Leonid Rudakov

Z-pinch plasma neutron sources

A deuterium gas-puff load imploded by a multi-MA current driver from a large initial diameter could be a powerful source of fusion neutrons, a plasma neutron source (PNS). Unlike the beam-target neutrons produced in Z-pinch plasmas in the 1950s and deuterium-fiber experiments in the 1980s, the neutrons generated in deuterium gas-puffs with current levels achieved in recent experiments on the Z facility at Sandia National Laboratories could contain a substantial fraction of thermonuclear origin. For recent deuterium gas-puff shots on Z, our analytic estimates and one- and two-dimensional simulations predict thermal neutron yields ∼3×1013, in fair agreement with the yields recently measured on Z [C. A. Coverdale et al., Phys. Plasmas (to be published)]. It is demonstrated that the hypothesis of a beam-target origin of the observed fusion neutrons implies a very high Z-pinch-driver-to-fast-ions energy transfer efficiency, 5 to 10%, which would make a multi-MA deuterium Z-pinch the most efficient light-ion ac...

Three-dimensional Hall magnetic reconnection

New numerical results of three-dimensional magnetic reconnection in the Hall limit (L<c/ωpi where c/ωpi is the ion inertial length) are presented. The reconnection process is initiated with a magnetic field perturbation localized along the current channel in a reversed field plasma configuration. The perturbation induces a magnetic wave structure that propagates opposite to the current, and leads to the asymmetric thinning of the plasma layer, strong plasma flows in the direction of the current, and rapid magnetic reconnection. The propagating wave structure is a Hall phenomenon associated with magnetic field curvature. The reconnection rate is independent of a (weak) guide field and the boundary conditions (i.e., periodic or outflowing).

Radiation properties and implosion dynamics of planar and cylindrical wire arrays, asymmetric and symmetric, uniform and combined X-pinches on the UNR 1-MA zebra generator

In the following experiments, we studied implosions of different wire arrays and X-pinches produced on the 1-MA Zebra generator at the University of Nevada, Reno. Diagnostics included both spatially-resolved and time-gated X-ray imaging and spectroscopy, and laser probing. In particular, we compared planar wire arrays, to which little energy could be coupled via the conventional magnetic-to-kinetic conversion mechanism, to cylindrical wire arrays of comparable dimensions and mass. The planar wire arrays were shown to radiate much higher peak power and more energy in subkiloelectronvolt and kiloelectronvolt spectral ranges than cylindrical wire arrays. We tested the theoretical conjecture that enhanced resistivity due to the small-scale inhomogeneity of wire-array plasmas has a major effect on dynamics, energy coupling and radiation performance of wire-array Z-pinches. The study of Al, Alumel, and W cylindrical wire arrays shows a wide variety of characteristic behaviors in plasma implosions discussed hereinafter. Additional experimental results for symmetric and asymmetric, uniform stainless steel, Cu, Mo, combined Al/Mo, Mo/Al, Al/W, W/Al, and Mo/W X-pinches are also presented. New data for the total radiation yield are obtained. The planar structures of X-pinch plasma and the corresponding electron beam was observed for most of X-pinches. The generation of hot spots along original wires positions-cooler than those from the cross-wire region-and arc structures with hot spots between wires were found for X-pinches composed from Al, Cu, and W wires.

Planar Wire Array as Powerful Radiation Source

The radiative performance of Al, Ni, and W planar wire arrays, to which little energy could be coupled via the conventional magnetic-to-kinetic conversion mechanism, is investigated. However, the planar wire arrays were shown to radiate much more energy in a short intense peak than possible due to dissipation of the kinetic energy. The planar array gives the unique possibility of seeing the evolution of the small-scale inhomogeneity of wire-array plasmas during wire ablation and implosion phases and highlights the importance of the Hall plasma phenomena and their impact on the dynamics, energy coupling, and radiation performance of wire-array Z-pinches

Double planar wire array as a compact plasma radiation source

Magnetically compressed plasmas initiated by a double planar wire array (DPWA) are efficient radiation sources. The two rows in a DPWA implode independently and then merge together at stagnation producing soft x-ray yields and powers of up to 11.5kJ∕cm and more than 0.4TW∕cm, higher than other planar arrays or low wire-number cylindrical arrays on the 1MA Zebra generator. DPWA, where precursors form in two stages, produce a shaped radiation pulse and radiate more energy in the main burst than estimates of implosion kinetic energy. High radiation efficiency, compact size (as small as 3–5mm wide), and pulse shaping show that the DPWA is a potential candidate for ICF and radiation physics research.

