Doppler measurement of implosion velocity in fast Z-pinch x-ray sources

• Published in: Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics Vol. 84; no. 5 Pt 2; p. 056408
• Main Authors: Jones, B, Jennings, C A, Bailey, J E, Rochau, G A, Maron, Y, Coverdale, C A, Yu, E P, Hansen, S B, Ampleford, D J, Lake, P W, Dunham, G, Cuneo, M E, Deeney, C, Fisher, D V, Fisher, V I, Bernshtam, V, Starobinets, A, Weingarten, L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-11-2011
• Subjects: Absorption; Algorithms; Equipment Design; Magnetics; Motion; Physics - methods; Spectrophotometry - methods; Time Factors; Water - chemistry; X-Rays
• ISSN: 1539-3755; 1550-2376
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.056408

The observation of Doppler splitting in K-shell x-ray lines emitted from optically thin dopants is used to infer implosion velocities of up to 70 cm/μs in wire-array and gas-puff Z pinches at drive currents of 15-20 MA. These data can benchmark numerical implosion models, which produce reasonable agreement with the measured velocity in the emitting region. Doppler splitting is obscured in lines with strong opacity, but red-shifted absorption produced by the cooler halo of material backlit by the hot core assembling on axis can be used to diagnose velocity in the trailing mass.