X-ray power increase from symmetrized wire-array z-pinch implosions

A systematic experimental study of annular aluminum-wire z-pinches on the Saturn accelerator shows that, for the first time, the measured spatial characteristics and x-ray powers can approach those of two-dimensional, radiation-magneto-hydrodynamic simulations when large numbers of wires are used. Calculations show that the implosion begins to transition from that of individual plasma wires to that of a continuous plasma shell, when the circumferential gap between wires in the array is reduced below 1.4+1.3/-0.7 mm. This calculated gap coincides with the measured transition of 1.4 {+-}0.4 mm between the observed regimes of slow and rapid improvement in power output with decreasing gap. In the plasma shell regime, x-ray powers in excess of a factor of three over that generated in the plasma-wire region are measured

Wire array z-pinch insights for high x-ray power generation

The discovery that the use of very large numbers of wires enables high x-ray power to be generated from wire-array z-pinches represents a breakthrough in load design for large pulsed power generators, and has permitted high temperatures to be generated in radiation cavities on Saturn and Z. In this paper, changes in x-ray emission characteristics as a function of wire number, array mass, and load radius, for 20-mm-long aluminum arrays on Saturn that led to these breakthrough hohlraum results, are discussed and compared with a few related emission characteristics of high-wire-number aluminum and tungsten arrays on Z. X-ray measurement comparisons with analytic models and 2-D radiation-magnetohydrodynamic (RMHC) code simulations in the x-y and r-z planes provide confidence in the ability of the models and codes to predict future x-ray performance with very-large-number wire arrays

Variation of high-power aluminum-wire array Z-pinch dynamics with wire number, array radius, and load mass

A systematic study of annular aluminum-wire z-pinches on the Saturn accelerator shows that the quality of the implosion, including the radiated power, increases with wire number. Radiation magnetohydrodynamic (RMEC) xy simulations suggest that the implosion transitions from that of individual wire plasmas to that of a continuous plasma shell when the interwire spacing is reduced below {approximately} 1.4 mm. In the plasma-shell regime, the experimental implosions exhibit 1D- and 2D-code characteristics as evidenced by the presence of a strong first and a weak second radiation pulse that correlates with a strong and weak radial convergence. In this regime, many of the radiation and plasma characteristics are in agreement with those simulated by 2D-RMHC rz simulations. Moreover, measured changes in the radiation pulse width with variations in array mass and radius are consistent with the simulations and are explained by the development of 2D fluid motion in the rz plane. Associated variations in the K-shell yield are qualitatively explained by simple K-shell radiation scaling models

Rare kaon decays at LAMPF II

At LAMPF II, intense beams of kaons will be available that will enable the rare kaon-decay processes to be investigated. This note explores some of the possibilities, which divide into two classes: (1) those that test the standard model of Weinberg and Salam and (2) those that are sensitive to new interactions. For both classes, experiments have been limited not by systematic errors but rather by statistical ones. LAMPF II with its intense flux of kaons thus will enable the frontier of rare kaon decay to be realistically probed

LAMPF II - also a hyperon factory

The possibility of generating large numbers of hyperons via an intense 4.5 GeV/c K/sup -/ beam at LAMPF II is explored. The advantage of using a K/sup -/ beam over that of using a ..pi.. beam is examined. Hyperon fluxes and backgrounds are estimated and compared with those available from existing hyperon beams. Production mechanisms are briefly discussed

Number of detectable kaon decays at LAMPF II

The maximum number of kaon decays detectable at LAMPF II is estimated for both in-flight and stopping decays. Under reasonable assumptions, the momentum of the kaon beam that optimizes the decay yield occurs at about 6 GeV/c and 600 MeV/c for in-flight and stopping decays, respectively. K/sup +/ decay yields are fo the order of 7 x 10/sup 7/ per 10/sup 14/ interacting with K/sup -/ yields being typically 5 times less. By measuring decays from such beams, a statistical limit of 10/sup -15/ on a branching ratio to a particular channel can be placed in a 100-day run. The large number of kaon decays available at LAMPF II thus provides a powerful tool for sensitively examining rare-decay processes of the kaon

Trends in experimental high-energy physics

Data from a scan of papers in Physical Review Letters and Physical Review are used to demonstrate that American high-energy physicists show a pattern of accelerator and instrumentation usage characteristic of that expected from the logistic-substitution model of Marchetti and of Fischer and Pry

X-ray emission from a high-atomic-number z-pinch plasma created from compact wire arrays

Thermal and nonthermal x-ray emission from the implosion of compact tungsten wire arrays, driven by 5 MA from the Saturn accelerator, are measured and compared with LLNL Radiation-Hydro-Code (RHC) and SNL Hydro-Code (HC) numerical models. Multiple implosions, due to sequential compressions and expansions of the plasma, are inferred from the measured multiple x-radiation bursts. Timing of the multiple implosions and the thermal x-ray spectra measured between 1 and 10 keV are consistent with the RHC simulations. The magnitude of the nonthermal x-ray emission measured from 10 to 100 keV ranges from 0.02 to 0.08% of the total energy radiated and is correlated with bright-spot emission along the z-axis, as observed in earlier Gamble-11 single exploding-wire experiments. The similarities of the measured nonthermal spectrum and bright-spot emission with those measured at 0.8 MA on Gamble-II suggest a common production mechanism for this process. A model of electron acceleration across magnetic fields in highly-collisional, high-atomic-number plasmas is developed, which shows the existence of a critical electric field, E{sub c}, below which strong nonthermal electron creation (and the associated nonthermal x rays) do not occur. HC simulations show that significant nonthermal electrons are not expected in this experiment (as observed) because the calculated electric fields are at least one to two orders-of-magnitude below E{sub c}. These negative nonthermal results are confirmed by RHC simulations using a nonthermal model based on a Fokker-Plank analysis. Lastly, the lower production efficiency and the larger, more irregular pinch spots formed in this experiment relative to those measured on Gamble II suggest that implosion geometries are not as efficient as single exploding-wire geometries for warm x-ray production

Measurement of production cross sections for negative pions, kaons, and protons at 10, 18, and 24 GeV

We report here on a measurement of the 0/sup 0/-production cross sections for low-energy negative secondaries from 10-, 18-, and 24-GeV protons on a variety of targets. Special emphasis is given to determining the dependence of the cross sections on incident proton energy