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Gomez, Matthew Robert

Publications and source records attributed to Gomez, Matthew Robert.

10 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Modified helix-like instability structure on imploding z-pinch liners that are pre-imposed with a uniform axial magnetic field

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratories Z Facility have, for the first time, studied the implosion dynamics of magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) style liners that were pre-imposed with a uniform axial magnetic field. As reported [T. J. Awe et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 235005 (2013)] when premagnetized with a 7 or 10 T axial field, these liners developed 3D-helix-like hydrodynamic instabilities; such instabilities starkly contrast with the azimuthally correlated magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instabilities that have been consistently observed in many earlier non-premagnetized experiments. The helical structure persisted throughout the implosion, even though the azimuthal drive field greatly exceeded the expected axial field at the liner's outer wall for all but the earliest stages of the experiment. Whether this modified instability structure has practical importance for magneto-inertial fusion concepts depends primarily on whether the modified instability structure is more stable than standard azimuthally correlated MRT instabilities. In this manuscript, we discuss the evolution of the helix-like instability observed on premagnetized liners. While a first principles explanation of this observation remains elusive, recent 3D simulations suggest that if a small amplitude helical perturbation can be seeded on the liner's outer surface, no further influence from the axial field is required for the instability to grow.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Laser-ablated active doping technique for visible spectroscopy measurements on Z.

Visible spectroscopy is a powerful diagnostic, allowing plasma parameters ranging from temperature and density to electric and magnetic fields to be measured. Spectroscopic dopants are commonly introduced to make these measurements. On Z, dopants are introduced passively (i.e. a salt deposited on a current-carrying surface); however, in some cases, passive doping can limit the times and locations at which measurements can be made. Active doping utilizes an auxiliary energy source to disperse the dopant independently from the rest of the experiment. The objective of this LDRD project was to explore laser ablation as a method of actively introducing spectroscopic dopants. Ideally, the laser energy would be delivered to the dopant via fiber optic, which would eliminate the need for time-intensive laser alignments in the Z chamber. Experiments conducted in a light lab to assess the feasibility of fibercoupled and open-beam laser-ablated doping are discussed.

Gomez, Matthew Robert↗