Energy Transformation in Z-Pinch and Plasma Focus Discharges with Wire and Wire-in-Liner Loads

Pavel Kube,1 Jozef Kravrik, 1 Daniel Klr, 1 Marek Scholz, 2 Marian Paduch, 2 Krzysztof Tomaszewski, 2 Leslaw Karpinski, 2 Yury L. Bakshaev, 3 Peter I. Blinov, 3 Andrey S. Chernenko,3 Sergey A. Danko,3 Valery D. Korolev, 3 Andrey Y. Shashkov, 3 Victor I. Tumanov3
2

Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, Warsaw, Poland 3 Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Moscow, Russia

Abstract: The results of the study of the Z-pinch and plasma- focus plasmas at presence of the axial C, Al, or Cu wires of sufficient high diameter are discused in this paper. The wire was positioned on the top of the inner electrode of the PF 1000 plasma focus (1.8 MA, IPPLM Warsaw), or at the axis with or without the tungsten or alumine wire array load at the S-300 facility (3 MA, RRC Kurchatov Institute, Moscow), and at the axis of the small Z-pinch Z-150 (50 kA, CTU Prague). The plasma corona around the wire was generated both by the current going through the wires and by the implosion of the wire array or of the current sheath. The experiments showed interesting results often observed in some shots of Z -pinch type discharges existence of helical structures, two relatively long and stable pinch phases, oscillation of pinch diameter, and back return of the plasma exploding from the pinch. All these observed phenomena can be evolved by spontaneous self- generation and transformation of the axial magnetic field in the pinch during the plasma implosion and explosion. A configuration of axial and azimuthal magnetic field confines the plasma and later transforms or dissipates during a few tens or hundreds ns. A fast transformation of internal magnetic fields can induce a sufficiently high electric field for generation of keV particles and radiation. Study and usage of Z-pinch discharges is connected with solving of two principal problems, limitation of instability development and a way of generation of high energy particles and radiation. The first problem is partially solved by the faster increase of the current, by better cylindrical symmetry of the load and plasma, by higher density of the plasma or by the presence of a stronger magnetized plasma. Generation of high energy particles and radiation is usually explained by an increase of the plasma (anomalous) resis tance, when the main part of the energy at the pinch phase

is released in radiation. The energy transformations are usually presented as a chain: compressing magnetic energy kinetic energy heating of the pinched plasma radiation and the stationary conditions are described by Bennett equation. A few percentage of particles and photons is accelerated to the high energy of a keV. In [1] three possible mechanisms for ion acceleration are mentioned - direct acceleration due to generation of a high inductive voltage during current breakdown after formation of the neck (qualitative picture Trubnikov 1986 on the base of diameter decrease), mechanism related to compressional heating in the neck releasing by ejection of hot plasma from its ends (described by Vikhrev 1986 on the base of Bennett equilibrium) and the stochastic acceleration of the tails of the ion velocity distribution function due to microturbulence in a plasma with relatively low density. Acceleration of electrons is usually explained by runaway process when the electrons have high enough initial energy. High energy X-rays are produced by high-energy electrons. In this presentation some remarks to the active role of magnetic field at energy transformations are discussed. For study of the wire corona the experiments with the C, Al, Cu fibers of diameter of 30-300 m have been performed at the small Z-pinch (50 kA, CTU Prague, wire load), at the plasma focus PF 1000 (1.8 MA, IPPLM Warsaw, wire on the top of the inner electrode) and at the fast Z-pinch S-300 (3 MA, Kurchatov Institute in Moscow, wire and wire- liner load). Around the wire with a core in solid state a corona was formed with the dense and magnetized plasma which firstly depress an instability development and secondly slow down the velocity of transformations of the plasma configurations as discussed later. We would like to show a few observed phenomena, which help to improve the existence and transformation of axial magnetic field: the first is the helical structures in some phases of pinching discharges (Fig.1, Fig. 2), the second is two relatively long and stable pinch phases in some shots (Fig.3), the third is the repeating of the pinch after short explosion (Fig. 4), the fourth is the second pinching of the pinch phase (Fig. 5) and the fifth is back return of the plasma exploding from the pinch (Fig. 6). All these effects could be caused by the existence of an axial magnetic field (Bz) and its transformation inside the plasma. This axial field with a random orientation can be spontaneously self- generated at the Z-pinch implosion in the consequence of fluctuations of plasma density, implosion velocity and cylindrical symmetry of magnetic field (analogy to the magnetic field generation in stars and planets). At the final phase of the plasma implosion the kinetic energy does not transform directly into heat, but partially to the compressed axial component of magnetic field. In some shots with a better developed B , the pinch with higher diameter and usually lower X -ray z emission is formed. The final helicity of composed azimuthal and axial magnetic field is dependent on the intensity of the spontaneous self- generation of the axial component, on the radius of the pinch layer and on Bz periodicity along the Z-axis. The lower helicity belongs to internal layers of the pinch and the periodicity along the zaxis is related to the periodicity of m=0 instabilities. The final phase of the implosion is connected with development of these instabilities and radial explosion of the plasma from the pinch localities with higher diameter. This expanding plasma is crossing

