Measurement of Thermal Conductivity in a Laser-Heated Plasma

The plasma thermal conductivity has been measured in a C${\mathrm{O}}_2$-laser-heated $Z$ pinch at a number density of 8 × ${10}^{16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-3\mathrm{}}$. Ruby-laser scattering was used to monitor the heating and rarefaction. Comparison with a numerical simulation indicates that the thermal conductivity is about a factor of 2 below that predicted by classical theory.