Time resolved dynamics of X-pinch plasmas

Summary form only given. X-pinch experiments have been carried out using 12 to 100 /spl mu/m diameter Al wires with peak currents of 330 to 380 kA. Two wires were placed between the output electrodes of the low-inductance pulser so as to cross and touch at a single point, resulting in intense K-shell radiation emission from a small high temperature and density bright region at the cross point. Single wire Z-pinch experiments were performed for comparison with the X-pinch results. A sub-ns pulse nitrogen laser was used for time-resolved Schlieren and interferometry measurements of the plasma envelope. Expansion and instability of the X-pinch and Z-pinch plasmas and the compression of the X-pinch cross region prior to X-ray emission were observed with a radial compression velocity of 1 cmspl mu/s for a 37 /spl mu/m Al X-pinch load.