Scaling Relations for Pulsed Power-Driven Hydrodynamics Experiments

Pulsed power hydrodynamics experiments typically involve multi-megajoule capacitor banks, imploding thin-walled cylinders of solid- density metal by the electromagnetic force associated with axial currents in excess of ten megamperes. Much of this activity operates with technology developed for other applications (e.g., soft X-ray generation), which can be significantly larger than actually required for the scientific objectives of such experiments. This is particularly true, if imaging diagnostics (e.g., proton radiography) with greater spatial and temporal resolution become available, permitting implosion experiments of smaller scale size. The present paper develops scaling relationships for electromagnetically-driven implosions and indicates the substantial reduction in system energy with reduced scale size.