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Z-pinch
implosions
on
the
Sandia
Z
machine
have
been
photographed
for
the
first
time
using
bent-crystal
radiography
diagnostics.
The
crystals
screen
out
most
of
the
~1
million
joules
of
X-rays
produced
by
the
pinch
implosion,
allowin
g
high-resolution
radiographs
to
be
made
using
<1
joules
of
X-rays
from
Sandia’s
Z-Beamlet
laser.
The
photos
provide
quantitative
information
about
the
initial
formation
and
implosion
of
the
z-pinch
plasmas
that
will
help
researchers
optimize
future
designs
and
improve
X-ray
yields.
(1600)
Quantum molecular dynamics simulations based on density functional theory have been used to generate an accurate wide-range electrical conductivity model and manifestly consistent equation- of-state for stainless steel in the difficult warm dense matter regime. Optical conductivities are calculated for sampled atomic configurations. These new QMD-based physics models permit unprecedented high-fidelity simulations of high energy density physics experiments with advanced modeling codes, such as ALEGRA. (1600)
In the field of complex radiation-hydrodynamics, “rad-hydro,” the Z accelerator has recently extended its application to yet another area of high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion. Specifically, in conjunction with the Z-Beamlet laser as the radiography diagnostic, Z has generated indirectly driven “jets” that, in addition to being of interest to basic science, may provide critical experimental data for benchmarking certain weapons science rad-hydro codes. The project is a close collaboration among Los Alamos, AWE UK, Lawrence Livermore, and Sandia. (1600)
A
Z-Pinch
Inertial
Fusion
Energy
(IFE)
program
was
initiated
by
Congress
to
extend
the
single-shot
z-pinch
fusion
target
results
on
Z
to
a
repetitive-shot
z-pinch
fusion
power
plant
concept
for
the
economical
production
of
electricity.
Initial
results
on
recyclable
transmission
lines,
repetitive
linear
transformer
drivers,
thick-liquid
wall
shock
mitigation,
proof-of-principle
experiment
planning,
IFE
high-yield
targets,
and
z-pinch
IFE
power
plant
technologies
support
development
of
long-range
Z-Pinch
IFE
program.
(1600)
Experiments on Z produced a world-record peak velocity of 34 km/s for a magnetically accelerated aluminum flyer plate, which is a factor of four larger than is possible by conventional gas gun techniques. Shots were designed using the ALEGRA-HEDP magnetohydrodynamics code combined with circuit simulations to accelerate the 0.085 cm thick flyer without shock formation, which destroys it. Velocity measurements proved the flyer was accelerated without shock formation, which enabled accurate, state-of-the-art, equation-of-state data to be obtained for quartz and sapphire. (1600)
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