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High energy density laboratory astrophysics

“…In this technique, a fast-rising current (reaching 1 MA in 240 ns) is applied to a conical array of fine metallic wires. [Lebedev, 2002] The resistive heating of the wires by the current rapidly converts the outer surfaces of the wires to plasma, and through the J X B force, a fraction of this plasma implodes onto the axis. Due to the initial conical shape of the wires, the imploded "precursor" plasma has a net axial velocity component, and turns into a jet.…”

“…(d) Experimental image of a high Mach number, radiatively cooled W jet, done on the Magpie z-pinch facility at Imperical College. Reproduced from[Lebedev, 2002].…”