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FIGURE 1: PF 100, shot 2074, MCP X frame of helical structure of plasma channel around Al wire corona, time delay between upper and down figure 10 ns.

FIGURE 2: S 300, shot 9805191, helical structure of time integrated pinhole camera figure of Cu wire at current 1 MA , 12 mm mylar.

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FIGURE 3: S 300,shot 0011011, visible streak camera record of two phases of pinch of imploded W-wire array.

FIGURE 4: PF 1000, oscillation of current sheath pinch.

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FIGURE 5: S 300,shot 9905193, X-frame pinch of Al wire corona at 1MA current.

FIGURE 6: shot 0205282, shadowgramm of Cu wire corona at 1MA current.

through the external magnetic field with opposite helicity (due to opposite orientation of closed Bz lines in external layers of the pinch) and it is caught into azimuthal current loops with opposite current orientation than that connected with internal helicity of magnetic lines. Inside of these loops the total axial magnetic field is much smaller than inside of the helical structures and the loops can pinch. (The neck of the m=0 instabilities in Fig. 3 could be examples of these loops). The dynamic behavior of the observed helical formations was roughly estimated in paper [2] by a ratio of imploding pressure of azimuthal magnetic field and expanding pressure of axial magnetic field. Then, at the plasma expansion, the influence of Bz is limited due to generation of the opposite azimutal current, while the compression influence of the azimuthal magnetic field is increased and the expansion can be stopped (Fig. 3). In some cases the compression can convert into implosion as it is shown in Fig. 4. During the implosion discussed before the damping of the generated and compressed axial Bz lines is increasing. The expansion pressure of the axial magnetic field is va nishing during the time of diffusion and penetration of magnetic fields of both opposite orientations. This process enables the pinching of the necks (generation of hot spots) and induction of the high electric field (acceleration of high energy particles and radiation). Then the time of steady state and transformations is given by the time of magnetic fields dissipation. Vanishing of the opposite axial magnetic field is probably accompanied by high electric field induction, and ion and electron acceleration. The main results can be summarized as follows. In the corona of thick fibers at Zpinch implosion the azimuthal magnetic field transforms partially into axial component and at the explosion vice-versa. High energy particles can be generated by a high electric field, which is induced by the fast penetration and dissipation of magnetic field inside the plasma. Acknowledgement We are grateful to Prof. Kingsep for significant comments. This research has been supported by the research program No J04/98:212300017 Research of Energy Consumption Effectiveness and Quality of the Czech Technical University in Prague, by the research program INGO No LA 055 Research in Frame of the International Center on Dense Magnetized Plasma and Research Center of Laser Plasma LN00A100 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. References:
[1]. Ryutov D. D, Derzon M. S, Matzen M.K, The physics of fast Z pinches, Review of Modern Physics, vol 72 No. 1 (2000), pp. 167-224. [2 ] Kube P., Renner O., Kravrik J., Krousk E., Bakshaev Y.L., Blinov P.I., Chernenko A.S., Gordeev E.M., Danko S.A., Korolev V.D., Shashkov A.Y.: Diagnostics of an Al Wire Corona of a MA Z-pinch, Plasma Physics Reports, 28 No.4 (2002), pp. 296-302