Theoretical Studies of Exploding Wire and Laser - Pinch Plasmas.

A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model was developed to describe the dynamics of both linear z-pinch and theta-pinch plasmas, as well as dense exploding wire plasmas. The MHD model used in the study is comprised of Ohm's Law, Maxwell's equations, and the hydrodynamic equations modified to include electromagnetic terms. Separate electron and ion temperatures with both finite electrical conductivity and thermal conductivities are used. The system of equations in one-dimensional (radial), cylindrical geometry is solved numerically by a computer code. The model was generalized to describe as well the absorption of laser light in such plasmas. Two distinct types of plasmas were studied theoretically using this MHD model. The first application was an analysis of an exploding wire plasma while the second application involved laser heating of a dense plasma.