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Time correlated study of the Z-pinch discharge in helium

University of British Columbia

The structure in the collapse stage of a linear Z-pinch discharge in helium has been studied by optical methods. Observations with a framing camera, rotating mirror spectrograph, and monochromator have been correlated with magnetic field and current distributions determined by Tam (1967). The luminous regions in a helium pinch are very faint. Therefore, up to twenty exposures have to be superimposed on the same framing camera or rotating mirror record. This requires a high degree of reproducibility in the initiation of the discharge. At high initial pressures, a non-luminous shock wave at the inner edge of the collapsing current shell precedes the luminous plasma layer towards the centre of the discharge vessel. This shock front is followed by a region of predominantly Hel emission, while most of the Hell radiation occurs in the outer regions of the collapsing plasma shell. The separation into Hel and Hell radiating regions is consistent with spectroscopic measurements of temperature: higher temperatures occur at larger radii. Pressure and density in the non-radiating shock wave region are determined by calculations based on a simple model. At low filling pressures, the Hel and Hell regions coincide. The position of maximum luminosity is observed to correspond with the position of maximum current density. The luminosity and current shells coincide with no shock wave preceding the luminous front. Strong continuum radiation is emitted from the centre of the discharge tube as soon as the leading edge of the current shell reaches the axis. This leading edge is luminous at low initial pressures, but becomes a non-radiating shock front at higher filling pressures.

Text

2011-07-16

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/36033

Physics

University of British Columbia

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