R.L. Bowers

Two‐dimensional modeling of magnetically driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities in cylindrical Z pinches

A two‐dimensional computational methodology has been developed that uses a phenomenological representation of initial perturbations to model the evolution of magnetically driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities in a hollow Z pinch. The perturbed drive current waveform and x‐ray output obtained from the two‐dimensional models differ qualitatively from the results of unperturbed (one‐dimensional) models. Furthermore, the perturbed results reproduce the principle features measured in a series of capacitor bank‐driven pulsed power experiments. In this paper we discuss the computational approach and the computational sensitivity to initial conditions (including the initial perturbations). Representative examples are also presented of instability evolution during implosions, and the results are compared with experimentally measured current waveforms and visible framing camera images of perturbed implosions. Standard magnetohydrodynamic modeling, which includes instability growth in two dimensions, is found to repr...

Characterization of energy flow and instability development in two-dimensional simulations of hollow z pinches

A two-dimensional (2-D) Eulerian Radiation-Magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) code has been used to simulate imploding z pinches for three experiments fielded on the Los Alamos Pegasus II capacitor bank [J. C. Cochrane et al., Dense Z-Pinches, Third International Conference, London, United Kingdom 1993 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1994), p. 381] and the Sandia Saturn accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Dense Z-Pinches, Second International Conference, Laguna Beach, 1989 (American Institute of Physics, New York, 1989), p. 3] and Z accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Phys. Plasmas 5, 2105 (1998)]. These simulations match the experimental results closely and illustrate how the code results may be used to track the flow of energy in the simulation and account for the amount of total radiated energy. The differences between the calculated radiated energy and power in 2-D simulations and those from zero-dimensional (0-D) and one-dimensional (1-D) Lagrangian simulations (which typically underpredict the tot...

High Temperature Dynamic Hohlraums on the Pulsed Power Driver Z

In the concept of the dynamic hohlraum an imploding Z pinch is optically thick to its own radiation. Radiation may be trapped inside the pinch to give a radiation temperature inside the pinch greater than that outside the pinch. The radiation is typically produced by colliding an outer Z-pinch liner onto an inner liner. The collision generates a strongly radiating shock, and the radiation is trapped by the outer liner. As the implosion continues after the collision, the radiation temperature may continue to increase due to ongoing PdV (pressure times change in volume) work done by the implosion. In principal, the radiation temperature may increase to the point at which the outer liner burns through, becomes optically thin, and no longer traps the radiation. One application of the dynamic hohlraum is to drive an ICF (inertial confinement fusion) pellet with the trapped radiation field. Members of the dynamic hohlraum team at Sandia National Labs have used the pulsed power driver Z (20 MA, 100 ns) to create...

Insights and applications of two-dimensional simulations to Z-pinch experiments

A two-dimensional (2D) Eulerian radiation-magnetohydrodynamic code has been used to successfully simulate hollow metallic z-pinch experiments fielded on several facilities with a wide variety of drive conditions, time scales, and loads. The 2D simulations of these experiments reproduce important quantities of interest including the radiation pulse energy, power, and pulse width. This match is obtained through the use of an initial condition: the amplitude of a random density perturbation imposed on the initial plasma shell. The perturbations seed the development of magnetically driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities which greatly affect the dynamics of the implosion and the resulting production of radiation. Analysis of such simulations allows insights into the physical processes by which these calculations reproduce the experimental results. As examples, the insights gained from the simulations of Sandia “Z” accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Phys. Plasmas 5, 2105 (1998)] experiments have allowed for the ...

Radiation environments produced by plasma Z-pinch stagnation on central targets

A goal of modern pulsed-power technology is the development of an intense, megajoule level source of soft x-rays for use in high-energy density physics experiments. Since 1980 experimental facilities, theoretical concepts, computational tools, and diagnostics have been developed that place pulsed-power at the threshold of performing experiments of great interest to the applied physics community. In this paper the ``Flying Radiation Case`` approach will be presented and its predicted performance on Sandia National Laboratory`s Z-Machine [M.K. Matzen, Phys. Plasmas 4, 1519 (1997)] is described. The effects of instability growth in the plasma during the implosion, its reassembly on a central cushion, and the plasma interactions with shaped electrodes are considered.

