in the case B_z = 0, are stabilized if B_z = 0.15 T is applied. A detailed analysis of pinch dynamics will be presented.

J. Giuliani, and R. Commisso. “A Review of the Gas-Puff Z-Pinch as an X-Ray and Neutron Source”. IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 43, 2385 (2015).

1. H. U. Rahman, F. J. Wessel, and N. Rostoker. “Staged Z Pinch”. Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 714 (1995).