Dynamics of Plasma Jets in Multiwire Arrays

Pavel Sasorov
Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow, 117218, Russia

Acknowledgments

to the Angara-5-1 team, and especially to E. Grabovski, S. Nedoseev and G. Oleinik

Outline

1. 2.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality Theory of plasma ablation rate 2.1 2.2 2.3. 2.4 1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements 2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

3.

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments
This theory is updated significantly by Sasorov, Oliver, Yu and Mehlhorn. However the publication has been not finished yet. Hence I will review only old results in this field and be as brief as possible.

4.

Conclusions

1.
2.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality

Theory of plasma ablation rate 2.1 2.2 2.3. 2.4 1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements 2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

3.

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments

4.

Conclusions

Motivations

The process of prolonged plasma production combined with

the effect of plasma rainstorm at the final stage of implosion are responsible for very high parameters of x-ray pulse obtained with the multiwire arrays.
High quality of plasma compression and hence short duration of the x-ray pulse occur when there is a matching between the time of plasma formation from relatively cold remnants of the initial explosion of the wires and the time of compression of the array with matched mass. This statement was considered theoretically (Alexandrov et al. Plasma Phys. Reps. (2001)) and is obtained experimentally (Cuneo et al. PRE (2005)).
Plasma ablation rate depends on interwire gap (S. Lebedev et al. Nucl. Fusion (2004)) There is an optimal number of wires for good X-ray pulse (Mazarakis et al. (2003))

There is an optimum ratio of ablation time to time of stagnation. Cuneo et al. (2005):

t abl t stag

0 .6
optimum

Motivations

Hence it is important now to have theoretical estimation of plasma ablation rate dependent on all main parameters of multiwire array and its initiation (on I, R0, N, )

The next problem: How do flows from outer and inner arrays of nested array interact with each other?

1.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality

2.

Theory of plasma ablation rate 2.1 2.2

2.3. 2.4

1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements

2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

3.

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments

4.

Conclusions

Prolonged Plasma Production is caused by by heterogeneous structure of individual dense Z-pinches

After a few nanoseconds After a few tens of nanoseconds

to the axis

Plasma flow in the case, when the interwire gap is less than diameters of plasma coronas around the wires

V. V. Alexandrov, et al., Plasma Phys. Reps., 27, 89 (2001).

Estimation of plasma production rate and structure of the accelerating boundary layer
toward the axis toward the generator

Ampere force plasma flow flux Heat

boundary layer; region of considerable current density and Ohmic heating

cold products of initial explosion of wires

Old Simple 1d Estimation of the Plasma Production Rate

While effects of depletion of the plasma source do not work:

I MA g m = 0.18 R cm2 ns L cm

1.8

(theoretical 1d estimation) V. V. Alexandrov, et al., Plasma Phys. Reps., 27, 89 (2001).

After comparison of 1d MHD simulations of plasma dynamic inside arrays and results of magnetic probe experiments at Angara-5-1 (TRINITI, Russia)

I MA g m = 0.07 0.13 RL cm cm2 ns

1.8

DZP5-Proceedings (2002)

1.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality

2.

Theory of plasma ablation rate

2.1 2.2 1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements

2.3. 2.4
3.

2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments

4.

Conclusions

2d Problem

The previous 1d theory does not contain any parameters of array, whereas present experiments show unambiguously dependence on interwire gap and condition of wire initiation. 2d theory Main assumptions:

1. 2. 3.

Periodic structure of wire array Slab geometry All spatial scales of the problem are much smaller than interwire gap

4.

Very thin plasma jets of ideally conducting plasma and vacuum around them

Main equations for accelerating of very thin plasma jets in the frame of ideal MHD.
y B z

v = const = m1 v
x

d 1 v= Bx + B y dx 2

v B y = c E

y x

2cm1 E

d 3 B y = Bx + B y dx

1 1 e 2 x (By (x) B ) (P x) dx Bx + ( x ) = x 0 1 e 2 x sh B = B = Bz = 0
outside the jets