Design and modeling of precision solid liner experiments on Pegasus

Pulsed power driven solid liners may be used for a variety of physics experiments involving materials at high stresses. These include shock formation and propagation, material strain-rate effects, material melt, instability growth, and ejecta from shocked surfaces. We describe the design and performance of a cylindrical solid liner that can attain velocities in the several mm/μs regime, and that can be used to drive high-stress experiments. An approximate theoretical analysis of solid liner implosions is used to establish the basic parameters (mass, materials, and initial radius) of the driver. We then present one-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations of magnetically driven, liner implosions which include resistive heating and elastic–plastic behavior. The two-dimensional models are used to study the effects of electrode glide planes on the liner’s performance, to examine sources of perturbations of the liner, and to assess possible effects of instability growth during the implosion. Finally, simula...

Two‐dimensional modeling of the x‐radiation output from perturbed Z pinches

Two‐dimensional radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations are presented that demonstrate the effects of magnetically driven Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities on the soft x‐ray output from Z pinches. Instability models, which reproduce the current drive wave form and match visible framing camera data for instability wavelength and amplitude for implosions on capacitively driven inductive store systems, are used to study the structure of the x‐ray output and the spectrum of radiation emitted from the pinch. The results indicate that standard magnetohydrodynamics is capable of reproducing much of the observed data when two‐dimensional effects associated with Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities are included.

The Atlas project-a new pulsed power facility for high energy density physics experiments

Atlas is a facility being designed at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to perform high-energy-density experiments in support of weapon physics and basic research programs. It is designed to be an international user facility, providing experimental opportunities to researchers from national laboratories and academic institutions. For hydrodynamic experiments, it will be capable of achieving a pressure exceeding 30 Mbar in a several cubic centimeter volume. With the development of a suitable opening switch, it will be capable of producing more than 3 MJ of soft X-rays. The capacitor bank design consists of a 36 MJ array of 240 kV Marx modules. The system is designed to deliver a peak current of 45-50 MA with a 4-5-/spl mu/s rise time. The Marx modules are designed to be reconfigured to a 480-kV configuration for opening switch development. The capacitor bank is resistively damped to limit fault currents and capacitor voltage reversal. An experimental program for testing and certifying prototype components is currently under way. The capacitor bank design contains 300 closing switches. These switches are a modified version of a railgap switch originally designed for the DNA-ACE machines. Because of the large number of switches in the system, individual switch prefire rates must be less than 10/sup -4/ to protect the expensive target assemblies. Experiments are under way to determine if the switch-prefire probability can be reduced with rapid capacitor charging.

Design, fabrication, and operation of a high-energy liner implosion experiment at 16 megamperes

We discuss the design, fabrication, and operation of a liner implosion system at peak currents of 16 MA. Liners of 1100 aluminum, with initial length, radius, and thickness of 4 cm, 5 cm, and 1 mm, respectively, implode under the action of an axial current, rising in 8 /spl mu/s. Fields on conductor surfaces exceed 0.6 MG. Design and fabrication issues that were successfully addressed include: Pulsed Power-especially current joints at high magnetic fields and the possibility of electrical breakdown at connection of liner cassette insulator to bank insulation; Liner Physics-including the angle needed to maintain current contact between liner and glide-plane/electrode without jetting or buckling; Diagnostics-X-radiography through cassette insulator and outer conductor without shrapnel damage to film.

Liner target interaction experiments on Pegasus II

The Los Alamos High Energy Density Physics program uses capacitively driven low voltage, inductive-storage pulse power (including the 4.3 MJ Pegasus II capacitor bank facility) to implode cylindrical targets for hydrodynamics experiments. Once a precision driver liner was characterized an experimental series characterizing the aluminum target dynamics was performed. The target was developed for shock-induced quasi-particle ejecta experiments including holography. The concept for the liner shock experiment is that the driver liner is used to impact the target liner which then accelerates toward a collimator with a slit in it. A shock wave is set up in the target liner and as the shock emerges from the back side of the target liner, ejecta are generated. By taking a laser hologram the particle distribution of the ejecta are hoped to be determined. The goal for the second experimental series was to characterize the target dynamics and not to measure and generate the ejecta. Only the results from the third shot, Pegasus II-26 fired April 26th, 1994, from the series are discussed in detail. The second experimental series successfully characterized the target dynamics necessary to move forward towards our planned quasi-ejecta experiments.