Computer modeling of a small neon gas-puff Z-pinch

The macroscopic dynamics of a cylindrical gas-puff pinch and conditions of radiation plasma collapse are studied by using a one-dimensional (‘mechanical’) computer model. Besides the Joule plasma heating, compressional heating, magnetic field freezing in a plasma and recombination losses also the real temperature- and density-dependencies of radiation plasma loss are taken into account. The results of calculations are compared with experimental data taken from a small neon-puff z-pinch experiment operated at IPP Prague.