Pulsed electromagnetic acceleration of exploded wire plasmas

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Abstract
A simple analysis of the dynamic state of a current-conducting high-density plasma column, resulting from an exploded wire between the conductors of a rail-gun accelerator or one or more wires strung between the anode and cathode conductors in a pulsed-power generator diode, is given on the basis of a one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics model. Spatial distributions of the current density, magnetic field, temperature, and particle density are calculated as well as the temporal current, voltage, and impedance histories. The model self-consistently treats the accelerator load transition through its solid, melt, vapor, and plasma states in the presence of its supply source and feed network. Once formed and accelerated, the plasma state calculations show expansion cooling across the self-induced magnetic field if the Bennett condition is not satisfied. The model predictions are compared to two experimental situations. The first involves the delivery of some hundreds of Joules of stored energy to the wire load. For this case, good agreement between the calculated and observed plasma state is obtained. The second situation involves the delivery of many thousands of Joules to the wire load. For this case and dependent upon the wire mass, diameter, number of wires exploded, their separation, and the pulsed energy electrical wave shapes, the magnetohydrodynamic results can be qualitatively incorrect. The necessity of an electromagnetic particle simulation approach is indicated in order to resolve the magnetic rope-like structure and filamentation observed in the very energetic plasmas.

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