Production of ultrahigh magnetic fields

The objective was to produce and measure controlled ultrahigh magnetic fields by imploding a plasma in which a magnetic field has been entrained. The novel method for producing the ultrahigh fields using a gas-puff Z pinch was tested successfully and found to work as well as predicted in some respects and better in others, such as field amplification. Moreover, in testing this concept, we may have created the only megagauss facility in the world with a 3 minute repetition rate and long lifetime. Most megagauss facilities are single-shot, owing to material deformations or the use of explosives.