Astrophysically Relevant High Energy Density Laboratory Plasma Jets on the 1-MA COBRA Generator

Astrophysical jets are collimated outflows that develop over a vast range of source energies and scale lengths with many having common features that suggest there may be universal mechanisms which are responsible for jet formation and stability. To investigate these mechanisms, a gas fed planar plasma gun is used to produce magnetically driven high-energy-density astrophysically relevant plasma jets on the 1 MA, 220 ns rise time COBRA generator. Here, we present an in-depth investigation of jet dynamics and stability for varying electrode configurations and initial poloidal magnetic field conditions. From radial and axial velocity and temperature profiles, electron density and magnetic field measurements, and visible self-emission images, we observe the presence of complex flow profiles including shear flows and velocity gradients. These flows may contribute to the stability of these dense, high-aspect ratio jets despite having safety factors <<1 which should make them susceptible to disruption from current driven instabilities. Experimental results are then compared to 3D PERSEUS XMHD simulations and demonstrate good qualitative agreement.