Neon Z-pinch experiment on Hawk

Summary form only given. Neon Z-pinches on Hawk (0.6 MA, 300 ns implosion time) are energetically equivalent to argon Z-pinches on the DTRA Decade Quad generator at 6 MA, 300 ns. Conditions leading to optimized K-shell radiation on Hawk should therefore be applicable to the higher current of Decade. The advantages of Hawk are high shot rate (10-20 per day) and superior diagnostic access, allowing experimental studies and code comparisons that would be prohibitively expensive on Decade. The double-shell gas-puff valve and nozzle were used previously (with argon) on Double Eagle and Decade. The outer diameter of the gas distribution is about 8 cm and the axial length is 4 cm. The gas density distribution was measured using laser-induced fluorescence. The time-dependent Z-pinch inductance is calculated from current and voltage measurements. The imploding plasma is diagnosed using a 2D holographic interferometer that produces images at two times during a single shot. Radiation diagnostics include X-ray diodes to measure time-dependent K-shell and UV+K-shell power and yield, a multi-shot pinhole camera to image the pinch in the K-shell region, a multi-detector array to measure the axial dependence of the radiation, and a crystal spectrometer instrumented with both film, to record the spectrum, and PIN diodes to record the time-dependent intensity of selected lines. Our goal is to determine the relationship between the initial conditions and the radiation produced by comparing experimental results with theoretical modeling, and to suggest ways to maximize the argon K-shell radiation on Decade.