Laser probing diagnostics of z-pinches at the Zebra generator

Laser probing diagnostics were developed for the investigation of implosion dynamics and magnetic fields in cylindrical, linear, and nested wire arrays at the Nevada Terawatt Facility. Plasma diagnostics includes a five-frame optical probing of the z-pinch in 3 directions with a long 34-ns or short 9-ns pulse train. Four frames of the shadowgraphy cover two probing directions. The third probing direction includes: shadowgraphy, Faraday rotation diagnostics, interferometry, and schlieren diagnostics all at one temporal location. In every z-pinch shot this high-resolution multi-frame imaging diagnostics produces eight instant images of fast moving plasma objects on CCD cameras. Implosions with speeds 250-500 km/s were recorded in the wire arrays and the dynamics of the implosion plasma bubbles, current reconnection, as well as a shock in the precursor were observed. The issues of z-pinch imaging and Faraday rotation diagnostics with 1-MA wire arrays were analyzed.