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Research Interests
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Research in the Center for Pulsed-Power-Driven High-Energy-Density Plasma Studies
emphasizes the investigation of high-energy-density z-pinch plasmas and related research
activities. Sponsored by the Department of Energy through a Cooperative Agreement with
Cornell University, the principal mandate of our Center is to carry out high quality experimental
high-energy-density plasma physics research. Typically this involves states of matter ranging
from near solid density at a temperature of ~ 10,000 K (“warm, dense matter”) to ~ 107 K at
perhaps as low as 0.1% of solid density. However, for high-energy density systems, theory
together with modern computer simulations of laboratory experimental configurations constitute
an important component of the discovery process, and so we do include theory and computer
simulations in our Center research program.
Most of our plasmas are initiated from exploding fine metal wires, typically = 25 microns in
diameter, with currents ranging from 1 kiloampere (kA) to a few hundred kA per wire,
including the X-pinch configuration. The Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque,
uses their Z-machine, a 20 million Ampere pulsed power generator, explode cylindrical
arrays of metal wires to generate up to 2 million Joules of x-rays [Gerold Yonas,
Scientific American, August 1998, p. 40]. The Sandia experiments motivated our initial
studies of individual exploding wires at Cornell, and the wire array experiments at our
Center partner laboratory at Imperial College, London. However, Center research is not
limited to these two classes of experiments. We also address laboratory simulation of high
energy density astrophysical phenomena, studies of radiation-dominated dense plasmas,
interaction of plasma jets with target plasmas, and the atomic physics of highly
stripped high-Z elements. In addition, we will expand our range of applications of
pulsed-power-driven high energy density science to include isentropic compression experiments
that take advantage of the ultra-high magnetic pressures that can be generated with a high
current pulsed power generator. We will also be looking for additional practical
applications, such as in the biological or medical sciences, of the high-resolution x-ray
imaging capability that we have developed for the exploding wires using X pinch plasmas.
Some experiments will be carried out as collaborative efforts with Sandia scientists either
at Center facilities or using the Z-machine at Sandia.
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