Spectral Measurements to Determine Liner Compressive Performance on the Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX)*

The Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX) at LANL studies the formation and properties of supersonic spherically imploding plasma liners, used in the plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF) concept. The present campaign on PLX focuses on assessing overall liner compressive performance and quantitatively mapping plasma parameters throughout the liner implosion process. Spatially resolved visible light spectroscopy enables evaluation of electron temperature and relative plasma density over the domain of final liner merge, and also detects residual air in the chamber that is swept up by the liner. Coupling these with imaging diagnostics of the implosion, we can also obtain an approximate compression ratio of the residual air, acting as a pseudo-target. These characteristics are illustrative of the potential for PJMIF as a fusion concept.