The Dense Z-Pinch Program at the University of Nevada, Reno.

A new program of research into the physics of dense z-pinches is being initiated around a high-repetition-rate two-terawatt generator (formerly Zebra/HDZP-II: 2MV, 1.2 MA, 100 ns, 200 kJ, 1.9 Ω final line impedance) transferred to the University of Nevada. Reno Physics Department from Los Alamos National Laboratory. Areas for study include the early-time evolution of a current-driven wire, the plasma turbulence around and between wires, the suppression or reduction of instabilities, the nature of x-ray bright spots, and the tailoring of the x-ray emission spectrum. Novel loads that introduce a stabilizing velocity shear or density profile will be examined, along with configurations that promise to increase the quantity, hardness, stability, and reproducibility of x-ray emission. A wide variety of diagnostics are being developed, so as to diagnose the plasma thoroughly and make detailed comparisons between experiment, computer simulation, and theory. These include x-ray, soft x-ray, and extreme ultraviolet...