Model of enhanced energy deposition in a Z-pinch plasma

In numerous experiments, magnetic energy coupled to strongly radiating Z-pinch plasmas exceeds the thermalized kinetic energy, sometimes by a factor of 2–3. An analytical model describing this additional energy deposition based on the concept of macroscopic magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulent pinch heating proposed by Rudakov and Sudan [Phys. Reports 283, 253 (1997)] is presented. The pinch plasma is modeled as a foam-like medium saturated with toroidal “magnetic bubbles” produced by the development of surface m=0 Rayleigh-Taylor and MHD instabilities. As the bubbles converge to the pinch axis, their magnetic energy is converted to thermal energy of the plasma through pdV work. Explicit formulas for the average dissipation rate of this process and the corresponding contribution to the resistance of the load, which compare favorably to the experimental data and simulation results, are presented. The possibility of using this enhanced (relative to Ohmic heating) dissipation mechanism to power novel plasma r...

Heating of on-axis plasma heating for keV X-ray production with Z-pinches

We discuss a new opportunity of using Z-pinch plasma radiation sources for generating Ar K-shell radiation and harder keV quanta. Our approach to keV X-ray generation is based upon an analogy with laser fusion, where the imploding shell compressionally heats the low-density inner mass. The suggested design of a Z-pinch load consists then of one or two heavy outer shell(s) with a lower mass on-axis fill (i.e., central gas jet) producing most of the radiation. The outer shell is not supposed to radiate and thus does not need to have high specific energy characterized by the large /spl eta/ parameter (Whitney et al., 1990). Thus, the heavy outer shell does not need to have a very large initial diameter for its implosion to be matched to the long-pulse current driver. Rather, we want to have a large amount of energy from the driver coupled to this shell by the moment when the shell collides with the low-density fill and eventually converts much of this energy to the thermal energy of the on-axis plasma. This configuration is investigated numerically in the framework of a one-dimensional radiation-magneto-hydrodynamics model for the case of Ar K-shell radiators. It is demonstrated that the Ar fill is heated in two stages. The first stage corresponds to the shock heating and thermal conduction in an initially low-density fill, and it allows preheating the fill while avoiding significant losses in soft radiation. The fill radiator is then compressed quasi-adiabatically and is heated-up to the temperature optimum for K-shell quanta generation. Diffusion of the driving magnetic field is shown to always suppress the conductive heat losses from the hot on-axis plasma to the cold outer shell. Absorption of the K-lines emitted near the axis in the surrounding plasma could be avoided by filling the outer shell with a different gas (like N-on-Ar), which allows a substantial increase in the observed keV X-ray radiation yields.

High energy photon radiation from a Z-pinch plasma

A new approach to the generation of kilovolt x ray radiation in Z-pinch plasma radiation sources is proposed. In cases where the pulse power machine has insufficient energy to efficiently produce K-shell emission from the atomic number element that emits in the required kilovolt energy range, it may be advantageous to produce x rays by recombination radiation emitted from a lower atomic number plasma. The optimal load conditions for maximizing the high energy free–bound continuum radiation that can be produced in a given spectral range are analyzed. The largest yield is expected from a highest-atomic-number element that could efficiently produce K-shell yield on a given pulse power machine. Two options available for the choice of a wire array material to generate x rays with photon energies above 7–8 keV are identified and discussed, aluminum and titanium. The analytical estimates and simulation results for “Z” machine implosions show that continuum radiation from an aluminum plasma in this spectral range...

Co-existence of Whistler Waves with Kinetic Alfven Wave Turbulence for the High-Beta Solar Wind Plasma

It is shown that the dispersion relation for whistler waves is identical for a high or low beta plasma. Furthermore, in the high-beta solar wind plasma, whistler waves meet the Landau resonance with electrons for velocities less than the thermal speed, and consequently, the electric force is small compared to the mirror force. As whistlers propagate through the inhomogeneous solar wind, the perpendicular wave number increases through refraction, increasing the Landau damping rate. However, the whistlers can survive because the background kinetic Alfven wave (KAW) turbulence creates a plateau by quasilinear (QL) diffusion in the solar wind electron distribution at small velocities. It is found that for whistler energy density of only ∼10−3 that of the kinetic Alfven waves, the quasilinear diffusion rate due to whistlers is comparable to KAW. Thus, very small amplitude whistler turbulence can have a significant consequence on the evolution of the solar wind electron distribution function.

Hall magnetohydrodynamics of neutral layers

New analytical and numerical results of the dynamics of inhomogeneous, reversed field current layers in the Hall limit (i.e., characteristic length scales ≲ the ion inertial length) are presented. Specifically, the two- and three-dimensional evolution of a current layer that supports a reversed field plasma configuration and has a density gradient along the current direction is studied. The two-dimensional study demonstrates that a density inhomogeneity along the current direction can dramatically redistribute the magnetic field and plasma via magnetic shock-like or rarefaction waves. The relative direction between the density gradient and current flow plays a critical role in the evolution of the current sheet. One important result is that the current sheet can become very thin rapidly when the density gradient is directed opposite to the current. The three-dimensional study uses the same plasma and field configuration as the two-dimensional study but is also initialized with a magnetic field perturbatio...