Physics of High-Density Z-Pinch Plasmas

1. Introduction.- 1.1. An historical perspective.- 1.2. Characteristics of modern Z-pinch systems.- 1.3. The various types of Z pinches.- 1.4. Pulsed-power drivers.- 2. Equilibria of Z-Pinch Plasmas.- 2.1. Steady-state equilibria of Z-pinch plasmas.- 2.2. Equilibria of radiating Z pinches.- 3. Dynamics of Z-Pinch Plasmas.- 3.1. Formation of Z-pinch plasmas: Theoretical modeling.- 3.2. Zero-dimensional models of dynamic Z pinches.- 3.3. Fluid models of Z-pinch plasmas.- 3.4. Self-similar dynamics of an ideal MHD Z pinch.- 3.5. Self-similar solutions for time-dependent Z-pinch equilibria.- 4. Stability of Z-Pinch Plasmas.- 4.1. The stability of steady-state Z pinches.- 4.2. Effect of ohmic heating and radiative losses: Overheating instability and filamentation.- 4.3. Resistive and viscous effects on Z-pinch stability: Heat conductivity.- 4.4. Effects of finite and large ion Larmor radius: The Hall effect.- 4.5. Kinetic effects.- 4.6. Nonlinear evolution of the m = 0 mode.- 5. Rayleigh-Taylor Instability of a Plasma Accelerated by Magnetic Pressure.- 5.1. Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities of dynamic plasmas.- 5.2. Ideal MHD model: The Rayleigh-Taylor instability modes.- 5.3. Ideal MHD model: Effects of plasma compressibility and magnetic shear.- 5.4. Effect of magnetic shear.- 5.5. Dissipative effects.- 5.6. Large Larmor-radius effects.- 5.7. Nonlinear evolution of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.- 6. Stability of Dynamic Z-Pinches and Liners.- 6.1. The thin-shell model.- 6.2. Growth of the RT instabilities in a layer of finite thickness.- 6.3. Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in an imploding Z pinch: The snowplow model.- 6.4. Imploding wire arrays.- 6.5. Ideal MHD model.- 6.6. Stability of gas-puff Z-pinch implosions.- 6.7. Stabilization of long-wavelength sausage and kink modes of a Z pinch by radial oscillations.- 6.9. Two-dimensional simulation of magnetically driven.- Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities in cylindrical Z pinches.- 7. Applications of Z Pinches.- 7.1. Controlled

Plasmas are a hot, ionized gas that conducts electric currents, as in a spark or bolt of lightning; they can reach temperatures of millions of degrees. Sending a large electric current through a fine wire vaporizes it, producing a dense plasma confined by the magnetic field the current generates. The direction along the wire (and the current) is generally referred to as the z-axis, hence the name z-pinch for the magnetic interaction that confines the plasma along the z-axis. Such plasmas can produce intense radiation over a wide spectrum and also show promise of leading to conditions for controlled nuclear fusion.