Structure of steady state plasma flow and magnetic field for the case of periodic wire array

y=0 y / = 0.5

By

Bx
0 1 2

y=0
0 1 2

vpuller
0 1 2

2 vcrit ; 3

vcrit

B02 = 12 m

Super alvenic flow

0 1 2

x/

M =

v
c A

=2

Distribution of of Electric Current along the Jet

Bx j

0 0 0.5 1 1.5

x/D

1 x > 0 B0 2 B y ( x 0, y = 0 ) 3 x 3 3 2 x < 0
3

Influence of 2d effects on estimation of ablation rate

Main 2d effects:
1. 2. 3. Only small part of the total current per wire flows in relevant vicinity of wires: I1 << I/N Increasing of local magnetic field in plasma source: B I1/rwire Decreasing of area of ablation

Interplay of these three effects determines estimation of ablation rate that takes into account azimuth periodic structure of plasma source

Estimation of Plasma Production Rate

Assumption:

d s << d <<

ds, dissipation region depth; d , diameter of cylindrical cloud formed by the cold products of initial wire explosion; D , interwire gap.

dissipation region (Ohmic heating; heat conduction; plasma diffusion across magn. field)

B0 B1 B0 ( d )
0 1 3

1/ 3

m1 B d B ( d ) d
1 0 3

m = m1 B (d )

I MA d 1 3 m k R L cm

1 .8 2

Comparison of the 2d correction for plasma production rate with the data from IC
The curve
1.5 1 0.5 0 0

v abl = 93 km s -1 0.4 mm
is superimposed simply on the data by S. Lebedev, et al. (2003)

The theory gives:

v abl

I B m RL
2 0

I = d RL d

0.2

0.4

Updated Estimation for the Plasma Production Rate

I MA d 1 3 m k ; k 0.18 g cm -2 ns -1 (???); R L cm

= 1.8

where is the interwire gap; and d is diameter of cylindrical clouds of relatively cold products of initial wire explosions. 1-/3 0.4 Example: Typical experiment at Angara-5-1 with magnetic probe measurements, that were used earlier to measure the rate of plasma production: RL = 1 cm; N = 40; tungsten; I = 3 MA; let d be equal to 200 m. = 1.5 mm; ds = 50 m; B1 2 B0;

d s << d <<

(d )1 3 ~ 1 2 1 2.5

Conclusions

The case, when the interwire gap is much larger than width of the jets, differs from the 1d case: Only small part of total current flows in the region, where Ohmic heating and transport of the heat toward cold products of initial explosion of wires play significant role. It leads to suppression of the plasma production rate, which becomes now dependent on d/ also. Dependence on d, that is diameter of cold products of initial explosion of wires, means that the ablation rate as well as global dynamics of multiwire arrays depend on subtle details of wire initiation.

I MA d 1 3 m k ; k 0.18 g cm -2 ns -1 R L cm

1. 2.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality Theory of plasma ablation rate 2.1 2.2 2.3. 2.4 1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements 2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

3.

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments

4.

Conclusions

Interaction of plasma flows in nested arrays

Assume that there is no interaction between jets apart from interaction through global magnetic field (conservation of momentum, mass and magnetic flux)

Steady state plasma flow in nested array Equations in the bulk

d 1 d v= B (Br ) dr 4r dr

equation of motion

m1r1 vr = (m1r1 + m2 r2 )

for for

r2 < r < r1 r < r2

mass conservation

vB = cE = const
r B(r0 ) B 3 (r0 ) 2 2 M (r0 ) 3 2 = 2 + M (r0 ) r0 B B

conservation of magnetic flux

4(r ) v(r ) M (r ) = B(r )

v(r ) =

v1 B1 B(r )

(vr ) r (r ) = rv(r )

Steady state plasma flow in nested array Conjugation conditions at inner array
2 2 B2 B2+ 2 v + = 2 + v2 + + 4 4 2 2 2

conservation of momentum mass conservation conservation of magnetic flux

2 v 2 = 2 + v 2 + m2

v2 B2 = v2+ B2+

M (r < r2 ) 1

outflowing into vacuum

Two regimes of steady state plasma flow in nested array

cr1 cr2
r-s pe su

10

((dm2/dt) / (dm1/ dt))cr

5 3 2

n ic lv e -a ub w flo +

subalvenic flow between arrays

1
5 3 2

av kw oc sh e

superalvenic flow between arrays

0.1 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

((dm2/dt) / (dm1/ dt))cr

10 8 6 4 2 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

r2 / r1

r2 / r1

Two regimes of steady state plasma flow in nested array

1.5

superalvenic

1.5

subalvenic

B / B0

0.5

r2= 0.5 r1

B / B0

dm2/dt = dm1/dt

0.5

0 0 0.5 1 1.5

0 0 0.5 1 1.5

v (12m1 dot / B02)

