Theoretical studies of the formation and adiabatic compression of reversed-field configurations in imploding liners

The formation and compression of e-beam-induced reversed-field theta-pinch configurations are studied theoretically in an MHD treatment. Taking into account classical collisional resistivity plus anomalous resistivity derived from microinstabilities, it is shown that plasmas can be created with parameters suitable for liner compression experiments. Adiabatic compression of the quasi-equilibrium plasma/flux mixture is described by using Lagrangian co-ordinates. Results are given for a sample (unoptimized) initial configuration. In the final state, the ratio of plasma to total energy and the total D-T rate are 30% and 20%, respectively, of the values which would be obtained if all the compressional energy went into heating plasma, i.e., assuming negligible magnetic-field-filled volume.