X-RAY LINE SPECTRA FROM EXPLODED-WIRE ARRAYS

Temperatures and densities were determined from the plasma formed by implosion at the center of symmetrical exploded-wire arrays. Temperatures of 500-725 eV were found from line ratios in Al and Si spectra using various plasma models. The recombination temperatures for these elements were 500-550 eV. Higher implosion plasma temperatures of 1.5-2 keV were found in Ti and Fe data. The densities were ∼1×1020 electrons/cm3 for the spatially integrated implosion region. Intense emitting regions of ∼500 μm to ∼1.5 mm in size were observed in densitometer contours of Al-plasma pinhole camera x-ray images.