1.5 1 0.5 0 0
4

v (12m1 dot / B02)

r/RL

2 1.5 1 0.5 0

r/RL

0.5

1.5
100

0.5

1.5

r/RL
(B0/ m1 dot)2/ 12

r/RL

(B0/ m1 dot)2/ 12

3 2 1 0 0 0.5 1 1.5

10

dm2/dt = 3 dm1/dt r2 = 0.6 r1

r/RL

0.1 0 0.5 1 1.5

r/RL

Both types of interaction of plasma flows in nested arrays were observed in experiments at Angara-5-1
Nested array: Outer array of 20 mm, 40 W 6 m wires Inner array of 12 mm, 120 W 6 m wires

Wires

microprobes 1 2 3

Typical single array of the same radius:

x 10 2.5 A I1 (r=30 mm) 2
6

4
SXR-power I2 r=9 mm

I, MA
3

SXR Itotal
(a.u.)

1.5

I(<0.85R0) I(<0.65R0)

1
0.5

I3 r=5 mm

0 750

0
800 850 900 950 Time_ns

40

80

120

160

t, ns

Grabovsky, Zukakishvili, Mitrofanov et al. Plasma Phys. Reps. (2005)

Alexandrov et al. IEEE Trans. Plasma Science (2002)

Both types of interaction of plasma flows in nested arrays were observed in experiments at Angara-5-1
x 10 2.5 A I1 (r=30 mm) 2
6

SXR-power I2 r=9 mm

Outer array of 20 mm, 40 W 6 m wires Inner array of 12 mm, 120 W 6 m wires

1.5

0.5

I3 r=5 mm

0 750
A 3 2.5 2 x 10
6

800

850

900
#4087

950

Time_ns

at r=30 mm

SXR-power >50 eV

Outer array of 20 mm, 40 W 6 m wires Inner array of 12 mm, 60 W 6 m wires

at r=9 mm
1.5 1 0.5 0 750 800 850

T(30-5) T(30-9)

at r=5 mm
900 950 Time_ns 1000 1050 1100

Outer array of 20 mm, 40 W 6 m wires Inner array of 6 mm, 40 W 8 m wires

1. 2.

Introduction. Role of prolonged plasma production in implosion of high quality Theory of plasma ablation rate 2.1 2.2 2.3. 2.4 1d model (of 2001) Comparison with magnetic probe measurements 2d model; very thin plasma jets Comparison with experimental data

3.

Interaction of plasma jets in nested arrays 3.1 3.2 Theory of steady state flow (two regimes) Comparison with experiments

4.

Conclusions

Conclusions

Two quite different types of plasma flows interactions may occur in nested multiwire array. This fact was established both theoretically and experimentally.

The first type: the flow between the arrays is superalvenic, and existence of inner array does not influence at all on dynamics of plasma between arrays.

The second type: The flow between the arrays is subalvenic Dynamics of plasma originating from the outer array is determined significantly by existence and parameters of the inner array Main part of the total current flows around initial position of the inner array

What type of possible regimes will take place depends on ratio of radiuses of the arrays r2/r1 and on ratio of ablation rates from the arrays.

Conclusions

The case, when the interwire gap is much larger than width of the jets, differs from the 1d case: Only small part of total current flows in the region, where Ohmic heating and transport of the heat toward cold products of initial explosion of wires play significant role. It leads to suppression of the plasma production rate, which becomes now dependent on d/ also. Dependence on d, that is diameter of cold products of initial explosion of wires, means that the ablation rate as well as global dynamics of multiwire arrays depend on subtle details of wire initiation.

I MA d 1 3 m k ; k 0.18 g cm -2 ns -1 R L cm

Thank you for your attention!