Plasmoid Formation and Strong Radiative Cooling in a Driven Magnetic Reconnection Experiment.

We present the first experimental study of plasmoid formation in a magnetic reconnection layer undergoing rapid radiative cooling, a regime relevant to extreme astrophysical plasmas. Two exploding aluminum wire arrays, driven by the Z machine, generate a reconnection layer (S_{L}≈120) in which the cooling rate far exceeds the hydrodynamic transit rate (τ_{hydro}/τ_{cool}>100). The reconnection layer generates a transient burst of >1  keV x-ray emission, consistent with the formation and subsequent rapid cooling of the layer.

Elevated Electron Temperature Coincident with Observed Fusion Reactions in a Sheared-Flow-Stabilized Z Pinch.

The sheared-flow-stabilized Z pinch concept has been studied extensively and is able to produce fusion-relevant plasma parameters along with neutron production over several microseconds. We present here elevated electron temperature results spatially and temporally coincident with the plasma neutron source. An optical Thomson scattering apparatus designed for the FuZE device measures temperatures in the range of 1-3 keV on the axis of the device, 20 cm downstream of the nose cone.

Probing local electron temperature and density inside a sheared flow stabilized Z-pinch using portable optical Thomson scattering.

We report the first optical Thomson scattering measurements inside a high electron temperature (≳1 keV) and moderate electron density (mid 10 cm) plasma. This diagnostic has been built to provide critical plasma parameters, such as electron temperature and density, for Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy-supported fusion-energy concepts. It uses an 8 J laser at 532 nm in 1.

Free space Thomson scattering to study high energy density shocks.

A free space collective Thomson scattering system has been developed to study pulsed power produced plasmas. While most Thomson scattering diagnostics on pulsed power machines use a bundle of fibers to couple scattered light from the plasma to the spectrometer, this system used free space coupling of the light, which enabled a spatially continuous image of the plasma. Initial experiments with this diagnostic were performed on an inverse wire array generated by a 200 kA, 1100 ns rise time pulse power generator.

Time-resolved and multiple-angle Thomson scattering on gas-puff Z-Pinch plasmas at pinch time.

A 526.5 nm Thomson scattering diagnostic laser enables probing of the plasma conditions of neon gas-puff z-pinch implosions with temporal resolution. Splitting the laser into two 2.