Dense Z-pinch at the Nevada terawatt facility

Summary form only given, as follows. A 2-TW z-pinch (Zebra from LANL: 2 MV, 1.2 MA, 100 ns, 200 kJ, 1.9 ohm) and a 200-MW z-pinch (100 kV, 2 kA, 50 ns) are used to investigate the early-time evolution of a current-driven load. We studied the heating, expansion, and dynamics of wires driven by current prepulses similar to those at SNL-Z in isolated-wire and SNL-Z wire-array geometries. Diagnostics in the X-ray domain include time-resolved imaging, imaging spectroscopy, and X-pinch backlighting. Laser and optical diagnostics include imaging, schlieren, laser-absorption, interferometry, and imaging spectroscopy, obtained with streak cameras and a Nd:glass laser. Other diagnostics X-ray interferometry, polarization X-ray imaging spectroscopy, laser-induced fluorescence, laser polarimetry, and collective Thomson scattering are coming online. 2D and 3D MHD and PIC modelling of Z-pinches has been initiated, initial instability development will be compared with the linear growth rates of m=0 sausage modes, with and without axial sheared flow, axial magnetic field, and the Hall term.